Well I took a test-drive of the Audi Allroad (180PS 2.5TDi) on Saturday. To the horror of my wallet, my initial impressions of this leviathan were promising. I?ve always liked this car in Irish Green (a metallic sage), shying away from the darker colours. The car I took out was black, featuring the ?Aluminium Optic? pack (Audi?s way of saying it has got lots of brightwork on it) and really looked the part, with one exception; the roof. On the lighter cars, the plastic roof cover (there to prevent scratching when taking this beast off-road) is fairly inconspicuous. On a darker car it sticks out like a sore thumb.
On to the inside; the brochure really fails to sell the two-tone interior but in reality the beige leather with beige and mid-brown dash/doors works extremely well. A quick look around the rear revealed a truly capacious load space, with easily accessible tie-downs and a couple of cubby holes for storage of smaller, more fragile items. Or at least there would have been if they weren?t already in use to store the CD changer and the Bose amplifier. A full-size alloy spare is provided, but the tyre is a vredstein collapsible, complete with compressor. This means you get the looks (and expense) of a 5th alloy, with a range of 200km/125miles, but are still restricted to 80kmh/50mph. An unusual but sensible compromise, given the off-road limitations that a skinny space saver would offer.
As you would expect from a car of this size, the rear accommodation is more than ample and would seat 3 adults in reasonable comfort (although I?m sure people would draw straws to avoid the usual middle seat compromise).
Although I had the car for 40 minutes or so I didn?t get to play with the bells and whistles, instead concentrating on how the car drove. Suffice to say this demonstrator came fully loaded, with cruise control, Bose soundsystem, GPS and silky-smooth tiptronic transmission.
After the, ahem, purposeful clatter of my Alfa JTD the whisper of the Audi TDi came as a revelation. I know this will sound a cliché, but I genuinely checked with the salesman that the car hadn?t been mis-badged. Barely a purr reached the cabin on starting, with engine noise remaining a muted background hum, even when pressing on with the transmission in Sport mode. Another reason for checking the engine was the alarming numbers appearing in the middle of the dash. I set the trip computer to show the average consumption for my 40 minute session and was horrified to see a figure of 25.2mpg. After talking to the salesman allocated this car for daily use it would appear this is par for the course. Given that fully half of the journey was spent sedately pootling around at 55-60mph at 1900rpm or so, this was a major disappointment.
Having settled in and made my way out of Poole along the dual carriageway I was surprised to hear some fairly significant wind noise from around the B pillar once up to 70mph. Not at all what I expected, although perhaps I?m being overly critical of a car that comes with roof rails (the most likely cause) as standard.
Both around town and out on the dual carriageway the ride comfort was exceptional. On a couple of occasions I deliberately headed for recessed drain covers and potholes, only to be rewarded with a muted clunk from the drain cover and no indication from the Allroad that anything had happened. The air suspension on this car really irons out the bumps with consummate ease.
And there?s the rub. Once off the beaten track and into the twisty back roads, the Allroad showed its Achilles heel. Despite keeping speeds down to 45-50 (where I might usually be pushing on at 70 or so, visibility allowing) I rarely felt secure with the handling. There was an overly detached feel, almost as if the front wheels weren?t in contact with the ground. I can only describe it as ?floating?, although not in the hovercraft/not going to make that corner sense, simply a detachment that prevents you feeling the road when you most want the feedback. This was with the suspension at its lowest setting, with the dampers tightening up accordingly. I dread to think how it would feel if left at the standard ride height.
So will I be ordering an Allroad? In the final analysis, no. Despite a fantastic interior and day-to-day practicality I was frankly horrified by the fuel economy (or lack of) and couldn?t live with the indirect feel of the drive when pressing on. This could be countered by considering the A6 Avant Quattro; however the order book has been closed on the A6 Avant pending a new model in the autumn.
So my bank manager breathes a sigh of relief and I return to my Alfa. Yes, it?s noisy and has all the load carrying capacity of a teacup, but it handles like a dream, returns 36-40mpg and still makes me grin whenever I look at it. I?m glad I drove the Allroad, but was gladder still to get back into the familiar surroundings of my Sportwagon before turning the key and heading back to the same roads that so unsettled the Audi. Only this time, I was in control.
ND
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A lesson well learnt then! Just what do people see in the Allroad and the Volvo XC70? A mixture of car and alleged off-raod capabilities that ultimately is worse than the "proper" estate version and not a proper 4x4 either. Do some people mistakenly think that these vehicles look better than the estates on which they are based or what?
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hmmmm. Tastes differ, and I guess I look for very difft things out of a car. So I can't see the attraction of that sort of car in any way, and I suppose it's unsurprising that I find it ugly in any color. Chacun a son gout!
However, the high fuel consumption is probably because of the autobox. Audi's lists suggest that the CVT transmission (not available with 4WD) is much more economical. Have you considered a 2WD version?
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Good friend of mine changed from a 2.0 litre Legacy estate(which I bought,...many thanks)to an A4 Avant Quattro with the same 2.5 TDI engine 180. I average 33mpg, yet with the auto box and use of the climate control he has yet to see 30mpg after 18 months ownership. Fabulous build quality and great interior, but he still misses the space and 'workaday honesty' of the Legacy.At least I never feel guilty using the Sub as a working car,whereas, given the cost of the Audi, even if I could afford one, I would be paranoid about carrying my tools of the trade in the back.....however, four years down the line I may change my mind if the price is right!
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Legacy lad, you may have a long wait.....
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=21...5
Talk about cast-iron residuals!
Interesting to hear you get 33 from the Legacy. Which year/engine do you have?
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No Dosh,
My Legacy Estate is a late'97 with non aspirated 2.0 litre. The constant 33mpg is a mix of fast A and twisty B roads, plus dual carriageway, on my 60 mile round trip regular commute.Living on the Cumbria/N Yorks border traffic is light, apart from at weekends, and my style of driving is to go with the flow (apart from caravans...sorry).My days of 'press on' motoring began to fade after the sale of my RS2000 and one of the last of the original proper quattros, which JC drove on Top Gear many moons ago.I must find the video which SWMBO kindly got a copy of from Pebble Mill. Oh well, at least nobody's likely to pinch the Legacy!
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I agree that this car is a compromise, but I was looking for a compromise with a "car" balance. In hindsight a 4wd estate is probably closer to what I'm after, rather than one of these "hybrid" variations. Perhaps the Mazda6 estate with 4x4 or, as mentioned above, a Quattro A6 (or A4 for that matter) estate would do the trick. Or maybe the 158 crosswagon.......???
You're right; the tiptronic won't have helped the MPG, but I can't see the manual would have been a huge improvement. Had the car returned 32+ and offered some roadholding I would have signed the order there and then, but ultimately it offered the handling of a barge, which was somewhat contrary to Audi's marketing spiel.
Never mind. Money stays in the bank for now and I keep on grinning as I ramp up the miles on the Alfa.
:o)
ND
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My Subaru Outback (new model) is doing an easy 32mpg over all sorts of driving including school run, short town runs and brisk 50 milers.
Coming back from Twickenham after watching Sale - Newcastle it was averaging 36mpg.
Not bad I think for an auto 2.5 (and a/c was on)
The car is great, but this type of economy is a bonus after previous Sub's were not that great.
jd
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ND - any reason not to consider the Accord diesel estate? I would have thought it would meet your criteria quite nicely. I've read praise for its appearance, although I personally prefer the looks of the saloon, and it'll never be as pretty as the Alfa. But it should deliver on all the boxes you want to tick - refinement, reliability, load capacity, fuel economy, driving experience. Has to be kinder than the Audi to that anorexic wallet of yours!
andymc
Vroom, vroom - mmmm, doughnuts
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>>anorexic wallet of yours!
Not so much "anorexic" as "shy"
ND,
Get a real 4x4, you know you want to. But if not, why bother with a pretend off-roader at all ?
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jd - Have just returned from France in my new Legacy Tourer 2.5i and on the run back to Calais was driving at about 90mph for over 300 miles. The trip computer reported an amazing 33mpg for this. I was delighted until I refilled the tank and did the calculations manually. Just over 23mpg! Did you actually calculate your mpg or rely on the computer?
MikeL
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You're right; the tiptronic won't have helped the MPG, but I can't see the manual would have been a huge improvement.
probly irrelevant, since its sounds like you wouldn't want the car even if it did 100mpg, but ... Audi's website says the Tiptronic does ~20mpg urban, but the manual ~30mpg.
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probly irrelevant, since its sounds like you wouldn\'t want the car even if it did 100mpg, but ... Audi\'s website says the Tiptronic does ~20mpg urban, but the manual ~30mpg.
You\'re right, I\'ve gone off the car for a variety of reasons, the main one being the total lack of involvement in the drive.
The drive was more to scratch an itch I\'ve had than anything else as the Alfa continues to meet my immediate needs. I have to admit, if the Allroad had grabbed me by the seat of my driving pants I would be having a fairly in-depth discussion with my bank manager by now.
I\'m going to sit on the 156 until something else grabs my eye - which probably means I\'m in it for at least another year or two, which was always the plan when I first got it. I guess I\'m just fickle.
Good to see that new Legacy offers reasonable economy, that will be one to watch for the future. As for a real 4x4, we\'ll be getting one of those for Mrs ND at some point next year when she finishes horticultural college and starts her business.
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If you do get a real 4x4, bear in mind that not all of them have the carrying capacity you might expect. The Freelander, for example, has virtually no space at all with the back seats in place.
Given what Mrs ND intends to do, you might very well be better off with a pick-up.
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Mark,
Well I never, you're now implying that the Freelander is a real 4X4! A change of heart perhaps?
:-)
Chad.
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A Freelander is a useless, unreliable, inadequate pile of wossname which is uncomfortable and noisy on-road and woefully awful off-road.
It wouldn't be any good even if bits didn't keep falling off an breaking. Although since its 2 or 3 years since I was hacking around in one, they may have changed. I say "may", but I doubt it.
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We were thinking along the lines of a Nissan Terrano TDi LWB with the rearmost seats removed, the middle ones in occasional use and a bloomin' great trailer rather than a pick-up. Easier access for heavy kit.
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Given what Mrs ND intends to do, you might very well be better off with a pick-up.
I sometimes think of getting a big American pick-up truck, and completing the image with real southern big hair (probably peroxide blonde) and tight jeans, and a C+W station on the radio.
Y'all may hope that Mrs No Dosh has better taste ...
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Eeeep! It's Daisy Duke!
Hush boy! Boss Hog's a comin outta town :)
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C + W station ? Cumberland and Westmorland. Nearest station probably Kendal.
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C + W station ? Cumberland and Westmorland. Nearest station probably Kendal.
I'm trying to get my head around how the lyrics for the twangy songs up there might go:
Well, I was born a fish fryer's daughter
In a chip shop on a hill outside of Troutbeck
We were poor but we had love
That's the one thing my Daddy made sure of
He fried fish to make a poor man's pay check
I think I'll stick with Loretta Lynn ...
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And now back to motoring.
DD.
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