Audi A6 Allroad (2019-2022) Review

If you want a big family estate car that can do that a bit more, the Audi A6 Allroad is ideal. It’s the kind of car that suits having a roof box on top and a bike rack on the back. We think marketing people would call it a ‘lifestyle’ vehicle. Of course, you don’t have to tell anyone how often you actually use those bikes. It also doesn’t feel as bulky as a big SUV.

While it comes with quattro four-wheel drive, it’s certainly not an off-roader, despite what all that cladding on the wheel arches would like to suggest. There is hill descent control and the extra ride height, but what is more useful is the self-levelling air suspension, which makes the Audi A6 Allroad not only hugely comfortable but also great for towing.

The standard Audi A6 Allroad Sport model had everything required from a big estate like this. Stuff like leather seats, which were electrically adjustable and had lumbar support, naturally, to LED ambient lighting, 19-inch alloys and privacy glass for the rear side windows. The latter wasn't just about style; it was useful for cutting out bright sun in the back, handy for young kids on long summer drives.

We’d go for an Audi A6 Allroad Sport with the standard 45 TDI engine, which is handily also the cheapest model in the range, although when you’re looking at a car that was £55,000 new, the word ‘cheap’ is all relative.

Vorpsrung was the high-spec trim, costing £72,000 new. Ouch. It came with every bell and whistle, so if you can get a deal on one, it’s a hell of a lot of car for the money. But, unsurprisingly, they are few and far between. 

The off-road, sort of, estate car wasn't all that common, having only two direct rivals - the then-cheaper Volvo V90 Cross Country and the just as expensive Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain. 

The Volvo made a strong case for the money, although it didn't come with a 3.0-litre diesel. You could also go smaller with something like the Volkswagen Passat Alltrack.

If it’s a well-equipped estate you’re after, the same-era A6 Avant is probably all you need. These had quattro all-wheel drive and the same engines. Alternatively, you could look at a full-size SUV, and there is no shortage of those to choose from, like the BMW X5, Audi Q7 and Mercedes GLE.

Sadly, the previously mentioned direct rivals (E-Class All-Terrain, V90 Cross Country and Passat Alltrack) are gone. Modern offroad estates are limited but include the Subaru Forester and Ford Focus Active. 

It’s hardly a shock that the interior of a luxury Audi that once cost more than £50k is finished to a high standard. You can see where your money would've gone. It had heaps of metal throughout, setting a robust tone.

If it wasn't metal or glossy plastic, it was leather. Well, we say leather, but some of it was faux leather. An extended £1,000 leather pack was available, adding proper leather to the upper instrument panel, doors and centre console, but cars fitted with this are as rare as hen’s teeth. 

Even without that, every surface you touched in the Audi A6 Allroad felt quality. The same went for the buttons (not that there are many), which worked with a satisfying click, and even small controls like those for the electric mirrors. Nowhere did it feel as though Audi had cut corners with this car.

What’s better than one touchscreen? Two touchscreens if you’re Audi. This gave the A6 Allroad a clean and uncluttered interior. Yet Audi had left some things alone - there was still a proper knob for the volume for instance.

The lower 8.6-inch screen controlled the air conditioning and things like heated seats, and the top 10.1-inch screen did everything else like navigation, radio and displays Apple CarPlay and Android Auto if you connected your phone (but only using a cable - it wasn't advanced enough to work through Bluetooth).

The system was easy to use and laid out well, with simple boxes for each function. It was certainly more intuitive than the BMW equivalent, while the display was lovely and sharp.

One of the oddities was the haptic feedback – so the screen ‘clicked’ when you pressed, something many cars use today. This seemed like a neat feature, but we found it annoying back then. 

The Audi A6 Allroad wasn't short of space, hardly surprising when it was close to five metres long. You could happily carry four proper grown-ups in comfort without feeling a squeeze. Storage was decent, with large door pockets, although the space under the centre armrest was shallow and only good for phones and wallets. 

The one fly in the Audi ointment here was the big central tunnel, making the middle seat in the back a tight fit. Stick to two back there, and it was much more comfortable. Plus, there were separate controls for the air conditioning. 

It was ideal for child seats with ISOFIX points, and the generous rear legroom meant you could fit a rear-facing seat with room to spare.

The boot was huge at 565 litres and had useful features like an electric tailgate – complete with an automatically retracting luggage cover - while the rear seats split 40/20/40 and could be folded down using a handle in the boot. Handy when you’re halfway through loading something heavy and realise it won’t quite fit. 

One standard feature we weren't convinced by was the luggage-securing boot-rail system, which came with a luggage strap and a net. It was a nice idea, but in reality, you would find yourself not using the net much, and without it, the boot was left with two metal rails that collected dirt.

The Audi A6 Allroad dimensions are 4951mm long, 2110mm wide and 1534mm tall.

While there was a 55 TSI petrol in the Audi A6 Allroad, you’re more likely to find the Holy Grail than come across one. it was fast, with 340PS, but it was also thirsty. The two diesels suit the Audi much better.

The 45 TDI and 50 TDI used the same six-cylinder 3.0-litre diesel engine. The 45 TDI had 231PS and 500Nm, which we think is more than enough for everyday driving. It's certainly our choice in the range and is the most common model.

If you want extra oomph, the 50 TDI upped power to 286PS and boosted torque to a hefty 620Nm. There was no denying it pulled like a train and was effortlessly quick, but it had the same towing capacity as the rest of the range. 

Sadly, the tiptronic gearbox lets the Audi A6 Allroad down. This was a conventional automatic rather than a twin-clutch affair, and it upshifted in the blink of an eye with almost unnoticeable shifts. The problem was at lower speeds. For some reason, there was a massive delay when acceleration was needed. 

Along with superb comfort, the Audi A6 Allroad was also incredibly quiet and refined, which you’ll appreciate on long motorway journeys. There was pretty much no wind noise, helped by the fact the suspension lowered itself by 15mm above 74mph (which also benefits fuel economy), while despite the big wheels, tyre noise was kept to a minimum.

This was down to lots of sound insulation, but other things helped, such as air suspension, which cosseted the ride and filtered rough road vibrations.

The 3.0-litre TDI engines were quiet at start-up, and you’d barely notice any noise. The TSI engine was quieter, although it was more vocal at higher revs, albeit in an enjoyable way if you like that sort of thing. Which we do.

There were plenty of onboard safety systems in the Audi A6 Allroad, including the Tour Assist package, which featured efficiency assist, adaptive cruise assist and emergency assist. The City package featured the intersection assist and the exit warning. This usefully warned passengers not to open the doors if the car was stopped and it detected cyclists or approaching traffic.

Lane departure warning, a rearview camera and Parking System Plus were optional. While the Audi A6 Allroad wasn't crash-tested by Euro NCAP, the Audi A6 saloon achieved the maximum five-star rating in 2018 with a high 85 per cent rating for child occupant safety. 

Other useful parental extras included window locks and rear door child lock controls. Handily, they were right next to the electric window controls and were easy to check, with a read light showing they were locked.

The Audi A6 Allroad scored 9.00 out of 10 in the HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Survey, although, bear in mind, this figure included the previous generation model too. With time marching on, the A6 Allroad hasn't secured a permanent place, but Audi scored 16 out of 29 manufacturers on the latest list.  

The 45 TDI is between group 40 and 45 for insurance depending on the spec, a few groups higher than the Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain, so you’d likely be paying a bit more for your premium if you choose the Audi. The 50 TDI sits between groups 43 and 45 while the lesser spotted 55 TSI is group 41 or 45.

New VED tax rules start in April 2025. The A6 Allroad was a pricey machine when new, meaning it may be subject to the 'expensive car tax'. Cars with a list price over £40,000, including extras, will pay an extra £410 for the first five years.

Likewise, cars registered after April 2017 are still liable for the first-year 'showroom tax', a figure based on C02 emissions. Sadly, this isn't great for A6 Allroad owners. The most C02 efficient 50 TDI (built between 1 August 2019 and 31 March 2020) emits 153g/km, meaning the £680 showroom tax and £195 thereafter. 

There were two trims: Sport and Vorpsrung. For us, the Audi A6 Allroad Sport had everything: leather seats (electrically adjustable), navigation, LED interior ambient lighting, a rearview camera, 19-inch alloys, keyless go and privacy glass for the rear side windows. 

It also had Audi's clever Matrix beam LED headlights that keep the main beam on but avoid dazzling other road users by adjusting the pattern of the beam. Again, this technology resides in today's Ford Focus, but it worked well in the A6 Allroad back then. 

Find an Audi A6 Allroad Vorpsrung, and you’ll get every bell and whistle. This includes 21-inch alloys, a panoramic glass sunroof, an electric steering column, the extended leather pack, head-up display, Technology Pack, Tour Pack and the City Assist Pack. You’ll also get posh power closing doors for the ultimate limo lifestyle.

If you’re regularly towing, look for a car fitted with the optional electrically swivelling towbar, which also includes trailer stabilisation with ESC.