Audi ALLROAD 2.5TDi
Fancy 4x4 Utility Without The Socially Unacceptable Image? Try Something Slightly More Sophisticated. The
Audi Allroad 2.5 TDi Could Be The Only Car Youll Ever Need Reckons Andy Enright
4x4s dont tend to give off very favourable messages. Small ones are slightly fey, evoking 1990s images of struggling personal trainers or self-employed hair stylists/colouring consultants. Big ones tend to be driven by people with a self-exempt interest in controlling the population explosion by dint of implacable bull-bars, feeble brakes and an overweening sense of indestructibility. If, like us, you prefer something more Bauhaus than brick outhouse, the Audi Allroad 2.
| Build |
 |
| Comfort |
 |
| Depreciation |
|
| Economy |
|
| Equipment |
|
| Handling |
 |
| Insurance |
 |
| Performance |
|
| Styling |
|
| Value |
|
5TDi could well fit the bill.
Marrying the eminently desirable Allroad body shape to what is probably the finest engine in the
Audi range has resulted in a curiously beguiling ownership proposition. You can choose between power outputs of 180 and 162bhp, both offer a combination of speed, ability, economy, build quality and style make this, on most objective scorecards, one of the most desirable cars around. Given that objectivity rarely features in many peoples buying decisions, its good to know that the Audi can back all of its claims up with strong appeals to the heartstrings. That engine may not possess the gut-churning wallop of the twin-turbocharged 2.
7-litre petrol engine or the silkiness of the 4.2-litre V8 range topper, but its plenty quick enough. A sprint to sixty mph time of 9.5 seconds barely does the engine justice, telling nothing of the vast swell of torque that lifts the car up in the palm of its hand and effortlessly tosses it up the road.
The top speed of 129mph (in the 180bhp version) may be the only objective Achilles heel for those who are looking to cruise the autobahns at exit velocity, but to most of us living in this busy and beGATSOed isle is of minor concern. What is a more germane consideration is the average fuel consumption figure of 32mpg, an almost unbelievable return given the capability on offer.
"For a car that does everything well, you really dont need to look any further."
One of the downsides of owning a vehicle with extended capabilities is the fact that although the lofty driving position is ideal for off-road excursions, it also exacts a serious penalty in terms of ride and handling. Ladder framed chassis and suspension systems more akin to armoured personnel carriers tend to go with this particular territory. Thankfully Audi has rewritten the rules here. The main reason why is found in the Allroad's clever adjustable air suspension system, which can automatically (or manually) raise or lower the car to four different ride heights, using air springs on each wheel. Real offroad experts will tell you that ground clearance is everything, so let's start there. This car has more (208mm) than apparently 'proper' off roaders like Jeep's Cherokee or Mercedes' M-class. Not even a Discovery or a Range
Rover sits much higher. The Allroads suspension caters for a wide range of settings, the lowest being just 142mm from the tarmac and is automatically activated over 75mph to improve high-speed handling. The standard 167mm ride height is activated at 50mph, while at speeds below that, the car rides at 192mm.
The final top setting - up to 208mm - is one you select yourself, via a couple of small dashboard buttons before attempting particularly difficult terrain. This aside however, though you can manually move the car up and down, plotting your progress via a series of four warning lights, it takes rather a long time and there's not much point. Better to leave the system in auto and let it do its own thing. If the prospect of doing so leaves you visualising the car jumping up and down like a jack-in-the-box as speeds vary, then don't worry. A delay circuit waits several minutes to establish a continuous speed before activating the suspension. It's really very clever. Then there's the low range gearbox that 'real' off roaders use to get out of sticky spots. Not something you'd expect to find on a 4WD car - but its been developed for this one (as an option on the manual model). As for traction, well again, it's no problem. Thanks to a Torsen (torque-sensitive) differential and an electronic diff lock (EDL), drive is maintained even if only one wheel has grip. It will tow almost anything - and carry a 630kg payload. Plus you can hurl this Audi at the nearest mountain with relative peace of mind, thanks to side cladding and bumper-mounted front and rear undertray protection plates.
When tooling around town, you can drop the suspension and the Audi becomes a slightly beefier version of a cooking A6 Avant, a true social chameleon if ever there was one. Drive one back to back with a
BMW X5 and youll wonder why BMW bothered, the Audi being significantly more satisfying both on and off road for significantly less. That isnt to say that the Audi is inexpensive however. At £28,625 for the 162bhp version and £30,045 for the 180bhp, it commands a £3,000 premium over the estate version of the A6 quattro, which could well land you a perfectly serviceable used
Suzuki Vitara.
This however would be missing the point. For a car that does everything well, you really dont need to look any further. The interior is well up to the usual Audi standards, with frighteningly logical controls. The doors close with a thunk; everything is damped and chunky.
There are no squeaks and rattles. The car feels as if it was milled from a solid billet of some hideously expensively heavy substance. Specified in dark colours, the interior has a certain Bauhaus austerity about it. There are no flashing lights, rows of piano keys, gaudy displays or multi function stalks.
You gaze across the fascia. Sheets of coal black plastics gaze back. Putting this few buttons in a premium car represents admirable confidence on Audis part, but the equipments all there. Its just like old money though hard to spot.
What isnt hard to spot is the desirability of the Audi Allroad 2.5 TDi. Jack-of-all-trades or flexible friend, this is one car that you wouldnt want to be without.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Audi Allroad 2.5 TDi
PRICE: £28,625 - £30,045 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 16
CO2 EMISSIONS: 238-262g/km
PERFORMANCE: [180bhp] 0-60mph 9.5s / Max Speed 129mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [180bhp] (average) 29mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags / ABS/ ESP
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height mm 4810/1852/1526mm
<< Back to Audi car reviews
<< Back to car reviews homepage
Find New & Used Cars in the UK |
New & Used Audi Cars For Sale UK
