New Audi A6 Allroad Arrives but Misses Out on EV Option

The Audi A6 is sold as a saloon or estate with a choice of powertrains from petrol, diesel, to hybrid, plug-in hybrid as well as the electric e-tron version. However, the e-tron has been overlooked for the new Allroad trim.

The Allroad is a cross between an estate car and an SUV, bringing with it everything that’s practical about an estate, but with a slightly elevated ride height, some underbody protection, four-wheel drive and some mild off-roading capabilities. And this choice of car used to be extremely popular with many brands selling their own versions.

Size and Space

However, Audi has built the Allroad with a wide body for the first time, making it 11cm wider than the A6 Avant, but it also gets large alloy wheels, and signature allroad design elements.
The additional 34 mm increase in ground clearance (adjustable by 55 mm), coupled with adaptive air suspension - that has been adapted for the Allroad version - and all-wheel steering, provides what Audi claim as “confident handling on any terrain”.

There’s no mistaking that this is a big car. At 5,016mm long, 1,986mm wide (2,099mm including the door mirrors), it has become 11 mm more tricky to squeeze through width restrictions, or park in tight parking bays.
But that bigness translates inside with generous amounts of passenger space. However, it does fall short in the boot department because, despite its behemoth proportions, there’s only 466 litres of cargo space, extending to 1,497 litres with the seats folded. And the news gets worse if opting for the e-hybrid because that version loses 62 litres of boot space to the hybridy bits.
To provide some context, that’s approximately the same size boot (albeit shaped differently) to the incoming Volkswagen ID.Polo.

Engines

Audi boasts a wide selection of engines, just not the e-tron all electric powertrain, and yet all engine choices are electrified. Fingers crossed that an all-electric Allroad comes later.

Plug-in Hybrid

For the first time the A6 allroad comes as an e-hybrid combining a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing a combined output of 270 kW (367 PS) and total torque of 500 Nm.

The high-voltage battery (25.9 kWh gross; 20.7 kWh net) enables up to 59 miles of all-electric driving on the WLTP combined test cycle. But the battery can only be charged on an AC charger up to 11 kW; taking two and a half hours via a three-phase supply, or three hours on a single-phase supply.

The disappointment comes with no rapid charging capabilities, meaning no top ups of electricity on long road trips when a break is needed.

However, the regenerative braking can be adjusted and the system offers an EV mode and a hybrid mode. A target battery charge level can be selected via the MMI, too.

Diesel

The 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine is rated at 220 kW (299 PS) and 580 Nm of torque, coupled with mild-hybrid technology delivering up to 18 kW (24 PS) of additional power, as well as an electric compressor for direct and fast response.
It makes the V6 TDI feel brisk whether pulling away, overtaking, or driving on the motorway.

Allroady Bits

Mating an estate car body to near-SUV underpinning brings with it many changes to the design by offering an estate car with a more rugged appearance. Some of those design elements have a practical application whilst others are there as more decorative elements.

Take - for example - the vertical, hexagon-shaped design elements on the grille that are different to the rest of the A6 range, but offer no added benefits. Audi claims they “enhance the off-road look” and “they also accentuate the higher ground clearance of the A6 allroad”, but I’m not so sure.

The A6 allroad comes as standard with 19-inch wheels with a choice up to 21 inches when clicking away at the options list. But, I feel bigger wheels may be needed to fill the wheel arches which are now trimmed in black plastic cladding. Smaller wheels may be lost.

When delving into the practical changes, Audi have given the Allroad some underbody protection for venturing off the road. It’s no Land Rover when crossing into softer terrain, but it should provide plenty of grip and ride height adjustment along dirt tracks, for example.

At its normal height the A6 allroad sits 34mm higher than the A6 Avant with adaptive air suspension with Audi confirming that its larger wheel diameter also contributes to this slight increase in height.

The “offroad” and “offroad+” modes will increase ground clearance by a further 15mm, for rough terrain.
In “offroad” mode, only the ride height increases, whereas “Offroad+” mode enables the traction control system for more slip control providing better traction on loose surfaces such as gravel, sand, or snow.
There’s also an electronic differential lock that intervenes in “Offroad+” mode that targets braking to prevent individual wheels from spinning, with torque directed to the wheels with traction.
The automatic gearshift points are also adjusted with a slightly higher setting in “offroad+” mode, holding gears for longer.

If you’re brave enough to travel at speeds in excess of 52mph in off-road modes, the suspension returns to its normal height to improve efficiency - a point to remember if having a little off-road fun when the ground starts to undulate.

However, for slightly more challenging terrain, an additional lift function provides greater ground clearance by raising the Allroad another 20mm, although at this height speed is limited to up to 21mph.

A standard Allroad indicator in the MMI display (or in the optional head-up display) shows the current pitch and roll angles, steering angle, and ride height, with geographic coordinates and compass heading also displayed, useful when tackling rougher terrain.

Driving

The usual “individual, comfort, balanced, efficiency and dynamic” driving modes are available as they are across the A6 range.

For the Allroad with “comfort” mode selected, the suspension irons out the bumps for a smooth ride - ideal for long trips.

Dynamic mode lowers the suspension by 20mm for better handling and stability, and will automatically lower at 75 mph, ideal for Autobahn cruising.

Audi says that “when the Audi drive select assistant is activated, the A6 allroad automatically selects the appropriate driving mode. Depending on road conditions and the current driving situation, the system selects “balanced”, “comfort”, or “dynamic” mode. A learning function ensures that driver preferences are applied in future situations”.

Progressive steering is standard, firming up as the speed increased, and responding more directly where suited. In fact, Audi has reworked the entire steering system to “noticeably improve steering response and provide more direct feedback from the road”.

The all-wheel steering is standard in the plug-in hybrid but only available as an option for the diesel versions. It allows the rear wheels to turn by up to five degrees in the opposite direction to the front wheels, but is limited to speeds of up to 37mph.

It’s designed for better manoeuvrability, given the Allroad’s large dimensions, reducing the turning circle by one metre. It also helps on rough terrain, because traditionally a 2.93-metre wheelbase, and 5 metre long car will be tricky to manoeuvre, but rear-wheel steering assures that it’s much more agile than its giant proportions suggest.

Infotainment

There are no differences over the rest of the A6 line-up, so the usual large, curved MMI panoramic display finds its way into the Allroad. This large display is actually made up from a 11.9-inch Audi virtual cockpit, a 14.5-inch MMI central touch display, and an optional 10.9-inch MMI passenger display.

Ambient lighting lighting can be found throughout on the dashboard, doors, beneath the MMI panoramic display, plus a full-width dynamic interaction light strip that spans the full width of the interior. This illuminates accordingly when the turn signal is activated, for example.

The optional passenger display can display websites and stream video content, and is compatible for connecting Bluetooth headphones so not to disturb the driver.

ChatGPT powers Audi’s AI Assistant and can add destinations, or ask for entertainment with a natural language voice commands. Audi claims customers can even be vague when asking questions – for example, by saying “the Italian restaurant with a view of the Rhine”, and it will find it for you and add it into your destination on the navigation.

Voice control can also be used for driver assist systems, such as adaptive cruise assist, which includes speed and distance control. And the car can even talk back and make suggestions such as advising the right time to activate adaptive cruise assist.

There’s automated seat heating, so when the outside temperature reaches a certain level the heated seats turn on and regulate the temperature without the need to search for the button. But it can also adjust the massage function after a long drive, or raise the adaptive air suspension at a specific curb, and it does all this by learning the driver’s habits. Just try not to have a row with ChatGPT if it gets it wrong.

Inside

The Allroad gets a dimmable panoramic glass roof switching between a light-filled interior and opaque shading.

For some reason, four-zone automatic air conditioning remains an option even at this price points. However, regardless of whether opting out of posh HVAC and making do without, the A6 allroad can be cooled in the summer and preheated in the winter with auxiliary heating and ventilation. This can be activated via the myAudi app or the MMI, or set as a regular schedule.

There’s improved sound insulation with more tightly sealed windows and optimised door seals to ensure a more serene experience inside the car, but again, Audi will ask for more money for acoustic glazing which is an optional extra whereas other brands will have this as standard.

But if quietness isn’t your bag, the Bang & Olufsen premium sound system - complete with 3D audio - should provide for an exceptional audio quality experience, especially with speakers in the front seat headrests for an immersive surround sound. The headrest speakers also provide navigation commands with phone calls directed directly to the driver.

Opinion

My personal preference will be to favour an estate car over an SUV because I prefer the driving dynamics and the “normally” larger boot.

However, the A6 is let down by a boot size that decreases depending on the powertrain, and yet it wasn’t that big to start with. I’m unsure how Audi has managed to create a car that’s longer than 5 metres with a boot that has a smaller capacity than a Volkswagen ID.Polo. But, it’s not always the size that matters.

My other gripe is the options list, because for a car with potentially a higher purchase price than other A6’s in the range, it seems that asking for more money for equipment that is standard in other cars - such as acoustic glass - is a bit of a cheeky ask.

But I will say this. If it’s four-wheel drive and extra off-road traction that’s required, cars such as the Allroad might just be the perfect choice. They’re a best-of-both worlds, combining good road manners, agile turn-in abilities whilst ferrying the family around in serenity and better fuel efficiency (vs and SUV). But, they can also tackle farm tracks, loose surfaces, and do some mild off-roading, too.
Cars such as the Allroad should be celebrated and embraced once again as they were over a decade ago because not everyone needs a large SUV in their life, where a very capable estate car will do the job admirably.

Prices and Sale Date

There are no prices, or launch dates yet, but I expect it will be imminent as the Alroad now features on the Audi website.

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About the Author

Graeme Cobb is a lifelong car enthusiast with a passion for writing about cars, EVs, industry updates and more.

You can find Graeme on 𝕏 at @graeme_cobb