Audi A6 allroad quattro 3.0 TDI: Road test

TopGear has driven the Audi A6 allroad quattro 3.0 TDI.

In fact, for the right person, it's excellent. You get full-blown Audi build quality, the usual classy and understated interior, and the ability to increase the body's ride height by up to 65 millimetres more than a normal A6 Avant.

Audi's adaptive air suspension is actually a very clever bit of engineering, offering five driving modes that are controlled from the on-board computer. You get Dynamic, which lowers the body to reduce drag and improve handling, Automatic, which is 15mm higher but lowers again when you're tanking it, and Comfort for cruising.

For the rough stuff, Allroad mode whacks up the ground clearance to 175mm and lowers it incrementally according to the car's speed. The final stage is Lift, offering 185mm of manually operated, low-speed clearance, this time with no adjustment.

It still looks pretty imposing on optional 18 inch wheels with visible stainless steel underbody protection and flared arches, and new touches like the deeper grille and LED brake lights distinguish it nicely from the old car.

It can handle all the off-road business the majority of drivers will ever encounter too, but it also goes and stops better than an SUV, and should take it easier at the pumps.

Related news: GermanCarBlog, P4MR, Audi A6 allroad quattro

Source: TopGear, picture by Audi

Watch more TV. The German Car TV.

Read more