The first Audi A6 Allroad debuted in 1999, and the German manufacturer has developed an Allroad version of every generation of A6 Avant since. While they’re not a common sight on the roads, they’re clearly popular enough that Audi has seen fit to keep offering them - and it isn’t difficult to see the appeal.
Essentially, you get all the usual A6 Avant qualities with a slightly more distinctive exterior style, and raised air suspension that takes the sting out of our worsening roads. While the A6 Allroad was expensive when new, used prices for the latest, post-2021 generation now look very tempting indeed.
The Allroad’s chunky off-road inspired styling isn’t unique to Audi, with the Volvo V90 Cross Country and Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain being two key alternatives. For less money, the smaller Audi A4 Allroad and Volkswagen Passat Alltrack are also worth a look.
There are plenty of sensible reasons for buying an Audi A6 Allroad but we’d not blame you for some good old heart-over-head decision making too. There’s just something very appealing about a classy estate car with some tasteful body cladding and raised suspension, giving you some of the benefits you might find in an SUV, but with an altogether sleeker shape.
Most of what makes the A6 Allroad a good car is already present in the Audi A6 Avant, including a high-quality and well laid out cabin with one of the better touchscreen applications you’ll find (two touchscreens, in fact), plenty of cabin space, and a huge boot - though at not far off five metres long, it should come as no surprise the A6 Allroad is spacious.
You’ll also find a pair of strong V6 TDI engines (and a much rarer V6 petrol), with even the 45 TDI offering more than enough performance and economy to feel worthwhile. Quattro-badged all-wheel drive is standard fitment, for extra security in poor weather, but we’re less keen on the standard 8-speed automatic gearbox. It shifts smoothly enough, but the way it can take quite some time to respond from a standstill - such as pulling out of a junction or onto a roundabout - would need time to adapt to.
Handling is naturally a little less sharp than that of a conventional estate, but the trade-off is a comfortable ride of the standard self-levelling air suspension. It’s at its best on the Sport’s 19-inch alloy wheels but it’s still not bad on the Vorsprung’s 21-inch wheels.
Audi didn’t have this raised, clad estate car market all to itself, with the Volvo V90 Cross Country (itself from a long line of similar models) and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain vying for your attention. The smaller Audi A4 Allroad is also very compelling if you don’t need the A6’s space (and a V6 TDI is still available), while conventional SUVs like the Audi Q5 and Q7, or BMW X5 could also be an option if you’re not set on an estate.
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The Audi A6 Allroad was an expensive car to buy when new - £55,000 for the Sport, and more than £70,000 for the Vorsprung - and this price difference might explain why it’s much easier to find a Sport on the used market. It’s the one we’d go for anyway - the Vorsprung did have a few fancy features but it’s not like the Sport was poorly equipped, and you could still get both the 45 TDI and 50 TDI engines with it.
Notably, 45 TDI versions are also easier to find, and again that’s probably because the 50 TDI’s benefits were only minor. Once again, we’d not go out of our way to find a 50 TDI for the sake of slightly quicker acceleration and a small increase in fuel economy. In other words, a 45 TDI Sport should be all you need.
Audi offered only two trim levels on the A6 Allroad, but it’s safe to say they both more than covered the basics, with the Allroad Sport already offering most of the standard equipment that most people could hope for in a car like this. Audi did offer several options on the A6 Allroad too, most rolled up into multi-option packs, and the top-spec Vorsprung came with several of these packs as standard.
The Audi A6 Allroad’s dimensions are:
The Audi A6 Allroad’s boot size is:
As both trim levels of the Audi A6 Allroad came in at comfortably more than £40,000, all versions are subject to the VED or ‘road tax’ surcharge for more expensive vehicles, meaning an annual bill to the Treasury of £570 per year, from the second to the sixth years of registration. From the seventh year onwards this drops back down to a lower rate.
Audi A6 Allroad insurance starts in group 40 for a 45 TDI in Sport trim, while the 50 TDI goes from groups 43 to 45. These insurance groups (out of 50) are a little higher than you’ll find for the Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain, though individual quotes will of course vary depending on your own circumstances.
Read our full Audi A6 Allroad review
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