Ready for all roads and none

On-road or off-road, Audi A4 Allroad cuts it.

Winter has most certainly grasped us in its cold embrace, so what better time for Audi to send me their A4 Allroad?

An A4 Avant with raised ride height, various off-road driving modes and Quattro four-wheel drive, the Allroad is pitched at those who need surefootedness in winter but can’t afford or don’t need a large SUV.

More compact than its big brother the A6 Allroad, the A4 still has room for five passengers and a good-sized boot.

Prices start at just under £36,000 and there’s a choice of a two-litre diesel with 148 or 187bhp and a three-litre diesel with 218 or a hearty 268bhp.

Thanks to a 120kg weight saving over the old Allroad, the basic diesel is fine and the 187bhp version supplies an excellent combination of economy and power.

If you have a bit of extra cash and feel like treating yourself, though, then splurge on the top three-litre V6 diesel.

With almost 270bhp and oodles of torque it pulls like a train, surging forward effortlessly with just a prod of the accelerator.

Economy doesn’t suffer much from the extra size and power – the three-litre averages 52.3mpg compared to 57.6mpg for the two-litre.

My car came with eight speed Tiptronic transmission. You can use paddles to change gear but I found it best to let the car make the changes, which it does almost seamlessly. Ride is first rate and handling is much better than in any SUV.

Audi’s known for loading up its press demonstrators with extras and my car had £18,000 of additional kit (price in the vital stats box is for the car without the optional extras). From a superb stereo to improved suspension, it had everything except – inexplicably – heated seats. Cold bottom aside, the interior is a wonderful place to be. Perhaps only Jaguar and now Volvo with the XC90 and V90 can match Audi when it comes to a great cabin.

Everything is beautifully finished, surfaces are tactile and the buttons are exactly where you’d expect them to be.

Instead of a touchscreen, which is risky to use on the move, there’s an intuitive rotary dial that can be operated without looking away from the road.

You do pay a premium over the likes of 4x4 estates from VW and Skoda but those rivals simply can’t match the Audi for quality, style and refinement.

With almost 270bhp and oodles of torque it pulls like a train, surging forward effortlessly with just a prod of the accelerator