2021 Audi A4 allroad Wagon

Audi is one such manufacturer though that is still keeping wagons alive and well. With the introduction of the A4 Allroad, Audi has managed to offer a compelling package for a wide variety of audiences. Does it succeed in cementing a place against the likes of the 2021 Volvo V60 Cross Country, 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon, and the 2021 Subaru Outback? Let’s find out!

The 2021 Audi A4 Allroad still carries forward the exact same three-trim hierarchy as before and starts at a base price of $44,600 with the Premium Trim. The Premium Plus trim at $48,800 follows suit with the range-topping Prestige trim waltzing in at a pricey $54,500.

Which Trim should you buy?

Although the base Premium trim is generally well equipped, we would still recommend you loosening your pockets a little more for the Premium Plus trim as it offers much more of the snazzy tech at a relatively meager price bump. The amount of kit that is tacked on with the Premium Plus trims more than makes up for the price difference.

The Premium Plus trim manages to find a sweet spot in the middle of the line-up and it essentially represents itself very well as it is similar in equipment to the Prestige trim but leans towards the Premium trim when it comes to price.

The heart of the 2021 Audi A4 Allroad is the tried and tested 2.0 L turbocharged 4-banger but for 2021 MY, Audi has strapped on a 12 Volt Hybrid System to it, which bumps up the power output from last year’s 248 bhp to 261 hp for this year although the torque output remains constant at 273 lb.-ft.

The added power should help make the 2021 A4 Allroad a smidge quicker of the line but we would bet that the hybrid system would be a little more apparent during in-gear acceleration. The Allroad manages a solid time of 5.7 seconds from 0 to 60mph which makes it ample quick for your grocery runs, ensuring that you always have fresher vegetables. The 7-Speed Automatic Transmission that is mated to the engine has been serving extremely well in the A4 line-up of vehicles and proves to be lightning-quick when putting your foot down. Even in city traffic, the transmission stays cool as a cucumber and offers shifts that are imperceptible and silky smooth.

Although the E-Class Wagon pulls a lead on its competition due to the V6 under the hood and significant power advantage with outputs of 362hp and 369lb.-ft of torque, it is surprising to note that the A4 trails just 0.4 seconds behind. We do understand that the E-Class Wagon is a class above the rest due to its price and size, but the availability of station wagons is becoming rarer by the day. The quarter-mile times further prove that the A4 is one of the strongest performing vehicles in its segment as it comes in behind the Mercedes-Benz by less than half a second.

The 2021 Volvo V60 Cross Country and the 2021 Subaru Outback come equipped with turbocharged units under the hood. While they make distinctions in the segment with the Volvo being the only front-wheel-drive variant and the Subaru using a CVT unit, both vehicles are evidently slower than the contemporaries. 

How well does the 2021 Audi A4 Allroad handle?

For the added ground clearance in contrast to the regular A4 sedan, one would expect that composure under spirited driving would go for a toss, but Audi seems to have other plans. Yes, the Allroad isn’t as high as a pick-up for sure, but for some reason, the added inches haven’t taken away the edge off of its handling. The Allroad still manages to corner exceptionally well for its class while offering great interior isolation from tarmac imperfections. The Quattro system that comes in as standard on the Allroad imparts great mid-corner grip while also being forgiving enough that you would have a gala of a time if you take the Allroad over slush and ice.

Braking Performance

The brakes on the 2021 A4 Allroad work just as well as they did on the regular sedan even with the added bulk which is a big thumbs up from our side. Although when trying to battle with slippery surfaces, the ABS could appear to be a little overprotective, the Quattro system coupled with some praise-worthy pads and rotors makes the Allroad come to a halt seamlessly and rather quickly. 

When decelerating from the 60mph mark, the 2021 A4 Allroad covers 119ft and ranks second in the segment. It features average-sized brakes that measure 13.3 and 13-inches at the front and rear, respectively.

Although the A4 Allroad performs commendably well in the braking test, it is the Volvo that takes an unsurprising win by being the fastest to come to a halt since well, Volvo knows how to do brakes exceptionally well averaging 112ft. Both Mercedes-Benz and Subaru have a lot to work on in the segment since they manage considerably longer distances and the 2021 Outback could definitely do with some beefier brakes. 

With an EPA estimate of 24 mpg in the city and 30 mpg out on the highway, we certainly feel that the Audi A4 Allroad manages to be practically similar to its sedan sibling but does lose out on 4 critical MPGs on the highway due to the added weight. We believe that the trade-off is well worth the added practicality that the Allroad offers, but if you seek superior EPA figures, then the sedan is also worthy of a look.

With a combined mileage of 26 MPG, the 2021 Audi A4 Allroad might not be the segment leader but its performance is amicable. It sports the least voluminous fuel tank in the segment of 15.3-gallons and consequently, averages the lowest combined range in the segment of 382 miles. 

The better fuel economy numbers on the 2021 Volvo V60 Cross Country unfortunately are no match for the larger tanks on the Subaru and Mercedes-Benz as they clock in some great range figures. Although we don’t want to knock the decent figures that the 2021 A4 Allroad possesses, it still comes in last.

Audi has recently been hugely impressed buyers with the treatments to their cabins in general and the 2021 Audi A4 Allroad follows through in the same path. For many, the interior could appear to be too perfect and sterile, but we do believe that the crisp sense of German engineering resonates throughout the cabin with exceptionally well-put-together panels and upholstery. The interior features ample use of top-class materials such as metal and leather which makes it one of the nicest cabin experiences in its segment.

The seats on offer are more than comfortable for your long cross-country trips while the heated functionality would come in handy for those icy cool mornings. The rear seats although offer more space than the regular A4, still can feel a little too restrictive for taller passengers on the legroom front due to the overall smaller dimensions of the A4 in contrast to its rivals.

One surprising addition though is the fact that even though the Allroad offers about 11 cubic feet more cargo space than its sedan counterpart managing 24.2 cubic feet, the practical advantage other than an easier access hatch isn’t all that noticeable.

The larger dimensions of the Subaru and the Mercedes-Benz come off as being more practical than the Volvo and the Audi but all in all, we still believe that consumers would be more than satisfied with either of these vehicles when it comes to interior space. 

While all vehicles can seat five passengers, the front-seat occupants will find themselves at ease in the 2021 Outback. The rear seat occupants will enjoy unparalleled comfort with additional legroom in the 2021 V60 Cross Country. In terms of cargo capacity, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon has the highest trunk volume of 35 cubic feet. 

Some of the basic interior features include:

• Tilt and Telescopic Steering Wheel
• Sun Sensor
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Three-zone climate control
• Interior Air Filtration
• Audi Cargo Mat Option

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The 10.1-inch Infotainment Display that sits on the dashboard is an instant attention grabber and has proved to be one of the better systems in the segment. Although the I-Drive systems have been the benchmark for times too long, the MMI systems on newer Audi’s are just as good in our opinion. Like many other German systems, they do require you to brush through the menus a couple of times to get the hang of it, but for the most part, the system is very intuitive.

The standard audio system does a great job of audio fidelity and sound separation and should be enough for most folk but the optional Bang and Olufsen system can rock your socks off if you crank it up.

One of the biggest highlights of the A4 has got to be the Audi Virtual Cockpit that sadly isn’t standard but is worth every penny to tack on. It is arguably the best iteration of a digital gauge cluster and as we have proclaimed before Audi knows how to do these modern gauge clusters amazingly well.

Some of the more notable infotainment features are mentioned below:

• Apple CarPlay 
• Android Auto
• Sirius XM
• Wifi Hotspot
• MMI Interface
• Audi Phonebox
• Optional MMI Navigation Plus
• Optional Audi Virtual Cockpit

The 2021 Audi A4 Allroad offers a distinctive station wagon silhouette that is adored by many individuals. Yes, it may not be as fast as something like the RS6 or as capable off-road as the Audi Q7, but it does manage to look the part for either of the activities. The newly introduced LED Headlamp and Taillamp assemble to make it look very modern while the high ground clearance lends it pseudo-off-road cred.

The sleek lines and crisp proportions make it look unmistakably Audi and the big Audi family grille up front give it a bold and imposing front end.

If it’s not apparent by the figures above, the 2021 Subaru Outback decimates the competition when it comes to venturing on some rough trails as it possesses the highest ground clearance of the bunch at 8.7 inches. The Allroad also has some decent lift on it but it would still bottom out if you do try and do anything more than light soft-roading. While the Subaru is also the tallest in the segment, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz is larger than all its competitors in every other aspect standing at a total length of 194.8 inches and a wheelbase of 115.7 inches. 

Some of the other exterior features that make the A4 Allroad stand out are as follows:

• 18 Inch V-Design Alloy Wheels
• Roof Rails
• Matrix LED Headlamps
• Quattro Badging
• Different Bumper Design than the regular A4

Although the NHTSA shies away from testing the Allroad, the A4 sedan has managed a perfect 5 out of 5 crash test rating for the 2021 MY. The IIHS has also awarded the Allroad with the highest rating of “Good” in all of its crash tests which is some high praise. The newer B9 platform on which the 2021 A4 Allroad is based is around 265 lbs lighter than the B8 but still manages to offer better crash protection and higher stability. The fact that 2021 MY also has lane departure warning as standard only ups the safety quotient. 

Although the A4 Allroad offers some great active safety features that have been mentioned below, we would have liked more of them to have been standard across the range.

• Automated Emergency Braking
• Lane Departure Warning
• Forward Collision Warning
• Lane Keep Assist
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Semi-Autonomous Driving

2021 Audi A4 Allroad vs 2021 Volvo V60 Cross Country

Both the 2021 Volvo V60 Cross Country and the 2021 Audi A4 Allroad have some great underpinnings and definitive strengths that make them exceptional products. On one hand, where Volvo offers significantly better active safety features and a quirkier cabin design that is typical Volvo, the Audi offers a more timeless interior with much better driving dynamics that are hard to replicate. Since both vehicles have entirely different strengths it is tough to pick one, but we would still edge towards the A4.

2021 Audi A4 Allroad vs 2021 Mercedes E-Class Wagon

Since both these vehicles are from different classes, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon does have a leg up on the Allroad when it comes to straight-line performance and more opulent feeling interiors. Although the two have a wide price gap, it is surprising to note that the Audi is arguably the better value and also the better canyon carver. If it was our money on the line, although it would be hard to pass up the E, the Allroad does make much more sense, especially due to the better handling.

2021 Audi A4 Allroad vs 2021 Subaru Outback

The Subaru Outback is significantly cheaper than the A4 Allroad and it is stupidly apparent when comparing the in-cabin experience of both. The Audi simply blows the Japanese Wagon out of the water with a much better interior but the Subaru has the advantage of being even more fun to drive than the Audi. The classic Subaru rally pedigree shines through the Outback and makes it next to impossible to choose one out of the two.

The 2021 Audi A4 Allroad manages to not only cocoon its occupants in comfort but also reward its driver when going silly with the right foot, a combination that is very hard to achieve. It manages to highlight all that has ever been great about station wagons and turn it up a notch or two in typical Audi fashion. 

The 2021 A4 Allroad’s interior design and setup is where its uniqueness lies, and the unabashed provision of premium features makes it a winner in the segment. On the outside as well, the Allroad’s contemporary design gives it an adequate lead amongst its competitors and while safety features could have been improved, the Audi is targeted for brilliant overall performance rather than categorized excellence. 

es, it could do a little better with the pricing and some added rear legroom, but if you are wondering about getting a wagon, the A4 Allroad is certainly one of the better ones out there.