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2020 Audi A6 Allroad Review By Larry Nutson


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Travel your own road

By Larry Nutson
Executive Editor and Bureau Chief
Chicago Bureau
The Auto Channel


Yes, this is not about another new SUV arriving in the market. It’s about a station wagon, can you believe.

Audi has gone against the grain and brought back the A6 Allroad that first made its appearance in the U.S. back in 2000 and then went away…for whatever reason back at that time.


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The 2020 Audi A6 Allroad, based on the midsize A6 sedan, joins the compact A4 Allroad to give you two station wagon choices from Audi.

I happen to be a station wagon fan, although we don’t own one now. We have in the past, one of which was a 2010 Audi A4 Avant quattro…the wagon version of the A4 sedan with passenger car comfort and decent versatility.

I didn’t like when Audi dropped the Avant and went to the Allroad design. The A4 Allroad sat up too tall for my taste with all that extra space between the tires and the wheel arches.

But now I like what I see on the A6 Allroad. The standard air suspension with six adjustment modes allows this “car” to sit at a reasonable 5.5 inch ride height that enhances its overall dynamic look and style. More on this a bit later.


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The A6 Allroad comes in two trims: Premium Plus priced at $65,900 and Prestige for $4,500 additional at $70,400, plus $995 destination charge. Each is powered by a 335-horspower turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine that also has a 48-volt mild hybrid system. A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission puts the power to the quattro all-wheel drive.

Dynamic all-wheel steering, an $1,800 option, provides improved stability as well as agility by turning the rear wheels inward by as much as five degrees depending on the situation. If you are familiar with the type of long fire truck with a firefighter sitting at a rear-mounted steering wheel to help maneuver around corners, that’s the benefit.

The air suspension allows for firmness adjustment as well as travel on unpaved roads and perhaps for off-road excursions of the moderate type. The standard ride can be increased 1.2 inches in the Off-road mode and an additional 0.6 inch in a Lift mode for a total of 7.3 inches at speeds up to 21.7 mph. For highway drives the Dynamic mode lowers the ride height by 0.6 inch.

The A6 Allroad features Audi’s latest MMI infotainment with a Bang and Olufsen sound system and many power operated features including steering column, outside mirror folding, rear liftgate, and rear cargo cover. As well, there are heated seats and steering wheel.

The Prestige trim adds soft-closing doors, head-up display, ventilated front seats and heated rear seats, as well as adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist, along with some additional items.

A full suite of standard and available advanced driver-assist safety (ADAS) systems is offered.

Styling being subjective as it is, the A6 is very nicely proportioned with an overall pleasant and elegant design and look. The A6 Allroad with its roof rack and lower body wheel arch and rocker panel trim has a bit more of a utility look.


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Audi typically gets high marks for its interiors and the A6 Allroad is no exception. Plenty of refined, high quality materials and soft touch surfaces are to be found.

For my Chicagoland drive in the A6 Allroad I enjoyed a Prestige trim with all-wheel steering and a total price of $73,790.

Dynamically the A6 Allroad is very well balanced, easy to drive confidently with excellent all-around performance. It’s very quiet on the open highway and handles twisty country roads with ease.

The engine and transmission are well matched delivering the right level of performance at the right time. Zero to 60 mph is in a plenty quick 5.1 seconds and top speed is 130 mph. I like dual-clutch automated manual transmissions. Yes they have a different feel compared to a traditional automatic, but that’s not a negative.

EPA fuel economy ratings are 22 combined mpg, with 20 city mpg and 26 highway mpg.

More information and details on the 2020 Audi A6 Allroad can be found at www.audiusa.com. The 2020 Audi A6 Allroad has been named an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) 2020 “Top Safety Pick+,” the highest rating awarded by the nonprofit organization.


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For 2021 the A6 Allroad now includes Adaptive Cruise Assist including Audi active lane assist as part of the available Executive package on the Premium Plus trim. Newly available for 2021, a Black optic package is now offered on the A6 Allroad to further style the wagon with black accents and exterior trim.

The A6 Allroad offers the style, design, and comfort of a sedan with increased versatility. There’s 30 cu.ft. of cargo space. Going back to my 2010 Audi A4 Avant, our Labrador retriever loved the ease of hopping in and out of the rear cargo area and enjoyed its space for a nice nap or taking in the passing scenery. Your dog will love it too. #savethelongroofs

By the way, there is one additional station wagon from Audi, namely the 591-horsepower RS6 Avant high-performance wagon for $109,000. Go for it!

© 2020 Larry Nutson, the Chicago Car Guy