2018 Audi A4 Allroad SUV Crossover Review & Ratings

Performance

The 2018 model is powered by a 2.0 turbocharged inline-4 engine that produces 252 horsepower and 273 lb. ft. of torque. That is mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission and delivers power to all four wheels. The A4 Allroad accelerates to 60 mph from a standstill in a little over five seconds, rightfully quick to haul people and cargo around. While there is useable power in the midrange, it struggles in busier city streets where the pace can be slower. Fortunately, the transmission has great timing to match the right gear, thus, power can be called upon when pulling off. The all-wheel drive is a big addition to the handling performance. There wasn’t much body roll in going through the corner with its stable composure and there was sufficient grip at reasonable speeds. The steering is accurate and there is a good response there on the road, but it felt monotonous and disconnected despite the varying kinds of corners thrown at it. The brakes are a dependable feature as quantified by the 108 feet it took to stop from 60 mph. The pedal can be soft at times but a moderate stroke helps in the brakes’ ease of use. The braking force is predictable and not abrupt, which inspires confidence in utilizing them.

Technology

The base Premium trim comes standard with xenon headlights, automatic wipers, keyless ignition, adjustable drive modes, paddle shifters, adaptive suspension, heated mirrors, auto-dimming rearview mirror, automatic climate control, power-adjustable heated front seats, ambient interior lighting, Bluetooth, two USB ports, SD card slot, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and an infotainment system with a CD player, a 7.0-inch display and 10-speaker sound system. The Convenience package includes auto-dimming and power-folding side mirrors, keyless entry, driver seat memory settings and satellite radio. The Premium Plus trim builds on the preceding trim including its package options and adds LED headlights and a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system. Several advanced safety and driver aids now come as standard. The Navigation and Telematics package includes a 4G LTE connection, Wi-Fi, digital instrument cluster, navigation, voice controls, infotainment touchpad controller and a bigger 8.3-inch display. The Prestige trim is the cream of the crop that includes all the features from preceding trims and adds a heads-up display, more ambient interior lighting, and several advanced safety and driver aids. The Premium Plus and Prestige trims share two package options. The Cold Weather package adds heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel and the Warm Weather package adds ventilated front seats with lumbar adjustment.

Safety

The 2018 model has been tested by the IIHS and it achieved the highest scores for crashworthiness and crash avoidance and mitigation. Therefore, it bagged the Top Safety Pick recommendation from IIHS. Advanced safety and driver aids that come standard for the base trim include forward collision mitigation and a rearview camera. More features are included in the succeeding trims, these are the front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, rear-facing crash mitigation, automatic high beams, Side Assist, Pre Sense Rear, top-down parking camera, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and intervention, and 360-degree camera.

Appearance

The 2018 model has a length of 187 inches, a height of 58.8 inches, a width of 72.5 inches and a wheelbase of 110.9 inches. No exterior revisions have been done to the 2018 model since the 2017 model was just redesigned, and 2016 was the start of the A4 Allroad’s current generation. The overall aesthetic resembles the A4 sedan but interpreted as a crossover SUV with its extended roofline to accommodate a bigger cargo hold. Wheel size only comes in an 18-inch diameter size for all trims. The roof rails and sunroof come standard. The skid plates are also standard and located at the underbelly for protecting the chassis during off-road driving.

Comfort

Entering the A4’s cabin is without hassle at all with doors that open wide and side sills that aren’t in the way of the legs. The legroom and headroom inside for both rows are surprisingly generous despite having very similar dimensions to the sedan but the tall professional athlete may feel cramped. Two people can sit in the front row while three people can sit in the second row. The seats are soft enough yet remain supportive, and did not flatten out on longer trips. The pad of the front seat could be longer especially for the taller driver and passenger. They are also better contoured to the lower body than the relatively flat rear seats. Its settled ride quality absorbs harsh road irregularities well and the adaptive suspension adjusts in a slight but significant manner to minimize float. Given its ground clearance that is in between a sedan and an SUV, roughness is still dispersed. Noise from the outside is kept to very low levels, and a quiet interior makes for a much relaxing ambiance.

Cargo

Behind the rear seats is 24.2 cu. ft. of space available for loading cargo, and it expands to 58.5 cu. ft. when the rear seats are folded down.