2005 Audi allroad Test Drive

Who Needs An SUV?

You can treat the Allroad Quattro like an SUV, but it's more like a performance car with lots of room.

From The Driver's Seat

But then who needs pneumatic suspension? The answer is somebody who lives at the end of a very long, very steep, very muddy road. Audi's up-and-down Colorado test course, for example, was at times barely fit for a mountain bike, let alone a car, and the occasional patch of snow only made the drive trickier.

The Allroad survived these rigors quite easily, thanks to a sophisticated four-wheel drive system that can power any single wheel, and traction- and stability-control systems that measure wheelspin and steering direction.

Meanwhile, on the blacktop the speed-sensitive steering responded sharply even during hard braking and aggressive turning. And driving long stretches of I-80 at a constant 90 mph didn't faze the beautiful six in the slightest. That engine is wedded to one of the best automatics around: the Porsche-designed Tiptronic that lets you shift manually from buttons on the steering wheel. A six-speed manual is also available.

In the cockpit, there's dual-pattern leather seats, separate climate controls for front and rear passengers, water-bottle storage space in flip-out door compartments, and plenty of walnut trim. Both front seats are power adjustable and very well bolstered, even for off-road duty. Most every cockpit amenity comes standard, including a rear-window sunshade, retractable cargo net and even an expandable ski sack that pops out of the armrest between the rear seats.