Audi A4 Allroad TFSI | Spotted

The slimming down of Audi’s range, offering fewer variants of fewer models, is hard to argue with. While we love a curio as much as anyone else, they’re harder than ever to justify. And amongst the wonderful was plenty of weird as well – think A3 Cabriolet, A1 citycarver, RS Q3 Sportback and so on. The streamlining was the right thing to do, even if it does also mean that about 30 cars that resemble an A6 in one form or another are being offered. 

Estates are still part of the Audi offering, including the latest A6 e-tron and very impressive S5, as are SUVs, but the Allroads – the cars that arguably combined the best of both worlds – are not. They haven’t been available in the UK for a while now, truth be told, because they were another niche offering that was hard to justify in a market that didn’t buy many of them. Again, hard to argue with. But when a good one comes along, it’s much too easy to be enamoured like the good old days. 

Once upon a time, of course, everybody had an off-road estate, many following in the Allroad’s tyre tracks (which itself surely owed its existence to the Subaru Outback) with various Scouts, Alltracks, All-Terrains and so on. Now it’s hard to think of any, given the SUV’s dominance and the efficiency drive going throughout the industry; a far cry from the time when Audi offered a pair of them. 

Yep, this is the A4 Allroad, rather than the larger A6 derivative that launched the badge back in the early 2000s. Obviously it’s a smaller proposition, and there wasn’t the V6 petrol option, but plenty that had always appealed about Allroads survived the shrinking, including Quattro all-wheel drive and handsomely rugged styling. Plus there’s the simple fact that not opting for a traditional estate or SUV makes an Allroad just that bit more interesting. 

Both A4 and A6 Allroads aren’t too hard to find these days, though of course their suitability for so much means a few used and abused cars are around. A lusty V6 diesel is probably best matched to their do-it-all nature as well, but again there might be more hesitancy now than when these cars were on sale about taking on a used diesel. So behold, then, the low mileage, smartly specced, petrol-powered Audi A4 Allroad. 

It’s the 250hp 2.0-litre turbo four, so like the Golf GTI of the period, which ought to also deliver 273lb ft and more than 40mpg. A really dark blue works a treat with the silver roof rails, modest wheels, and light leather inside. There’s a full Audi history for its 45,000 miles and five flawless MOTs to its name; for those that like their rare groove Audis, they really can’t come any better than this. So more than £20k is still required, which must be more than most A4 Avants from 2018 will cost. But it’s hard to imagine anything similar coming up for sale soon – as a used car or new one, for that matter.

Engine: 1,984cc 4-cyl turbocharged
Transmission: 7-speed DSG, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 252@5,000-6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 273@1,600-4,500rpm
MPG: 42.8
CO2: 152g/km
Year registered: 2018
Recorded mileage: 43,550
Price new: £37,275 (2016, before options)
Yours for: £21,495