2013 Audi A4 Allroad quattro a familiar trailblazer

It's no secret we love our high-riding SUVs and crossovers in the United States, but cars still outsell utilities by a 2-to-1 margin. For automakers, that's a clue that there is significant sales potential to buyers who pine for an off-road vehicle but secretly desire a sportier, more carlike cruiser for the highway.

For Audi, the answer is the A4 Allroad. Previewed at this year's Detroit auto show, the contemporary-looking wagon has an SUV-like ride height and standard four-wheel drive to give it the ability to head off road, albeit not too far.

Audi has been here before, of course, with the A6 Allroad—a car that was pulled from the U.S. market seven years ago because of its high pricing. With the smaller and less opulent A4 Allroad, the German carmaker is aiming for a more affordable, family-oriented market niche.

If you're thinking Subaru Outback or Volvo XC70, you're not far off. As a whole, though, the Allroad is a more upmarket machine, offering greater levels of comfort and quality, if not performance. The Allroad likely will be more expensive, too.

Based on the A4 Avant, which the Allroad will replace in the U.S. market, the new Audi has an added 1.5 inches of ride height for a total of 7.1 inches of ground clearance (just shy of the more rugged Q5), and an overall 2.3-inch taller profile compared with the A4 wagon. Allroad trim includes plastic-cladded wheel arches and unique bumpers to set it apart from its more road-biased siblings.

Inside, the cabin is standard A4: good looking, superbly laid out and generally high in quality. There also are some unique touches, including shiny sill plates, cloth seat upholstery and new dashboard applications that help set it apart.

The U.S. Allroad gets one engine choice, the 2.0-liter, 211-hp, 258-lb-ft direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder. It is fuss-free, with a free-revving nature, eager low-end power, flexible midrange and strong, if not strapping, high-end qualities. It also sounds convincing, with a stern metallic hum that belies its four-cylinder construction. The engine is hooked to an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic sending power to the wheels via quattro all-wheel drive.

You get a commanding view of the road, yet in overall on-road ability, the A4 Allroad is virtually indistinguishable from the lower-set A4 Avant. To offset its higher center of gravity, Audi gave it slightly wider tracks, and firm damping ensures that body roll is well contained.

There is a drawback to the increased ride height, though, and it can be felt at high speeds, where wind buffeting within the wheel arches upsets the A4's straight-line stability. The revelation, however, is the ride. With extra spring travel and a lengthened wheelbase, the A4 Allroad rides much more smoothly than other A4s.

If you spend most of your time on road but seek a car capable of tackling the odd off-road excursion, the Audi A4 Allroad makes great sense. Watch the options list, though, as features that typically come as standard on rivals cost a good deal extra.

2013 AUDI A4 ALLROAD

ON SALE: Now

BASE PRICE: $40,475

DRIVETRAIN: 2.0-liter, 211-hp, 258-lb-ft turbocharged I4; AWD, eight-speed automatic

CURB WEIGHT: 3,891 lb

0-60 MPH: 6.5 sec (mfr)

FUEL ECONOMY (EPA): 23 mpg

By Greg Kable