Audi A4 Allroad Beats VW Golf Alltrack In Drag Race

Obviously, they aren't direct rivals, with the Audi costing a lot more. But that's what makes this even more interesting. What are you giving up by buying the Golf and saving a lot of money?

On the face of it, these two are very similar. Both are made by German companies and started out as normal wagons. Each respective manufacturer then added an inch of extra ground clearance by raising the suspension and added body cladding. Some say this is precisely what makes the Allroad and Alltrack cooler than most cars.

Of course, Audi is owned by Volkswagen, so you could say that this is something only they make. But it's not true; Volvo has that excellent V90 Cross Country, while Mercedes makes the E-Class All-Terrain, which recently received the awesome 4x4 Squared treatment.

Getting back to the drag race, the Golf Alltrack pushes out 170 horsepower from its standard 1.8-liter turbo engine. The A4 Allroad has a 2-liter turbo making 252 horsepower and 273 lb-ft. It's heavier, so things should be pretty even, right?

No. It turns out that the A4 features some awesome launch-control-assist and a brilliant automatic gearbox. It shoots off and never lets the Volkswagen catch up. There are over two seconds between them when it comes to the 0 to 60mph times.

The guys at TFL also did some crazy off-roading to prove that these two wagons really do have all-wheel-drive. In isolation, the A4 Allroad doesn't look like a good vehicle for the job. But after seeing how fast it is and knowing that it rides just like the regular A4 sedan, we're pleased to know there are vehicles like this in the world.