Photo: SB-Medien
With design elements akin to those of the now legendary Q8 SUV, the current generation of the Audi A4 allroad is getting ready for a big cosmetic makeover. But will it be enough to keep the off-road wagon formula alive?
Audi is open to brand new niches, such as the e-tron Sportback and the Q4, perhaps even going as far as to turn the TT into a four-door. But it's not going all-out like Mercedes and at the same time wants to conserve some of the classics, just in case people remember that wagons or regular sports cars are cool.
You might not feel so bad for the A4 allroad because it seems so similar to a Golf Alltrack. But it usually costs about twice as much as the VW, and as a result, demand is pretty small. At the same time, the Q5 keeps on rising, so this might be the last updates for the rugged wagon.
Regardless, Audi is giving it some pretty severe cosmetic upgrades. The whole A4 range got a minor facelift last year, but this time, they are getting rid of the weird headlights as well. In their place, a simple rectangle has been installed, one which replicates the look of the A6. A broader, lower grille is also being introduced. Audis have always been all about the grilles.
Around the back, it's easy to spot the new diffuser design with an integrated dual-tip exhaust. It all looks very fake, just like on the Q8. The interior is the great unknown here, though. On the one hand, Audi could choose to leave the current setup, adding only higher resolution systems, like Mercedes, did for the C-Class mid-life facelift. But rumors state that a twin-screen setup will be installed, just like on the new A6.
In this configuration, the infotainment will no longer sit on top of the dashboard while the climate control will be accessible via a screen. This kind of setup costs money, but it might be needed to set the baby allroad apart from lesser off-road wagons.
Engine-wise, we're not sure what to expect. Not all the 2-liter engines Audi offers have the expected MHEV setup, even though Volkswagen is also supposed to use it for the lowly Golf. Likewise, we'd like to see the S tronic gearbox, which hasn't been that reliable, being replaced by an automatic, but that won't help with fuel economy. Even power reductions are possible here, though not in all cases.
You might not feel so bad for the A4 allroad because it seems so similar to a Golf Alltrack. But it usually costs about twice as much as the VW, and as a result, demand is pretty small. At the same time, the Q5 keeps on rising, so this might be the last updates for the rugged wagon.
Regardless, Audi is giving it some pretty severe cosmetic upgrades. The whole A4 range got a minor facelift last year, but this time, they are getting rid of the weird headlights as well. In their place, a simple rectangle has been installed, one which replicates the look of the A6. A broader, lower grille is also being introduced. Audis have always been all about the grilles.
Around the back, it's easy to spot the new diffuser design with an integrated dual-tip exhaust. It all looks very fake, just like on the Q8. The interior is the great unknown here, though. On the one hand, Audi could choose to leave the current setup, adding only higher resolution systems, like Mercedes, did for the C-Class mid-life facelift. But rumors state that a twin-screen setup will be installed, just like on the new A6.
In this configuration, the infotainment will no longer sit on top of the dashboard while the climate control will be accessible via a screen. This kind of setup costs money, but it might be needed to set the baby allroad apart from lesser off-road wagons.
Engine-wise, we're not sure what to expect. Not all the 2-liter engines Audi offers have the expected MHEV setup, even though Volkswagen is also supposed to use it for the lowly Golf. Likewise, we'd like to see the S tronic gearbox, which hasn't been that reliable, being replaced by an automatic, but that won't help with fuel economy. Even power reductions are possible here, though not in all cases.
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