AZCentral.com's view

Versatility is a big word for today’s automakers. In recent years, they’ve been falling all over each other trying to design vehicles with the performance of passenger cars, practicality of minivans and capability of sport utilities.

That’s a tall order. The catch-all phrase for such efforts is “crossover vehicle,” which can mean anything from the popular Subaru Outbacks, which are all-wheel-drive sedans and station wagons that can do light duty as off-roaders, to the new Cadillac Escalade, which is a big truck with the features and driving characteristics of a luxury car.

But Audi trumps them all with its new allroad quattro that actually succeeds at being both a high-performance luxury car and competent off-roader. The lowercase names may seem pretentious, sort of the e.e. cummings approach to auto labeling, but there are certainly no pretensions when it comes to allroad’s abilities, both on and off the highway.

Based on a shortened A6 Avant station wagon, allroad adds a twin-turbocharged V-6 that delivers 250 horsepower with peak torque starting at a low 1,850 rpm. Plus, a four-way adjustable suspension that allows quattro to be raised up for back-road boondocking or shoved down for better handling and aerodynamics.

The suspension adjusts from a low of 5.6 inches in ground clearance to a high of 8.2 inches, which is the same as a Land Rover Discovery and enough for most rough-road duties. Now this doesn’t mean the allroad can tackle the same kind of rugged terrain as a Jeep Wrangler or a four-wheel-drive pickup. But for what most people expect an SUV to do, including rolling through a snowdrift or challenging a gully, allroad should have it well in hand. A rocky trail just south of Black Canyon City was easily traversed. Although there are other SUVs with adjustable suspensions, allroad is the only one that adds sparkling performance to the formula.

On the street, allroad proves to be fast, quiet and maneuverable, and without any hint of compromise for its off-pavement skills. Hunkered down in the lowest suspension setting, which happens automatically over 75 miles per hour, allroad rushes along with the kind of unflappable, autobahn attitude for which the top German luxury brands are famous.

The steering is wonderfully smooth and responsive; cornering is flat and balanced; and acceleration is very strong. The engine response is immediate right off the line or at any rpm, quickly yanking the heavy wagon up to speed.

Part of the magic on and off road is the latest generation of Audi’s acclaimed quattro all-wheel-drive system. Beyond adding traction when needed, quattro also provides amazing stability on dry pavement.

Front and rear axles are continuously engaged with a self-locking center differential that sends as much as two-thirds of available torque to either axle. This makes allroad and other quattro-equipped Audis feel poised and ready to react, whatever the conditions.

Also standard on allroad is an electronic stability program, or ESP, that senses the onset of a skid and acts to prevent it. Antilock brakes, side airbags and other safety features are standard as well. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on this sporting wagon, with a five-speed automatic a $1,000 option. The test car was equipped with automatic, which performed well enough.

The interior is roomy and accommodating with large gauges and controls, supportive leather seats and the sumptuous air of quality construction and materials. Outside, allroad styling differentiates it from the standard Avant; the thick stainless-steel trim on the lower body is a bit much.

The test allroad was loaded with options, including the transmission; a GPS navigation system plus rear radar-warning system, $1,830; glass sunroof, $1,000; spoked wheels, $950; a premium package of xenon headlights, automatic dimming rear-view and side mirrors, electric folding outside mirrors, and seat-position memory, $9 and a stereo upgrade, $750.

The allroad is an expensive package compared with the standard A6 Avant with quattro. So unless you actually plan to use its off-roading prowess, the all-drive Avant probably would do just as well.

Audi A6 allroad

Vehicle type: Five-passenger, four-door wagon, all-wheel drive.

Base price: $41,900.

Price as tested: $48,680.

Engine: 2.7-liter V-6, 250 hp at 5,800 rpm, 258 lb-ft. of torque at 1,850 rpm.

Transmission: Five-speed automatic.

Curb weight: 4,233 lbs.

Wheelbase: 108.5 inches.

EPA mileage: 15 city, 21 highway.

Highs:

– Versatility.

– Engine performance.

– Adjustable suspension.

Lows:

– Expensive package.

– Styling excesses.

– Mediocre gas mileage.