Audi has added two wagons to the A6 lineup in the U.S., the performance RS 6 Avant and now, the off-road-minded A6 Allroad. The all-wheel-drive A6 Allroad is powered by a 3.0-liter, six-cylinder engine with 335 hp and 369 pound-feet of torque and a seven-speed transmission. The midsize wagon gets off-road features such as an air suspension, roof rails, body cladding and 20-inch wheels. Here’s a roundup of select A6 Allroad reviews from the automotive media.

“The V-6 propels the Allroad with an easy sensation of power, but the engine note is so flat and distant, we find ourselves missing the cabin-filling character of Audi’s old supercharged V-6. The dual-clutch transmission shifts quickly and smoothly but exhibits just enough clumsiness at low speeds to make us wonder why Audi doesn’t use ZF’s peerless eight-speed automatic here, as it does in the Q7 SUV with this engine.”

— Joey Capparella, Car and Driver

“While climbing steep hills and navigating obstacles, I was never wanting for grip or power. The A6 Allroad simply goes where you point it, no questions asked. Yet despite this advanced setup, the sense of spontaneity is gone.

“Regardless of height, the A6 Allroad doesn’t stay in Offroad mode after the car is restarted, instead reverting to the Allroad mode. Audi reps say that’s to meet Federal requirements which classify it as a light-duty vehicle, but for those who do intend to take it beyond the pavement, watch out. That obstacle you cleared in Offroad mode the night before might be the rock which punctures your oil pan in Allroad mode.

“And therein lies the rub: Despite the name, the heritage, and the terrific traction, the 2020 A6 Allroad doesn’t express the enthusiasm to venture far from the beaten path. The original Allroad had sort of a brash incongruity going for it: A wagon which absolutely had no business getting dirty, yet somehow, it looked very much at home doing so. The same can’t be said of the latest iteration. Even at its highest Offroad setting, the new one is more reluctant to venture into the wilderness.

“Avoid getting it dirty, however, and the A6 Allroad excels as a superb road machine. Out on the highway, lower is better, and the air suspension delivers a fantastic ride. Switch it to that aforementioned Dynamic mode and the Allroad hunkers down on its haunches. On Prestige trims, Audi offers all-wheel steering as an option, which sharpens those reflexes even further and enables you to toss this two-ton wagon through the corners with surprising agility.”

— Derek Powell, Jalopnik

“The biggest advantage to buying the A6 Allroad over, say, a Q7 or Q8 is that you don’t need any physics-fighting trickery to try and make it drive more like a traditional car; it is a car, with the low-slung center of gravity to match. Darting through traffic or carving up corners is far more engaging than in almost any crossover bar one of those super-sporty examples — yet without much of the harshness that comes with the stiff suspension needed to make an SUV feel like a car.

“The powertrain feels laggy and slow, however at least in its default settings. The seven-speed dual clutch gearbox is slow to kick down (and quick to upshift) in Drive, and the throttle mapping is designed to be very deliberate; it takes more pressure than you’d expect to get the power to show up. That’s great for off-roading, but hardly ideal for real-world traffic. Plus, the engine suffers from a mite of turbo lag; the twin-turbo 2.9 from the S6 would be more responsive and far more fun.”

— Will Sabel Courtney, Gear Patrol

“Audi’s steering is precise and gives the kind of feedback you want from a midsize German luxury hauler, while its 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission (DCT) shifts exactly when you want it to.

“The A6 Allroad’s standard air suspension provides both comfort and capability. When smooth paved roads turn to dirt or snow, you can raise the vehicle for extra ground clearance, while various drive modes further change the personality of this toughened executive wagon.”

— Matt Degen, Kelley Blue Book

“All of these things make the Allroad a champ for road trips. On a weekday escape from Los Angeles out to Joshua Tree National Park, the Allroad is nothing short of serene. The pillow-top ride quality is hands-down the Allroad’s best attribute, making that hellish slog down the 10 freeway a non-event. In every other regard, the Allroad drives exactly like the base A6 — a compliment in and of itself. The steering is light but accurate, the dual-clutch transmission shifts with smooth imperceptibility and the brakes are powerful but easy to modulate.

“Torque thrust is ample in the low end of the rev range, so there’s never a lack of power when you roll onto the throttle for passing at highway speeds. It’s helpful as heck for uphill climbs; after a meander through Joshua Tree and the surrounding weirdo desert towns, I head up the mountains to Big Bear Lake, climbing some 7,000 feet above sea level. Turbo torque is a huge help at higher altitudes, and powering out of tight mountain-road hairpins is no sweat. And while the air suspension allows for slightly more body roll than the A6 sedan’s steel-spring setup, I don’t think that’s inappropriate in the Allroad, a model inherently designed to be softer.”

— Steven Ewing, Roadshow by CNET