The name Allroad sounds rugged and unrefined. And you wouldn’t normally associate those two words with the Audi brand. But the name Allroad does sound better than station wagon, which is essentially what my tester for the week is.

The 2013 Audi Allroad returns from a seven-year hiatus to try to help the luxury brand grab some of the ever-popular crossover segment from the likes of Subaru. And it’s the Subaru Forester that’s most comparable to the Allroad.
Both have station wagon looks and all-wheel drive, but that’s about where the comparisons end. Audi puts its own flair on the Allroad, adding a refined style to an otherwise rugged vehicle.

And, of course, because it’s an Audi, there’s the German engineering of the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine. It produces 211 horsepower and is paired with an efficient eight-speed automatic transmission. While the Allroad isn’t blazing off the line, like some of the other Audis, it certainly has more zip and excitement than most of its humdrum competition.

But, if offroad adventures are what you seek, or if you like your vehicles more rugged than lavish, then the Allroad will not be for you.
As its name insinuates, the Allroad is best suited for the road, and not the trails, despite the quattro all-wheel drive and the 7.1 inches of ground
clearance.

The exterior of the Allroad resembles many other crossovers, and I think that’s intentional. But, make no mistake, Audi puts its style and stamp on this vehicle, which is quite evident on the front grille. Audi’s classy and distinctive design is prevalent on the grille with sleek adaptive Xenon headlights. Showing its more rugged side, the Allsport also comes with circular fog lamps.
Matte-toned bumpers and wheel arches borrow from the Subaru Outback, but the rear bumper shows off its German styling with dual-exhaust
openings.

Inside, any comparisons to the Subaru Outback stop. And truly, the interior is where the Allroad develops its own personality — and what a great personality it is. A luxurious and spacious interior will surely please all passengers. Adjustable leather seats — adjustable 12 ways, mind you — await driver and passenger. Heated and cooled seats, rain-sensing wipers and a panoramic sunroof are other interior highlights. Even rear passengers will enjoy leather seats, with ample legroom and headroom.

A 505-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system amplifies the entertaiment and the Audi connect system integrates with the infotainment system on a touchscreen utilizing Google Earth-based navigation. This is still the coolest nav system on the market.

The Allroad has 27 cubic feet of cargo space which expands to 50 cubic feet with rear seats folded down making it quite versatile.

With an EPA rating of 20 city and 27 highway, the Allroad’s fuel economy is comparable to the Outback. Factor in the turbo, and how much more powerful the Allroad is than the Outback, and the 23 MPG I averaged in a week is that much more impressive.

The base price of the Allroad is $39,600. However, my tester was the top-of-the-line Presitge trim, which includes adaptive lighting, the navigation system and the advanced sound system, which brings the total price of my tester to $50,670. That’s obviously out of the range of most Subaru buyers.

The Allroad, however, aims itself at a different customer. It’s a versatile vehicle, catering to the business executive who demands ample luxury and plenty of bells and whistles, but who also demands some rugged capability for varying road conditions and weekend “warrioring.”

Jimmy Dinsmore is the Wheels editor at the Dayton Daily News and may be reached at (937) 225-2115. Follow him on Twitter @wheelseditor