It’s not nearly as bad as you think, muscle memory sets in soon after you drive the car regularly and then it’s basically the same as reaching for the volume knob at that point
You should realize how shallow and image-fixated the average customer is. To most people Touch-screens = Expensive High tech = High status = something they can show off discretely. Buttons look old and outdated to the average non-car-person. I took a course in product psychology. Most people (often subconsciously) choose the product that increases their perceived social status. Usually this means designing something to look expensive, not necessarily to look good. This explains a lot of modern SUV-design. Ugly and brash, but looks very expensive (Porsche Cayenne for example). That is the real reason why touch screens are so popular.
Perfect analysis. I like wagons a lot, had several including the Allroad. Wish we could get the Euro spec Passat R-Line wagon or Arteon Shooting Brake to fill the void. Obsession with drive height here in America deters demand for them.
Buick Regal TourX 0-60 in 6.4/7 sec, 1/4 mile in under 15 sec, huge discounts while it was being sold. I put my money where my mouth is and I own one. I love the Arteon - but then I seem to have an obsession with cars that are only rare because nobody wanted to buy one.
Agree. Cars in America kept getting bigger but also “lower and wider” and wheels kept getting bigger and tire walls smaller so we wound up with these bumpy uncomfortable cars and voilá! We moved on to crossovers which are now getting “lower and wider” and manufacturers are committed to make them drive like cars... vicious, never ending cycles. 🤷🏻♂️
@@DaddyDan77 awesome. I looked at the tourx and vw alltrack. Sadly, the tourx I wanted was the top tier trim (better seats) but I also wanted to shift my own gears and despite the deep discounts (poor marketing on buick's part because they were pushing their crossovers) I passed on the tourx but still like seeing them on the road as they have a nice presence. I ultimately passed on the Alltrack because finding a manual S trim (in an acceptable color) was nearly impossible at the end of 2019. Found myself in a WRX instead.
Agree, but they don't lease as well, so we're stuck with black, white, silver and grey, which is why those are the top 4 automotive colors. Blue/red is like 8-10%, and green is < 5% when it comes to the purchase habits. Blame companies that have three silvers or greys for the same model. Also, white and black are usually no cost colors; everything else cost extra.
I don't even like darker blue, but on that Audi it looks very well. It's kinda sad when such a subtle color becomes exciting because there's too many boring garbage colors. And by too many I don't mean different ones, but mass use. Hell, I like that blue more than red! (Except Audi red, which kicks ass. Kudos to them for still having an understanding of what red is supposed to convey.)
Can I just say that the Goose man has done this world justice by making some truly in depth reviews on all types of cars. It was his review that sold me on buying the Camry XSE V6 back in the day and ever since then I truly enjoy all his videos. Sarcasm and all. Keep em going if you are watching this SUBSCRIBE AND HELP THE GEESE!!
Agree. Well said. The most thorough automotive reviews on youtube. Recommend the SavageGeese often to friends. Its great they go under the vehicles to explain what kind of parts are used and the difference between how manufactures assembled their cars. I've learned a lot thanks to this channel.
I like wagons. But I dont trust the CVT in Subaru and Europeans make overpriced u reliable crap. Plus I have become to realize that I love ground clearance after some shield just got ripped out from under my Camry this weekend. I'll never get another Sedan again. Only will consider a crossover or SUV. I can enjoy the Outback for its ground clearnce but again CVT which I dont trust. Considering a RAV4 or 4Runner next.
@@carholic-sz3qv I would seriously consider it if it was available hear as it would be cheaper than a CUV and I only trust Toyota acterbowning a Chevy and Volvo. Never going American or Euro again. But it dosnt matter as wagons arent sold here. I know they sell a Corolla wagon does the Camry have a wagon or any other cars?
Once people start crashing because they have to take their eyes off the road to change even the basic of functions, maybe manufacturers will realize "everything touchscreen" is dangerous and can't be replaced by physical buttons and switches! Mazda gets it, sadly most others don't
Wagon porn! Love it. Seems like my Alltrack but dressed up for prom. The software and active controls are complex. Though I like the car this looks like a lease to me.
I lost my interest in the wagon when I saw those massive screens, no buttons, and all that gloss plastic. Awesome review though. Car makers have lost the plot totally.
The digital gauges get me. I want to watch the needle travel, not a screen jumping from number to number refreshing slowly. And got God's sake, put a volume knob for the head unit.
The regular Avants never sold well. These convince a few people they are just like a crossover off-road (which they are, since neither offers much). The RS6 version is strictly a response to Mercedes. I doubt Audi will sell many, but the price means they don't have to.
I love how he’s talking about how expensive it is, meanwhile in Europe the A6 allroad is another 20,000$ extra when compared to the US price…(just like every car)
@@cn2673 no, not for Lexus and Toyota, they just work, fuel and go. No drama and people keep them decades not just years. Even the cheapest Corolla has safety features as good as any Audi with safety sense 2 and laser cruise control. Even some Audi do not have one
You are the lucky ones! This endless money pit is only affordable in two ways: As a leasing and if you have money to burn (but who would get a quiet normal car when you can get a Bentley?)
@@VampirusX that's american consumerism, if you can buy an A6 allroad comfortably, you'd rather use that money as down payment for a Porsche, which cost probably double as much. Pretty bad tbh.
Would love to know your thoughts on how this compares to an equivalent MB E400/E450 Wagon! For luxury wagon buyer that don’t have rs6/e63 money those are the only two real options.
This was the best car review I have seen in a very long time, with outstanding and clear explanations of complicated engineering and design components. Great going!👌🏿
@@suleiman3811 when the cruel hand of depreciation pushes a used V6 Stinger down to $20k in a couple of years, I’ll be living the high life. I might be seen grand touring through a town near you.
I bought a 5 year old A4 allroad as my daily work truck as a commercial contractor and it’s amazing. It was half the price of a similarity equipped new half-ton, with twice the fuel mileage. Didn’t need a bed to carry lumber, just tools, so the wagon is perfect for keeping batteries warm in the winter. It’s quiet, quick and comfortable for the ride home after a long day, and it’s been 100% reliable. The amount of teasing I get from guys on site for driving an “expensive awdee” is equal to the amount of compliments I get after I wash it and take it for groceries.
You nailed with 45k to 50k for a simpler version of this car. Analog dash, regular suspension, no rear wheel steer, but with that engine. Until that comes around, I think I'm sticking with my TSX SportWagon. Best car I ever owned.
@Long Island Mopars .. The Subaru Outback, the model year 2020 < to present have come along way. .. The model Touring XT (Outback) loaded is right in the $42K to $44K ballpark. .. A whole - Lotta station wagon; 270HP / 265tq, Dual Pane Glass, Dbbl whishbone Ft Suspension, 4x4, Crash Avoidance Suite, Full Leather, etc.... Sure,, not an A6 Allroad .... butt its not $75K plus annual insurance costs year after year ..... We own both an '21 Outback Touring XT wagon and a '22 Mercedes All-Terrain E-450 Wagon in Vail, Colorado
I just don't get why people only like wagons when the car is lifted by 2 inches and has some plastic cladding attached... Would look much more elegant and better without them in my opinion
You can have cladding color matched to the paint and put the car in dynamic and you pretty much have it. For me the cost is an issue, how much better does this drive when compared to the CUVs q5,sq5 and q7? It has drive a lot better imo to make up the premium imo.
Fantastic review. I had a 2014 allroad. Would you be able to review an a4 allroad, even though they are almost dead? It takes care of the simplicity whereas this is very technical. A b9 should still be available
Everytime I watch one of these complicating cars with all these gadgets, and I appreciate my fully mechanical 95 civic hatchback as well as my pure 2001 miata. It's nice to be poor sometimes :)
Agreed!... these new cars will make a rich man poor! From the high cost to buy one, to the expensive maintenance costs... and when those gadgets eventually break, like air suspension and electronics, you’ll be emptying your bank account to repair them!
My ‘02 bug-eyes WRX wagon is actually pretty similar to this in packaging and performance, yet it is delightfully analog in all its controls and engineering, and it still works and drives great!
I love wagons, and this thing is amazing. But holy price tag to play.. I'll stick with my Buick TourX. No it's not nearly as nice in the interior or fast or sporty. But I'm a Dad with my kids climbing in and out of the car. I couldn't fathom dropping 55k on a volvo let alone 70K+ for this one just to have my kids scuffing stuff up or spilling stuff in the back on a road trip. I'll stick with my 40K(marked down to 30K) tourx for now.
+1 Correct me If I’m wrong,,, the USA ‘20, ‘21 & ‘22 model years A6 Allroad do not offer rear axle steering… But Canada Allroad’s do, as an option. .. Go figure Audi NA (USA) ….
Change My Mind: Wagons with raised suspension (V90 cross country) are better than Crossovers (Q5, GLC). They offer better dynamics with almost same amount of Luggage Space and Rear Legroom.
@@delusion2987 Great points! The main reason we chose our RX over the Subaru we were looking at was the slightly higher ride height and especially drive height. When everyone is riding high, it’s nice to be on level.
I really appreciate you speaking to the price/value of all the rides you review. And I agree completely that while tech is 'cool' and can provide 'value' in some cases it's often overdone and functionality and 'everydayability' suffers greatly.
I read on the MB E450 wagon forum someone with a 4 year old MB wagon with optional air suspension had issues and it cost almost $2K a corner to repair. I'd skip air suspensioned vehicles.
Could go both ways, for example bmw f07 replacing rear air suspension parts is crazy cheap, you can get a decent new compressor for 400€ and new airbags for 100-200€ piece, swapping them is easy with minimum set of tools. But for other models could be crazy expensive as well. Audi seems to lean towards expensive.
There's a poetical-spiritual aspect to it. You can read deep into people's minds by looking at what cars they drive, especially when you look at the whole society's trends.
Yeah, and now the European governments are wailing because buyers are choosing crossovers instead of the wagons they traditionally bought. In their cramped cities there's a lot to be said for a good CUV.
Man, I love how quiet it is under heavy throttle! I guess I just don’t understand the appeal of owning a car with a really loud engine and exhaust, though I do find supercharger whine kind of pleasant.
Great, always love the German car reviews. For just a moment I thought Mark looked and acted more subdued and sophisticated instead of his normal "punk" self. All your reviews rock... keep up the great work. cheers, BW
Excellent video and review! My hat goes off to you and this video nailed it! How would you compare A6 to the Mercedes wagon that is an all terrain vehicle? I noticed that body of the Mercedes wagon now looks more like the Allroad or A6. I think because that design is very nice looking. Nonetheless, both vehicles are crazy expensive and I have looked at both and have a hard time with the cost. However, your dive into the technology of this vehicle and how sophisticated it is makes sense as to why it costs so much. It sounds like you would not want to pay that kind of money for this car. Would you suggest a GLE 450 or 350 as a less expensive option? But, my main question is comparing the A6 to the Mercedes E450 wagon. I think 85,000 is the new 50,000 right now. Thanks
That pricetag was unexpected. Hate the plastic cladding as it really brings down the elegant looks. I think $50k to $60k this car makes all the sense in the world.
Congratulations for once again a great review and I am always astonished by the high quality of your visuals and your broadcast design everything is seriously broadcast level, highly professional, very appreciated by myself. Please continue the great work!
Most folks who drive this stuff only goes to the Farmer's market on the weekend and rarely take it offroading. I don't like in-car computer and navs because they cost a ton to repair. I don't want to reboot my dashboard if the computer freezes up and I can't turn on the heater. These new cars must drain a lot of battery with the screens and computers.
We need a new generation of car reviewers who don’t constantly bitch about the lack of knobs and physical buttons. Seriously, it’s time to get over it.
Its worse in almost every metric to use often taking multiple steps vs 1. Most cars its a step backwards. We have been in over 150 cars this year, we are not just making this up.
I had been thinking about getting a wagon for some time and decided to go for it recently. I bought an Audi A4 Allroad. I remembered watching part of this video a few years ago and went back to watch it all tonight. I gotta say that the wagon you describe at the end of the video is essentially the A4 Allroad. The A4 Allroad does not have air suspension and sports a less tarted-up interior. It still has seats that feel like they're out of a 45k car but it starts at that price. In fact, I prefer that it lacks the second screen in favor of real, tactile buttons for essential controls like HVAC. The A6 Allroad has a good bit more cargo space. It also has about a couple inches more backset leg room due to the longer wheelbase. Still, the A4 Allroad's backset leg room is sufficient for even a road trip and the cargo space is enough for said trip. I'm glad the A4 Allroad and V60 still exist because otherwise the wagon market would just be the Subaru Outback then a huge jump to 70k+ luxury wagons like the E450 Wagon and A6 Allroad. I'm worried that the smaller market for wagons in the US will require high margins so I wouldn't be surprised if the V60 and A4 Allroad disappear from the US market sooner or later.
Really appreciate your reviews man. I really like your technical superiority yet straight-forward and understandable manner in presenting information in a simple unbiased way. The biggest problem I have with Audi is their spotting reliability and expensive maintenance structure. I like their design and comfort, but I agree that simply loading a vehicle with all the technology possible is not necessarily the best practice especially if you have not fully addressed the reliability proposition. I tend to go back to this issue every time I purchase a new car and then just end up defaulting to Lexus. ALL mechanically operated machinery will have problems at some point or another but I much rather it be an exception rather than a rule.
Great review - I am a crossover wagon (kombi/wagen) person all the way. I used to drive my Volvo XC70 as a daily for years. Through any weather or terrain with absolute clarity and comfort. Tanky and jumpy D5 diesel engine, AWD, stick gear. Loved every second driving that thing across Europe back and forth multiple times, even sleeping in it in the forest - a million star hotel! Till today I cannot comprehend, how is it possible to drive 1350 kms in that, across countries for 16 hours and in the evening stepping out from it with no back or body soreness. Black MAGIC! This might be a proper successor, but I'd prefer the petrol(in Europe they often offer diesels only, rare to find a good petrol size) and having a saloon Lexus now made me wonder about their crossover, unfortunately they do not do wagons but otherwise fine rides. Kudos to all car, wagon and SG enthusiastics!
I despise that there isn't a car like this in the $30,000 range. So many cars at that price point are being ousted in favor of CUV's and shit, but luxury marques are selling their sedans and wagons just fine. Do average income people just not have any taste?
+1. Nice review. .. Hot Rod wagons have always been kwel. ..UrS6, S6, RS6, AMG MB wagons both C Class and E Class models (Canada & Europe) .. Make mine an E Class in medium grey metallic & black leather everywhere. .. Understated H.P. Wagons are kwel. ..
The midsize German sedans with higher specs are all around 70k+ now. The V6, air suspension, leather are all pushing 70k+. You can get the lower spec vehicles for low 60k’s. It’s about and extra 10k for the higher specs. Is it worth it? Drive both the lower and upper end models and you might save yourself 10k.
Its unfortunate this is going to be cross shopped with the much cheaper Audi Q5s and Q7s. I don't see how someone who isn't a wagon enthusiast is going to choose this over one of those.
There’s the slightly smaller A4 all road too that is what you’re talking about, more stripped down with one less screen and comes standard with adaptive dampers instead of air ride
I stopped watching once they showed that all of the controls are on screens. Nope, not interested, never. Don't care about the rest of the car after that. Gotta have HVAC and audio controls as physical buttons and knobs so I can use muscle memory to manipulate them. And frankly, screens are distracting anyway. Sitting in my E39 M5 I never once think to myself "gosh, if only this had more features and screens and fewer buttons and knobs!" Not once.
Thank you for reviewing a wagon, an unpopular choice nowadays. Please review its closest competitor, Mercedes E450 wagon. Mercedes spoiled it for MY 2021 by adding cladding and such, perhaps to compete with Audi Allroad.
Touchscreens and touchscreens. I don't care about blank buttons, just put the buttons back please. Touchscreen HVAC is the only reason why my dad went to get the EClass wagon.
I'd put recent Mercedes models up there. They're the company that puts the infotainment screen in the most logical place - right next to and in line with the instrument panel. The eye can slide right across to it, it's easy to reach, and it doesn't look tacked on.
The price tag on this car is absolutely insane. There's no scenario where this car is worth $90K (price+tax). Can't even fathom paying that kind of money for an A6, not even an S6, let alone RS. Flat out stupid.
You're paying for having the only one in town. Realistically, this doesn't offer much advantage over their crossovers, but they have to charge more because they sell so few.
I always look forward to these reviews. No matter what the car is I always know I'll learn something new and have a new appreciation for the engineering behind the vehicle. And as always, production quality is so clean and crisp and it makes me wonder why all youtube channels don't put this much work into a simple review, especially one about a run-of-the-mill Audi Allroad. Good stuff guys.
2020 Buick Regal TourX started at a bit under $30,000 and no one bought it. It handled reasonably well, had big interior space and decent interior trimmings. The trimmings are relevant because I remember the last Pontiac Bonneville's bubble-like plastic moldings. God I hate this country's homogenized buying habits! All it really needed was the corporate 3.6L V-6 (in the wagon), paddle shifters (?) and maybe MagneRide. BOOM! Roadmaster Wagon.
