The Audi A4 is an excellent car, but it’s not perfect. So, what does that make the Allroad version? And if the standard model hasn’t got a great drive or pin-sharp feedback in the first place, what effect does adding extra body height, comfort, isolation and flexibility, not to mention a modicum of off-road ability, have on the overall feel? We drove the Allroad in quattro Sport 3.0 TDI 218 S tronic guise to find out.

The standard, non-adaptive-dampered, Allroad rides 34mm higher than normal, and performance drivers (and road testers) don’t usually like that kind of increased suspension travel and reduced feel. But, in fact, the Allroad’s compromises have actually made it a better car than its normal stablemate.

Fitted with said adaptive dampers, the drive modes range from comfortable if slightly soft Comfort all the way through to the rather taut Dynamic. Left in Auto, the platform automatically adjusts for any situation it finds itself in. Whatever mode you go for, combined with longer wheel travel and softer springing it all gives great ride quality with no great impact on handling quality.

This gentle and controlled experience is well matched by the mellow mid-range 3.0-litre V6 diesel. This highly refined powerplant has plenty of horsepower, and its torque pours out from below 1500rpm all the way up to 4000rpm-plus. Even better, it costs only £2000 over its 2.0-litre unit counterpart, without much in the way of the usual accompanying road or business tax hike. The smoothly sophisticated seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission only adds to the experience.

Sitting in the cabin is an equally enjoyable experience. There’s plenty of space for people and their kit – even the Mercedes C-Class can’t beat it for load space – and the design, fit and finish are exemplary. Little differentiates the Allroad’s interior from that of the normal model, however.

The A4 Allroad is a perfect case of a compromise making something better than it ever was in standard guise. Not if you always drive at ten-tenths, of course – but who in the real world buys a car like this to drive like that?

Audi A4 Allroad quattro Sport 3.0 TDI 218 S tronic

Price £41,525

Engine V6, 2967cc, turbodiesel

Power 215bhp at 4000rpm

Torque 295lb ft at 1250rpm

Gearbox 7-spd twin-clutch

Kerbweight 1690kg

0-62mph 6.6sec

Top speed 143mph

Economy 54.3mpg

CO2/tax band 141g/km, 30%

Rivals Volvo V90 Cross Country, Volkswagen Passat Alltrack