BACK in June of this year Audi launched the new Allroad - the flagship model of their A6 Avant range.

The Allroad is designed to cater for people who want all the benefits of a luxury estate combined with the ability to tackle mild rough stuff, heavy snow or muddy tracks without getting stuck.

It is not meant as an alternative to serious SUVs that can handle harsh off-road challenges but it is tough enough to cope with moderate off-roading and winter weather.

Probably its nearest rival is the Volvo XC70 which operates in the same limited market.

Audi has toned down the Allroad's styling this time round - there is less cladding around the wheel arches for a start and you can also opt to have the plastic in the same colour as the rest of the bodywork.

Stainless steel underbody guards protect the front and rear and the nose is dominated by Audi's large grille. The Allroad sits higher than the conventional A6 Avant it is based on but otherwise looks the same.

It is a big car and with the quattro four-wheel-drive hardware it is a pretty hefty customer. This means that with the higher suspension there is slightly more bodyroll in tight corners but it is not drastic and most drivers will not even notice it.

The Allroad can be had with a supercharged V6 3.0-litre petrol engine or a choice of three 3.0-litre V6 diesels.

Diesel is the sensible option and this car was fitted with the 242bhp diesel linked to a super S tronic seven-speed gearbox. This is the middle engine of the three diesels and it will probably be the best seller.

It has bags of punch hits 62mph in just 6.6 seconds and goes on to 147mph without any fuss.

The fabulous Quattro system is not all about tackling rough stuff. It gives the Allroad  secure handling and great stability and so it is a great car to drive in any conditions.

Wider and longer than the car it replaces, the new Allroad has 565 litres of boot space which increases to 1,860 litres with the 60/40 split rear seats folded. It also offers more headroom, so it is a very practical estate car.

The interior is fabulous and up to Audi's usual standard with Milano leather as part of the deal. It is well designed and put together and is very comfortable for driver and passengers.

As you would expect for a car that costs almost £44,000 the Allroad bristles with kit and safety technology. It has radar-based cruise control and Lane Keep Assist to remind you to stay on the correct side of the white lines.

In addition Audi had stuffed the test car with an astonishing list of extra kit which added almost £20,000 to the total, resulting in the test car costing £64,395.

There are too many items to list but the majors include the extra safety equipment I mentioned earlier at £2,600, electric front seats at £920, special alloy wheel at £2,445, all-Led headlights at £2,175, a panoramic sunroof at £1,225 and £1,000 for a Bose sound system.

With stop-start and brake energy recovery systems as standard the Allroad is surprisingly frugal with a claimed combined figure of 44.8mpg and emissions of 165g/km. My average over a week was nearer 39mpg but that is still decent for a car of this size and performance.