It can be hard to be an American and see all of the hatchback and station wagon options that are available from our favorite European car brands, which simply aren’t available in the US. Americans have fully embraced the crossover, SUV and mini van body types, while fears of looking like the Griswold family in their iconic wood-paneled station wagon have left the station wagon market in the dust. Audi’s forthcoming A3 Allstreet variant has made us more covetous than ever of the European options for hatchbacks.
A Sporty Looking Audi A3 That’s Ready For Anything
Sure, we can get an A3 here in the States, but only in a comfortable and practical looking sedan. As Car and Driver reports, the A3 Allstreet turns the A3 sporty. The sedan becomes a hatchback, which is much more practical for hauling your outdoor gear or anything else that you need to schlepp around. Then they take the whole thing and lift it 0.6 inches. They give it bigger tires for an even higher ground clearance, soften up the springs and shocks, and slap on some stylish black body cladding and now you have an Audi that looks like it is ready for an adventure.
We will admit that if you look at it with a squint it appears to be a close cousin to the similarly attired Subaru Crosstrek (which is a lifted version of the hatchback version of the Subaru Impreza), but unlike the Subaru, the Audi remains an Audi. Sure, you would be able to put your tent and all of your gear into both the Crosstrek and the Allstreet, but when you come home from your trip, the Audi will still have all of the power, luxury, and quality that makes Audis so special.
Another Audi Station Wagon Might Scratch That Itch
Since you (probably) won’t actually be able to get an A3 Allstreet in the US, it might be worth your time to check out the two similar options that Audi will sell you in this country. You can get two different hatchback Allroads—in either an A4 or A6 variety. They follow the same formula as the Allstreet, with features like a higher ride height, optional sporty black cladding, and a roof rack. Since they are bigger than the A3, they offer more cargo space and also a larger price tag. The A3 starts at 37,450 euros when sold in Germany, which translates to around 41,000 USD. The the A4 Allroad starts at $47,600 and the even bigger A6 counterpart starts at $69,300.
Though the Audi A3 Allstreet may never make it to the US, at least the A4 and A6 Allroad options are still here for when you are looking for a car that is classy, luxurious, and can still haul all of outdoor adventuring needs.
