The premium-wagon space sees new features this year thanks to minor updates to the 2021 Audi A4 Allroad. This sporty wagon is a variant of the A4 small luxury sedan and was already refreshed for the 2020 model year. It competes with models like the Volvo V60 and Subaru Outback.

The A4 Allroad’s exterior is similar to the A4 sedan, though matte body cladding emphasizes its more adventurous aspirations. A chrome-trimmed grille and front and rear LED lighting add a premium look.

The powertrain gets an interesting update this year with the addition of a 12-volt mild-hybrid system that increases power by 13 horsepower, up to 261 hp. Torque remains unchanged at 273 pound-feet. The powertrain works with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) and Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive (AWD) system. EPA fuel-economy ratings are not available yet. Standard selectable driving modes offer Comfort, Auto, Dynamic, Offroad, and Individual settings, and Audi also includes an adaptive suspension system.

Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige trim levels carry over mostly unchanged. The base Premium trim provides leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a panoramic sunroof. Premium Plus includes upgraded interior trimmings and driver-seat memory settings. Prestige adds ambient lighting and, new for this year, heated rear seats. Options include ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel.

The A4 Allroad features a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment display with voice control, wireless Apple CarPlay (new for this year), and Android Auto. Audi’s integrated toll module (ITM) system is also new—and standard—for 2021. Options include handwriting recognition, cloud connectivity, a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system, a head-up display, wireless device charging, and Audi’s Virtual Cockpit digital information display.

The Premium Plus trim now gets standard adaptive cruise control with active lane assist, top-view camera system, and hands-on detection steering wheel. Options include a surround-view camera system, blind-spot monitoring, active lane assist, rear cross-traffic alert with emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, and park assist.

The Audi A4 Allroad isn’t a bargain option in the family-friendly wagon segment, not by any stretch of the imagination, but this year’s feature additions add enough value to keep things fresh.