justaute

All,

Greetings. Have been reading the forum for some time and finally decided to register. I'm a long-time Bimmer guy and am seriously considering a 2017 Allroad -- blasphemy according to my Bimmer buddies.

Sold my customized 3-series two years ago and am driving a 2014 Acura MDX as a stop-gap. Really want to get back to a car, but being a bit of an outdoors guy, the MDX is serving me well for housing my bikes. Still, driving is just not as fun. Thus, an Allroad could be just the ticket. I have yet to see an Allroad in person (none available here in Pittsburgh dealers), but the photos in this forum are great.

My only concern is the size. Not sure the Allroad is big enough. Not that I'm a big guy, at 6'1", 210 lbs (all muscle of course). With the MDX, I just throw the bike and other stuff into the vehicle and not have to use a bike carrier. With the Allroad, it certainly won't be big enough for that. The lack of tow hitch certain does not help in Allroad's case, and I don't like having any kind of roof-rack.

Did a quick test drive of the 2017/18 Volvo V90 Cross Country. It drove pretty well and is quite a looker, IMO. It certainly has ample space. Though, not sure I want to pay $67k (MSRP) for it. We'll see how Allroad drives/feels when I can find one.

Anyway, thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences regarding the Allroad. Look forward to learning more.

bob m

Welcome aboard. I'm only 5'6", but I am guessing you would have plenty of head and leg room and should not have a problem if you get the sports seats. I think you will find the Allroad a very comfortable and well handling wagon. But it in no way compares size and storage wise to the MDX. Not sure how big the Volvo V90 is. At the end of the day, particularly in your situation - with storing a bike and other gear on board, we can talk to you until those cows come home, but the only way for sure is to get in one and take it for a drive. If one isn't available in Philly, be willing to go to a dealer outside of your area if need be. And even if they don't have one available for a test drive, maybe they have one in the showroom, where at the least, you can get a good feel for the seats and storage.

breadbooze

Welcome to the boards. I was a former BMW tech in the late 90s, though the dealership also carried VW/Audi and when they sold off that part I ended up on that wagon. No judgement from me.

I've fit two bikes in the back, front wheels removed. There are a few tow hitch options, the ones available stateside are aftermarket and require a bit of trimming away the rear lower "scuff guard". The OE one is made by westfalia and hides away neatly, you might be familiar with them from the bimmer world. I personally use a roof rack as I dont care too much for cleaning up the back every time the bikes are tracked through mud.

Next time I run through I-76 I can make a stopover in pittsburgh if you want to try the allroad on for size. You can also look for a B8/B8.5 allroad, it's dimensions are similar.

PhillyAllroad

You need to find a dealer that has one so you can see it. I bet it's going to look a lot smaller to you than even you're expecting.

Coming from Land Rover/FJCrusier/Honda Odyssey history, I was shocked the first time I actually stared into the open wagon bay in person.

archrenov8

Some of that sense of it being smaller is that it is down lower than an SUV, so you are looking down into it. Naturally, you would flop the seats down, and pull out the automatic cargo shade, which will open things up nicely. And do take a look at roof racks. There are some nice options there.

I have had my AR for about ten days now, and am fully loving it in every way.

Dan in St. Louis

Hope this helps..........

bob m

Good post, Dan. But I really think the answer for him is to at least see one in person, sit in it and also eyeball the storage area.

Fdvigna

I traded in a GL350 (7-seater) and the trunk was huge when compared to the Allroad, but I was not looking for another SUV and I wanted a fun and yet family oriented car (Kids + dog) for lots of weekend trips. I never put my bikes inside the GL and only carried them in a hack attached to the tow-hitch... I will need a new bike hack for the Allroad. When extra space is needed I also have one of those roof cargo carriers. They work really well and because the Allroad is lower than the GL access to the roof cargo is much easier and practical.

I guess what I am trying to say is for you to define what's more important in the car you are looking for... for me it was the fun drive factor + sporty looks yet family oriented and flexible enough were I could overcome the cargo space area when needed.

Like everyone else is saying, you have to see and drive the car.

Dan in St. Louis

Besides that, once he drives it it will be SOLD!

FLkiwi

My current Jetta Sportwagen, which seems to be a similar size, lets me slide a single bike in fairly easily without taking off the front wheel and even without taking out the rear cover.
Two bikes is possible, although I have to take off front wheels, and of course you can't do any of that without dropping the back seats.

While I haven't tested it, eyeballing the Allroad prior to ordering looked to me like it would accommodate a similar load.