Audi A4 Avant range
For those who dont have too much time, heres the verdict on the Audis current generation A4 Avant. As its always been, this is an estate for those who dont like estate cars. But that doesnt necessarily mean that style has taken precedence over substance.
Yes, the Avant is tight at the back, but fold the rear seats down and you get a car that will easily transport two or three people plus a good deal of baggage on holiday. Bolt a roofbox onto the sleek roof rails of, say, an A4 Avant 3.2 V6 Quattro and youll still be the coolest character in Courchevel this winter. Prices are pitched between £21,050 for the entry-level 2.
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0-litre V6 TDI units borrowed from the larger A6. Petrol power starts at around £21,000 with a 130bhp 2.0-litre unit but its well worth finding an extra £1,300 and upgrading yourself to the 163bhp 1.8T variant.
Or even better, scraping together around £24,000 or so to get yourself behind the wheel of one of the worlds best engines, the 200bhp 2.0T FSI. This powerplant is so good that you have to question the need to spend any more on either the 256bhp 3.2 FSI or even the desirable 344bhp V8 S4 Quattro.
Mind you, the 414bhp RS4 would be hard to turn down but for that youll need around £52,000.
"Unless you object to a firm ride and a decidedly compact and bijou loading bay, this car is devilishly hard to fault."
As already suggested, the A4 Avant isnt an estate from the old school, so dont kid yourself that its a Volvo or get out too many grandfather clocks. Its 1,184-litre capacity with the seats folded down is less than the BMW 3 Series Touring or the Mercedes C-class estate, its two key domestic rivals. Only the Alfa 159 Sportwagon is more flagrantly compact. Like the Alfa, the Audis boot space with the rear seats in position - 442 litres - is less than the standard car.
However, the fact that the Avant out-sells all these competitors is the first clue that these apparently damning statistics only tell half the story. Clever trapezoidal link rear suspension means that you dont get any intrusion into the load bay. Whats the use of a huge on-paper loading capacity if, to all intents and purposes, its impossible to access? This is where the Audi comes up trumps. If you needed to load an item 100cm wide, the Audi could and the BMW and Mercedes most certainly couldnt.
Likewise, the tailgate width is the biggest of the trio and it opens to a height of almost two metres, making loading far less of a cranium-threatening activity for the taller owner. The load bay is stuffed with clever ideas, Audis designers having a field day with neat ways to boost the diminutive Avants practicality. Unfortunately the rear blind and safety net are mounted on the back of the 2/3 split rear seat. You can fold the 1/3 down while still covering the luggage bay but if the 2/3 seat is folded, you can see into the luggage bay.
Alternatively, the rather heavy blind system can be removed to give the full 1184-litre capacity. The floor of the loading bay is split laterally, with a 65-litre cubby providing additional storage space. Chrome lashing eyes, stowage nets and a heavy-duty reversible mat also feature. The exterior lines are pretty much A6 Avant after a hot cycle, itself no bad thing.
The revised tail light clusters seem to sit proud on delicate hips that run the length of the car, whilst the roof bars sink elegantly into the roofline giving a svelte appearance that belies the A4s stubby dimensions. After all, at just 4544mm long, the Avant is still significantly shorter overall than a Ford Mondeo or a Peugeot 407 saloon. In recent times, Audi has introduced a more sophisticated range of transmissions, with revised 5-speed and 6-speed manual gearboxes, a 6-speed tiptronic automatic (for Quattro versions) and a clever CVT 7-speed multitronic automatic for front-wheel drive variants. On the road, a cleverer four-link front suspension borrowed from the roadburning S4 model should make the driving experience more involving, as should the hi-tech Servotronic speed-dependent power steering system fitted to plusher variants.
The brakes are better than they used to be too and the ESP Electronic Stability Programme is even more likely to keep you out of the ditch during emergency manoeuvres. Inside, buyers who havent driven an A4 for some time will notice Audis smarter steering wheel design and active locking head restraints that automatically minimise the distance between the restraint and the head in a rear crash situation. Two-stage intelligent airbags are now fitted for the driver and front passenger and theres a clever DVD-based satellite navigation system for those who want it. As ever, the fascia ergonomics are predictably perfect, the quality breathtaking.
This car is certainly better to drive and own than it used to be and that makes it even harder to fault the A4 Avant. The choice of engines and gearboxes is superb and the exterior styling is all wed expect from Audi. Unless you object to a firm ride and a decidedly compact and bijou loading bay, this car is devilishly hard to fault. If you felt impervious to the charms of an estate, heres one that has the power to convert.
Facts At A Glance
CAR: Audi A4 Avant range
PRICES: £21,050-£51,780 on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 11-20
CO2 EMISSIONS: 151-321g/km
PERFORMANCE: [1.8T] 0-60mph 8.4s / Max Speed 141mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [3.0TDI] (combined) 37.6mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags, side and curtain airbags, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: (length/width/height) 181/70/61"
