Audi A4 Avant drive by Steve Rogers
There was a time when the go to car for hauling
luggage, furniture, anything really, was an estate.
Go back 30 odd years and the car of choice was a Volvo
850, the ‘box on wheels’, which counted for half the UK’s estate market, but
come the new millennium the ‘boxes’ turned into stylish machines with names
like Sportwagon, Touring, Avant and Shooting brake.
Leading the way was Alfa Romeo with the 156
Sportwagon, so sleek it looked better than the beautiful saloon. That said it
was not at all practical and very much style over substance.
Now you feel sorry for sales people trying to shift an
estate because everyone wants to buy an SUV, yet an estate is much nicer to
drive and there are some cracking examples on the market.
If an estate with a posh badge still takes your fancy
then head for an Audi showroom and seek out an Avant. A6 is the big boy, A4 a
little more compact and there is an abundance of models although the emphasis
on sporty has dwindled. Audi is putting the lion’s share of its efforts into
electric models.
Not that the German marque has completely turned its
back on performance. You can still get the RS badge and a reminder of the power
crazed days when Audi battled for bragging rights with BMW. In the game of
speed every fraction of a second counts and the four rings nearly always edged
it.
Now the focus is on heavyweight horse power from
smaller engines and this A4 Avant is a case in point. Normally I would favour
diesel - Audi will still supply a diesel model - but with the spiralling cost
gap over petrol, along with a general reluctance, the 2-litre petrol is a
sensible and rewarding alternative.
Performance is on the money with a sprint to sixty
taking around seven seconds but, more significantly, so is economy. Who would
have thought 50mpg was achievable from a 200bhp motor? Well I got 51mpg on a
round trip and averaged 46mpg over a week’s driving.
As an estate A4 fairs well on space against its
premium rivals although none can match the incredible Skoda Superb which comes
from the same family and is easier on the bank account.
Avant has a low sill, wide aperture with the powered
tailgate open, minimal wheel arch intrusion, flat load area, reversible boot
floor (handy for muddy boots or a wet dog) and an excellent retractable boot
cover. That pretty much covers everything you want from a load lugger.
How many times over the last four decades have I
written ‘no one can trim a premium car like Audi’, and nothing has changed. The
cabin is dripping in quality, has superb build quality with every detail
meticulously executed.
Audi’s mantra Vorsprung durch Technik (keeping ahead
through technology) lives on particularly with the multi media interface,
that’s the bag of tricks that controls navigation, Bluetooth, phone app
connections, you name it, it does it.
The updated system is touchscreen, a sophisticated
piece of kit with lightening response and ultra sharp graphics, you can even
use a finger to scribble a navigation postcode, but I still believe ditching
the rotary controller a backward step. Why not have both, like BMW and Mazda?
Audi would probably suggest using voice control for
radio and navigation commands which, I admit, is very efficient. At least the
separate climate control functions are neatly laid out with tactile switches.
It is hardly a surprise that A4 is a comfortable place
for driver and passengers even if those in the back are a bit tight on legroom,
something that has never been adequately sorted. There is barely any wind or
road noise and ride comfort is now spot on.
This is the Sport edition with a choice of drive modes
but don’t get too excited as there is little benefit switching to the sport
setting. If sharper handling is your bag then go for S Line or an RS model.
As a premium brand you pay premium prices for A4, but
once on the road you get the satisfaction that it is worth it.
Fast facts
A4 Avant Sport 40 TFSI
£40,840
2-litre 200bhp; 7sp S tronic
0-62mph 7.3secs; 130mph
43mpg combined
148g/km. 1st tax £230
Boot: 495-1495 litres
Insurance group 27
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