Audi A4 Review

Performance4.5/5

There’s a plethora of engines available – more diesels than petrols. The latter includes a 1.8 litre TFSI (118 bhp, 50.4 mpg, 134g/km CO2) A 168 bhp version of this is also on the cards, as are 2 and 3 litre TFSI versions. Diesels on offer are 2 or 3 litre with bhps of 134, 141, 161, 175, 201 and 242 – plenty of choice there. Amongst this lot there are some that are surprisingly wallet and environment friendly; consider one of the 2.oTDIe engines if this is your priority. For excitement though, you might like to think about 333bhp S4 or, possibly, the 245 bhp 3.0 TDI. Lots to think about!

Handling3.5/5

The A4 is reasonably easy on the ear (apart from a certain amount of wind noise caused by the large wing mirrors) but not so easy on the rear – the suspension, particularly in the sports models, is not very forgiving and does not offer the smoothest of rides over the lumps and bumps in the road. When cornering, body roll and grip are both dealt with well, but for the driver there is not a great deal of excitement or connection and steering can feel less than rewarding.

Exterior4.5/5

Audi have not deemed it necessary to make many changes to the overall look of the new A4, which is understandable – obviously working on the ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ principal, there was not much that needed a facelift. LED daytime running lights, redesigned rear lights and alloys as standard are part of the new model – not much else is different from its predecessor. A classy, classic car – possibly too conservative for some tastes, but most buyers are likely to be looking for just that.

Interior4.5/5

Again, not a lot has changed inside the Audi A4. All dials, knobs and switches feel solid as ever – there’s nothing flimsy anywhere. The MMI controller has been tidied up a bit to make the centre console less cluttered. The driver’s seat and steering wheel can be adjusted to suit every shape and size; although some might find that the right-offset pedals take some getting used to. Four adults can very happily ride in the cabin – there’s ample head and leg room for all, and well supported, comfortable seats... and if none of them travel particularly light, no problem – there’s a very generous 480 litre boot space. This can be increased substantially and speedily by dropping the flat-folding split- rear seats. There are plenty of cubby holes and pockets for all the bits and pieces needed on the journey.

Equipment4.5/5

Although the new A4 is available in four trim levels (SE, SE Technik, S Line and Black), there is plenty of kit which comes as standard with the entry level SE that many buyers will probably be happy to settle for that. Automatic headlights and wipers, cruise control, rear parking sensors, Bluetooth, fatigue detection,  three-zone climate control, 17 inch alloys are all there. The diesel version of the SE can be upgraded to include the Technik pack, adding leather upholstery and sat-nav to the list; and for those with sporty inclinations the S Line will bring you larger alloys, lower suspension and a sportier look, while the top of the range Black offers luxury in the form of an upgraded stereo system and a black styling package.

Safety4.5/5

Solid and reliable, the A4 unsurprisingly came away with five stars from the Euro NCAP ratings. It has six airbags, ISOFIX child seat fixings, stability control, anti-whiplash head restraints, lane departure warning system ... so all good on the safety front. As far as security goes, deadlocks and an alarm are included in the standard package.

Buying & Owning4/5

Let’s face it, the Audi badge doesn’t come cheap and, unfortunately, we wouldn’t expect otherwise. However, some A4s, particularly at the lower end of the engine range  are surprisingly economical to run – the 2.0 TDIe offers 65.7 mpg and emits a tax-friendly 112g/km of CO2 which is not bad at all for a car of this size. The resale value remains high – a good thing of course, if you are the seller, not so good if you are looking on the second hand market.

Reviewed by cars2buy