Audi A4 Avant
Rev it up while the kids nap |
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By Richard J. Newman
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Nits: Premium fuel required. Ouch.
G forces: The base engine is a punchy, turbocharged four-cylinder that clocks in at 200 horsepower. The tested model contains a 255-horsepower V-6 that lags for a split second but roars to life after that. Handling in the quattro all-wheel-drive version is a high point, crisp and forgiving at the same time. Front-wheel drive models will feel slightly less precise.
Gizmology: Simplicity and sophistication merge in the cockpit controls–sometimes nicely, sometimes not. The climate system is uncluttered and stylish. But the optional multimedia interface system, or MMI–which has migrated down from the even more sophisticated A8 and A6–is complex and occasionally unintuitive. It takes several commands to do simple things, for instance, like store a radio preset–too distracting if you happen to be, well, driving. Other features, like the dial that opens the sunroof, retain Audi's flair for elegant ergonomics. One curiosity is a front cupholder that's lodged halfway under the armrest, forcing you to choose one or the other.
Kidmarks: The A4 wagon has the functionality of a big cargo hold and split folding seats. All models have a rear center armrest with cupholders for kids and rear climate vents to keep them cozy.
Hot or Not: Hot. And understated.
Envirometer: The A4 rates average to above average for emissions and air pollution. Mileage ranges from 21 mpg/city to 34 mpg/highway. And the Audi A4 ranked 209 out of 477 on U.S. News's Muscle per Gallon Index. Details are at fueleconomy.gov.
Crash course: Earns 8 stars out of 10 on the government's frontal crash test, and 9 out of 10 on the side-impact test. Rollover resistance rating: 4 stars out of 5. Details: www.nhtsa.dot.gov. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gives the A4 a "good" rating, its highest, and calls it a "best pick." More info: www.iihs.org.
Price points: Base prices for the A4 range from $28,070 to $37,120. Price as tested: $45,270.
More info: www.audiusa.com
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Model year tested: 2005
The last time I drove the A4, back in 2002, I found it to be refined and supple. But I also felt Audi was holding something back. This time, Audi seems to be getting more aggressive with its answer to the BMW 3 series, the Mercedes C Class, and other starter sedans from luxury automakers.
The 2005 A4 isn't a brand-new design, but Audi has updated the engine offerings, added new technology, and tweaked performance to keep up with some of the best cars on the market. I drove the "avant" model, Audi's evasive label for the wagon, equipped with the muscle options: a 255-horsepower V-6 engine and "quattro" all-wheel drive that grabs pavement like a soldier belly-crawling beneath hostile fire. Installing street-rod components in an otherwise placid family-mobile is an appealing combo. The Avant 3.2, as it's known, is easy to maneuver in traffic, feels light and nimble, and places no strains on a driver who is not looking for excitement. And the car's ample power doesn't announce itself the way some throaty racers do. But when you need to get up and go, this car goes. The steering is expertly tuned for a thorough feel of the road that still manages to dampen any shocks that might disturb the driver's fingertips. And the elegant cabin, Audi's signature expertise, makes a sporting ride feel relaxing at the same time.
All the performance options can push the reasonably priced A4, which starts below $30,000, well over $40,000. But the entry-level model has plenty to recommend it, too. The base engine is a turbocharged 200-horsepower four-cylinder that is nearly 20 percent beefier than the earlier base engine. And that model comes with the beguiling interior that has made Audi a stylistic standard-setter: Soft, soothing red LED numerals on the climate and audio system, slick recessing gizmos that pop in and out of the dashboard, an artful dash with nary a rough spot anywhere. If there's a flaw in the Audi family, it's that their lower-priced models–not just the A4, but also the A3 hatchback that starts at about $26,000–are becoming so appealing that there's less reason to move up to pricier models like the A6 and A8. Sure, they're larger and even plusher, but the ethos is the same. If you can get your ya-yas out on the A4 and save a few grand for other toys, that's smart shopping.
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