Category: Compact Executive 
Price Range: £19,900 to £32,700
Elegant and discreet styling, exceptional build quality, excellent diesels, good ride quality.
Very conservative, limited rear cabin space, not as much fun to drive as a 3-Series.
A very strong contender in the executive car segment, with elegant looks and a strong engine line-up.
The A4 has gained a revised suspension, as well as damper settings designed to deliver the best compromise between ride and handling. And all six-cylinder models, as well as the 2.0T FSI, gain the speed-sensitive variable power steering that was once the preserve of the storming S4 model.
On the road, the result of the steering upgrade, which is optional on other models of 130bhp or more, is noticeably better steering feel over fast, twisting roads. Otherwise, the A4 remains astonishingly well composed and uninclined to react unpredictably over undulating, challenging roads. Pushed harder still, the A4's default setting is understeer at the limit. For most drivers, this is the safe option, and with four-wheel drive quattro models in particular, you won't find a more stable platform in the class. For those who want a little more involvement in the driving experience, though, we suspect that the BMW remains the favourite.
It is the diesel engines that really impress here. The 204bhp 3.0TDI V6, which is offered only in four-wheel drive quattro guise, develops a massive 331lb ft of torque from an almost comically low 1400rpm. The result is great waves of acceleration, instantly available with a flex of the right foot - the official figures are 0-62mph in 7.2 seconds and a top speed of 146mph. That really is damn quick, and in the 0-62mph run, only a shade slower than the storming 256bhp 3.2 FSI petrol A4.
We were equally impressed with the 2.0 TDI four cylinder turbo-diesel engine, which develops 140bhp and 236lb ft of torque from a low 1750rpm. We tried the A4 2.0TDI with a manual six-speed gearbox and found that the combination of sensible gear ratios and excellent torque characteristics delivered truly robust performance. Climbing out of the 3.0TDI, we worried we might feel shortchanged on the performance front, but that just isn't the case. And the 2.0TDI delivers a claimed overall fuel economy of 47.9mpg, which is a nice bonus.
The 2.0T FSI turbo-charged, direct-injection petrol A4 delivered strong performance - 0-60mph in 7.6 seconds and a top end of 146mph - and we were most impressed by its low-rev torque response. That meant strong acceleration was on tap without our having to shift down a gear, which is a near-diesel-like characteristic. For the record, the 2.0T FSI develops its maximum torque of 207lb ft from 1800rpm.
By comparison, we'd recommend you give the non-FSI 2.0-litre petrol engine a miss. Its maximum torque is developed at nearly twice the revs of the FSI engine, and swift progress is a thrashy and unrefined experience, especially when this engine is mated to the CVT constantly variable transmission.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Audi A4
wrote on 23 09 2007
wrote on 11 09 2007
wrote on 17 07 2006