Audi A4 a mix of luxury and technology
Even though we had the 2017 Audi A4 for only three months, it started to feel like part of our family, a comfortable fit for our life, but still somehow special in a way we appreciated every day — despite any little quirks and flaws.
Perhaps because it has been so hectic over the past few months that it quickly grew so familiar, putting on more than 9,500 kilometres of commuting, comparing, shuttling the kids around and even a short road trip up to ski country.
Through all that, there have been barely any complaints, but I’ll get them out of the way right up front.
The only real mechanical flaw in the A4 is its low-speed manoeuvring behaviour — when just leaving a light, or switching from reverse to drive, the throttle and transmission are very slow to get power down to the wheels, making fine adjustments parallel parking or a three-point turn a bit tedious and frustrating at times.
As far as the interior goes, the splitpersonality of the Virtual Cockpit and dashtop MMI can cause a bit of hesitation before deciding which interface might be quicker for any particular task. Because some functions are only available in the MMI via the control knob (destination entry, saving presets), it soon became my default instead of the more efficient and hands-on-wheel Virtual Cockpit in the gauge cluster. Those new to Audi’s interiors may find all the information available slightly overwhelming at first, but it’s totally worth the learning curve. Power & performance At no time during the past three months did I find myself wanting for more power in the A4, and the sport suspension and 19-inch wheels gave it that sporting flavour I crave in any car I drive.
Although it’s a fairly typical 2.0-litre turbo, Audi has worked hard to keep it at the forefront in terms of power, efficiency and refinement.
The engine sounds great under full throttle, a gruff rumble that matches its sporty side.
After that initial lag, it very quickly finds traction and gets into its power band, its 273 pound-feet of torque available from 1,600 to 4,500 r.p.m. and the 252 horsepower kicking in at 5,000 r.p.m.
It lives up to its soundtrack, too, and between the quick-shifting dualclutch auto and quattro all-wheel drive, it launches to 100 km/h in less than six seconds.
Mileage was a mixed bag. On our one extended highway drive, we saw almost 9.5 L/100 km both ways, which is excellent for my driving and the middle of winter on wide winter tires.
However, for the life of our test, which was mostly commuting into the city and around the suburbs, 10.0 L/100 km isn’t all that impressive for a small sedan.
Practicality and comfort While my time in a variety of vehicles has pampered me with a variety of options, it is the simple practicality of the crossover that I often miss most.
There is no getting around the low roof of the A4 when leaning in to buckle and tighten the strap of my son’s car seat, never mind crawling around in there to install it.
Aside from the low roof expected in a sport sedan, the A4 is a model of practicality, with enough legroom in the back seat for adults, and plenty for the kids in their car seats. There is even enough width for a smaller adult to squeeze between the car seat and booster, but the large hump in the floor ruins legroom for that middle passenger. The seats proved comfortable in daily driving and even on a longer drive, and despite the firm ride of that sport suspension, it never got tiresome or jittery.
Competitive set When we embarked on this longterm test, we wanted to see if the A4 could compete with the best in the segment, and we were fortunate enough to line up a tough pair of tests against its German rivals, the C-Class and 3 Series.
Against an evenly matched C-Class, the Audi showed its value and quality, even if the Benz was the smoother, more luxurious ride of the two sedans.
The 3 Series, of course, has been the benchmark in the segment for generations, so a chance to gauge the A4 against this segment leader was the test we were most eager to perform. We secured a modestly equipped 330i that lived up to BMW’s reputation for engaging dynamics. Although the BMW was a few thousand dollars cheaper, the fully loaded A4 offers better value, and a came together as a more well-rounded package with a slight edge in quality. Technology and quality Beyond the stumbles of a two-screen infotainment system, Audi’s integration of technology was a joy to explore, from the handwriting recognition on the control knob to one of the best adaptive cruise systems I’ve ever experienced.
I was thrilled to have a 360-degree parking view, as well as warnings on the backup camera for crossing traffic when backing out, and also flashing lights on the door for approaching traffic that might clip your door if you were to open it suddenly.
The verdict: 2017 Audi A4 longterm test wrap-up Four months was too little time in the A4, and I’m certainly going to miss its driving dynamics as we move on to a far more practical long-term tester. The driving aids and cabin technology in the A4 are impressive, the practicality is on par with segment leaders and the performance finally makes a leap to match the best in its class, without throwing comfort out the window.