Audi bucks the trend in its S4 Avant

AUDI knows a thing or two about making quick yet discreet estate cars.

The S4 has been a go-to choice for those who want a performance wagon which doesn’t, well, scream about its performance.

But this latest S4 Avant represents an interesting shift.

No longer does a petrol engine power the whole affair, rather a turbocharged V6 diesel.

It’s a move which bucks the industry-wide trend but the question is has this change diminished the capability of the famously well-rounded S4? The

S4 benefits from the updated looks and technology levels that have been applied across the A4 and A5 range.

The looks are sharper, the cabin features a more up-todate infotainment set-up and, throughout the car, everything has been given a little nip-tuck.

The turbocharged V6 diesel pushes out 342bhp and an impressive 700Nm of torque to all four wheels through an eightspeed automatic gearbox. Zero60mph takes just 4.7 seconds.

Economy is the name of the game however, so while the S4 certainly delivers on the performance stakes it does well in terms of fuel-sipping abilities too with Audi claiming just under 40mpg combined and CO2 emissions of 166g/km.

A 48-volt mild-hybrid system has been incorporated into the car’s set-up too, which helps to fill in the gaps in torque made while waiting for the engine to spool up. The S4 can even coast with the engine off to help with economy even further.

The ride is good and sits on the right side of firm for daily use. And on the motorway, the S4 is beautifully refined, with little in the way of wind noise produced to disturb the hushed and comfortable cabin. Of course, when you dial things back you’re still left with a usefully large estate car.

There’s 420 litres of boot space available with the rear seats in place and this can be increased to 1,435 litres by folding the rear seats flat.