The 2016 Audi A4
Audi has never had any problems selling its A4 thanks to its desirable image. However, in a variety of other areas the A4 has spent a fair few years living in the shadow of its main rivals, most notably the BMW 3 Series. The latest A4 however has properly upped its game in a number of ways in a bid to take the fight directly to BMW.
Like with previous A4s the looks are about as conservative as it’s possible to get. However, this is no bad thing as conservatism has never put A4 buyers off before and we very much doubt it’s going to start now. Even so, despite the conservatism, the A4 really is a smart looking car with some sharp features and details such as the little kinks in the headlights and other imaginative lines like the one that runs all the way from the front light to the rear light.
Event entry level SE trims come with alloy wheels and xenon crafted headlamps with built in LED daytime running lights. The sport models get lower meaner bumpers and a chrome grille while high end S models also get chrome on the exhaust along with a rear spoiler, a lowered suspension and full LED headlamps.
While the bodywork might not be particularly dazzling the interior most certainly is. Every surface feels plush, expensive and beautifully finished and every single panel portraying that overall feeling of swankiness. For outright quality this car really is a match for anything else in its class. We do have one word of caution though, to maximise that effect you really do need leather upholstery and not a single one of the A4 trims provides one as standard. Even the S-Line only gets part leather so if you really want your A4 to be as posh as it possibly can be then you’re looking at adding an expensive option. That said, with its high definition screen and all the other digital displays there’s a very high tech feeling. Also, because of the logical way in which it all works everything still remains really easy to use. What’s more there’s loads of adjustment for your driving position which makes it really easy to get comfortable at the wheel. In addition to this the all-round visibility is impressively clear.
Importantly, the Audi A4 is as practical as any other car in its class. Passengers in the rear seats get loads of room and the boot is big and well-shaped. The A4 also comes with split-folding rear seats as standard across the range.
The way the A4 behaves on the roads depends very much on how you spec it. If you select one of the two sportier standard suspension setups then you’ll find the car extremely agile. However, the ride comfort isn’t quite everything it could be. It just feels a tiny but unsettled for a tiny bit too much of the time. However, there’s an optional adaptive suspension that’s well worth the extra cash because it makes the ride impressively smooth whatever the surface and whatever your speed.
There’s even more choice when it comes to your powertrain. There’s a vast range of petrol and diesel engines, manual and semi-automatic gearboxes and there’s front or 4-wheel drive to choose between. To be honest, there’s not much of a need to look beyond the 2.0 TDi Ultra. The 148bhp diesel engine is certainly punchy enough and is beautifully refined. The gear shift is nice and slick and with front-wheel drive it is seriously impressive on fuel economy and Co2 emissions. The A4 has always been a car that’s popular with company car drivers and for those low tax bills the 2.0 TDi is definitely the one you’ll want.
As an all-rounder the Audi A4 is one of the finest cars of its type and in a class that’s so competitive this is praise indeed! What’s more, if your priorities are refinement and a classy cabin then the A4 sits at the very top of the class. Chuck in the affordable running costs and you have an extremely appealing package.
