Audi A4 Avant Review

• February 2016 Audi A4 Avant range goes on sale in Britain.

Petrol: 1.4 TFSI, 2.0 TFSI, 3.0 TFSI Diesel: 2.0 TDI, 3.0 TDI

The A4 Avant offers an extensive choice of petrol and diesel engines, so should find an option that suits your needs and budget.

Starting things off is a 1.4-litre petrol engine with almost 148bhp. It moves you from a to b but doesn't feel powerful enough for a relatively luxurious estate, especially when the Audi A4 Avant is loaded up with passengers and luggage.

The 2.0-litre petrol engines - one with 187bhp and one with 249bhp -  are better suited to the A4. More power means that they don't have to work as hard, making driving feel smoother. Both arer quick too, but but fuel economy hovers around the 50mpg mark depending on what size wheels you pick, so they’re far from the cheapest Audi A4 Avant models to run.

The diesels will probably be a better choice for most buyers – particularly those covering more than about 10,000 miles a year. The entry-level ‘ultra’ version can just scrape 70mpg on the smallest wheels, which is very impressive for a big estate car like this. Again, though, a more powerful engine could be advisable if you intend to make the most of the Avant’s luggage capacity or use it for towing. The 187bhp diesel in particular is a nice middle ground, returning over 60mpg but still managing to accelerate from 0-62mph in under eight seconds.

Topping the diesel range are two very powerful 3.0-litre units, which feel more suited to the sections of German Autobahn without speed limits than the congested roads of the UK. The most powerful 267bhp one isn’t far off the performance of the sporty S4 Avant, which gets its own 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine and does 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds.

SE, Sport, S line, S4

The cheapest specification of Audi A4 Avant  - the A4 Avant SE - comes with a good level of standard equipment, including 17in alloy wheels, three-zone climate control, 7in colour screen, DAB digital radio, cruise control and rear parking sensors. Practical luggage features, including 40:20:20 split folding rear seats and a powered bootlid are also standard but four-wheel drive and the 3.0-litre TDI diesel engines aren’t available with this trim.

The next level up is the Audi A4 Avant Sport for a little under £1,000 more. Most importantly, this includes sat-nav as standard, along with a different design of alloy wheels, sports seats and a ten-speaker stereo. It also has a wider choice of engines including quattro four-wheel drive and powerful 3.0-litre diesels.

Topping the regular A4 Avant range is the smart-looking A4 Avant S line. The most obvious difference compared to the lesser models is a sporty bodykit. It also gets larger 18in alloy wheels, full LED headlights, part-leather upholstery and the full range of engines.

Sports suspension (20mm lower than standard) is included, but this does make the ride firmer and less smooth over bumps. Because of this, Audi will replace it with standard suspension (known as comfort) for no extra charge unless you have one of the 'ultra' diesel models. Ultra models can only be fitted with sport suspension.

The choice of suspension is made even more confusing because Audi offers two more options for additional cost. These are more sophisticated adaptive systems that can adjust to the road and also offer pre-set modes - to make the car feel sportier or more comfortable. The first, 'adaptive comfort', is a slight improvement over standard comfort suspension. The second, 'adaptive sport', has a mode that's more comfortable than the standard sport suspension.

The Audi S4 Avant serves as its own trim level, with a single choice of engine: the powerful 3.0-litre V6 petrol. It has more powerful brakes and further upgraded suspension, with full leather sports seats and aluminium trim inside.

In addition to the standard equipment, the Audi A4 option list is lengthy (and expensive), allowing you to personalise the car to how you use it. Regular motorway users may want to opt for adaptive cruise control, which maintains a set distance from the car in front. It comes with traffic jam assist, allowing the car to drive itself - accelerating, braking and steering automatically - in congested traffic at speeds of up to 37mph.

Audi's virtual cockpit replaces the dials behind the steering wheel with a digital screen that can be customised. For example, you can make the speedometer smaller to leave space for a giant map, giving you clearer directions right under your nose. There's also a self-parking system and head-up display, which projects your speed and sat-nav directions onto the windscreen. A heated steering wheel for cold mornings and fan-equipped seats that cool your back on warm days are available too.

Warranty coverage is only average, too, lasting for three years or 60,000 miles. That’s the equal of what Mercedes offers, but not as good as BMW’s cover, which also lasts for three years but has no mileage limit.

Most second-hand Audi A4 Avant deals are for the previous model: there are few used examples of the current model, as it was only introduced in early 2016. Previous versions of the car have tended to hold their value well thanks to their upmarket badge, practical body style and efficient diesel engines.

Cars like this tend to be driven a lot so, in a few years' time, you may struggle to find a low-priced Audi A4 Avant still within its 60,000-mile warranty limit. You may also want to watch out for A4 Avants that have been subjected to the rigours of family life or been used to transport pets, and therefore suffered more wear and tear to the boot and back seats than usual.