Audi A4 Avant 2.0 TDI Multitronic: the original lifestyle car

THE A4 Avant is a vehicle for covering vast distances in absolute comfort.

When we think of a lifestyle-oriented vehicle, an SUV, 4×4 or pickup comes to mind. This wasn’t always the case, particularly in Europe and the United States: It was the station wagon, estate, or in Audi-speak, the Avant that was the original lifestyle vehicle particularly for those who enjoyed a very active, outdoorsy lifestyle.

Audi’s current A4, internally codenamed B8, was unveiled in 2008, and while a new one is already on the horizon (it is available in parts of Europe and the United States), the current one will be with us in about a year depending on when market allocation and product planning gives the Philippines the new model.

Despite the promise of a replacement, the current A4, in Avant form, is still very much a comfortable, capable and competent performer.

It still has one of, if not, the roomiest backseat in a segment that includes Jaguar’s new excellent XE, the BMW 3-Series, Merc’s C-Class and Lexus’ IS 350.

Yet only the Germans have a station wagon available, and unfortunately, none is to be found in the Philippines.

One can theoretically put in an indent order for an estate body style, but so far, only Audi has it in the Philippines.

For its final iteration, the A4 Avant now comes with new wheel designs, revised front and rear bumpers, a new but subtle interior motif change, some new exterior colors, plus of course, the latest version of Audi’s LED headlamps.

The interior is a strong suit for the A4. Arguably, the best interior and dash architecture in its class, new or old regardless, plus the highest quality interior parts mean the A4 has aged well, and will last a very long time.

WELL-LIT instrument cluster

It’s simple, elegant and functional, although I do miss the Audi Drive Select System found on more upscale and newer Audi vehicles.

The seats adjust electronically, and the steering wheel also adjusts for reach and rake.

A few years back, I felt the A4’s seats were impressive. But alas, newer Audi models which offer better support and comfort show that the current A4 isn’t as contemporary as the rest of the Audi range in the country.

Thankfully, safety is still of paramount importance with the A4: You get dual front, side and curtain airbags, ABS-EBD brakes, traction/stability control and hill-hold/hill-start assist which prevents the A4 from rolling backward when starting off from an incline.

The new-design LED headlamps provide daytime illumination, thanks to the continuous LED striplight on the headlamps.

ELEGANT dash architecture

The engine is the excellent 2.0-liter TDI turbo-diesel direct-injection engine that delivers the same 143 horsepower and 320 Newton-meters of torque, while meeting the latest Euro IV emission regulations in our country.

I was wondering why they didn’t stick in the newer 170-HP tune found on the Audi Q3 and Q5. Perhaps these would be made available on the next-generation A4, alongside the S-Tronic seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

It’s still one of the most quiet diesel lumps form Germany; BMW’s and Merc’s diesels sound loud and rattly in comparison, while Jaguar’s new line of Ingenium four-cylinder engines have yet to be fitted on the XE sedan that I’ve tried in the Philippines.

A lifestyle vehicle should first and foremost be versatile and flexible. Thus the A4 has split-folding rear seats, which you can drop down to increase cargo capacity to an enormous 1,424 liters. This could have been bigger were it not for the A4’s stylishly raked rear windshield.

With the seats up, cargo capacity means it’s a decent 490 liters. In layman’s terms, you can stick in four large economy class standard sized check-in luggage at the back with the rear seats up without compromising rear view visibility.

Drop the seats, and you can fit in 12 luggage, or two sets of 18-inch wheels with low-profile tires mounted on them.

I mounted two sets of wheels in boxes at the back and still had a lot of space left. And it still didn’t cover up the entire rear view mirror.

Buy the optional Audi roof rack system, or get a similar system from aftermarket suppliers such as Rhino-Rack, and you can carry far more items, particularly a small kayak, bicycles, windsurfs and boards.

2-LITER TDI engine

Indeed, an Avant’s look isn’t “complete” without some items hanging from the vehicle’s roof.

The 2.0 TDI’s engine is very fuel efficient, especially when mated to the Multitronic CVT transmission, which can simulate eight forward gears.

I drive to Tagaytay two to three times a week. A single trip for me is roughly 160 kilometers as I take a longish route that has lots of motorways and winding roads, plus I often drop by a local café or restaurant in Tagaytay before heading home.

The Audi returned an impressive 14 km/liter, delivering as much as 19 kpl on the highway, and a decent 9.9 kpl in the city.

Mind you, I wasn’t on an eco-run of sorts, but was actually banging on the national speed limit all the way if it wasn’t bumper to bumper traffic.

Though no official word was given, the A4’s suspension seems to have been suitably tweaked: The ride is still more comfort-oriented than sport, but there’s much better body control, with far less chassis pitching and squatting under heavy acceleration and braking.

Turn in slowly but surely, and the A4 Avant can take the tight winding roads with ease and confidence, the all-season tires never breaking any sweat.

While Audi is known for its legendary Quattro all-wheel-drive systems, this A4 Avant only had the basic front-wheel drive to help lower the cost, reduce weight and improve fuel efficiency.

Not that it needs Quattro AWD, as there’s a decently large amount of mechanical grip generated by the suspension and tires as it is, even when road conditions turned slick and greasy driving down Tagaytay after a summer downpour.

The steering remains light, but the self-centering motion has also improved considerably. The previous versions I’ve tried all had a slow dim-witted reaction rounding out from corners, while this version returns to front and center very progressively.

The brakes have also been improved noticeably: Previous Audis have always suffered from over-assisted brakes, while this last of the B8 A4’s finally have a firmer pedal feel with far less sensitivity, making trawling and crawling in traffic easier and smoother.

SYMPHONY Infotainment system

The A4 Avant is a vehicle for covering vast distances in absolute comfort. It can swallow copious amounts of cargo, is very fuel efficient and decently fast on the motorway.

It’s the perfect vehicle to tour the Philippines, assuming you don’t encounter bad roads or poor weather. Therein lies the A4’s greatest weakness as it tries to pitch itself as a lifestyle vehicle; bad roads and bad weather are things we have plenty in the Philippines.

But pick your travel dates well, your destinations wisely, and few cars will give you an enjoyable and refreshing drive as the A4 Avant.

Me? I’ll stick in 19-inch wheels in lieu of the standard 17-inch wheels and 225/50R17 tires, S-Line Sport Suspension and bodykit, plus tweak the engine for a wee bit more power. And turn my A4 Avant into a battle wagon.