2005 Audi A4 Reviews

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the 2005, 2007, 2011 and 2014 Audi A4 as a used buy. A major player in the trio of prestigious German cars Audi has become very strong in Australia in recent times. The Audi A4 is a midrange model that’s sold as a sedan, a two-door cabriolet and an Avant station wagon.  A further

For years Audi struggled to gain equal footing with BMW and Mercedes in Australia, but that has all changed and sales have been climbing at double-digit rates for several years now. Though the Audi range is extensive and growing even larger all the time the A4, with its smaller brother the A3 at its side, has

You only have to look around you while parked in the daily traffic grind to know that Audi has made great strides in recent times; the multi-ringed badge of the German prestige brand is now a familiar sight on our roads. Where once Audis had a reputation for smoky engines and rusty bodywork they're now cars people

The revised A4 follows Audi's new corporate face. Curves are back in fashion. When we first reviewed the car in 2001, we talked of its "cold-eyed teutonic look". That look has been warmed up with curves replacing straight lines and a prominent grille, clearly inspired by the fronts of the 1930s Auto Union racing cars from which Audi claims descent. The effect is a sort of fishy appearance – streamlined, but organic.Inside, a new steering wheel mimics the shape of the deep grille in its hub design, although many elements of the old car are still recognisable. The cabin remains a dark, elegant and tasteful place, one imagines an avant garde hotel in Berlin.It's reasonably roomy in the front seats, which disappointingly for the money lack power adjustment. But the rear remains a tight, two-adults-only space, despite some work to recover a bit of knee room from the seatbacks. The boot, by contrast, is large, at 460 litres.The A4 is one of five main Audi models but it is almost a model range in itself. By the end of the year there will be 16 versions, each a distinct variation.The car we drove was the 2.0 TFSI, standing for turbocharged fuel stratified injection. Audi expects it to account for about 15 per cent of demand for the A4. It expects the lion's share of buyers to go for the older non-turbo 2.0-litre version but there's also a 1.8-litre turbo engine available and, at the top of the range, a 3.2-litre V6. Eventually, we'll see a 2.0-litre diesel.But for now the 2.0-litre TFSI engine is the highlight of the four-cylinder options. It uses direct petrol injection, which means fuel is squirted into the cylinder rather than the inlet tube. This enables very lean and economical running at low engine speeds, combined with power at higher revs. It's the same engine Audi's sibling brand Volkswagen uses in the Golf GTI, and it's equally impressive under an Audi bonnet.Fuel use, as monitored by the computer, can dip below seven litres per 100km although our measured average use of 10.5 litres per 100km was less than exceptional. We'll forgive it, though, for its broad torque spread and the way it always feels like a larger engine in either gentle or hard use.The multitronic transmission, having proved itself with Audi's more modest engines, now appears behind the 147kW 2.0-litre TFSI. Multitronic is Audi's word for a continuously variable transmission. A CVT is not, strictly speaking, a gearbox because it uses belts, not gears, to send power to the wheels. The principle is as delightfully simple as the details are damnably complex. A belt connects two pulleys which can change in size. One is connected to the engine, the other to the wheels.When the engine pulley is small and the wheel pulley is large the car is in "bottom gear". When the engine pulley is at its largest and the wheel pulley is at its smallest the car is in top gear. Instead of specific gears the transmission can use any combination of sizes between the two extremes to produce any number of drive ratios.The result, when combined with the impressively flat torque curve of the TFSI engine, can be amusing. There's a distinct rubber band effect if you accelerate briskly with the engine note remaining constant as the transmission constantly and seamlessly shifts up. A clever piece of programming means in sport mode the system also produces a significant degree of engine braking.If you tick the sport option pack for $1800 you get Audi's neat little paddle shifters on the steering wheel controlling seven nominal speeds in the transmission (they're not real gears, just fixed settings for the pulleys). The system holds gears until the redline before changing up, but in practice it's just as quick to select sport mode and let the transmission do its thing. Seven gears is one too many to think about.Multitronic is a most impressive auto in all situations but one: it can be hesitant when creeping along at under walking pace, such as when squeezing into a tight parking spot.Audi says it has paid attention to the A4's ride and there's little to complain about in the latest model. The car tested had the optional and stiffer sports suspension but it was never jiggling or jarring. Although the optional larger tyres produced a fair bit of road rumble, the suspension remained quiet and reasonably compliant over bumps.Handling is less of a success. Mostly it's fine but the front-drive turbo A4 doesn't care for the combination of rough roads and tight bends. It can have problems getting its power down, with wheel hop audible from the cabin and it slouches into understeer more easily than it should. But the brakes are both strong and modulated, without the over-servoed feeling that has made some previous Audis difficult to drive smoothly.The steering stays free of the kickback that has at times blighted Audis, and while it feels a little clinical it's sensitive around straight ahead and well geared for twisty roads.Despite the brilliance of the multitronic transmission we ended up wondering how much better this car would be in quattro form. Losing the multitronic gearbox for a conventional six-speed might be a fair price to pay for picking up two more driving wheels. In that form it is both alternative and rival to the German top two.Verdict:

Certainly, you are going to pay a premium for this level of substance – $61,300 in the case of the A4 FSI 2.0-litre turbo – but even this can be value when the experience is seamless. The new generation of A4 brings a mix of all-new and status quo to the table.Immediately noticeable is the signature single-frame grille, which was introduced on the A6 and is trickling down the range.Equally noticeable is the lack of change to the interior – not such a bad thing as the superceded model had the interior style many more expensive rivals wished for.The real beauty of the new A4 FSI turbo is when it is out doing what it was designed for – putting long stretches of tarmac behind it in short order. This car is hugely different in character to the previous model.That character is defined not just by the brand new 2.0-litre FSI turbo under the bonnet – the first generation of the petrol direct injection technology – and its 147kW and 280Nm. Neither is it only the multi-tronic, continuously variable transmission which,in sport mode, is as aggressive through its seven pre-determined ratios as any paddle-shifter could want. It is all of that ... and the substantial work Audi's suspension engineers have done.Much of that work has been concentrated at the front end, where rebound has been stiffened – allowing the car to stabilise quicker over broken surfaces with less propensity to wallow and dive.On the road the real ability of the A4 is still not evident until the pace picks up and the road begins to snake. There are early clues this is an improved car, with more compliant ride and sharper steering, although there is still a slight vagueness just off centre.However, as soon as you tuck the front end into a corner you know there has been some serious work done here. No longer does the car fight to continue straight ahead but hunkers down and follows the steering input with enthusiasm. There is some kickback over broken surfaces but more noticeable is the amount of feedback that is being communicated through the wheel.In this front end is a new-found confidence and composure that the previous A4 had promised but never really delivered.All the while, working behind the scenes should enthusiasm surpass ability, is the latest generation of Audi's acclaimed stability program – more effective and less intrusive, just how it should be.The ESP now also allows for dual-stage de-activation by the driver. The first stage cancels the traction-control component.Holding the button down for slightly longer will disable all functions of the program.There is also a disc-wipe function which works to keep the brake discs dry in wet weather and dust-free in all conditions.The system uses low-hydraulic pressure to regularly brush the pads against the discs.Passive safety has not been ignored, with active head restraints now standard along with side airbags for the rear passengers – taking the car's total airbag count to eight.Minor changes to the interior are headlined by the new multi-function steering wheel – radio, trip computer and paddles for the automatic transmission – which apes the shape of the A4 grille. The interior is highlighted by plenty of polished aluminium trim in a slightly longer and wider body.Boot space is impressive and aided by the flat-floor treatment, which allows for several large suitcases or a couple of golf bags.

It's a new corporate look for the German premium brand, now completed in their volume-selling A4 sedan and wagon (Avant).It is a look which appears almost majestic in the A8 and the A6, recently crowned the world car of the year by 21 nations' motoring journalists.However, the imposing wide mouth looks a little daunting and out of proportion on the small A3 and the new mid-sized A4.This is not the only style concern in the new model. The back end is now frumpy in an endeavour to make the car appear closer to the ground.The Avant looks pretty good from every angle except front on, while the sedan looks almost dowdy. But remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.The great news is that the new range is around $2000 cheaper than before, despite three new powerful and highly technical engines, a sophisticated suspension and a high level of standard equipment.It rolls along on a stiff but lightweight steel and aluminium chassis and body that is now longer and wider.This produces more interior leg room and greater luggage space with a very functional flat floor, which is quite amazing.It covers not only a plastic storage area for wet or dirty items but also a full-sized spare wheel beneath that.Consequently, the bum hangs down a bit but attention is focused away by those delicious extruding twin tailpipes.Inside, they have hardly changed anything. Audi believes its interior did not need a makeover as it was functional and stylish. Leather upholstery and multi-function steering wheels are standard issue and there is more brushed aluminium used.A wide and expensive range of options includes the new SatNav System Plus, Bose sound, Bluetooth mobile phone, xenon headlights and electric seats, or packaged options priced from $1800 to $3600.There are 16 variants of A4 with a 2-litre turbo diesel coming soon and two V8-powered hotties to come later this year and early next year. There is no word yet on when the two-year-old cabriolet will be remade in the new corporate style.The current engine range features a 2-litre, a 1.8-litre turbo, a 3.2-litre injected engine and a 2-litre turbo-injected unit.A short drive north of Sydney in various models revealed a screaming under-powered 2-litre normally aspirated unit, with all others displaying lusty power and plenty of free revving.Despite introducing the direct shift gearbox elsewhere in the fleet, it is not available in the A4. There are four transmissions on offer – a 5-speed or 6-speed manual gearbox, a 6-speed tiptronic, and a 7-speed multitronic.The multitronic is a continuously variable transmission with electronic ¿notches¿ for the gears, like the Honda Jazz system. It works well and comes with a sport shift which is also married to steering wheel paddles.This transmission offers something for everyone; take it easy in "drive" in commuter traffic, override with a flick across to sequential or use the paddles when necessary (the system goes back to CVT after a minute or so), or throw it into "sport" for spirited drives like the Wiseman's Ferry route we took on last week's Sydney launch.Here there are twists, turns, cliff walls, drop-offs into the Hawkesbury River and "jumps" over wooden bridges. You need to have your wits about you and be ready for sudden changes in the road surface and surprise bends. The multitronic with paddle shifters is ideal in this terrain.And the stiff chassis with an advanced mechanical suspension system works well – even in the wagon – although the self-tracking trapezoidal-link rear made steering a little heavy on high-speed sweepers.In the quattro, this piece of road was a breeze. In the front-wheel drive there was heavy under-steer, but a responsive engine meant right-foot steering was possible.The new A4 may look a little frumpy to some, but with lusty engines and tight running gear, it ably continues Audi's image of luxury cars for the sporty drivers.And with a $2000 price drop, it's now even more affordable.

The new A4 follows its smaller A3 and larger A6 stablemates and like them, features Audis striking family look with a large single frame grille that is quickly becoming a hallmark of the brand.But there is more to this car than a new grille. It will eventually be available with a choice of perhaps seven engines and three transmissions with the kick off point a 96kW, 2.0-litre four cylinder petrol and the ultimate version, the RS4, a 253kW, 4.2-litre V8. In between is a bewildering array of choices ranging from a1.8-litre turbo four cylinder petrol, a 2.0-litre FSI petrol, 2.0-litre turbo diesel, a 3.2-litre FSI petrol and possibly a 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6.FSI technology is the latest high pressure, direct fuel injection system developed by Audi for its Le Mans 24-Hour race cars.Though it looks similar to the previous A4, the body is different and features a more imposing rear end to match the regal-looking front., Broader shoulders, high waistline, sharp crease lines and big wheels characterise the sexy new look that bears more than a passing resemblance to the A8 limousine.Underneath is a new double wishbone front suspension and trapezoidal rear, a choice of Quattro all wheel drive or front drive and either a six speed manual, six speed tiptronic automatic and a multitronic CVT auto with seven steps or "gears."Audi is targeting a younger audience with this car and has given it a sportier feel.That said, the numerous cars driven last week all displayed exemplary manners and a high level of comfort as well as the requisite sporty feel.It offers more room inside, the boot is large and contains a full size spare wheel.All engines are positioned longitudinally in the A4 and not across the body as you might expect. It delivers better weight distribution though that would hardly be a major consideration with the light weight all alloy engines.Safety is expected to score five stars on the European NCAP system but the A4 also offers electronic controls to help avoid crashes such as the latest version of Electronic Stability Program (ESP) that interfaces ABS , traction control and other systems to individually apply brakes as required to avoid skidding out of control. ESP even wipes the discs if they are wet or otherwise contaminated.Audi has even engineered special side impact beams to counter the possible effects of a collision with an SUV.The price is keen with a starting point of $47,200 but Audis inspirational guaranteed buyback price doesn't apply to the A4.Tipped to be the biggest seller is the 2.0-litre, auto with big potential in the 1.8 turbo and 2.0-litre diesel.An extensive range of options is available across the range that quickly escalates the price.As expected, finish is almost above criticism in quality or style and the car really is a joy to behold inside and out. The driving experience measures up to the visual eye candy with the 2.0 turbo being the preferred mount from all others driven.The Multitronic CVT is a fantastic transmission but isn't available with Quattro. It doesn't really matter because all transmissions are first rate.The car has poise on the road and can be driven confidently and with verve. It is a smooth and quiet cruiser and some models are particularly economical.During the drive, it was difficult to choose between the sedan or wagon suffice to say the wagon is particularly pleasing to look at and to drive. Comes at a cost though.Does the A4 have what it takes to give the premium compact sedan segment a good shake?Bank on it.