Audi A4 2010 review

Fuel efficiency is becoming a giant focus in Australia, even for luxury car brands.  We have yet to see a stop-start system in a Rolls-Royce, or a petrol-electric hybrid Bentley, but both are probably on the way and Ferrari and Porsche are already committed to hybrids in their lineups.

At Audi, the efficiency message is spreading fast with all sorts of changes.  Its current green flagship is an A4 called the 2.0 TDIe, although it is also mightily proud of the E-Tron plug-in electric concept cars based on its R8 supercar.The A4 fuel miser is a super-efficient turbodiesel with rated fuel economy of just 4.8 litres/100km, and the sort of car which will happily clock 1000 kilometres and more on an interstate highway run. Audi proved its potential with a fuel economy run last year through the outback which reflected its claims on the car.

But this test is not about the diesel hero. Instead, we have a car that is much more like the Audi an ordinary person would buy. It runs on petrol power and, despite a couple of economy tweaks, is basically an everyday prestige car.

Drivetrain

The Audi in question is official the A4 2.0 TFSI quattro manual, which picks up a stop-start engine system and a gearshift advisory which points you to the most-efficient gear for any driving situation.

Audi Australia says work on the 'regular' A4 petrol has cut its fuel consumption by 20 per cent since the 2005 model year, yet the current car still has 155kW of turbo power with economy of 7.3 litres/100km.  "Being green is a bonus and a competitive edge," says Roxanne Persehais of Audi Australia."

We will put a diesel TDIe through the Carsguide test soon, but in the meantime the basics of the A4 are much as before with a four-door body, quattro drive in this model, and the petrol turbo engine with a six-speed manual gearbox.

Pricing

The A4 is not cheap, and a few pieces of optional equipment - pearl pain, MMI navigation, wood inlays and special leather - take the test car just a whiff below $76,000. That's hefty, particularly as Audi quotes a basic price of $69,300.

Driving - Paul Gover

The A4 has always been a smooth operator and this car - with its sweet turbo petrol powerplant - is particuarly good.  I come expecting a definite efficiency focus but the only giveaway is the stop-start system which triggers at the first lights - and re-lights the engine as well as any system I know - and a small gear number light which gives a green hint of the next ratio when it's time for an early upshift to save fuel.

I do not know if it's anything special in this car, or just a top-of-mind focus on economy, but my time with the A4 goes quickly and I have no trouble matching the official 7.3 litres/100km fuel figure.  The engine gives a nice surge of power from very low revs and I'm not really tempted to head for the redline, relying instead on six gears to keep things moving along. The shift is good and the car is very, very quiet at freeway cruising speeds.

I'm less impressed - as I have always been - by the dynamics of the A4, even with quattro all-wheel drive. It does not feel as planted and responsive as the latest C-Class Benz or the 3-Series from BMW, and the all-new Volvo S60 I drove last week in Portugal will also be a better choice for keen drivers.

But that's not what this A4 is about - it's a prestige family car.  So I like the space in the cabin and the fit-out - but not the price of the extra options - the giant boot, the Xenon headlamps and the clear dials and easy-to-use controls.

Time with this particular A4, which I had planned to focus on efficiency, actually serves as a reminder of the all-round strengths of the mid-sized Audi. It has definitely moved up a few points on the Carsguide score chart and is a car I would easily recommend, although not as an all-round winner over the Benz C.

She says - Alison Ward

Wow, I didn't expect this car to cost quite so much. I'm a bit ho-hum about it in the beginning, but it grew on me over time like a nice glass of wine.  I also have to remember it's up against BMWs and Benzes.

I love how incredibly smooth it is to drive, and the quietness. Even the blinker is relaxing, and that's coming from someone who cannot stand the clang-clang-clang reminder you get even in some very expensive cars.

I also really like the boot, which is huge and easy to use, and the leather seats which are comfy and also give protection against the bub and those messy dogs who come riding sometimes.  I hate that it doesn't have a reversing camera and the industrial styling inside does nothing for me, but it is a quality car that is very easy to live with every day.

I know if you had one of these you would still like it in 10 years time, and that's a major plus.  So I guess it has won me over and I really like that it is so easy on fuel, without resorting to hybrid gadgets.

Score 79/100

The Bottom Line

A sweet car with impressive economy, but not cheap.

Audi A4 2.0 TFSI quattro (stop-start)

PRICE $69,300
ENGINE 2.0-litre turbocharged four cylinder
POWER  155kW at 6000 revs
TORQUE 350Nm from 1500-4200 revs
TRANSMISSION Six-speed manual, quattro all-wheel drive
ECONOMY 7.3/100km combined
EMISSIONS 169g/km

Rivals

BMW 323i: 79/100 (from $59,100)
Mercedes-Benz 250 CGI: 82/100 (from $65,900)
Lexus IS 250 Luxury: 76/100 (from $77,400)