Audi's A4 Avant has plenty of space for passengers as well as all their gear, finds Kyle Fortuneas he counts the litres
I'VE REALLY no concept of what constitutes a litre of load space, but apparently the new A4 Avant has 1,430 of them with the seats folded down. That's a handful short of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, but a few more than the BMW 3-Series, the A4 fitting in nicely between its usual rivals.
It might not have the ultimate carrying capacity of its Mercedes competitor, but 1,430 litres is plenty, and the A4 is apparently the best at hauling gear with passengers on board, the leg and headroom being generous, no matter what you've loaded in the back.
Inside that boot, Audi's typical attention to detail is obvious. There's a reversible floor with a recessed wipe-off surface for when the dog's been swimming (or worse), a one-touch opening luggage cover, shopping bag hooks and - if you tick the option box - a neat load retaining system that's been borrowed from its A6 relative. There's also a powered tailgate option if you really can't be bothered opening it yourself. The rest of the cabin remains as smart as ever too - Audi being the absolute leader of the pack in terms of interior fit, finish, ease of use and design quality.
So aside from a few hooks in the boot, the addition of those extra litres of space and a slightly different view out of the rear-view mirror, the A4 Avant is exactly the same as its saloon relative. The engine line-up echoes its three-box sister, the 1.8 TFSI and 3.2-litre V6 petrol engines, joined by a trio of turbodiesels in 2.0-litre, 2.7-litre and 3.0-litre guises.
Other engines joining the range over the next 12 months or so include a 2.0-litre TFSI with either 177bhp or 208bhp and diesel-rivalling torque, and a pair of 2.0-litre TDIs with 118bhp and 167bhp to offer more choice for customers.
It's hardly surprising that Audi is offering so much choice with its diesel engines, as they're typically the default choice among Avant customers. And they're good, with ample performance on offer, decent refinement and excellent economy and emissions.
The 167bhp version is the perfect all-rounder, with smooth, punchy performance (100km/h arriving in just 8.6 seconds), excellent refinement and wallet-friendly fuel consumption of 5.6l/100km. An emissions figure of 154g/km is very competitive, too.
The 2.0-litre TDI is such a capable engine that it's difficult to make an argument for any of the others. The petrol versions are quick, but don't have the easy torque of the TDI units, the A4 becoming a less sensible and less enjoyable proposition as you head up the engine and price range. It works best when it's kept simple, in front-wheel drive and four-cylinder guise, on standard suspension. Specified so, the A4 Avant delivers a very polished all-round driving experience.
The suspension does a fine job of balancing body control with agility and ride comfort, the steering is well weighted and precise, and the standard six-speed manual is quick and easy. Refinement is excellent, and the driving environment unequalled in its class and many classes higher.
Indeed, the A4 Avant is so close to its A6 relative that it's most obvious rival for it will be sitting across the Audi showroom floor. Park them side by side and the A4 hardly looks any smaller, and it's the better looking of the pair too - especially if you opt for the S-Line trim with its sportier looks.
It all adds up to a very convincing estate car package, that's more than able to compete on every level with its obvious German rivals. Unless you absolutely must have the additional 70 litres of space the C-Class estate offers, that is. But if you're anything like me you won't have a clue what that means anyway, the A4 Avant's boot being big enough, and adding even more appeal to the impressive A4 range.