Common, but also uncommonly good
Audi faces a dilemma. It’s a hugely successful company, and this year it’s the tenth best selling car brand in Ireland.
Think about that for a moment. The company that makes the howlingly expensive and howlingly fast R8 V10 super car actually out-sold such previously favoured brands as Opel, Honda, Citroen and Seat.
About 4,500 new Audis took to Irish roads this year, and while the A6 and A3 made up the bulk of that number, more than 700 of these A4s were sold.
And that creates a problem. Because Audi’s sales pitch is all about being exclusive, premium, desirable.
There’s not much point in spending all that extra money on getting the four linked rings on your driveway if there’s another Audi next door. And another one next door to that.
Okay, so it’s never going to be as commonly seen as a Toyota or a Ford, but even so, the A4 is in danger of becoming ubiquitous. Added to which, the major update that Audi rolled out for the model in 2019 is of the soft and gentle variety, so telling it apart from an older version is going to be down to two things, the number plate and the headlights.
Actually, there have been some significant changes under the skin, not least in the engine bay. The 2 litre diesels and this 2 litre TSI turbo petrol have been heavily revised for the A4, while inside the cabin has been given a gentle going-over, and there’s a new, and slicker, infotainment system.
Slide behind the wheel and you’re met with the same, satisfying sense of Audi-ness. The Ingolstadt brand has long been the master of interior layout and quality, and while others have definitely caught up in that arena, it’s still a past master at making cabins look and feel good. From the firm feel of the leather-wrapped steering wheel, to the precise, aurally delightful click of the switchgear, the A4’s inside is a very classy place to sit. Comfortable too, thanks to excellent seats, and space is generally pretty decent.
The 2 litre TSI petrol engine has been around in other VW Group cars for a while now, but this is the first time we’ve tried it in an A4.
Having to sup from the green pump may need a bit of mental readjustment from owners used to the old diesel engines, but the benefit is refinement.
This is an exceptionally smooth engine, and it hooks up nicely with the optional seven-speed S-Tronic automatic transmission to deliver its performance with a whisper and a slur. 150hp may not sound like all that much, but it’s enough to keep the A4 nicely on the boil, and at no point did we feel that this was an underpowered car.
It was a little thirsty, though. Audi claims 6 litres per 100km for the engine, but we struggled to get it to do much better than 7.5 litres per 100km. That’s still not too shabby, and in fairness this was a ‘young’ engine with very low mileage, so maybe some loosening up would improve matters a little.
Even so, there’s a €1,500 price advantage for this petrol versus the 150hp 2 TDI diesel, and that buys a lot of fuel.
Through the corners, you can sense the effort that Audi’s engineers have gone into to make the A4 feel a little more sparkling. Certainly, it’s better than it was. The steering feels a touch more direct now, and the old-school ‘heavy-feet’ Audi feeling that was so common among older models has completely gone.
Indeed, the ride quality of this SE version (which does without the lower, stiffer suspension of the sportier S-Line models) was properly plush and comfortable. Fun, though? Not so much. Competent, sure footed, and exceptionally refined the A4 certainly is, but the new BMW 3 Series has it well beaten when it comes to steering feedback and precision, and the ability of the chassis to put a smile on the driver’s face.
Many will think that an unimportant distinction, but it’s not. In an age of increasing electronic smothering, the way a car feels through your fingertips and the seat of your pants is arguably ever more important. Allied to that, the A4 has some significant internal competition from other VW Group brands. Try an updated Volkswagen Passat or Skoda Superb, which use the same engines as the A4, if not the chassis, and you’ll, objectively speaking, find it hard to justify the extra cost of the Audi.
Of course, that is to reckon without the enticing power of the Audi brand itself, but as I said at the start, Audi needs to be careful that it doesn’t become so successful that it dilutes its brand appeal and starts to become too common.
The updated A4 is a deeply, deeply, impressive car. It’s arguably the smoothest and most refined vehicle in its class, and certainly in this SE spec has the most comfortable ride quality. For a long haul up and down the country, there aren’t many cars that you could actually say are better.
How many other A4s you see on that journey may affect your enjoyment, though!