• Broad range of petrol and diesels available
• There’s no bad engine in the range
• Excellent performance and economy

Petrol engines

A wide range of engines are available in the Audi A4 Avant, with a familiar selection of petrol engines used across the Volkswagen Group finding their way under the bonnet. All barring the range-topping RS4 Avant are available with the S Tronic automatic transmission – with the manual transmission being the standard on the lowest output models.

Audi’s petrol model range comes in three flavours, with the entry-level 35 TFSI powered by a 2.0-litre 150hp unit that’s sprightlier than you might think. It’s shared with the Volkswagen Golf and Skoda Octavia, and just as in those cars, it’s punchier than its small capacity would have you believe, but economical when you’re cruising.

However, the 40 TFSI is a far better all-rounder. With 190hp it’s blessed with quicker acceleration and more effortless motorway running. The 45 TFSI uses the same engine but is tuned to develop 245hp. This is the one to have if you want performance from your petrol A4 Avant, but we found in everyday driving, the 40 TFSI provides more than enough grunt, and remains a very smooth and refined engine.

Diesel engines

For those looking for a diesel version, Audi offers a similar choice to the petrols but with an interesting twist at the top of the range. The 35 TDI is powered by the firm’s latest 2.0-litre, and develops 163hp, making it a far more muscular, if less refined, option than the entry-level petrol equivalent. Next up is the 40 TDI which is the same engine, but with 190hp to call on.

Of these two, the 35 TDI is the better choice, and it really is an excellent fit in the A4. It’s responsive enough for getting up to speed and isn’t too affected by diesel engine chatter. The torque on offer means it’s effortless at overtaking manoeuvres, and the front-wheel drive version we tried barely felt any slower than the more powerful 40 TDI fitted with Quattro.

Finally, topping the diesel range is the S4 TDI. As befitting any Audi wearing the S badge, it majors on effortless acceleration. It’s powered by a 3.0-litre V6 diesel with 347hp for a 0-62mph time of 4.6 seconds before reaching a limited maximum speed of 155mph. These days, it’s an unusual move to have a high performance diesel in the range, especially considering that the previous S4 was powered by a V6 petrol.

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What’s it like to drive?

• Well-weighted, direct steering
• Safe handling, lacks agility
• Quiet and calm on the motorway

While the steering may lack the ultimate finesse of the BMW 3 Series Touring, the A4 Avant still puts in a very assured performance with low-roll cornering and an overall feeling of agility and security that used to evade this model. You can adjust the weighting of the wheel via the Drive Select feature, but we found Comfort to be the ideal setting across a variety of road conditions.

Additionally, the A4 Avant’s adaptive suspension works very well, offering compliant ride even on larger wheels. It’s here that it does its best work – high-speed ride comfort and low noise levels make this the perfect car for long motorway journeys.

With this car, we would recommend it as vital to spec the adaptive suspension option, or if you take it with standard suspension, don’t spec it with optional larger wheels, as they negatively affect the ride, leaving it jittery on rougher road surfaces.

The S4 takes things further, with more power metered out to the rear, and an optional Sport differential, which adjusts how much power is sent to the back wheels on offer. In basic terms this improves agility, but also makes the S4 Avant more fun to drive than its predecessors.

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