Audi A4 2.0 TFSI quattro 2016 Review - International

Audi A4 2.0 TFSI quattro

International Launch Review
Venice, Italy

Audi's new ninth-generation A4 is a talented car. It can charge your phone wirelessly, drive itself in traffic jams and pre-empt speed limit changes via nav-based cruise control. It features new drivelines, suspension and electronics, and even the seats and interior fit-out are new. But from 50 paces it looks the same... Coming to Australia in February 2016, it remains to be seen if this unadventurous design strategy pays off, but initial impressions are positive.

My mum said I should never judge a book by its cover. I can't say I've always adhered to this truism but in the case of the new Audi A4 it couldn't be more apt. Glimpsed from a distance in the car park outside the airport, the car looks virtually unchanged.

Judgement? Nothing new here.

Upon closer inspection it's got a slightly sharper, more angular design with contemporary LED driving lights up front and a bigger, fatter, shinier grille distinguishing it from its predecessor. But it's not until you open the door then plop into the embracing captain's chair that it feels special – and refreshingly different to its predecessor.

From the big things – new dashboard, digitised 'virtual cockpit' instruments, MMI infotainment screen and touch-sensitive heating controls – to the smaller things like the frameless interior mirrors, nautical-themed gear shifter and grey-on-grey leather and Alcantara seats, the new A4 is much more the glamour puss now.

Bigger than before with more headroom for front occupants and improved leg room in the back, it's a more accommodating vehicle, with meaningful improvements in comfort for back seat passengers. The larger 480-litre boot is deeper and more useful than before, particularly now it has a one metre wide opening.

It's also a significantly quieter car than before which becomes immediately obvious in the first 10 minutes behind the wheel. Combined with the mature interior design and more supportive seats, available with venting and massage functions, the effect is soothing.

Toss in a plush ride quality (less so on the 19-inch alloy wheels) and the new A4 is off to a good start.

The peaceful ambience in the cabin is the result of improved engine refinement and slippery aerodynamics. Despite its angular look, Audi reckons the A4 slices through the air more efficiently than the any other car in its class; it claims the A4's drag co-efficient of 0.23Cd is in fact one of the lowest in the world.

It's an eerie moment when the only noise you can hear on the freeway is the air-conditioning… The Mercedes-Benz C-Class may have upped the ante in this class a couple of years ago but there's no denying this is a lush car.

Of course if you gun the throttle you know about it, aurally but more so physically, particularly with the new 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 Audi Australia is eyeing off. The 200kW/600Nm powerplant is one of the quietest engines we tested at launch yet has a buttery-smooth power delivery, which you can read more about in Michael Taylor's review.

In total five engines are being looked at for Australia -- the V6 diesel mentioned above and four others, starting with the base model being a 1.4-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder.

Before you scoff "too small" consider it pumps out 250Nm of torque, which is more than enough for most situations. The 110kW unit slurps premium petrol at a claimed 4.9L/100km, making it very efficient indeed.

Paired with a manual gearbox and front-wheel drive, this entry-level model could come in at under $60,000, gazumping the entry-level Mercedes C-Class (although Benz will likely respond), and is a fun car to drive.

The cloth seats in the Euro-spec car we drove are far from basic and ride quality on the 17-inch alloy wheels is excellent. It's a fun steer too, highlighting the balance of the new suspension.

There are two variants of the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine; one is a front-drive 140kW/320Nm unit, the other an all-wheel drive 'quattro' 185kW/370Nm package. We didn’t drive the former but the latter is the pick of the bunch dynamically, dashing from 0-100km/h in 5.8 seconds.

This model is surprisingly composed when tackling corners, has ample punch when you want to get on it and exhibits a more neutral, predictable feel than its precursor.

The A4's front-end tips into corners with more eagerness and less front-end push than before, the driver granted a clearer connection with the road. Clearly the Audi chassis nerds were aware of the progress they had to make and have done a good job moving the A4 forward.

Its extra width does it no favours on the narrow, unmarked roads around the Venetian hinterlands but its lighter weight (some models shed more than 100kg) and improved brake feel make the German sedan more satisfying to drive hard.

Audi has improved the steering and although it's not as involving as the Jaguar XE's electric steering rack – few are – its more direct and less woolly.

The fifth Audi A4 engine being looked at for Australia is the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel quattro. We didn't get to test it during the launch for reasons out of our control, but it should be a keeper as the most efficient model being considered, using a claimed 4.4L/100km.

Despite its thrift, it works up 140kW/400Nm and is good for a 7.2-second sprint to 100km/h, claims Audi.

After leaving the vineyards and rolling hills behind, it's time to test some of the Audi A4's more extravagant features, and although I couldn't find a cyclist to test the door alert system, the traffic jam assistant edges the car closer to full automation.

It will accelerate, brake and even steer around obstacles at speeds of up to 65km/h without any driver intervention. And it works – until you get to a roundabout…

Unlike the first-generation systems, the lane keeping assistant is more seamless now, able to get an earlier read on the road markings and the road sign and satellite navigation-based automatic cruise control is exceedingly effective.

This will be very handy in Australia, and with ultrasonic sensors, radars and cameras studding the car, Audi's claim that the A4 has 30 driver assistance systems is almost believable.

Matrix LED headlights are now offered and although we couldn't test them in the day, we've used them before in the new Audi TT and they're, ahem, brilliant.

We tried the wireless phone charging system and it worked without having to set anything up – although it charged much slower than when plugging your phone in via USB cable. Apple CarPlay worked a treat too.

The virtual cockpit instrument panel first seen on the new TT ditches physical gauges for a huge digital display, and it's easily one of the interior highlights. It's high-definition graphics look magnificent, it's customisable, and the way it displays sat-nav directions and map details has to be seen to believed.

Simply put, it leaves the Mercedes C-Class's analogue system for dead. The only problem is it's unlikely to be standard on all models.

The A4's central infotainment screen is nicely integrated into the dash and again is more visually pleasing than Merc's 'tablet' style screen.

Speaking of which, the A4 also has a proprietary rear-seat infotainment system with twin tablets, which both of which can be easily removed. They appear to run a proprietary Audi operating system or OS and after a brief fiddle look to be bespoke made-in-China units.

All Australian-spec A4s will come with three-zone climate-control with digital rear display, satellite-navigation and 18-inch alloy wheels and, apart from the conservative exterior look (which is what customers asked for, apparently), Audi's global top-seller is difficult to fault.

Audi's new mid-sizer has the same modus operandi as the C-Class, effectively a smaller but almost-as-opulent version of the brand's flagship model, in Audi's case the A8. Benz set the new benchmark in the segment, but Audi won't be content playing bridesmaid this time.

If you want your buddies at the golf club to know you're in the latest and greatest German luxury car, the new Audi may struggle. They'll know it's an A4, but will they know it's the new one?

The reality is this is easily the best A4 yet and could prove to be the best car in its class. Mum was right – don't judge a book by its cover.

2015 Audi A4 sedan pricing and specifications:
Price: TBA
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 185kW/370Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual clutch automatic
Fuel: 5.9L/100km (NEDC)
CO2: TBC
Safety rating: TBC