Audi RS4 Avant 2013 Review

As fun as the RS 4 wagon undeniably is, its appeal is very narrowly focused. Fuel consumption alone almost excuses it from consideration as a daily driver. The car's low ride height literally places body work in danger of contact with the bitumen, and its low-profile (265/30) Pirelli P-Zero tyres, on deep-dish 20-inch alloys, are bound to take an (expensive) hit at some point during the car's life.

For a family, the A7 Biturbo tested a week earlier makes a lot more sense for all those reasons and more. Simply climbing in and out of the A7 was much easier, for a start, with the access to the RS 4 hindered by its low hip point and high-bolstered (optional) sports bucket seats.

Yet this car is a joy to drive once its uncompromising nature is accepted. Up front, a lusty, direct-injected V8 delivers a fabulous soundtrack on the way to its peak output of 331kW and 430Nm... From the snarl at start-up right through to its 8500rpm redline.

The S Tronic transmission bolted to the V8 is better than many dual-clutch units, but still clunky at times. That said, the RS 4 holds station on hills after the driver has released the brake pedal – something not always true of vehicles boasting a dual-clutch transmission. Its differing shift patterns (Drive and Sport) provide the flexibility of one mode to operate like a conventional automatic, and another to exploit the car's performance to hurl the RS 4 down the road at a pace not dismissed lightly. Set the transmission to Sport mode and the tone of the engine changes to something more threatening, with a warning blip as the transmission shifts down instantly.

The RS 4 is reluctant to kick down for immediate acceleration with the transmission in Drive, and 'Comfort' or 'Auto' chosen through the Audi Drive Select system. That tells something about the engine's peaky nature and Audi's fuel efficiency targets for the RS 4.

Switching Drive Select to 'Dynamic' really engages the RS 4's wild side though, changing suspension calibration to rock hard for track work. The response from the optional Dynamic Steering system is faster and the weight through the wheel is meatier, but the level of assistance varies disproportionately in Comfort mode.

In Dynamic mode handling is closer to neutral and the RS 4 will oversteer with some provocation. It is easier on a trailing throttle of course, but the all-wheel drive RS 4 can even be persuaded by a heavy right foot to step out at the rear – albeit under high cornering loads. In Comfort mode the RS 4's active safety is up to snuff, but the contrast with Dynamic mode is clear to see.

On country roads the RS 4's ride is jittery set to 'Dynamic'. The car bucks a bit and anything not fastened securely is prone to patter and thump, especially at the rear. In Comfort mode the ride becomes much smoother, but creaks and squeaks from the driver's seat and other interior fittings are still heard. The auto setting provides the best balance of handling and ride quality in most situations, but the suspension still gets caught out by sharp impacts.

Blistered guards and the big wheels snugly fitting inside those guards were a tell-tale that many passers-by seemingly missed. The vehicle on test was finished in a medium shade of grey (Daytona Grey), lending the high-performance wagon a stealthy quality.

On light throttle settings the RS 4 didn't disturb the neighbours, and at freeway speeds there was zero driveline noise; just a subdued mix of wind and road noise. The tyres did contribute some roar on country roads. There was some rumble from the self-locking centre diff with steering lock applied at low speeds. And there was also minor grumbling from the optional ceramic brakes, but they provided plenty of strong stopping power when required.

Using the available performance quickly highlighted the RS 4's drinking problem. The Audi averaged 13.4L/100km, but in an urban commute the RS 4 was using between 15 and 19L/100km – primarily during school holidays, when the traffic density was much lighter.

At the beginning of this review mention was made of the practical considerations of owning an RS 4 Avant: vaulting across the high and firm side bolsters into the driver's seat is one of them. The optional RS 4 buckets were aggressively shaped, which was great for press-on motoring, but not suitable for anyone less lithe than the Boy Wonder or the Dukes of Hazzard.

Seating in the rear was fit for adult occupation though, with enough headroom for those of average height. There was also adequate kneeroom, although legroom was moderately compromised. At least Audi left plenty of toeroom under the front seat.

The luggage compartment was usefully large, helped by the absence of a spare wheel under the floor however – space for it being occupied by the battery instead. br>
In the main, the Audi's switchgear was intuitive to use, with just a few nuances of Audi ergonomic design to learn. One of those, for instance, was pushing the volume control knob left or right to move up or down through a song list on a paired smart phone.

But it's not actually the RS 4's interior ambience that will win it sales. Its marketplace firepower comes from all-round, all-weather dynamic driving competence – and a healthy dose of charisma.

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