Audi RS4 Avant 2007 Review

Road Test

Overall rating: 4.0/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 4.5/5.0
Pricing/Packaging/Practicality: 3.5/5.0
Safety: 4.0/5.0
Behind the wheel: 4.5/5.0
X-factor: 4.0/5.0

There's not a big market for performance wagons here in Australia. That's a shame -- in Europe 'payload capable' road warriors endowed with incredible performance are big business.

So when the Avant (wagon) version of Audi's poised and purposeful RS 4 arrived here late last year, the German company was not expecting big sales -- it was out to impress. And impress it has.

Based on the five-door A4 Avant, Audi's relatively subtle bodykit doesn't really give the RS 4's performance pretensions away totally -- and that's just the idea. You could have one of the fastest cars on the school run and the other mums and dads wouldn't even realise.

The first visual signs of serious performance are on the inside. After sliding your rear into the hip-hugging seats you quickly realise that this Audi means business. Push the Sport button and the 'active' seats grip even tighter -- there's no way you'll flay around in these babies. And there's that racing-style flat-bottomed tiller up-front to grab on to when things get rough.

Audi usually does very good interiors but unfortunately this one is slightly underwhelming. Volume-model A4 based, it doesn't match the dynamite performance or the exterior's superbly understated looks. And in order for Audi to create a low sporty seating position it has jettisoned the lumpy electric seat motors meaning occupants have to slum it with manually adjustment -- on a $160K-plus car!

Due to the seat's high sides getting in and out of the car is a hassle too.

But now the good news… And it is very good news. The 1710kg RS 4 Avant can sprint from 0-100km/h in only 4.9secs (0.2secs slower than the sedan). That's not far off supercar territory -- and it's a station wagon!

This performer's mighty 4.2-litre V8 is one of the best engines currently available. Mated to a crisp-action conventional six-speed manual gearbox (there's no auto option) the unit delivers 309kW/430Nm. Even better, 90 per cent of torque is available from 2250 right through to 7600rpm meaning, not only is the engine creamy smooth, but it's incredibly tractable as well, pulling hard from low revs in any gear.

Fire up the engine and it is immediately apparent that the alloy unit is incredibly capable while a quick glance at the tacho clinches the deal. Hearing a V8 spinning around to the 8250rpm redline is indeed a rare and special treat. It sounds absolutely amazing.

Getting the car off the line is a simple affair and if you bury the accelerator pedal you'll be hitting highway speeds in what seems like a blink of the eye. Standing start traction is incredible thanks to Audi's trademark quattro all-wheel drive.

But that's only half the fun. Sure it runs straight and true on the highway but when you come across that mountain pass the RS 4 will give you the drive of your life.

Quattro and the car's big 19-inch wheels and premium rubber endows the wagon with phenomenal grip in bends allowing cornering speeds only dreamed about in lesser machines. Along with its sedan sibling, this is the best steering and handling Audi ever.

The ride quality is quite firm and the seats are less than armchair soft meaning any road irregularities are felt immediately in the cabin. Changing gears is a pleasure though I would have liked a firmer clutch action. As noted above, there are no complaints about the steering -- a common bugbear with most Audi which continues to persist with featherweight steering set-ups that lack any feel whatsoever.

With the overwhelming potential performance of the RS 4 it is reassuring to know that the car stops as well. Costing the same as a small runabout hatch, the optional ceramic brakes fitted to our test car had better be good. They are -- amongst the best in the business! But $13,200!?!

The best news of all though is that despite in the RS 4's prodigious performance owners are not expected to live with overwhelming compromises. The Avant is incredibly easy to drive around town, delivers reasonable passenger comfort and can take a bundle of luggage while delivering performance statistics that would put many sportscars to shame.

At $168,100, however, it definitely doesn't come cheap. And with the optional ceramic brakes added to the package pushing the price up to $181,300 the car is definitely out of middle (and most of upper!) Australia's driveways.

Though its A4 roots mean that the overall package is not as 'classy' as other cars in the price range, the RS 4 Avant still provides value for money given its supercar performance. It really is a sensational motor car...

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