Review rated by 4 Ciao members on average: very helpful
This review received a counterstatement by a party concernedRead Comment
The A4 looks sleek, sporting and yet solid. Its small headlamps and large grille give the front a slightly aggressive look, while the rear is tight and compact.
I’ve had my A4 for 16 months now and covered 25,000 miles of varying journeys from the 3,000 mile trip down to the South of France to the trip to the shops around the corner, and I’m still very happy with it.
The brakes are strong, even if their abruptness takes some getting used to. The slick gearshift makes you want to swap cogs just for the hell of it, the brakes have that reassuring Germanic efficiency while the well-sorted suspension handles bends with ease and cushions the bumps… even when these happen to come along at the same moment.
The 1,800cc turbo-charged engine can be very frugal if driven correctly; I achieved over 45 mpg on several tank fulls while on holiday in France, and is powerful enough to achieve 0 – 60mph in 8.3 seconds and give a top speed of around 140mph (I can vouch for that on the German Autobahns!!). There is negligible turbo lag, and the very torquey engine give excellent pulling power.
I opted for the climate control in lieu of a sunroof (only around £300 extra) which is well worth it, even in the British summers! You can set the temperature control to the desired temperature and the car then decides whether put the heaters or air-conditioning on and at what speed – no more fiddling about with the heaters trying to get the car comfortable.
The only downside I’ve come across so far is the rear leg room, however at 6’3” most cars would have limited leg room behind me.
If I could choose again the only change I’d make was to get an Avant (the estate version), however that’s as a result of having an eight month old daughter and a wife who can’t travel light, nothing to do with any inadequacies of the car!!!
Not bad intro, but info on what the car has to offer would have resulted in a higher rating (eg comfort, ride, equipment, insurance costs etc.). If you ever redo this op, please let me know and I'll reread it and review my rating :)
by (75%):
29.10.2002 10:55
Not bad intro, but info on what the car has to offer would have resulted in a higher rating (eg comfort, ride, equipment, insurance costs etc.). If you ever redo this op, please let me know and I'll reread it and review my rating :)