Advantages: The neighbours think you have gone up in the world
Disadvantages: Noisy, cramped and it doesn't like corners

...The A4 Avant can be characterised as a strange mix of opposites: great to look at, but not to to drive; big on the outside, cramped on the inside, stylish yet dull. If you want a load-lugging estate car, the A4 is not for you. In fact, if you want a family car then the A4 is probably not the car for you either. The interior and boot could not be described as spacious - front seat occupants are likely to clash elbows and knock their knees on the centre console, rear seat passengers have their knees around their ears, and the boot is no more practical than on the saloon version. Just about everyone I've spoken to complains about backache. Along with the backache, I got cramp in the left (clutch) leg from having the seat too far back just so as I could avoid the centre console... The 1.9TDi engine is quite punchy, particularly if you... Read review

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Advantages: Quick , nice door sound , MPG
Disadvantages: Low,unreliable, tiny tiny boot, big little car

...is astonishing, and I can get what equates to 50 Mpg if you drive it like a Vicar , the problem is the A4 likes to be driven hard and fast rather like Vicars wives, but even when you are thrashing around like MK2 Escort on a bleak northern estate with your techno hard house banging out from your tinted windows and grounding out on every speed bump , you still get 40 mpg + . Another positive feature, and one which probably reflects on my own sad existence is the doors also make a lovely clonk sound, the noise which other countries vehicles don't seem to make , and the internal build quality is pretty good. It all feels solid and most importantly reliable . Its your Uncle Craig, he plays cricket , he is kind and he has a square jaw , the problem is Uncle Craig drinks a lot and one Christmas he peed himself , and that's what the Audi A4 Avant... Read review

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Advantages: Acceleration (V6, S4), Automatic-transmission performance (CVT), Steering/handling, Ride (base suspension), Interior materials, Available AWD
Disadvantages: Rear-seat room

...The vast majority of A4s are sold with quattro. Quattro A4s with 4 cyl and automatic transmission feel slightly underpowered. Manual-transmission quattro 1.8Ts are lively enough, while manual-transmission V6 quattros are satisfyingly quick. Lighter front-drive models feel spry with any transmission, though CVT versions are lazy from a stop. Test 1.8T CVT sedan did 8.6 sec 0-60 mph; test V6 CVT Cabriolet did 7.8. Seamless CVT acts much like conventional automatic, but requires use of manual mode for best performance. Manual transmissions controlled by precise shifters. S4's V8 strong at all speeds; test sedan did 5.6 sec 0-60. Averages for manual-transmission test models: 1.8T sedan, 24.8 mpg; 1.8T Avant, 21.5; V6 quattro sedans,18.3-21; S4 sedan, 15.6; S4 Avant, 15.9; S4 Cabriolet, 14.1. Audi says CVT is 10 percent more fuel efficient... Read review

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Advantages: A 5-door premium "mini-estate"
Disadvantages: Cost. It's really just a Golf, buy you pay for the badge...

...Last week (a fairly reasonable 9 weeks from placing the order) we took delivery of our brand new Audi A3 Sportback SE 2.0 TDI, to replace my Mercedes CLK (check out my other reviews), a splendid car but really not a suitable family-mobile... I know I've not had the car very long, so maybe am not in a fantastic position to give a full review, but as no-one else has reviewed this car on Ciao (yet), I wanted to make this information available to you all. I hope this is OK, and will update this review as time goes by and I can add more detailed comment. Audi itself is named after Auto Union Deutsche Industrie, a joint venture of four German automobile manufacturers, established in 1932 in Zwickau, Saxony, during the Great Depression. The trademark of Auto Union was a symbol of four overlapping rings, symbolizing the four member... Read review

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Advantages: Ride, Build Quality, Image, Looks, Equipment
Disadvantages: Rear Legroom, Running costs, Dull Handling

...Here's my first ever review (again - sorry for posting it in the wrong section before!) I've had my 1998 Audi A4 1.8SE Auto 4 door for 4 months now and it still puts a smile on my face. Whether it's the solid 'thunk' of the doors closing, or the gorgeous tone of the superb 'Concert' stereo, the Audi continues to be a car I will never regret buying. I purchased privately from a family who had cherished the car - it came in superb condition, with low mileage, and a full Audi service history. The light green (Jasper Green) really looks great when I've thrown the sponge on it, and the standard 16" alloys do a good job of setting the car off. It's by no means a perfect car though. The rear legroom is really poor, and the boot openning isn't too clever either - I'd have had an Avant if I could have afforded one. The handling... Read review

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Advantages: The best looking estate car on the market
Disadvantages: hard suspension

...I am on my second A6 Avant 1.9 TDI SE... The first one did 135,000 miles without much of a fuss. It was an '99 one, so only 110 BHP, i.e. not particularly quick but you just forget that when you look at it from the outside or sit inside (and it was returning 53 MPG). The Audi aluminium paint completely stands out from other silver cars, and the shape of the A6 Avant is in my view the absolute pinnacle of all estates. Inside the trim was 'royal blue', with velvet seats, blue dashboard, champagne aluminium inserts etc. It just feels special. And the always-illuminated red backlit dials are just beautiful and relaxing, don't know why they abandonned that on the new ones. Now I have a '03 one in crystal blue, with a blue interior (i.e. dashboard and seats), new 130 BHP engine (5 speed gearbox), and it is a very different car. It has... Read review

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Advantages: Build Quality, Performance, Style.
Disadvantages: Cost, Handling at very high speeds

...cars. OK, so it is expensive, but it is worth it. We have two Audi's in the household, and I don't think we will ever regret it! Oh, and yes the handles above the seats are oil-dampened!... Read review

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Advantages: Stunning and different looks, involving drive, solid quality, practical size
Disadvantages: Expensive to buy, equiment spec average, poor dealer experiences

...tech business I work in, where the car you drive so often reflects a lot about your work approach and lifestyle. I was lucky enough to test-drive a shortlist of 4 cars all circa the £21-24k price tag before choosing. I tested a Saab 9-3 2.0TD Vector Sport, BMW 1-Series 120d SE, Audi A3 2.0 TDI SE. Overall I loved the Audi A4 Avant and still do, but considering the high cost, image and market expectations of a car like this I feel no shame in being brutal in some aspects of the review. Looks and street cred - First Impressions -------------------------------------------------------- The first thing that captured my attention was the new look front-end to the A4. The deceptively long bonnet with an over-sized front-grill slapped in the middle of cleaner and smoother front bumper than any Audi has seen so far is truly eye catching... Read review

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Advantages: Loads of space, brill sound system!
Disadvantages: i dont know of any!!

...My mum has one of these little gems and i love it to bits!! Ok, so my mum got this car 4 yrs ago, (W reg), as a company car and i wasn't too keen on the 'Call Girl Red' colour, it's sort of orangy-red! But it has 5 doors and its really comfortable! I havent driven it (because i cant get on the company insurance yet), so i dont know how it handels, but i'm proud to give my mum a call and pick me up if i ever need her too. The interior isn't the best i've seen, but it's ok. Its black, and has red lights everywhere! There's only a tape player but iv adjusted the bass and treble and the sound quality is amazing for a standard sound system! The front seats are cumfy too, sort of bucket seatish and have a handle to move the seat not only forwards and backwards but you can pump it higher or lower too! Another little nick nacky thing i... Read review

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Advantages: Superb build quality, very reliable
Disadvantages: Awful ride and handling, over-priced

...First impressions were of its awkwardness to get into without banging ones head on the door frame, but once inside the cabin is very good, though space for small bits and pieces is poor. After owning it for 4 years I'm well used to getting in and out. One niggle of cabin detail is the poor legibilty of the numbers on the main instruments on gloomy days, long before it gets dark enough to switch on any lights. Even on bright days the secondary KMh markings on the speedo are almost invisible, a real pain when driving outside the UK. The diesel engine has bags of torque and never disappoints, though it can be a bit noisy. The gearbox is sometimes a bit notchy and the clutch a tad heavy: the one place where the clutch really has problems is if one ever needs to reverse back up a slope: I've only needed to do it twice in 4 years... Read review

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