Audi A4 2006 Review
At the time of driving that A4 a great distance — and being impressed by nothing much other than its ability to use very little fuel while doing so — there were but a handful of diesels available.
Twelve months on, and this hack alone has sampled no fewer than 24 of all shapes and sizes, from the merest Volkswagen Polo to the massive Mercedes-Benz GL.
The latest of which just happens to be the second A4 diesel — one that is to its humbler diesel colleague what a fully fledged McLaren Vale shiraz is to a decent cleanskin red.
Actually, the A4 3.0 TDI quattro is so accomplished and so satisfying, that to compare it only with other diesels would do it a disservice. Its versatility and sheer brio demands to be considered in the broader context of sporting sedans, no matter what type of juice they drink.
If expectation (which was minimal in this case) is weighed against experience (not so much eyebrow-raising as dislocating) this model is not only the Audi of the year, but among the best unsung cars of 2006.
Why not? One knew the RS4 was going to be Wagnerian, that the TT would be easy to like and the Q7 would be whatever it is people who want a 2.3-tonne SUV to be.
First tested in August, the A4 performed with conviction and alacrity even on the icy mountain roads of Tasmania. Permanent all-wheel drive provided grip to rival that of a koala up a gum tree for tenacity as the A4 sliced through wet corners at more than double the recommended speed. Its readily tappable torque level was as mountainous as the scenery.
Our co-driver — a scholarly gentleman from a noted performance-car magazine — asserted that the oiler was the "default S4".
Indeed, we both felt the six-cylinder direct injection turbo diesel we had at our feet was a better thing 90 per cent of the time than Audi's own petrol V8.
Mated to a six-speed tiptronic auto with sports program, the A4 could be driven with minimal inputs in "D", or vigorously via the gear-shifting paddles mounted on the steering wheel, automatic change-ups occurring only when the redline was reached.
This is the ideal means by which to extract the utmost from the 171kW 3.0 litre TDI six, which also graces the bigger A6 sedan. Its take-no-prisoners 450Nm comes on stream from 1400rpm.
Although the quattro system can't offset the A4's nose-heaviness, nor endow it with the peerless rear-wheel-drive dynamics of BMW's 3 Series sixes, the Audi's a sporting sedan for most people and most occasions.
Two subsequent stints of Sydney driving have also marked it as a better daily-friendly device than its Bavarian neighbour, not least because the Audi employs conventional tyres, as opposed to the Bimmer's run-flats.
Although run-flats are improving with each generation, NSW roads are not, and the less rigid sidewalls of the Audi's 17-inch, medium-profile shoes provide
a more forgiving ride — to say nothing of being more readily obtainable and less expensive.
There's the piece of mind that comes from knowing that, should you shred a tyre while stranded far from civilisation, the Audi packs a full-size spare.
The 3.0 TDI quattro combines typically Audi levels of understated class,
first-class fit and finish with a massive bootage and wallet-friendly economy.
Claimed fuel consumption for combined conditions is 8.4 litres per 100km. Even in unrelentingly urban driving, consumption stayed south of 14 litres per 100km. Maximum range is 750km.
This from a six-cylinder engine moving a 1655kg kerb weight, and one that can — should the mood take you — get the A4 to 100km/h in 7.5 seconds.
It's been but a few weeks since we
were spurting on about the Audi A6 3.0 TDI quattro.
Sorry about that, because even at its excruciating price point of $86,700, the A4 undercuts its marginally bigger sibling by about $15k — while filling a niche in which neither the C-Class Merc nor the 3 Series can offer an immediate rival.
And, uniquely, there's no Volkswagen to undercut this Audi.
Don't know what we'll be saying this time next year, but with the next generation mid-size Audi unlikely to reach these shores before 2008, this A4 model looks to have longevity to rival its range.
Pricing guides
Range and Specs
Vehicle | Specs | Price* | |
---|---|---|---|
Cabriolet | 1.8L, PULP, CVT AUTO | $9,790 – 13,420 | 2006 Audi A4 2006 Cabriolet Pricing and Specs |
2.0 Sports Edition | 2.0L, PULP, CVT AUTO | $6,270 – 8,800 | 2006 Audi A4 2006 2.0 Sports Edition Pricing and Specs |
2.0 TFSI S-Line | 2.0L, PULP, CVT AUTO | $6,160 – 8,690 | 2006 Audi A4 2006 2.0 TFSI S-Line Pricing and Specs |
1.8T Avant | 1.8L, PULP, CVT AUTO | $4,950 – 7,260 | 2006 Audi A4 2006 1.8T Avant Pricing and Specs |
$8,140
Lowest price, based on third party pricing data