IF you think it is time to switch your luxury SUV aspirations for something a little more modest and manageable yet just as pampering, Audi may have just the right car for you. The latest A4 Avant is larger and roomier than before, and is now available in an unexpectedly broad range of models in both four and six-cylinder petrol and diesel varieties, as well as in front and quattro all-wheel drive formats. Here we review the mid-range front-drive 2.0 TFSI Multitronic.
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Audi B7 A4 Avant 1.8T
Released: March 2005
Ended: August 2008
Family Tree: A4BASED on the B6 A4 range released in 2001, the B7 brought significant sheetmetal changes, as well as steering and suspension modifications designed to bridge the dynamic gap between the A4 and high-flying BMW 3 Series. However, Audi fudged the ride quality on most models in pursuit of this goal (with the standout exception of the brilliant RS4), leading many critics to denounce the B7 as an uncomfortably hard rider that still fell short of its Bavarian rival.
In Avant 1.8T guise, buyers still scored attractive styling, a beautifully presented interior, and a handy wagon load-space. Driving the front wheels is a 120kW/225Nm version of Audi’s long-lived 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine, mated to a CVT Multitronic gearbox. Equipment and safety levels are high, but we would avoid the sportier S-Line version fitted with larger, ride-ruining wheels.
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