Audi A4 Avant Review 2026
Audi A4 Avant Verdict
Find out more about the Audi A4 Avant
Insurance Groups are between 19–39
On average it achieves 76% of the official MPG figure
The Audi A4 Avant of 2019 might look like every other Audi estate on the road, but look beyond the nondescript styling and you’ll find that this A4 is bigger, better and fitted with more high tech than any other Avant before it. The big booted Audi is well-equipped and cheap to run too, making it a great car for families or company car drivers alike.
There is a broad choice of engines, although most are focused on fuel economy, with the highlight being the 150PS 2.0 TDI. Officially, it will return 70.6mpg and 104g/km of CO2 and it's a perfect match for the A4 Avant. There's also a 190PS version which provides more power and fun, with a fractional increase in economy.
However, even in its sportiest of set-ups, the A4 Avant rarely feels anywhere near as sharp or as fun to drive as a BMW 3-Series Touring.
That said, the Audi is far more comfortable and refined than its BMW rival, which means it is extremely good for long distance driving, with a high quality interior that rivals the A8 for refinement and technology.
All are good to drive, with direct steering that increase its feedback levels with each turn. The ride quality is superb too, with minimal body roll and suspension jarring. However, things do get quite bumpy with the optional larger wheels and sports suspension.
The A4 Avant's boot is larger than both the C-Class Estate and 3 Series Touring, with 505 litres that can be expanded to 1510 litres with the seats down. The large opening and low load lip makes it easy to move heavy items in and out, while the powered tailgate and load cover make the A4 an easy car to live with on a daily basis.
Standard equipment is high and entry-level models get all of the essentials, with roof rails, xenon headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels and three-zone climate control. Base models also come with a supportive and adjustable set of cloth seats, while Sport models feature part leather sport seats that provided added comfort.
Good to drive, cheap to run and giving the impression of impeccable build, the Audi A4 Avant has everything in its locker to please the most ardent of families, although some drivers might be disappointed with the lack of cutting edge when it comes to B road handling. However, if you value refinement and low running costs over pedal to the metal performance, then you'll find the A4 Avant extremely hard to fault.
Audi A4 Avant handling and engines
- Engines range from 1.4 TFSI S tronic to S4 3.0 TFSI 354 quattro Tiptronic
- Readers report Real MPG to be between 24–63 mpg
The A4 Avant is offered with petrols and diesels, but it’s the latter that provides the best balance between performance and economy. The highlight is the 2.0 TDI Ultra with 150PS. Not only will it emit 104g/km of CO2, but also provides an official 70.6mpg.
The more powerful 190PS version of the 2.0 TDI Ultra is impressive too, with more torque and better 0-62mph acceleration. There is a marginal price to pay when it comes to economy - 106g/km and 68.9mpg - but the 190PS is great all-rounder and much more composed when it comes to overtaking slower traffic.
Both the 2.0 TDI models can be ordered without the efficiency-focused Ultra treatment, which provides slight improvements in outright performance but slightly less economy. There is also a potent 3.0 V6 diesel, with either 218PS or 272PS.
Fuel economy for the powerful 3.0-litre TDI dips to an official 55.3mpg, while CO2 emissions climb to 114g/km or 139g/km for the more powerful model. However, with 0-62mph taking just 5.3 seconds and four-wheel drive fitted as standard, we doubt many V6 buyers will care too much about fuel sipping economy.
If your weekly mileage doesn't warrant a diesel then there two petrol options. The first is a 1.4 TFSI with 150PS, which is the most economical of the petrol engines. Fuel economy is decent, with 51.4mpg, but the four-cylinder engine has to be revved quite hard to pull away from junctions or joining a busy motorway. Given the choice, we'd spend more on the 190PS 2.0 TFSI. It provides more zip through the gears and is quieter under acceleration. Official economy is reasonable too, with 46.3mpg and 139g/km of CO2.
Six speed manuals and seven-speed automatics are available across the range and there's no penalty for the autos when it comes to fuel economy and CO2. However, due to the jerky nature of the S tronic 'box at lower speeds, we'd choose the slick manual over the dual-clutch automatic.
On the road the A4 Avant is comfortable to drive over long distances, with exceptional motorway manners on 17-inch wheels. Indeed, barely any wind or road noise reaches the cabin and the diesels will hum along silently at 1500rpm. If you choose larger wheels and sports suspension then the ride quality suffers somewhat, with lots more road noise and lots of suspension jarring over potholes.
All A4 Avants get a drive mode selector system as standard, allowing the driver to sharpen or soften the steering and throttle response, depending on how comfortable or dynamic they want to experience to be. But none of the settings have any notable impact on the overall handling.
Things are impressive on twisting road though, with lots of grip and little body roll, but the Audi is no match for the 3 Series Touring. That said, the steering is firm and direct, with lots of feedback, which lets you push it along with decent gusto.
| Engine | MPG | 0-62 | CO2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 TFSI | 49–51 mpg | 9.0 s | 131–139 g/km |
| 1.4 TFSI S tronic | 50–51 mpg | 8.9 s | 126–131 g/km |
| 2.0 TDI 150 | 66–67 mpg | 9.2–9.5 s | 104–124 g/km |
| 2.0 TDI 150 S tronic | 64–66 mpg | 9.0–9.5 s | 104–129 g/km |
| 2.0 TDI 150 Ultra | 71 mpg | 9.2 s | 104 g/km |
| 2.0 TDI 150 Ultra S tronic | 71 mpg | 9.0 s | 104 g/km |
| 2.0 TDI 190 | 61–63 mpg | 7.9 s | 106–128 g/km |
| 2.0 TDI 190 quattro S tronic | 61–63 mpg | 7.4 s | 116 g/km |
| 2.0 TDI 190 S tronic | 60–66 mpg | 7.4–7.9 s | 106–123 g/km |
| 2.0 TDI 190 Ultra | 67–69 mpg | 7.9 s | 106 g/km |
| 2.0 TDI 190 Ultra S tronic | 66–69 mpg | 7.9 s | 106 g/km |
| 2.0 TFSI 190 | 48–49 mpg | 7.5 s | 129 g/km |
| 2.0 TFSI 190 S tronic | 50–53 mpg | 7.5 s | 121–128 g/km |
| 2.0 TFSI 252 quattro S tronic | 43–46 mpg | 6.0 s | 139–150 g/km |
| 3.0 TDI 218 quattro S tronic | 58–61 mpg | 6.4–6.7 s | 119–129 g/km |
| 3.0 TDI 218 S tronic | 63–64 mpg | 6.7 s | 114 g/km |
| 3.0 TDI 272 quattro Tiptronic | 52–53 mpg | 5.4 s | 139–142 g/km |
| 30 TDI S tronic | 66–71 mpg | 9.8 s | 104–113 g/km |
| 35 TDI S tronic | 64–72 mpg | 8.5–9.0 s | 101–121 g/km |
| 35 TFSI | 47–50 mpg | 8.9 s | 130–139 g/km |
| 35 TFSI S tronic | 47–50 mpg | 9.2 s | 131–137 g/km |
| 40 TDI quattro S tronic | - | - | 138–140 g/km |
| 40 TDI S tronic | 53–66 mpg | 7.6–7.9 s | 120–140 g/km |
| 40 TFSI S tronic | 47 mpg | 7.3–7.5 s | 137 g/km |
| 45 TFSI quattro S tronic | 42 mpg | 6.0 s | 157 g/km |
| 45 TFSI S tronic | - | 5.7 s | 157 g/km |
| S4 3.0 TFSI 354 quattro Tiptronic | 38–45 mpg | 4.9 s | 171–175 g/km |
| S4 TDI 347 Quattro | 46 mpg | 4.9 s | 166 g/km |
Real MPG average for the Audi A4 Avant
Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.
Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.
Average performance
76%
Real MPG
24–63 mpg
MPGs submitted
171
Audi A4 Avant interior
- Boot space is 495–1510 litres
- Euro NCAP rating of five stars
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 4725–4745 mm |
| Width | 2022–2040 mm |
| Height | 1411–1434 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2820–2825 mm |
Audi claims it used the A8 as the benchmark when it came to designing the interior of the A4 Avant. And it shows. The interior is upmarket, modern and superbly finished with high quality materials throughout.
There's lots of space too, with the high roof line providing plenty of head room for two large adults in the back. There is also a three-zone climate control system - fitted as standard - which lets the rear occupants set their own temperature too.
Up front there is a sleek dashboard, with a minimalist design that limits the button count to single figures. All of the controls are clearly laid out and within easy reach, while the switch gear operates with reassuring click that gives the impression that everything had been screwed together with a sense of purpose.
The centre stack is dominated by a large and colourful seven-inch colour display, operated by a large dial next to the gearstick. All of the menus are easy to navigate, making it easy to access the DAB radio or adjust the in-car settings while on the move.
We'd recommend spending extra on Audi's virtual cockpit system, which replaces the traditional instrument dials with a customisable digital screen to display everything from navigation directions to the latest fuel prices.
In base SE trim the A4 Avant gets cloth seats, which are comfortable and adjustable. There is lots of padding for lower back support too, while the reach and rack steering column makes it easy to find a good driving position. Sports seats are added to - you've guessed it - Sport trim and S Line models get part leather/cloth seats as standard. We found the basic cloth seats to be more than sufficient for long distance driving.
Accessing the boot space is simple, with a powered tailgate fitted as standard. This means you can open the boot hands free, with a push of a button in the cabin or on the key fob. The boot opening is wide too, while the low boot sill makes it easy to load heavy items, with a chrome strip protecting the bodywork on the boot entry floor. All A4 Avants boast 505 litres of space that can be expanded to 1510 litres. This should be more than enough for families and fleets who need to carry occasional large, bulky items.
Standard Equipment:
SE is the entry-level trim and includes 17-inch alloy wheels, Audi Drive Select, MMI with seven-inch display, DAB radio, USB input, AUX input, Bluetooth, cloth upholstery, three-zone climate control, steering wheel mounted controls, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, electric boot lid release, LED running lights, rear parking sensors, keyless go, electric parking brake, pre-sense city, light and rain sensor and Isofix points.
Sport trim adds alternate 17-inch alloy wheel design, MMI with navigation, a three month Audi Connect trial, upgraded sound system, Sport front seats, LED lighting pack and a Sport styling pack.
S Line trim adds 18-inch alloy wheels, sport suspension, cloth/leather front seats with electric lumbar support plus S line interior and exterior details.
Audi A4 Avant models and specs
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 4725–4745 mm |
| Width | 2022–2040 mm |
| Height | 1411–1434 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2820–2825 mm |
| Miscellaneous | |
|---|---|
| Kerb Weight | 1370–1825 kg |
| Boot Space | 495–1510 L |
| Warranty | 3 years / 60000 miles |
| Servicing | 9000–19000 miles |
| Costs | |
|---|---|
| List Price | £33,545–£50,900 |
| Insurance Groups | 19–39 |
| Road Tax Bands | B–H |
| Official MPG | 37.7–72.4 mpg |
| Euro NCAP Safety Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Adult | - |
| Child | - |
| Pedestrian | - |
| Overall | 5 |
Currently on sale
On sale until April 2021
| Estate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 30 TDI 136 Black Edition S tronic 5dr | £40,440 | 65.7 mpg | 9.8 s |
| 30 TDI 136 S Line Comfort+Sound Pack S tronic 5dr | £40,585 | 65.7 mpg | 9.8 s |
| 30 TDI 136ps Sport Comfort+Sound Pack S tronic 5dr | £38,970 | 70.6 mpg | 9.8 s |
| 30 TDI 136ps Technik Comfort+Sound Pack S tronic 5dr | £37,295 | 70.6 mpg | 9.8 s |
| 30 TDI 136ps Vorsprung S tronic 5dr | - | - | - |
| 35 TDI 163 Black Edition S tronic 5dr | £41,100 | 68.9 mpg | 8.5 s |
| 35 TDI 163 S Line Comfort+Sound Pack S tronic 5dr | £41,245 | 68.9 mpg | 8.5 s |
| 35 TDI 163ps Sport Comfort+Sound Pack S tronic 5dr | £39,670 | 72.4 mpg | 8.5 s |
| 35 TDI 163ps Technik Comfort+Sound Pack S tronic 5dr | £37,975 | 72.4 mpg | 8.5 s |
| 35 TDI 163ps Vorsprung S tronic 5dr | - | - | - |
On sale until December 2020
| Estate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 40 TDI 190 Black Edition S tronic 5dr | £39,985 | 65.7 mpg | 7.9 s |
| 40 TDI 190ps S Line S tronic 5dr | £38,135 | 65.7 mpg | 7.9 s |
| 40 TDI 190ps Sport S tronic 5dr | £36,645 | 65.7 mpg | 7.9 s |
| 40 TDI Quattro 190 Black Edition S tronic 5dr | £43,770 | 53.3 mpg | 7.6 s |
| 40 TDI Quattro 190 Sport Comfort+Sound Pack S tronic 5dr | £42,340 | 56.5 mpg | 7.6 s |
| 40 TDI Quattro 190 Vorsprung S tronic 5dr | - | - | - |
| 40 TDI Quattro S Line Comfort+Sound Pack S tronic 5dr | £43,915 | 53.3 mpg | 7.6 s |
| 40 TFSI 190 S Line Tech Pack S tronic 5dr | £37,410 | 47.1 mpg | 7.5 s |
| 40 TFSI 190 Sport Tech Pack S tronic 5dr | £35,960 | 47.1 mpg | 7.5 s |
| 40 TFSI 190ps Vorsprung S tronic 5dr | - | - | 7.3 s |
| 40 TFSI Black Edition Tech Pack S tronic 5dr | £39,200 | 47.1 mpg | 7.5 s |
| 45 TFSI Quattro 245 Vorsprung S tronic 5dr | - | - | 5.7 s |
| 45 TFSI Quattro Black Edition Tech Pack S tronic 5dr | £47,195 | 41.5 mpg | 6.0 s |
| 45 TFSI Quattro S Line Tech Pack S tronic 5dr | £45,945 | 41.5 mpg | 6.0 s |
On sale until November 2019
| Estate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 35 TDI 150ps SE S tronic 5dr | - | - | - |
| 35 TFSI 150ps Black Edition 5dr | - | - | - |
| 35 TFSI 150ps S Line 5dr | - | - | - |
| 35 TFSI 150ps SE 5dr | - | - | - |
| 35 TFSI 150ps SE S tronic 5dr | - | - | - |
| 35 TFSI 150ps Sport 5dr | - | - | - |
| 40 TDI Quattro 190 Black Edition S tronic 5dr | - | - | - |
| 40 TDI Quattro 190 S Line S tronic 5dr | - | - | - |
| 40 TDI Quattro 190 Sport S tronic 5dr | - | - | - |
On sale until July 2019
| Estate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| S4 3.0 TFSI Quattro 354 Tiptronic 5dr | £47,480 | 44.8 mpg | 4.9 s |
On sale until April 2019
On sale until October 2017
| Estate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 2.0 TFSI 190ps S Line 5dr | £32,620 | 47.9 mpg | 7.5 s |
| 2.0 TFSI 190ps SE 5dr | £30,220 | 48.7 mpg | 7.5 s |
| 2.0 TFSI 190ps Sport 5dr | £31,170 | 48.7 mpg | 7.5 s |
| 2.0 TFSI Quattro 252 Sport S tronic 5dr | £38,180 | 46.3 mpg | 6.0 s |
| S4 3.0 TFSI Quattro 354 Tiptronic 5dr | £46,500 | 37.7 mpg | - |
On sale until April 2017
| Estate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| S4 3.0 TFSI Quattro 354 Tiptronic 5dr | £46,000 | 37.7 mpg | - |
On sale until June 2016
| Estate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 2.0 TDI 150ps S Line 5dr | £33,000 | 67.3 mpg | 9.5 s |
| 2.0 TDI 150ps S Line S tronic 5dr | £34,530 | 65.7 mpg | 9.5 s |
On sale until October 2015
Model History
February 2016
Audi A4 Avant launched
The new A4 Avant can now be ordered at prices ranging from £27,300 OTR to £40,350 OTR.
The all-new A4 Avant intelligently integrates a class-leading 505 litres of luggage capacity – extending to 1510 litres with the seats folded – into a capacious interior that now affords even more head and shoulder room for front seat occupants and offers an increase in overall rear leg room compared to its predecessor.
All this can be enjoyed in remarkably hushed tones thanks to numerous aerodynamic and aeroacoustic advances, and in surroundings that exude a degree of quality and technological sophistication that far exceeds even the outgoing car, which was renowned in its own right for its outstanding fit and finish.
Among the technological highlights are the optional Audi virtual cockpit with its fully digital, absolutely flicker-free display, and optional Matrix LED headlamps capable of establishing and tracking multiple road users and illuminating the appropriate corridors of lights either side of them to maintain maximum visibility without dazzling other drivers.
These can be added to the three ‘core’ specification levels SE, Sport and S line, each of which offers either Xenon or LED headlamps with LED daytime running lights, along with features including three-zone climate control, cruise control, rear parking sensors and the Audi smartphone interface, which supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto platforms and displays smartphone contact and information such as navigation mapping on the A4’s seven-inch colour MMI screen.
There are also plenty of premium features that greatly enhance everyday use, particularly in the Avant which offers powered tailgate operation and an electrically operated luggage cover as standard.
The Avant engine line-up will initially include a wide choice of 2.0 litre and 3.0-litre TDI engines with outputs starting from 150PS and rising to 272PS. The refined and responsive 1.4-litre TFSI petrol engine at the entry point to the A4 Saloon range will also become available to Avant customers slightly behind the first phase in April 2016.
As in the Saloon, two versions of the 2.0-litre TDI engine with 150PS and 190PS power a total of 12 front-wheel-driven ‘ultra’ variants offering up to 70.6mpg with CO2 output of as little as 104g/km – their frugality can be enjoyed in conjunction with both SE and Sport specification incorporating 17-inch alloy wheel designs.
The V6 TDI contingent starts with the 218PS version, here it returns up to 64.2mpg with a 114g/km CO2 output when combined with Sport specification and front-wheel-drive.
To fully exploit the economy potential of this absolutely up-to-the minute engine technology, the powertrain and chassis of the A4 Avant have also been completely redeveloped. The six-speed manual transmission, the seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch (now also available for front-wheel drive) and the eight-speed tiptronic have been reworked, and in the process the automatic transmissions have incorporated a fuel-saving freewheeling function.
The high quota of standard fit onboard technology can also be complemented by an array of the most advanced driver aids which can take the strain out of everything from reversing out of a parking space into fast-moving crossing traffic to enduring stop-start city driving.
Drivers looking to maximise economy will also appreciate the predictive efficiency assistant, which helps drivers to reduce fuel consumption by up to 10 per cent by using navigation route data to alert them to situations in which it would make sense to reduce speed, such as before bends, towns or speed limit signs that are not yet visible. The system can adapt the preselected speed to the route and the speed limits and also take over predictive control of the free-wheeling function of the automatic transmissions.
| Model | Transmission | Specification | OTR pricing |
| A4 Avant 1.4 TFSI 150 PS | 6-speed manual | SE Sport |
£27,300 £28,250 |
| A4 Avant 2.0 TFSI 190 PS | 6-speed manual | SE Sport S line |
£29,100 £30,050 £31,550 |
| A4 Avant 2.0 TFSI 190 PS | 7-speed S tronic | SE Sport S line |
£30,630 £31,580 £33,080 |
| A4 Avant 2.0 TFSI quattro 252 PS | 7-speed S tronic | Sport S line |
£36,930 £38,430 |
| A4 Avant 2.0 TDI ultra 150 PS | 6-speed manual | SE Sport |
£30,550 £31,500 |
| A4 Avant 2.0 TDI 150 PS | 7-speed S tronic | SE Sport |
£32,080 £33,030 |
| A4 Avant 2.0 TDI ultra 190 PS | 6-speed manual | Sport | £32,400 |
| A4 Avant 2.0 TDI ultra 190 PS | 7-speed S tronic | Sport | £33,930 |
| A4 Avant 2.0 TDI 190 PS | 6-speed manual | S line | £33,900 |
| A4 Avant 2.0 TDI 190 PS | 7-speed S tronic | S line | £35,430 |
| A4 Avant 3.0 V6 TDI 218 PS | 7-speed S tronic | Sport S line |
£35,650 £37,150 |
| A4 Avant 3.0 V6 TDI quattro 218 PS | 7-speed S tronic | Sport S line |
£37,080 £38,580 |
| A4 Avant 3.0 V6 TDI quattro 272 PS | 8-speed tiptronic | S line | £40,350 |
What to watch out for
Complaint that headlights of 2015 Audi Avant A4 SE Technik TDi Quattro (first registered in Nov 2015) leave a patch of darkness, a section of tarmac that is unlit, between the flood of light from the dip beam and the flood of light from the main beam. This strange beam pattern is only affected by the offside headlamp unit. Owner took car to Audi dealer and it was tested on the headlamp beam tester for MoT purposes and passed as okay. End of problem as far as dealer is concerned. Owner refuted the decision and asked them to test drive the car at night which they did. They came back with the reply that there was nothing wrong and nothing they could do as there is no beam height adjustment between dip and main. Another Audi dealer compared the car to another, identical Avant and concluded that the unit was as designed and, therefore, not replaceable under warranty.
15-07-2017:Report of 'pre-sense' system of 10 month old 2016 Audi A4 2.0TDI 170 Avant operating spuriously fifteen times, now with increasing frequency. Big recall on the Volkswagen Golf for this issue, so surprising that the Audi dealer has not found any rerason for this.
18-08-2017:Report that on 4th August a 7 month old 2017 Audi A4 Avant came to a sudden halt from 38mph for no reason, on a clear road, causing the following car to crash into the back of it. Guildford Audi told the driver to ring the Audi helpline who sent a man out straight away He found a fault in the computer in the car and mended it. The engineer gave a written report of the fault tyhat the driver emailed to Guildford Audi and to Lindale Audi when it went in for diagnosis. Unfortunately it did not show a fault in the test as in repairing the car the engineer had wiped the computer clean. They sent the report to head office technicians who said the computer was ok.
28-09-2018:Complaint by owner of only getting 6,000 miles from the 19-inch Continental front tyres of his 2017 Audi A4 S-Line avant.
28-12-2018:Report of vibration from drivetrain of November 2018 Audi A4 B9 avant 272 3.0 V6 now at 45k miles: At 1,250 rpm, whether in D or S mode, there is vibration which passes through the accelerator pedal and steering wheel. Also at 1,750 rpm when cruising on the motorway at 80 mph with cruise control on in 8th gear it doesn't feel as smooth as it should. Finally, when around 2,000 rpm the car feels unrefined and actually noisy for an Audi V6 diesel.
06-06-2019:Report of engine failure of 2018 Audi S4 Avant on lease from VWFS. Long wait before its back on the road.
29-11-2019:Report of "persistent vibrations coming through the accelerator pedal and the steering wheel, often simultaneously" in November 2015 Audi A4 B9 estate 8-speed auto, 3.0 TDI V6 272HP. Has had replacement of several expensive parts under guarantee due to factory recalls (4 camshafts, crank shaft, chain tensioner), but problem's remains. In D the vibrations arrive around 1,250 rpm especially when accelerating. Owner notices that despite regular cleaning and quality fuel all the time, the engine is also quite noisy when accelerating: "it's as if there's a part somewhere which is noisier than it should be and injects vibrations into the mix when increasing speed." Also, when the car is hot and in traffic it can start to tremble slightly until shifted into Neutral. If driver leaves car in S in traffic, the vibrations are slightly stronger still.
21-12-2019:Report of "annoying" throbbing/pulsing of 3.0TDI V6 272PS motor of December 2015 udi A4 B9 avant. Happens between 1,750rpm and 2,250rpm in auto S. The engine is also noisy on acceleration but the car does accelerate very well. Owner uses only V-Power Diesel and puts a pro quality additive in the fuel on a regular basis. The car has never been out of the Audi network.
