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High standards are expected of Audi in this department, and across many dimensions the A4 delivers with its substantial, soft-feel matt plastic textures, brightwork flourishes and an aura of precision assembly. This is also a roomy interior for a premium compact saloon, there being adequate leg and headroom in the rear and a generous boot that’s extendable via split folding rear seats.

But there are disappointments. The new dashboard design, which gently angles the instrument pack an...Read the full article

Well built maybe, but I'm not keen on it.

Judging the feedback on here, it seems not many people care about it also.

I'm sure we'll see thousands of them plying the motorways with photocopier salesmen behind the wheel all the same.

Yeah - no real interest in this at all.

I mean, any review where the gallery features a picture of the pedals - and not very interesting pedals at all - says volumes about this car.

Why are these cars getting so much bigger? Both the new A4 and the latest Mondeo are very nearly the size of the BMW 5-series, a car from the the class above.

Kee Law:

Yeah - no real interest in this at all.

I mean, any review where the gallery features a picture of the pedals - and not very interesting pedals at all - says volumes about this car.

Hehe. Couldn't agree more! Possibly the dullest car I've seen on these pages this year, though it does give dull Audi drivers the chance to look less anonymous with those silly Christmas tree light things on the front.

Good to hear that Audi are at last addressing their crappy ride quality, though. Wonder if they'll do the same for reliability?

 

Authoritative review as always. Not compelling case is it for all the effort Audi have put in. Its got bigger and the German manufacturers are busy lobbying to get out of environmental obligations.

I bought my 2001 A4 Avant TDI privately in a fit of extravagent enthusiasm when it was a new model and after an Autocar test and editorial by Steve Cropley. Its been a great car for me after 20 years of Golf/Jettas. Main objection is the lack of a filter and the visible soot (let alone invisible particulates) that it sprays out if you accelerate in town. Also not good on pedestrian safety. I think I will pass and look for something else which is greener and has better handling.

As I suspected, not much interest.

I test drove this model yesterday, without having read Autocar's review first.  The driving position did feel odd, but I put that down to not having enough time to adjust the settings.  I didn't notice the offset pedals and doubt they would put me off.
 
I did however dislike the new dashboard.  Not only does it look like a 1970s/1980s fFord Granada (albeit with much better quality), it is overloaded with aluminium trim pieces which distract from the controls themselves.  When you need to find a switch in a hurry - you won't.  You'll have to look for it amidst the distracting shiny trim details.  The A4 is not alone in this - the 3-series and many other new cars suffer similarly.  But my 2004 A4 1.9TDi doesn't.  It has a classically elegant, cool, simple, quality interior which doesn't distract.

Compared to my 4-year old 130hp model, the new 2.0TDi felt strong and smooth.  Cornering is better as all the tests say, the ride is fine, and even in 6th there is plenty of poke.  I liked the performance and the gearchange very much.

The extra size appears to have mostly gone into the boot,  There is a little extra rear legroom but the boot is huge.  Take 6 inches off the boot space and you wouldn't miss it.  Add it to rear legroom and it would make a vast difference.  So the size isn't well used.

Overall, I ought to be tempted - I have owned 5 Audis and have the old model A4 today - but I'm rather disappointed.  Not really my sort of car any more.
 

Audi HAD to increase the size. After my 330i saloon my first drive in the previous A4 was like getting into a mid-range hatchback! It felt cramped and actually smaller around you than a Golf. And the seating position reminded of coupe it was so low to the floor. The BMW 3 Series (old and new) has the driver in a spacious ergonomic enviroment. The new A4 is undoubtedly a step forward, its interior betters the current BMW but judging by the reviews I'd still edge the 3 Series the better choice. 

It's the BMW effect again. BMW are like the magnetic centre of the motor industry in that almost everyone gets somehow drawn towards their ultimate-driving-machine brand values.

Mercedes were makers of rock solid, tastefully discrete and comfortable cars. Now they make BMWs with three pointed stars on the front and have sacrificed their brand identity. Audi made beautifully considered cars with superb interiors but only an average driving experience. Now they make BMWs with four circles on the front, only not quite as well, and have sacrificed their brand identity.

The BMW effect means that we now have 4x4s and people carriers that are supposed to handle like sports cars. By and large, we have also been robbed of choice by the BMW effect too. Want a car biased towards ride comfort? Well, there's the Citroen C6 and that's about it. Want a car whose styling doesn't say get-out-of-my-way-I'm-in-a-bit-of-a-teutonic-hurry? Well, its a Nissan Micra for you or nothing, sonny.

The question is, what is so great about BMWs?

Simon Wells:

The question is, what is so great about BMWs?

BMW do actually make well engineered cars - it would be foolish to try to take that away from them.

Why they are so influential is because of the world's current love affair with "brands." If you turn on the TV and see a clip of starving people in Africa, you will find that some are wearing branded t-shirts or baseball hats - that's how bad it is.

There was a time (a long time ago I admit) when the coolest car you could have was a Citroën 2CV with flowers painted on it. It said "I'm OK, you're OK"

Now it seems to be a BMW X5 with a colossal bull-bar. It says, I've got more than you (or, really, I have borrowed or stolen more money than you have been able to) and I am going to ram that fact down your throat.