Thursday, December 24, 2015

Audi A4 B9

The newly regenerated Audi A4 is now bigger than its predecessor and it's now more technologically advanced than ever because of its plethora of gadgetry installed to this new model. Let's take a gander on one of the most technologically advanced luxury midsize saloons ever made, shall we?

2016 Audi A4 and 2016 Audi A4 Avant

Like the previous model, the all-new Audi A4 comes with two different variations; the saloon version and the spacious Avant version for those who are in a mood for lifestyle checks. Under the hood, the new A4 comes with a revamped choice of engines such as a 1.4 TFSi, the 2.0 TFSi, 2.0 TDi, and a 3.0 TDi. The most powerful version of the A4 for now is the one with the 2.0L TFSi engine that produces 252PS of power and 370Nm of torque. 0-100kph takes under 5.8 seconds and onwards to an electronically-limited top speed of 250kph. In most models, a 6-speed manual is standard but an optional 7-speed S tronic gearbox is offered.

2016 Audi A4

Despite its added size, the all-new A4, thanks to VW's MQB platform that has been around in major models since the VW Golf VII in 2012, is surprisingly lighter than the previous model so in partial terms of dynamics, it's well improved over the previous model but not as dynamically sharp as the 3-Series and the C-Class. Of course, the A4 still offered with a choice of either front-wheel drive or allroad permanent all-wheel drive, which has been the hallmark of all Audis since the dawn of civilization. Having a quattro on this new A4 is good if you're feeling on the weather but in dynamic terms, it feels tad mild. Easy to drive but a little less exciting, if you know what I mean?

2016 Audi A4 interior
2016 Audi A4 interior

Although, the new A4 is not as exciting as its rivals because while this is purely a luxury saloon with a mild driving feel that most Audis had, it's surprisingly roomier, more comfortable, and very high-tech indeed. From the MMI, voice recognition, HUD, Audi connect, and the new Virtual Cockpit display as seen on the new TT, the new A4 feels like the future really is now thanks to science and technology but what's even more bizarre is the host of safety tech that will make you notice this car a little further. Of course, with Audi has been well-known for being one of the most technologically-advanced luxury carmaker in the world, the new A4 is one heck of a tech overload. Hard to master each tech but the more the driver is familiar with the features, the more he or she will take advantage in various situations.

So, should you buy one? The new Audi starts at 30,650 EUR for the saloon while the Avant version starts at 36,900 EUR. Sounds reasonably priced for a luxury car but they're much costly to own than a BMW 3-Series, which is more engaging and more dynamic to drive than this. Still, with the new A4, Audi has a lot of stepping stones to tackle because this is probably one of the most important models to deal with.

Photo: Audi AG

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