Quiet, elegant, yet understated. These are my top three words to describe the 2010 Audi A4 Avant. The A4 Avant brings space, sophistication, and style to those who don’t care to show off.
In a country where “bigger is better”, Audi goes against the grain with a car that, in my opinion, can rival the SUV’s and minivans that are predominant in America’s suburbia. If you’re like me and a minivan just doesn’t quite fit your persona, then the A4 Avant wagon may be for you.
The Interior
If comfort and convenience in a car is your main concern, the A4 Avant does not disappoint in this area - especially if you get it with the premium plus package. The luxurious interior of the Avant we test drove featured ergonomically leather seating, automatic three-zone climate control, multi-function controls built into the steering wheel, power driver and passenger seat adjustment, front and rear power windows, heated front seats, Bluetooth hands-free phone interface, and electronic cruise control. And that’s just the beginning! Virtually everything is powered by the touch of a button - even the car starts with just a push of the key. A warning to moms with kids: Don’t let them sit up front with you because they'll be tempted to push all those buttons!
And speaking of kids…for safety and security, the Avant has Lower Anchors and Tethers For Children (LATCH), auto door locking, and Sideguard curtain airbags. One safety feature that I especially like is the driver and passenger safety belt chimes that go off until you put your seat belt on.
As if there weren’t enough buttons on the console to play with, plop down $2,500 for a navigation package with camera if you’re a traveler. It’s definitely worth it. The rearview camera with rear park sensors beep at you when anything comes close.
As a music buff, my favorite part of the interior which comes standard in every Audi is the Audi concert AM/FM radio with in-dash CD player, Sirius satellite radio, two SD card slots, and an auxiliary audio output.
For those who are fortunate to live in warm weather climate, a wide, panorama sunroof is your best friend.
This is the type of car for a family with small kids. Leg room for adults in the front is great, but it was just ok in the back. People who are taller than 6 feet may have an uncomfortable long-distance ride. The trunk is big enough to carry around a few pieces of luggage, backpacks, plus the occasional soccer ball or two.
The Drive
You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the way the A4 Avant drives. Pot holes and bumps in the road? I didn’t feel them. I sometimes forgot that I was driving a wagon the way this car handles the road. At 80 mph, it felt like I was driving only 45 mph.
Exterior Appearance
The exterior of any car is what grabs our attention first, and the A4 Avant did turn some heads as we drove through the streets of San Diego. You can see hundreds of A4’s, A6’s, and the occasional Q7 or A8 in San Diego, but an A4 Avant is a rare treat. The optional 18-inch sport package adds even more style to an already sleek-looking vehicle.
Price
The base model of the A4 2.0 TFSI Avant is $35,350, but the one featured here with the quartz gray metallic paint, premium plus package, navigation package, sport package, and destination charge will cost $44,100. The fuel cost is pretty decent with 21 city mpg and 27 highway mpg.
4 comments:
I am ready to order the 2011 model. However I have a couple of questions regarding the "Sports Package" and the "Audi Drive Select". One salesman says that thre is no difference when driving with the sports pakage, the suspensiion is not stiffer. Another one says, the Drive Select lets you customize the drive, so you could drive like it was the sport package - at $500 less. The other question I have is about theTechnology package- I heard it be standard on the 2011 Premium plus package -worth the extra?
I just purchased a 2010 Avant with the Sport package. I test drove both, with and without the Sport package. There is definitely a noticeable difference. Having driven an 08 A4 with the Sport "S-Line" package for the past 2 years, I was missing the responsiveness when driving the Avant without the Sport package, but when I drove the Avant with the package, it was much closer to my 08. With the larger tires, the 20mm lowering, tighter suspension configuration, and upgraded seating, the Sport package won me over right away. Kick it into Sport mode and you now have a mean aggressive sports car that can eat up any Southern California Canyon road. Oh, and with plenty of room to haul of your gear.
Well after reading the article, i am quite impressed, and need to know more about sport package.semi trucks
I own a 2010 avant, and it handles beautifully. However, beware of oil consumption issues. Mine is starting to eat the stuff--and Audi claims this is 'normal'! I had an old Jeep YJ with blown piston rings that went through only a little bit more oil than my $45,000 wagon. Definitely not normal--but I sense a battle ahead in having the problem fixed.
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