A huge plus for the A4 is the size of the trunk. It held two weeks worth of groceries with room to spare. Golf clubs and hockey bags should go in with ease. If needed, the rear seat folds down for additional space.
It is amazing which features on a car can be tested in a parking lot. I needed every last degree of visibility to find a parking spot and to keep from getting hit. The large, power disc brakes do an incredible job of stopping at low speed.
When not in a parking lot, the A4 could move through traffic with the best of them. The large glass area that kept me out of trouble in a parking lot did the same job when changing lanes or merging with traffic on the freeway. In addition, the acceleration of the 3.2 V6 got me from lane to lane (and up to speed) quite quickly. Steering was always positive and precise.
Long distance touring in the Quattro was an exercise in relaxation. I never quite put in a full day driving, but after six hours and a gas stop, I still felt fine and was ready to continue. A big plus for touring is the fact that the instruments didn’t fade out in sunlight nor did my sunglasses cut down on their visibility.
Cornering with Quattro is quite similar to any other car, but if you really pay attention, you can feel the differences in both comfort and cornering speed. The car still has body movement, but it stays on your chosen cornering line better than most two wheel drive cars. This in turn makes cornering feel much easier and as a result you tend to relax a bit and enjoy the drive.
That doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy a bit of fun. If you happen to be on a gravel road, just zinging along and you come to a corner, you can get some pretty impressive rallye type slides going that will put a huge grin on your face. However, you are probably better off slowing down and making sure you get around the corner. The car does give plenty of warning before it breaks loose on either pavement or gravel.
No matter what shape Audi makes its cars, one important item gets built into every one. Audis are always sure footed and fun to drive.
photo:Charles Renny
It is amazing which features on a car can be tested in a parking lot. I needed every last degree of visibility to find a parking spot and to keep from getting hit. The large, power disc brakes do an incredible job of stopping at low speed.
When not in a parking lot, the A4 could move through traffic with the best of them. The large glass area that kept me out of trouble in a parking lot did the same job when changing lanes or merging with traffic on the freeway. In addition, the acceleration of the 3.2 V6 got me from lane to lane (and up to speed) quite quickly. Steering was always positive and precise.
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| The acceleration of the 3.2 V6 got me from lane to lane (and up to speed) quite quickly. |
Long distance touring in the Quattro was an exercise in relaxation. I never quite put in a full day driving, but after six hours and a gas stop, I still felt fine and was ready to continue. A big plus for touring is the fact that the instruments didn’t fade out in sunlight nor did my sunglasses cut down on their visibility.
Cornering with Quattro is quite similar to any other car, but if you really pay attention, you can feel the differences in both comfort and cornering speed. The car still has body movement, but it stays on your chosen cornering line better than most two wheel drive cars. This in turn makes cornering feel much easier and as a result you tend to relax a bit and enjoy the drive.
That doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy a bit of fun. If you happen to be on a gravel road, just zinging along and you come to a corner, you can get some pretty impressive rallye type slides going that will put a huge grin on your face. However, you are probably better off slowing down and making sure you get around the corner. The car does give plenty of warning before it breaks loose on either pavement or gravel.
No matter what shape Audi makes its cars, one important item gets built into every one. Audis are always sure footed and fun to drive.
photo:Charles Renny
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