The A4 with Quattro is a bit of a surprise in the Audi line up. First off, it comes in four variations. The introductory model is your choice of either a sedan or station wagon. Audi refers to the wagon version as an “Avant”. Power comes from a 2.0 litre direct injected and turbocharged gasoline engine. At the upper end, the sedan and Avant models come with a 3.2 litre direct injected V-6.

Audis are always sure footed and fun to drive.

My first exposure to the A4 3.2 FSI was actually about a year ago in England. I managed to sweet talk Audi UK out of a car for a couple of weeks. I had asked for an automatic and wound up with a six-speed manual. Now I’m on the wrong side of the road, on the wrong side of the car, shifting with the wrong arm. To keep this short, I only tried to shift with the door handle a couple of times. I loved the A4 once I got used to it and looked forward to driving a Canadian model.

The Canadian model that turned up was an automatic and not quite as well decked out as the British car. The British car had all the option boxes checked off while my tester here, was just a sedan with an automatic transmission. Mind you even the basic A4 with the 3.2 direct injected (FSI) V6 comes with an impressive array of standard equipment, including climate control and heated seats.

There are still options such as Sat/Nav, Bi-Xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights and upgraded stereo packages which include audio jacks and a USB port. Audi also includes a Blue Tooth prep package and satellite radio on the option list.

One important point to me was that the A4 was be able to seat four in comfort and to make sure, I rode in the back for a few hours. I have to admit that a larger car would have been more spacious, but I doubt if it would have been more comfortable. The seat itself had plenty of hip room and I had a decent amount of space for my shoulders. Head room was a bit tight. I found it to be OK, but my tallest son urged me not to hit any large bumps that could possibly bounce him around.

Up front, the bucket seats were very comfortable and could form around a large range of body sizes. On the driver’s side, the power seat let me get comfortable in about 10 seconds and I finished up with a few small adjustments to the manually adjustable steering column. A few more seconds to get the mirrors in place and I was ready for a drive.

One important point to me was that the A4 was be able to seat four in comfort and to make sure.

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.

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.