Test drive Audi A4 B6 2001 - 2004 sedan

Choice without compromises

The search for the perfect car is hopeless as an attempt to find the elixir of eternal youth. The SUV gives the owner a hint of freedom, but eats a sea of \u200b\u200bnerve cells when driving around the city and cuts coupons from income, as a monopoly from privatization. An ordinary sedan too limits a person in the habitat, stopping helplessly where mentally I would go and rode. The sports compartment willingly provokes low starts and intercity races, but, like an evil dog, recognizes only the owner and is too hostile to his household. Perhaps, only an all -wheel drive passenger car can be considered as an intermediate compromise on the way to a gold car section at least the number of sedans and station wagons sold in the world with a 4x4 wheel formula indicates that I am not far from truth.
In the middle of summer, we meticulously took our car for a long test. Alas, the editor-in-chief completely rejected options such as Ferrari 550 Maranello, BMW X5 Hamann or Mercedes Slk AMG (I didn’t really want to!). The task was set in a good simple thing: to determine which of the cars on the totality of consumer qualities can be interesting not so much to us as the nascent Russian bourgeoisie, to estimate the optimal complete set and find the company ready to provide us with a test mileage of 20 thousand Russian kilometers. Given the important fact that winter is at least half a year in our latitudes, they unequivocally decided (I apologize for the pun) to stop at all -wheel drive. Not eating special delights about the price of price/consumer qualities of imported UAZs, they took up the search for a car. Moreover, the pricing ceiling fathers-commanders were prudently limited to the bar $ 30,000. Having rummaged in their database and assessing the situation on the market, we approached the most responsible task: what to choose an Audi A4 Quattro or Subaru Legacy 4wd?
It was not by chance that our choice fell on this pair: despite the obvious successes of many car manufacturers on the sale of alloy all -wheel drivers, Audi and Subaru are on the highest step of the podium with the proud inscription AWD. Both companies are pioneers in the development of All Wheel Drive. Their rally teams belong to five world champion titles in the factory standings and three in the personal standings of pilots. After the appearance of the Audi Quattro in the early 80s, the world of ordinary cars became completely different, and Subaru in the late 90s, many manufacturers protected the road along which their intelligent all-wheel drive carts will move for many years and kilometers ... Both cars in our pair with highlight. Audi proudly sparkles with a 1.8 T Quattro nameplate on the trunk lid, in addition to the branded all-wheel drive transmission with an interdosseous worm differential of limited slippage of Torsen and electronic inter-cut blocks, A4 is armed with a 20-valve 1.8 engine with high-pressure turbocharged. 9.2 kg per horsepower, a 5-speed mechanical KP 8.9 C to the first hundred and a maximum speed of 222 km/h look far from the limit for this device. Subaru was offered in the GL configuration that, during his lifetime, the 4-cylinder atmospheric opponent with a volume of 2.5 liters in pairs with an automatic KP disperses Legacy to hundreds in 9 seconds, and the acceleration stops when the speedometer arrow is leaning on the mark 210. When distributing the moment along the axes. The distribution box and viscousyft are used, in standard situations giving 36% of the front axis and 64% of the rear.
Professor Rozanov will certainly express his academic view of forms and proportions. I will only share the sensations from several days driving each of the cars. Audi A4 overwhelming majority of others is perceived as evidence of the owner’s life well -being, a kind of all -ashes in the hierarchical chain of social achievements, among which, in addition to the right car, a good apartment in a prestigious area, playing sports in a fashionable room, vacation with family at ski resorts and their place. Thoughtful reading of the business press for morning coffee in front of a glider. All the more amazing was the reaction of those around me to my lanky figure in a tracksuit at the wheel, when I flew out, like a crazy one, from Khodynka, rushed to the nearest gas station and, without removing the Sparco gloves, grabbed the gas pistol, demanding that I pour me the next full tank for test ranges . Abnormal! They twisted their finger at the temple normal. The Hound Dog ... A4 old -timers from the high -rise buildings between the Khodynsky field and the Khoroshevsky highway were hopelessly dismissed from us.
To my considerable surprise, Subaru Legacy is not so benevolently perceived by the Russian majority. On the one hand, it seems that the time passed when our compatriots were distrustful of the auto industry of the country of the rising sun now this fate safely covered the Koreans. However, Subaru, having an absolutely well -deserved and equally unquestioned authority among fans of automobile sports, is accused of an unreasonably high price and excessively complex, in terms of maintenance and repair, a design associated with the use of a rather complex proprietary full -wheel drive scheme and the use of the opposite Motor like Porsche. Why is Porsche great, then Legacy Death? Perhaps the reason for our European orientation, in which any product from Europe is perceived as its own and with open arms, and in the uninitiated Made in Asia still causes more suspicion than approvals? True, the capital's pood of sand with salt on our roads, the capital's taxi drivers and traffic cops dreamed out loud, looking at both of our cars: if we would have such bulldozers for the winter ....
Real inequality becomes obvious if you compare the salons. Audi in the far from the richest configuration looks just a model of style and ergonomics. Everything is very convenient, logical and so correct that sometimes it becomes just boring. Assessing the layout solutions, considering the dashboard and the central console, listening to the standard stereo system and feeling the materials from which the interior details are made, it is not difficult to recognize A4 to compete with the best representatives of their class. It is amazing how these Germans were able to get into people so rapidly. After all, some 10 years ago, no one had a tongue to call an uncouth eighty of a prestigious car! Of the shortcomings, I note the two tall driver will from time to time be inconvenient for the close proximity of the right leg with the wall of the central tunnel, and the place behind is enough for everyone only on condition that especially long -legged people will go separately on A8. The rest of the four is equipped with five: climate control, parking sensors, ESP, ABS, front and lateral airbags, heating seats, electric windows and external mirrors along with all-wheel drive and a turbo engine make A4 one of the most tempting offers in our market for such money.
Subaru, when viewed from the inside, looks much more modest. Despite the leather salon and an automatic gearbox, the Japanese car cannot compete with the German in the level of comfort and ... social significance, or something ... out of the 14 years spent at the wheel, I used the Japanese with pleasure and without a twinge of conscience without a twinge . What I didn’t try: Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Subaru and each of its narrow -eyed horses was very pleased. Reliable, unpretentious and lungs in communication, they have always compensated for the lack of luxury with excellent ergonomics and excellent running qualities. Legacy GL is also difficult to blame for the lack of respect and attention to the driver and passengers. If we consider the salon without taking into account the price and configuration of the competitor, everything is enough and everything is in place. However, if we approach the comparison of A4 and Legacy fundamentally (we note that the price of Subaru, due to strong yen, is a couple of thousand higher than Audi!), It seems that while the Japanese decided whether the European market is important or not, and was confident in confidence that the running qualities of a car for the middle class are more important than the level of comfort provided for that kind of money, German manufacturers made the right conclusions from the American-Japanese automobile wars and raised the plain of humanity to such heights, where it will now be difficult to jump as difficult!
As we expected, in the excellent sled qualities of these machines, there was no doubt for a second. Both applicants for the place in the editorial garage demonstrated excellent handling, delivering great pleasure to the testers a real uncompromising drive in full. True, if Subaru is at any time ready gambling with a tail in bundles of turns and requires the driver at least some concept of the theory of controllability of an all-wheel drive car (or at least a car in general), then a whole workshop of auxiliary systems takes on Audi, the situation takes on the situation, reliably tracking so that the car does not go beyond what is permitted. With a light movement of the hand, we take out the fuse responsible for the work of ESP, ABS and electronic inter -celebrations (attention! Do not repeat this hooliganism under any circumstances!), And in our hands we have an ideal sports projectile for the production of adrenaline and reset excess weight. Full forward! Without compromises! It is unlikely that you will be a surprise that our final choice fell on the Audi A4 Quattro. It is he who has to live with us 20,000 joint kilometers, about which we will discuss in detail on our pages. The first report of 10,000 km will be released in the next number of cars to idle our four. And on Subaru our team will sincerely miss. It was great for Audi sparring partner. Honestly fought with the German in the same weight category. Here are just something Japanese with a category of price ...
 
Text Alexey Mochanov, 2 hp Photo Alexander Nozdrin
 
 
How do they look:
Nikita Rozanov

Outside:
If you take into account the unofficial dealer slogan Subaru that this car is not for everyone, then, at first glance, Audi may seem like a true embodiment of democracy and the ideology of a folk car. However, do not rush with a similar assessment. The Audi style is the flesh from the flesh today is a fashionable techno today with all the geometric verification of plastic and the functionality of the parts made in the traditions of the direction of high-tech. What is worth at least one glance of its headlights and the rear lighting and bumper integrated into the surface. But the most fashionable has never been and will not be the property of everyone. So it turns out that Audi is also not for everyone. True, for now. So, at first glance, the comparison of the two vehicles of the leader does not determine the fifty fifty. But if you look at this couple longer, it begins to seem that Legacy design with clearly more conservatism has a greater personality. In addition, the Japanese design is also greater and the anger and brightness required for an all -wheel drive sedan. This property of character is emphasized by both the predatory relief of the front bumper, and an aerodynamic lining on the thresholds. The appearance of the Audi is less aggressive and practically repeats the large A6 model, and from separate angles it can be completely confused with A3 and even A8. A4 is also displayed only in QUATTRO nameplates on the radiator cladding and the trunk lid, and in two pipes of the exhaust system. Looking at Audi, it begins to seem that only so unobtrusive and subtle and necessary. After a couple of minutes of studying, Subaru again begins to seem that there are more characteristics in Legacy, and you need only ... Take a look at the branded frameless doors and the original rear lighting, connected by a wide red lining is very spectacular! But these are only details that do not quite form into a single ensemble, and for this important parameter Audi for design, in the end, remains out of competition, although its style, unfortunately, gradually begins to blur and obsolete.
Results:
Audi A4 The car architecture is very stylish and integral, it is truly a symbol of European automobile design of the late twentieth century. However, time goes on, and soon Audi may need a new image and style. Subaru Legacy characteristics of the design leaves no doubt about Japanese origin and belonging to a well -known company. But this is the second generation of the model, and from this the car looks slightly conservative in terms of appearance.
Inside:
The design of the inhabited space of cars varies in the same way as their appearance. The interior of Audi is verified to the very last trifles with German accuracy, while Subaru is bifurcated between the eastern thrust to the verbity of the details and the desire to meet the peculiar standards of the architecture of the panel of the instruments of American cars. However, the Audi panel itself is not so intricate, but it takes clarity and adaptability of its composition and drawing. Features of the all -wheel drive nature of cars in the interior design are practically not declared. The exception is only Audi, where the wooden linings on the panel are replaced by overlays with high -speed carbon fiber, and this small bar creates a sports intelligence inside. This condition is reinforced with shiny shirts and steering wheel, which, although it has four classic knitting needles, more characteristic of large and imposing sedans, looks quite dynamic.
Results:
Audi A4 everything is very high quality, but too correct, and in addition very similar to the solutions of the remaining cars of the Audi model range. Although, however, this is a trend and, apparently, quite fashionable. Subaru Legacy, despite the fact that the interior does not have original style, its design is high-quality, but is deprived of any vivid solutions, which does not fully correspond to the image of a large original declared in the appearance of the car.
 

A source: Cars