Test drive Audi A4 B7 2004 - 2007 Sedan

In A4 format

With the advent of spring, natural optimism and healthy activity that have fallen into winter hibernation and healthy activity returned to most of us. The soul requires the jokes forgotten for the student, the body of replenishment of the exhausted vitamin reserve. The new Audi A4, the sales of which are scheduled for March, will easily saturate both of them.
 

Good car; It seems that everything is with her: quality, comfort, appearance, and dynamics, but just does not catch. Harism did not work out, such an opinion on the Audi A4 of the previous generation could often be heard from the lips of particularly retreat fans of other German premium brands. The car was in some limbo, occupying an intermediate position between the Drivov BMW and the solid Mercedes. But in the 35th year of life, model A by its roots, it goes to the first eighty of Audi in the distant 1972, the braid of this neutral, finally found a stumbling block. They became a truly charismatic appearance, with which the new four is ready to break into shreds for a long time that accompanied her with a grown stereotype.
 

Under the spell of the car you fall immediately and for a long time. One has only to meet with the eyes with a stern dignity of headlights, summed up by the path of LEDs, on the growing wave of positive to walk along the lateral stamping and merge with a waterfall of emotions from the springboard of a small spoiler on the trunk cover. Feeling the car with the eyes of the tail to the head, you can flavor the overall impression of a pair of rear lamps ala compartment A5, admire yourself in new lateral mirrors of the rear view with a strip of diode repeators of the turn, and then thoughtfully stop at the changed front bumper in an attempt to collect the one. And when the brain puzzles fall into place, there is an unshakable confidence that the Ingolstadt maestro design once again managed to realize a constant desire to create cars in which belonging to a brand with four rings accurately.


The new A4 is perceived as flesh from the flesh of Audi. Basically, of course, from the flesh of the average A6 sedan, for which a beginner is easy to take in the profile of the body. The four also approached it in length (4703 mm), width (1826 mm) and especially in the wheelbase (2808 mm), leaving only height (1427 mm) in memory of the predecessor. These increases entailed a 20 -frail increase in the volume of the trunk (480 l) and significantly expanded the space of the cabin. Moreover, the latter is decorated here in a completely new way. But if you put a person with blindfolded eyes on a comfortable seat with many adjustments and, having removed the bandage, ask to determine the model, I'm afraid even a large Audi expert will wrinkle the forehead for a long time in an attempt to understand where it is. All interior details to the crunch of limbs are familiar along the same six. Starting from a convenient multifunctional steering wheel, ending with the configuration of the informative dashboard and understandable control of the optional MMI multimedia system on the central console. The result was a very successful symbiosis: on the one hand, a bright, even recognizable, appearance, on the other, a verified ergonomics of the salon. So this car simply cannot but add spring joy.


A very nutritious vitamin cocktail was prepared in Ingolstadt from the running qualities of the Audi A4, which happened to taste on the example of the most modest power version of the model with a 1.8-liter 160-horsepower turbocharged FSI. Compared to the ancestor’s motor, this unit has become 25 nm more than the moment. All 250 nm falls on a wide range of crankshaft rotation from 1,500 to 4500 min-1, which provides the car with confident picking up almost from the start and good acceleration up to 120 km/h. True, after reaching this speed of the reaction of the four, the gas pedal pressed is no longer so bright.
 

Multitronic stranded variator has a soft and smooth work. No stuttering or, God forbid, think out. In addition, electronic filling easily adapts the box to the driving manner of a particular driver. So, you can improve the already good dynamics of the car even without converting the selector into a sports regime. Several active accelerations and at the next clicking on the accelerator of the tachometer shooter instantly soars to the zone of increased revolutions, giving the sitting at the wheel to make a loser. And after a short calm movement, everything returns to its circles.
 

Smart Multitronic is endowed with manual mode. Eight fixed gears are switched by twitching back and forth the floor selector of the CP or by pressing the keys on the steering wheel. But there is no large winning in dynamics from this. Although manual therapy is added, of course, adds driver’s excitement.
 

An even greater enthusiasm is caused by Audi A4 handling. With increasing speed, the force on the steering wheel increases, providing good feedback. Due to the improved weight and a rigidly configured model, the serpentine roads of Sardinia easily surrendered under the speed onslaught of the four. At the same time, none of the electronic assistants never even blinked throughout the trip, although the speed of approaching turns sometimes on the verge of reasonable. True, there was no particular need: the car is clearly going along the trajectory, without requiring adjustments, and fits into turns with only minor rolls. But those sitting in the cabin regularly blinked their eyes, moving the next small fossa on the road. Perhaps it's just so tender
 

And what vulnerable! The change of model format is certainly pleasant and relevant. However, increasing the cost of the car can greatly upset us. And it will certainly happen, because in Germany Audi A4 has risen on average by a couple of thousand euros.
 

Taste addictions
A full -wheel drive versions of the model can be equipped with a new Audi Drive Select settings system, which allows you to adjust the operation of the engine, automatic and suspension based on the driver's preferences. The keys on the central console activate one of the three Comfort, Auto or Dynamic modes, in accordance with which the reaction to pressing the electronic accelerator, the speed of gear shifts and the rigidity of the chassis are changed. Cars with the MMI multimedia system additionally offer another opportunity to configure the above components on their own in 24 positions in the Individual menu, thereby bringing the car’s behavior to their own addictions as much as possible. You can move from one Audi Drive Select to another while driving.
 



Driving
The car is really greatly controlled and keeps the road, even in plain situations remaining controlled.

Salon
Convenient and spacious, with high -quality finishes and verified ergonomics.

Comfort
The suspension is quite rigidly practicing small potholes, but easily overcomes larger obstacles.

Safety
The capabilities of the car itself and the abundance of systems of active and passive safety deserve the highest assessment.

Price
According to preliminary data, the novelty will be significantly more expensive than the ancestor.
 



Technical characteristics Audi A4 1.8T Multitronic
Dimensions, mm 4703/1826/1427
Gasoline engine, 1798 cm3, 160 hp/45006200 min-1
Automatic transmission, unavailable KP
Dynamics 0-100 km/h, C 8.6
Maximum speed, km/h 225
Competitors of the BMW 3 series, Mercedes-Benz C-class


Advantages and disadvantages
+ Fresh design, good dynamic properties and handling, comfortable salon.
- Most likely, the price of a new generation car will be noticeably higher than the cost of the predecessor.

 
Our opinion
The new model from Ingolstadt, finally, boasts an important quality that it was previously attributed to direct rivals. A4 has become truly charismatic, so it will not be easy not to notice it on the road. And if we recall the improvements in dynamics and controllability, then to the question of whether premium brands are worth fear of competition, we will answer with confidence!
 
Dmitry Tytyuchenko
 


 
 

Source: Magazine 5 wheel [December 2007]