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April 3, 2008 http://www.thecarconnection.com/fullreview/audi_a4_2002

  Paul Wiley Cockerham
EditorPaul Wiley Cockerham

The wagon variant of Audi's new A4 platform is everything the sedan is, just with a wagon body. As such, all other pretenders to the compact sport wagon throne should take note. Competent, solid and a match for any driver input (intended or not), the A4 Avant is much more a driver's machine than any Mercedes wagon and more composed than BMW's 330xi--particularly when outfitted with the sport package, as our light silver metallic tester was.

The trusty 1.8-liter turbocharged four as found in our wagon puts out 170 hp at 5900 rpm, but more importantly has 166 lb-ft of torque available from 1950 to 5000 rpm. Turbo lag mandates a bit of gas and clutch slippage from the standard five-speed manual at launch time, but the power does come on steadily, with a nice grrrr emanating from the dual exhausts. Personally, I would have appreciated the greater top-end power that comes with the optional 3.0-liter six--it would be more in character with the wonderful chassis. It weighs 44 pounds less than last year's 2.8-liter engine, comes standard with a six-speed manual, and offers 220 hp at 6300 rpm and 221 lb-ft of torque at 3200 revs. Nifty trivia: Cosworth Engineering contributed to the casting technology used in the six.

Underneath, the suspension is a four-link design in front with upper and lower control arms, and a fully independent, trapezoidal-link in the rear, with stabilizers and gas-charged, coil-over shocks all around. The sport package stiffens the stabilizer bars and the shocks, while lowering ride height an inch, and ties things to the ground with 17-inch alloys wearing 235/45 Y-rated tires--Dunlop SP Sport 9090s, in our case. It's not the hot package found in the S4 Avant (still based on the previous generation A4; a replacement's not due until 2003), but it accounts for itself nicely, thank you. The rack-and-pinion power steering system provides a high level of road feedback; turn-ins are fast, transitions are predictable, and ever-faithful quattro keeps dramatics to a minimum--particularly on wet, marginal surfaces. It's more than enough chassis for the turbocharged four — you'll find yourself driving deeper into corners than you might expect or want — but should you get into any trouble, well-modulated brake assist and Audi's ESP electronic stabilization program will help bail you out.

Ride quality with the sport package was better than expected, with punishment from freeway expansion joints kept to a minimum. The Avant is also a quiet, insulated little cruiser, with minor wind noise from the mirrors and the roof rack the only intrusions.

Dimensional analysis

The slightly larger dimensions and rounded lines of this year's A4 redesign — which tie in its looks to the A6 and emphasize luxury — translate very nicely into the Avant, with a slight taper in the wagon compartment ending in a modest, rounded lid spoiler. With the larger wheels and lowered ride provided by the sport package, our Avant had an aggressive beauty to it that turned heads wherever it went. 

The larger dimensions translate into more room inside. I could comfortably sport a Panama, thanks to the height-adjustable front seats, and with 34.3 inches of leg room in back, rear-seat comfort for two adults was no problem. Incidentally, ordering the heated-seat option on the Avant extends the capability to the rear passengers, who also get the security offered by a remote button controlling all four door locks. Seating is firm and comfortable all around, but the wide center console intrudes on the driver's front leg.

Interior materials are world-class. The four-cylinder A4s come with tidy aluminum trim pieces, while six-cylinder models sport wood trim. The gauges are clear enough, but stereo and HVAC controls on the center console are small, dark and confusing. In the down position, the central armrest interferes with emergency brake operation and blocks the cupholders. The cruise control stem is mounted just below the turn signal lever on the left of the column, which proved confusing as we time after time reached for the wrong lever.

The Avant is a wonderfully versatile cargo hauler, with all sorts of straps, nets and hooks for securing a load. The cargo cover, integrated into the large segment of the 60/40 fold-down seat, also has a cargo net that can be secured with either the seat up or folded down.

I wish I had realized this before I took an overnight road trip with our two dogs. Willy, the big poodle, was comfortable enough spread out in back, but Hudson, a largish, golden retriever-spaniel-mutt puppy, insisted on scrambling into the front passenger's seat. I left the dogs unattended for a minute and returned to discover Hudson destroying the leather-covered emergency brake lever. I reported this to the press fleet management company, and was astonished to learn that this was at least the third time this had happened to an Audi. Some dogs have good taste, and some cars must taste good.

Finally, everything about the A4 Avant suggests that it's a more expensive car than its $27,650 base price indicates. Audi has had some troubled times in the past, but with its sports prototype racers remaining all-but unbeatable, and exciting cars such as this compact wagon coming to the fore, one starts to believe that the dark days are much behind the pride of Ingolstadt.

2002 Audi A4 Avant
Base price: $27,650; as tested $32,120
Engine: 1.8 liter, 170-hp, DOHC turbocharged five-valve four or 3.0 liter, 220-hp, DOHC five-valve V-6
Drivetrain: Five-speed manual with overdrive (four-cylinder), six-speed manual with overdrive (six-cylinder), five-speed automatic with Tiptronic (both engines), continuously variable transmission with Tiptronic (six-cylinder); quattro all-wheel drive
Length x width x height (inches): 179.0 x 69.5 x 57.2
Wheelbase: 104.3 inches
Curb weight: 3516 lb
EPA City/Hwy: 21/29 mpg
Safety equipment: Dual front and side supplemental airbags, inflatable curtain airbags, ABS, brake assist, ESP (electronic stabilization program), front seat belts with pretensioners and force limiters, rear seat child seat tethers (three), heated outside rearview mirrors
Major standard equipment: Alloy wheels, power steering, dual-zone climate control with pollen filter, cruise control, power central locking, manual height adjustment for front seats, power lumbar adjustment, driver information display, concealed headlight washers, AM/FM/cassette/CD stereo with six-disc CD changer, dual-loading cargo floor, retractable luggage cover with partition net, rear wiper/washer, roof rails, front and rear fog lamps, tilt/telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel, full-size spare tire, quattro all-wheel drive
Warranty: Four years/50,000 miles (includes scheduled maintenance)

 

 

 

The wagon variant of Audi's new A4 platform is everything the sedan is, just with a wagon body. As such, all other pretenders to the compact sport wagon throne should take note. Competent, solid and a match for any driver input (intended or not), the A4 Avant is much more a driver's machine than any Mercedes wagon and more composed than BMW's 330xi--particularly when outfitted with the sport package, as our light silver metallic tester was. The trusty 1.8-liter turbocharged four as found in our wagon puts out 170 hp at 5900 rpm, but more importantly has 166 lb-ft of torque available from 1950 to 5000 rpm. Turbo lag mandates a bit of gas and clutch slippage from the standard five-speed manual at launch time, but the power does come on steadily, with a nice grrrr emanating from the dual exhausts. Personally, I would have appreciated the greater top-end power that comes with the optional 3.0-liter six--it would be more in character with the wonderful chassis. It weighs 44 pounds less than last year's 2.8-liter engine, comes standard with a six-speed manual, and offers 220 hp at 6300 rpm and 221 lb-ft of torque at 3200 revs. Nifty trivia: Cosworth Engineering contributed to the casting technology used in the six. Underneath, the suspension is a four-link design in front with upper and lower control arms, and a fully independent, trapezoidal-link in the rear, with stabilizers and gas-charged, coil-over shocks all around. The sport package stiffens the stabilizer bars and the shocks, while lowering ride height an inch, and ties things to the ground with 17-inch alloys wearing 235/45 Y-rated tires--Dunlop SP Sport 9090s, in our case. It's not the hot package found in the S4 Avant (still based on the previous generation A4; a replacement's not due until 2003), but it accounts for itself nicely, thank you. The rack-and-pinion power steering system provides a high level of road feedback; turn-ins are fast, transitions are predictable, and ever-faithful quattro keeps dramatics to a minimum--particularly on wet, marginal surfaces. It's more than enough chassis for the turbocharged four — you'll find yourself driving deeper into corners than you might expect or want — but should you get into any trouble, well-modulated brake assist and Audi's ESP electronic stabilization program will help bail you out. Ride quality with the sport package was better than expected, with punishment from freeway expansion joints kept to a minimum. The Avant is also a quiet, insulated little cruiser, with minor wind noise from the mirrors and the roof rack the only intrusions. Dimensional analysis The slightly larger dimensions and rounded lines of this year's A4 redesign — which tie in its looks to the A6 and emphasize luxury — translate very nicely into the Avant, with a slight taper in the wagon compartment ending in a modest, rounded lid spoiler. With the larger wheels and lowered ride provided by the sport package, our Avant had an aggressive beauty to it that turned heads wherever it went.  The larger dimensions translate into more room inside. I could comfortably sport a Panama, thanks to the height-adjustable front seats, and with 34.3 inches of leg room in back, rear-seat comfort for two adults was no problem. Incidentally, ordering the heated-seat option on the Avant extends the capability to the rear passengers, who also get the security offered by a remote button controlling all four door locks. Seating is firm and comfortable all around, but the wide center console intrudes on the driver's front leg. Interior materials are world-class. The four-cylinder A4s come with tidy aluminum trim pieces, while six-cylinder models sport wood trim. The gauges are clear enough, but stereo and HVAC controls on the center console are small, dark and confusing. In the down position, the central armrest interferes with emergency brake operation and blocks the cupholders. The cruise control stem is mounted just below the turn signal lever on the left of the column, which proved confusing as we time after time reached for the wrong lever. The Avant is a wonderfully versatile cargo hauler, with all sorts of straps, nets and hooks for securing a load. The cargo cover, integrated into the large segment of the 60/40 fold-down seat, also has a cargo net that can be secured with either the seat up or folded down. I wish I had realized this before I took an overnight road trip with our two dogs. Willy, the big poodle, was comfortable enough spread out in back, but Hudson, a largish, golden retriever-spaniel-mutt puppy, insisted on scrambling into the front passenger's seat. I left the dogs unattended for a minute and returned to discover Hudson destroying the leather-covered emergency brake lever. I reported this to the press fleet management company, and was astonished to learn that this was at least the third time this had happened to an Audi. Some dogs have good taste, and some cars must taste good. Finally, everything about the A4 Avant suggests that it's a more expensive car than its $27,650 base price indicates. Audi has had some troubled times in the past, but with its sports prototype racers remaining all-but unbeatable, and exciting cars such as this compact wagon coming to the fore, one starts to believe that the dark days are much behind the pride of Ingolstadt. 2002 Audi A4 AvantBase price: $27,650; as tested $32,120Engine: 1.8 liter, 170-hp, DOHC turbocharged five-valve four or 3.0 liter, 220-hp, DOHC five-valve V-6Drivetrain: Five-speed manual with overdrive (four-cylinder), six-speed manual with overdrive (six-cylinder), five-speed automatic with Tiptronic (both engines), continuously variable transmission with Tiptronic (six-cylinder); quattro all-wheel driveLength x width x height (inches): 179.0 x 69.5 x 57.2Wheelbase: 104.3 inchesCurb weight: 3516 lbEPA City/Hwy: 21/29 mpgSafety equipment: Dual front and side supplemental airbags, inflatable curtain airbags, ABS, brake assist, ESP (electronic stabilization program), front seat belts with pretensioners and force limiters, rear seat child seat tethers (three), heated outside rearview mirrorsMajor standard equipment: Alloy wheels, power steering, dual-zone climate control with pollen filter, cruise control, power central locking, manual height adjustment for front seats, power lumbar adjustment, driver information display, concealed headlight washers, AM/FM/cassette/CD stereo with six-disc CD changer, dual-loading cargo floor, retractable luggage cover with partition net, rear wiper/washer, roof rails, front and rear fog lamps, tilt/telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel, full-size spare tire, quattro all-wheel driveWarranty: Four years/50,000 miles (includes scheduled maintenance)       The wagon variant of Audi's new A4 platform is everything the sedan is, just with a wagon body. As such, all other pretenders to the compact sport wagon throne should take note. Competent, solid and a match for any driver input (intended or not), the A4 Avant is much more a driver's ...