Review of the new Audi A4 2.0 TDI Range

Audi's A4 2.0 TDI is a highly accomplished car with a driving experience well balanced between comfort and sportiness and a common-rail diesel engine producing performance and economy in generous quantities. Some will hanker after a more thrilling drive but for the average compact executive customer, the A4 will be near the mark.

The importance that Audi places on its A4 range can not be stated too heavily. This was the car that made its marque back at its original launch in 1995 and the Ingolstadt brand hasn't looked back since, regularly out-selling its BMW and Mercedes rivals here. Diesels have always been key to this model's success, but not the high-tech common rail diesels offered by most rivals. Instead, Audi, like other brands in the Volkswagen Group, have doggedly stuck to older (and noisier) but more proven diesel technology until they could find a common rail set-up they were comfortable with. That's now happened and the latest 2.0-litre TDI A4s, though badged identically to their predecessors, are now very different - and much improved.

Audi's 2.0-litre common-rail injection 143PS TDI engine is the one most diesel customers opt for in buying an A4. The engine gets to 62mph from standstill in 9.4s but more importantly has prodigious amounts of mid-range pulling power. There's also a 120PS version of this engine that saves you £700 and is very slightly more frugal but is a second and a half slower to sixty and about 8mph slower flat out. A more intriguing option is the 2.0-litre TDIe which has aerodynamic modifications to boost economy and 136PS. If you can find £1,000 over the 143PS model, there's a 170PS variant that gets from rest to sixty about a second quicker. This also comes with the option of quattro 4WD.

Drive the latest 2.0 TDI back to back with an old Audi diesel and that greater pulling power is immediately apparent, as is this powerplant's superior refinement thanks to the more modern common rail technology used. The A4 remains a very rewarding car to drive in a variety of different scenarios. There are sportier options out there if that's your thing but the A4 strikes a fine balance between eagerness and comfort.

"The latest 2.0-litre TDI A4s, though badged identically to their predecessors, are now very different."

Common-rail injection engines fire fuel into each cylinder from a shared (common) pipe (rail). The pipe is pressurised at 1,800bar which allows extremely fine atomisation of the fuel and a highly efficient combustion process. The injectors in Audi's TDI unit are capable of injecting fuel up to five times per combustion cycle at precisely controlled quantities so exactly the right amount of fuel is burned to optimise performance. If you're wondering how this affects you as the driver, it means a very smooth delivery of power without the sudden lunge of torque that can afflict the less sophisticated oil-burners.

The A4 features a state-of-the-art suspension and steering configuration, allowing for excellent handling balance and agility. It also has useful features like a luggage net and tie-down straps (both standard) and a bar-and-belt securing system and powered tailgate (both optional). It also helps that the tailgate is as low and wide as the interior, with no bumps or corners to negotiate, so loading is very easy.

A striking feature of the A4 is the fact that it sits on the longest wheelbase in its class. Audi took action to try and solve the appallingly small bootspace problem suffered by the MK1 A4 when it came to launching the second generation car at the turn of the century and here in the latest model they've turned their attention (at last) to the poor old rear seat passengers. The wheel base enables a generous amount of rear leg room with the added bonus of a 20-litre boost in boot capacity. These all measure up to mean the A4 is easily the most spacious in its sector and in turn means that buyers don't have to choose between the prestigious badge and low residuals of a compact executive car like the A4 or the larger cabin of a cheaper model.

Whether you opt for the saloon or Avant version, the 2.0TDI engine is available in the SE and S line trim levels if you go for the 143 or 170PS versions, or standard and SE if you go for the 120 or 136PS units. Six-speed gearboxes are standard throughout the range with this engine size. For a premium of £1,150, you can also opt for an estate 'Avant' version in both trim levels. Here, space in the back is rated at 490 litres with the rear seats in place and 1,430 with the rear bench folded. All models get a decent level of kit and the S line Avant comes with the added feature of a roof spoiler.

The SE trim level means you can expect 17-inch alloy wheels, a CD player with MP3 compatibility and an SD card reader, 3-zone climate control air conditioning, a colour driver's information system and interior chrome styling. The higher-end S line trim level offers 18-inch five spoke alloy wheels, lower sport suspension, a perforated leather gear knob, S line embossed sport seats and sill plates, xenon headlights and the option of black or silver stitching in the upholstery.

If you don't care about the bonnet badge, it's tempting to think that you could save money on a mechanically similar rival model but before you do, make sure to take residual values into account. Add all the figures up at the end of the day and you may well find that there's less in it than you thought, despite the initial outlay. Insurance costs are very little changed over the last generation A4 (the 2.0TDI variant is in group 12) as are fuel consumption figures. The 143PS model manages 55.4mpg on the combined cycle while the 136PS TDIe model returns over 60mpg and 120g/km emissions.

The Audi A4 is a genuine contender for class-leadership status and this is helped in no small part to its 2.0-litre TDI engine. The shift to common-rail diesel engines appears to have come at the right time for this car. The lag and lunge of the older Audi diesels is gone and the power is piled on quietly and smoothly for a far more relaxing drive. This unit strikes a fine balance between high performance and good fuel economy and with this in mind, it could present better value for money than its BMW and Mercedes counterparts.

The A4 remains a solidly built compact executive and while some will yearn for a sportier edge to the driving experience, they'll find the build quality, design and engineering tough to fault. Audi has really been going places over recent years and with products like the 2.0-litre TDI A4s on the books, it's easy to get a handle on why.

TOP 5 A4 DEALS

The results below show the top A4 deals on buyacar

Audi A4 2.0 TDI 143 SE 4dr Multitronic Diesel Saloon
Price £25,416 Read A4 Reviews	Save £1,969
Audi A4 2.0 TDI 143 SE 5dr Multitronic Diesel Avant
Price £26,521 Read A4 Reviews	Save £2,069
Audi A4 2.0 TDI 143 S Line 5dr Multitronic Diesel Avant
Price £28,808 Read A4 Reviews	Save £2,282
Audi A4 2.0 TDI 143 S Line 4dr Multitronic Diesel Saloon
Price £27,703 Read A4 Reviews	Save £2,182
Audi A4 2.0 TDIe 136 SE 4dr [Start Stop] Diesel Saloon
Price £23,964 Read A4 Reviews	Save £1,876
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