I've always had a strange affair with the Audi brand. There are cars that I adore and then there are those that I probably wouldn't wave a pointed stick at. Many of the offerings of late have fallen into the latter segment, admittedly.
This is not to say that their offerings are bad, on the contrary, just rather that they don't excite me in the way their older models did. There are a select few of their cars that manage to capture my imagination and reach into my souls and give it a tickle. I've found them to be stoic, muted and somewhat detached.
Performance from the S and RS models read extremely well but sadly, in my opinion, offer little in the way of engagement and driver satisfaction – the thrill of speed and power becomes one-dimensional without communication.
As a result, I entered into my time with the RS4 Avant with reservations, not allowing myself to swoon nor lambast it but rather to approach it as level-headed as possible. It would be up to the RS4 to impress me.
Styling
The decision by Audi to drop the sedan version of the RS4 (last seen in B7 guise) and only create the 5-door estate version, which Audi dubs Avant, is clearly a decision that made sense for the German firm.
In Germany.
Which is in Europe.
A region that appreciates the estate shape.
We're in South Africa though where only a handful of enthusiasts can appreciate the flexibility and practicality of an estate. Those that need the space, but want a sedan-like drive and not an SUV.
I can appreciate the Avant though, especially when it is styled the way that Audi has done the B9. Drawing on inspiration from the Audi 90 IMSA GTO (now we're talking about the good stuff) and clearly glancing at the Ur-Quattro and S1 occasionally, the RS4 Avant wears a set of blown-out, blister arches that bump the width out 24mm over the standard B9 A4.
It's as exciting as you're going to get a practical, 5-door estate and when you spring for the high-gloss black styling package that does away with the chrome and brushed aluminium finishes, you have a stealthy package that commands attention. It's the type of car you look back at when you've parked it.
The Drive
There are no two ways about it; the RS4 grips and hugs the road like few others. The Quattro system ensures that there's more grip available that you would want at reasonable speeds and you would have to get rather foolish behind the wheel to reach the limits of adhesion.
The RS4 is equipped with a brake-based torque vectoring system that does well to improve the front end grip and initial turn in, but I still felt that the RS4 was too anodyne for my liking. You're able to go stupendously fast into and through corners but you're always left feeling more like a passenger and less like a driver. It's a step up from the vanilla A4 sedan, but nowhere near as engaging as other cars that produce similar power. It's too easy to go fast in the RS4.
Performance
Much of that fast comes from the downscaled engine under the bonnet. Where the previous version of the RS4 boasted a 4.2-litre V8, the B9 RS4 Avant employs a 2.9-litre, twin-turbocharged V6.
The power remains impressive though and this power plant is good for 331 kW and a hefty 600 Nm torque; enough to get the RS4 Avant off the line and to 100 km/h in a fraction over 4-seconds. Impressive performance for a car that feels as large as the 1790 kg weight suggests.
One of the other changes in the B9 model was the discontinuation of the dual-clutch gearbox in favour of an 8-speed torque converter setup, replete with steering-mounted paddles.
When it comes time to stop it, large 375mm brake discs and 6-pot callipers do a sterling job of checking the speed. I was not surprised by this at all, I'm yet to drive an Audi that doesn't have wonderful brakes.
It may be missing the V8 burble, but the screaming, vociferous exhaust note, emanating from the dual, oval exhaust tips is still massively addictive.
Space and Comfort
Let's not fool ourselves, it's an Avant – there's space. There's over 500-litres with the rear seats folded up and when you fold them flat, you'll get a cavernous 1510-litres to work with.
Up front, there's generous space for the occupants and second-row legroom is impressive as well. It's the ideal companion for a long, spirited drive across the country and will carry 4 adults in relative comfort without breaking a sweat. I say relative because the primary ride from the large, 20-inch wheels is compromised and slight undulations in the road surface are transmitted through the cabin readily.
Safety
The RS4 Avant is equipped with 6 airbags including side and curtain airbags and Audi Pre-Safe is standard fitment. You get Parking Aid and Lane Change Assistant as standard but Pre-Safe Plus is an optional extra.
The A4 scored a full 5 stars in the Euro NCAP crash tests and it's fair to say that the RS4 carries the same level of safety.
Fuel Consumption
This is always an interesting one. The age-old argument of fuel consumption in a performance car. Most would agree that the increase in fuel consumption is an accepted price you have to pay for the performance offered. It's a sliding scale that is only countered by the EV generation.
Audi claims that the RS4 Avant will return fuel consumption figures of 12.5 l/100km in the urban environment and 7.2 l/100km on the open road. This should yield a combined figure of 9.2 l/100km. Our figures weren't too dissimilar with our average coming it at the mid-11 mark.
Price
The Audi RS4 will set you back R1 211 500 before you start with the options list and it will be easy to drop R1.5mil to get the spec level that you'd want.
You will need to include an additional warranty in the agreement as the RS4 Avant comes with only a 1-year / Unlimited km warranty but does have a 5-year / 100 000 km service plan.
The Verdict
The RS4 impressed me more than I thought it would. The power and acceleration are addictive but it still left me wanting more from the experience. It's certainly more engaging than some of the brand's other offerings but it lacks the attitude that I would want to see in a car of this ilk. Regrettably, I have to say that the competitive offerings from BMW and Mercedes-Benz offer more in the way of driver engagement and thrilling motoring.
For the sensible, practical, no-fuss approach, the RS4 Avant is the way to go. It's easy to go fast, but civil and agreeable at the same time. Very German then...
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