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Road test: 2009 Audi A4 Avant 2.0T quattro car review: a red wagon for Calvin
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Back before Calvin went into comic book retirement—taking jobs on pickup truck rear windows celebrating his incontinence—he and Hobbes would go careening in a little red wagon. We think Calvin and his tiger buddy would enjoy the 2009 Audi A4 Avant 2.0T that Audi recently sent us to test.
That particular 2009 Audi A4 Avant 2.0T that Audi was swathed in a brilliant Marilyn Monroe shade of lipstick red, officially called (simply enough) Brilliant Red and certainly enough to stand out among the silver and grey masses like a ballerina among toe-dancers.
“Avant” is what Audi hears when others spell s-t-a-t-i-o-n w-a-g-o-n. The 2009 A4 Avant is no more a station wagon than it is a minivan and once seen, the 2009 A4 Avant makes the A4 sedan look prosaic, dull and suited only for the unimaginative.
What’s more, the Audi A4 is all new for 2009, the first truly new chassis since 1995. Audi decided to update 2009 A4 Avant at the same time as the sedan rather than maintain the older body and chassis—they’re built together at the same facility—or delay its introduction.
Under the five-door body, the A4 Avant is mechanically identical to the A4 sedan, of course, and one of the most significant changes is the reconfigured drivetrain with the front axle moved forward (the front differential now ahead of the clutch) by a smidge over six inches. This provides the styling plus of moving the front wheels further forward, reducing the long front-wheel drive front overhang, it shifts the weight distribution rearward to improve handling. Audi also addressed the forward weight bias by moving the battery to the rear of the vehicle too.The four-cylinder base model A4 is called the 2.0T, the same as last year, but don’t let that fool you. It’s a new engine, and the new four has direct fuel injection with all the benefits that brings, including a higher compression ratio, which aids in increased low end torque.
Also helping the two-liter crank up almost subterranean torque is variable valve timing with variable lift on the exhaust. Audi also offers Audi Drive Select, a performance option that includes adjustable engine/throttle mapping, suspension damping and dynamic to alter the driving personality of the A4.
Audi refers to the new two-liter engine as the 2.0 TFSI. Remember it; there will be a test.
The 2009 Audi A4 looks different from the 2008 and it’s not just a facelift. The ’09 Audi is the first Audi since its 1995 intro to have a new chassis, in part to accommodate the new drivetrain arrangement but also improve handling with a new suspension and gain more interior room, particularly in the sear seat, notorious for its leg-crushing rear seat. The new Audi is 185.2 inches long, compared to the 180.6 of the ’08.
The bigger 2009 A4 isn’t heavier, however, and it is also stronger, both made possible by the use of “hot formed” high strength steel in selected locations. For tech-minded readers: Boron alloyed steel plate blanks are heated to about 1,740 degrees Fahrenheit, and then formed in cooled presses while being quenched.The stiffer body supports an entirely new suspension system, five-link up front. (Warning: motor geek info follows) At the rear, a ridged subframe made of longitudinal and transverse tubes is mounted in horizontally firm/vertically more compliant bushings. It’s all about heat: Two trapezoidal links are warm-hardened cast in aluminum while the wheel carriers are chill cast. The upper control arms and track arms are forged aluminum. Additionally, the suspension springs no longer mount on the trapezoidal links, like the former A4, but on the wheel arms themselves.
This trapezoidal suspension yields a low load floor for the Avant and the spring positioning increases wheel travel by three-quarters of an inch.
Audi offers a sport suspension—our test model didn’t have it, alas—with firmer springs and shocks and a ride height lower by three-quarters of an inch.
Audi puts bigger brakes on the A4 now as well, and the front discs are ventilated by joining the two halves of the rotors by hundreds of small cubes that are able to disperse heat quickly. Calipers are also lighter and more rigid.
The stability system is upgraded sufficiently for Audi to call it a “new generation.” It gets rather complex, but it’s sufficient to say that while the driver can turn off the stability control system, brake force distribution and anti-lock braking remain active, as does split µ (friction) steering stabilization. With cars with front-drive, traction control can also be turned off to allow wheel slippage, advantageous in certain low traction situations.
Lately Audi has set the standard for interior style and quality. The 2009 A4 doesn’t disappoint. The styling motif emphasizes a driver oriented approach, with a hockey stick-shaped module wrapping around the driver from the instrument panel down through the center stack to the center console, which tilts slightly towards the driver.
The video screen is standard, navigation system or not, because many convenience operations are controlled via Audi’s “MMI” system. With its modified joystick/pushbutton operation, it’s like an advanced computer software program. It does so much that it takes some time to learn. Some actions incorporated into the MMI could just as well have been left outside the system with separate buttons. On the other hand, it could be argued that doing so would take up more dash/center stack real estate and it’s all a matter of becoming accustomed.
Alas, the Tiptronic six-speed automatic transmission—the only gearbox offered in the Avant—does not include paddle shifting. Shifting up and down requires moving the gear selector lever fore and aft.
The new 2.0-liter TFSI engine is a charger. Audi claims it gives the performance of a six. We disagree. We say its better. It’s not the 211 horsepower but rather the fat torque curve, 258 lb-ft of twist from 1500 to 4200 rpm that does it. Welcome to responsiveness around town—there’s no need to rev the engine noisily keep up with larger-engined vehicles—and the torque also provides a flexibility of gear choices when playing on back roads.
We’ve always thought the quattro-equipped A4 was a more than adequate handler on a winding road—full disclosure: we have a 2002 A4 in the household—but the balance of the 2009 A4 takes that to a new level. Our test Avant was equipped with the 2.0 TFSI engine rather than the optional 3.2-liter V-6. Still, we were able to bull out of corners with a quick press of the throttle even without having to continuously zing the engine.
The 2.0 TFSI’s torque was also beneficial because tip-shifting the console-mounted shift lever was less than satisfying, in part because we’re experienced manual shifters and we’ve experienced paddle shifting. Shifting an automatic on the console has become an awkward compromise. Or maybe we’ve become spoiled.
Our red 2009 Audi A4 Avant 2.0T quattro was also talented at punching holes through multilane freeways at speeds that provoke an “oops” and a lift on the throttle pedal. The car is one of those that go faster than it feels. Audi claims the 0-60 mph comes up in TK seconds but that’s not where its primary talents lie.
The 2009 Audi A4 Avant 2.0T quattro doesn’t feel much like a station wagon behind the wheel, but in truth, it isn’t the biggest station wagon out back. The official cargo volume is 17.3 cubic feet behind the rear seat, though we suspect that’s packing all the way to the ceiling. With the rear seat folded—the don’t go completely flat—the cargo capacity is a 50.5 cubic feet. However, Audi has a clever cargo cover that slides up along the D-pillar that not only moves it out of the way for loading but provides some weather protection for the interior.There’s also a mesh screen that can be raised between the cargo area and passenger compartment, good for keeping potentially-flying objects back where they belong—or stuffing stuff all the way to the ceiling. Both the screen and cargo cover are standard equipment, by the way, as they should be. And folding the rear seatbacks doesn’t result in a flat floor.
Our particular 2009 Audi A4 Avant 2.0T quattro Tiptronic, to use its full name, came with a--heartstopping for an A4--price tag of $48,975. It started with a base price for the "Premium" model, but the Prestige model package adds a whopping $7,500. Audi bundles features in en masse, so for example, to get heated seats or HID headlights, one must also get LED running lights, three-zone automatic climate control, upgraded audio and the trip computer (which should be included in the base price, in our opinion), adding $4,000 to the bottom line. Our Pristige model included 18-inch wheels, sonar parking assist, proximity key, Bang & Olufsen audio, blind spot protection and a power liftgate.
Sport and S line--a sport seat, suspension and 19-inch wheel package, and a Sport plus sport trim package respectively (both also include paddle shifting with Tiptronic)--are offered separtely. And anyone who wants other than red, black or white paint will pay $475 more.
The EPA fuel economy estimate is 21 city/27 highway. Over about 300 miles of mixed driving, we achieved 25.0 mpg, according to the car's trip computer.
Still, having driven the Avant 2.0T, we’re curious why anyone who’s tried it would still buy a sedan. It reminds us of the classic ’57 Chevy Nomad. It’s not the greatest hauler, perhaps, but for the Avant, with its fenders wrapped around its standard 17-inch wheels and tires and its neatly canted liftgate, it’s a classic in its own right.
Just like Calvin’s downhill wagon. However you’ll have to provide your own stuffed tiger.
Illustrations: 2009 Audi A4 Avant 2.0T quattro. All photos by John Matras.
| Layout | front engine / all-wheel drive / unit body |
| Engine | 2.0-L/211-hp DOHC 16-v turbo I-4 |
| Displacement, cc | 1984 cc |
| Compression ratio | 9.6:1 |
| Construction, head/block | aluminum/cast iron |
| Horsepower @ rpm | 211 @ 5300-6000 |
| Torque, lb-ft @ rpm | 258 @ 1500-4200 |
| Fuel requirement | premium unleaded, 91 octane |
| Transmission | 6-speed automatic Tiptronic |
| Steering | Rack & pinion, speed-sensitive hydraulic assist |
| Turning circle, ft | 37.4 |
| Suspension, f/r | 5-link, upper/lower A-arm/trapezoidal-link |
| Brakes, type | 4-wheel disc w/ ABS, EBD and ESP |
| Disc dia., in., f/r | 12.6 / 11.3 |
| Wheels, size, material | 7.5 x 17, Cast alloy |
| Tires, size | 225/50R17 H-speed rated |
| Dimensions & capacities | |
| Length, in. | 185.2 |
| Width, in. | 71.9 |
| Height, in. | 56.8 |
| Wheelbase, in. | 110.6 |
| Cargo capacity, cu ft, seat up/down | 17.3 / 50.5 cu ft |
| Performance | |
| 0 - 60 mph | 6.7 sec. |
| Top speed, mph (elec. limited) | 130 mph |
| Fuel economy, EPA mpg, city/hwy | 21 / 27 |
| Fuel economy, observed, mpg | 25.0 |
| Base price | $34,500 |
| 6-speed automatic transmission/all-wheel drive | incl. |
| ABS / EBD / ESP / automatic disc brake wiping | incl. |
| Comfort/convenience: automatic climate control, panorama sunroof, power locks, power-windows w/one touch at all windows, power mirrors, cruise control, power driver/f-passenger seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel w/ multi-function controls, leather seating, cargo cover, AM/FM/CD/SD/aux/Sirius satellite audio | incl. |
| Safety/security: front/front side/side curtain airbags, auto door locking | incl. |
| Exterior/interior color: Brilliant red/Cardamon beige | incl. |
| Prestige model: 18-inch alloy wheels, sonar parking warning, keyless (proximity) locks and start, Bang & Olufsen premium audio w/ 6-CD, blind spot warning, power tailgate, Xenon headlights w/ LED running lights, Bluetooth, three-zone climate control, heated front seats, Homelink, chrome window trim, auto dimming int/ext mirrors, compass-in-mirror, music interface (replaces aux), driver memory seat & mirrors, driver info system w/ trip computer, rain/light sensor | 7,800 |
| Audi drive select | 2,950 |
| Navigation w/ rear-view camera | 2,500 |
| Wood trim, ash almond beige | 400 |
| Destination charge | 825 |
| Total Price | 48,975 |
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