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Test Drives: 2006
Audi A4 Avant 2.0TDI
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The opportunity to drive a diesel Audi simply isn't an option in North America. This car
was tested while on vacation in Europe in 2006. The Audi provided much enjoyment
during a week-long tour of Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, France, and Monaco.
Driving on the autobahns and autostrades of Europe is somewhat of a dream for a
North American. The thought of taking a Ford Ka or any other sub-compact car for that
matter wasn't an option. You need to be able to enjoy the benefits of no speed limits
with a true car. The luxury-car box was checked on the rental car reservation. Upon
arrival at Frankfurt, the Audi wagon was offered and accepted for the one-week stay.
To the delight of the drivers, the Audi was equipped with GPS navigation. Thank
freaking god! If any North American is ever considering a driving tour of Europe, it is
highly-recommended to rent a car with GPS Nav. It gave us the opportunity to use roads
that would not have ordinarily been used because they were off the beaten path (and
road maps). Traffic notices provided valuable information when travelling between
major cities. Some notices were rather amusing, including "Animals on road" among
the list. Unfortunately, we were too close to one accident on the way to Munich for the
traffic notices to warn us. "Multi-vehicle accident, helicopter medivacs dispatched,
gridlock traffic, potential 3-hr delay" would have been the description. Oh well,
something to remember...
As for the Audi, what a pleasure to have for the tour. The car was driven over 2,500 kms
in one week, yielding excellent gas mileage and plenty of torque, thanks to the
turbo-diesel engine. It is a shame really that North Americans are not experiencing the
benefits of a turbo-diesel.
A few points against the Audi relate to its resemblance to its VW family members.
Some of the interior materials and parts are taken straight out of the VW parts bin. In
some ways, it drove similar to the VW Jetta my brother owned many years ago. Makes
me wonder how similar the Audi Avant feels compared to a Jetta Wagon.
Nevertheless, the Audi was a thoroughly enjoyable car to accompany us through over a
dozen European cities in one week. The car made it over 200km/h, keeping up with
Porsche 911s and BMW 5-Series wagons on the autobahns. What an experience. A
first, and hopefully not a last.
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