The newest 2016 Audi A4 recently arrived in South Africa and SA Car Fan spent some time behind the wheel to see if it’s a worthy challenger to the highly contested premium sedan segment.
A battle of the luxury sedans has been brewing for quite some time, and with every refreshed derivative reaching our shores, the premium German Trio size each other up.
So, BMW with its evergreen 3 Series and Mercedes Benz with the mighty C-Class might be popular favourites, but Audi has done a stellar job at grabbing the spotlight with the all-new A4, which is definitely getting people looking… and talking.
The A4 might have taken its sweet time to arrive in South Africa, but as the old adage goes: “good things are worth waiting for” and the A4 doesn’t fail to impressive.
Launching with an arsenal of new and innovative technology, the new Audi A4 has grown and matured impeccably. Probably the biggest talking point of the A4 is the ground breaking virtual cockpit, putting the focus, front and centre for the driver. This futuristic technology comes at a price in the lengthy options list, but the intuitive system is fantastic to use, as it to helps eliminate driver distraction.
Besides the bespoke technological features blessing this premium sedan, the engineers over at Audi managed to refine the A4’s already smooth ride. Previous generation Audi A4s are renowned for their silky smooth ride quality and this modern German is no different.
Suave through the corners and as stable as ever on the open road, no road noise permeates into the cabin, which is finished in quality and premium materials.
Certainly from a looks perspective, the Audi A4 has come of age and filled out nicely, boasting curves in all the right places. Of course, the good looks shouldn’t take away from the Audi’s impressive engine line-up. Doing duty in our test mule was the 2.0T FSI with S tronic transmission.
Powerful and smooth out the gates, this 140Kw and 320Nm quick revving beast plays the role of people transporter with just the right amount of firepower. Doing the 0-100km/h run in 7.2 seconds, the potent 2.0-litre engine is also rather frugal, returning a claimed 7 litres/100km.
Redefining what we’ve come to expect in this segment, the Audi has raised the game. It’s spacious front and back seats, plus a 480 litre boot space (with the seats up) means there’s adequate room for luggage.
While some might feel the A4’s styling has remained conservative, I think it’s evolved enough to get people interested. But the overall package is pure class, rich with technology, space and sporty performance, it’s just a pity about the hefty price tag.
We can all agree, the exchange rate has been less than kind and our test car as standard was R513 000, throw in a few extras, notably the navigation system (needed for the virtual cockpit) and the virtual cockpit option itself and you are in for over R30 000 in extras.
Yes, our test car came in at a pricey R647 170 after the options were ticked. Admittedly, Audi’s fellow competitors can’t far behind on the price game either.
The question remains, which of the three German powerhouses deserve the crown? Well, as the newest and most tech enhanced of three, the A4 can certainly don the throne…. for now!
| Base Price | R513 000 |
| Engine Capacity | 1 984 cm³ |
| No. Of Cylinders | 4-cylinders |
| Aspiration | Turbo |
| Power | 140kW at 5 000 r/min |
| Torque | 320Nm at 1 250 r/min |
| Transmission | 7-speed S tronic |
| Drive type | Front-wheel drive |
| Acceleration | 0-100 km/h in 7.2 seconds (claimed) |
| Top Speed | 250km/h |
| Fuel Consumption | 7.0l/100km (claimed combined) |
| CO2 Emissions | 122g/km |
