Audi A4 Avant (2015) Review

Audi A4 Avant (2015) At A Glance

High quality family estate. Good choice of economical engines. Classy interior with lots of tech.

Nondescript exterior styling. Hard ride on larger wheels. Optional extras can easily add £10k to the price.

Real MPG average for a Audi A4 Avant (2015)

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

Satisfaction Index

Reviews for Audi A4 Avant (2015)'s top 3 rivals

Audi A4

Exceptional quality, packed with technology, impressive refinement and comfort, efficient and economical.

BMW X1

Practical, spacious and good to drive. Diesel engines offer strong performance and low running costs....

Skoda Superb

Near perfect as a practical family estate car. Great value for money. Comfortable and quiet on the move....

Ask Honest John

Am I owed a refund after repeated issues with my new car?

"I picked up a 2019 Audi A4 Avant in January this year. On day one, an oil light flashed up. I took it back to the dealer, got the oil topped up, they were very sorry - blah blah blah. Day 2: a very bad noise and vibration at motorway speeds. I contacted the dealership again, but can’t get looked at for three weeks with no other option given. They replaced a misshaped part and sent me on my way. I got to motorway speeds again and the same noise and vibration persisted. I spend the rest of the day discussing with the dealership what they were going to do. A week later they email me to tell me that the wheel bearing needed replacing and a the taillight, which was picked up by me on the test drive before buying the car. I’m clearly not happy with how the car has been serviced and prepared by the dealership and have lost all faith in the car. I’ve asked for the car to be taken back and a full refund given but they have refused. Instead, I’ve been offered one month payment. I expected top level service from a premium brand and got the equivalent experience you get from a back street chop shop. I have repeatedly asked the sales manager and head of business to refund me. What are my consumer rights?"

This is shoddy service. You should have rejected the car when the vibration and noise started on day two - the 2015 Consumer Rights Act theoretically gives you the statutory right to reject a new or used car (or anything else) within 30 days of purchase if any fault is found. Now that the 30 day timeframe has passed, you legally have to give the dealer the opportunity to fix the problem and put this right. If they are unable to do so then you may have grounds to reject it. But you cannot demand a full refund because you have lost faith in the vehicle. For your consumer rights, see: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/how-to-reject-a-car-your-consumer-rights

Answered by Dan Powell

Can you recommend a good petrol hybrid estate?

"I currently have a 2-litre diesel Toyota Avensis Estate with 94,000 miles since new in 2010. It's very comfortable and has a big boot with seats that fold down for a golf trolley. I travel about 10,000 miles annually with regular long trips. I'm changing cars soon and would like a little more comfort. I'm thinking an Audi estate, either A4 or A6, probably the A6 with larger boot. Ideally for the future I'd like a petrol hybrid. Any suggestions?"

An Audi A4 or A6 sounds like a good option. Also consider a Skoda Superb if you're looking for value for money - we rate the Superb highly and the 2.0 TSI is a good engine. You can get a plug-in hybrid version, which might suit your needs if you can charge a car at home. If you'd like to go down to the plug-in hybrid route, we'd also recommend a Volvo V60 or V90 T8.

Answered by Andrew Brady

What reasonably priced tracker system can you recommend?

"I want to buy a reasonably priced tracker for my new Audi A4 Avant. Any suggestions?"

A company simply called "Tracker" (www.tracker.co.uk) makes some of the most comprehensive and proven tracker systems in the UK, but they can be expensive. On the plus side, your insurance premium should be lower, which offsets some of that cost. A good quality, trustworthy tracking system will require a subscription. Even if you choose a system without a subscription it's likely to require a SIM card so it can send information about its location, which is obviously only useful if the device has any reception. That's why a company like Tracker costs more - its systems use a more difficult to jam VHF radio system to communicate location (on top of GPS), which links directly to police vehicles for more quickly locating stolen cars. Tracker also has dedicated call centres. That said, you could try rewiresecurity.co.uk for a cost effective tracking system. It requires a SIM card, but their small Nano device is only £40 - so worth trying out if you're worried about paying hundreds.

Answered by Georgia Petrie

Should I swap my Audi A6 TDI for a petrol Audi A4 Avant?

"I currently have an Audi A6 TDI 190 and I'm nearly halfway through my PCP. I'm considering swapping for an A4 Avant, but is the TFSI petrol (252 Quattro) a good choice over the 190 diesel? I do 12,000 miles a year with occasional long trips, but on a daily basis 10 miles a day to work."

Very definitely. Not as many mpg but infinitely nicer to drive and far better to keep (if you want to) at the end of the PCP.

Answered by Honest John

On the inside of an Audi A4 Avant (2015)

• Boot space is 505–1510 litres
• Euro NCAP rating of five stars

Audi claims it used the A8 as the benchmark when it came to designing the interior of the A4 Avant. And it shows. The interior is upmarket, modern and superbly finished with high quality materials throughout.

There's lots of space too, with the high roof line providing plenty of head room for two large adults in the back. There is also a three-zone climate control system - fitted as standard - which lets the rear occupants set their own temperature too.

Up front there is a sleek dashboard, with a minimalist design that limits the button count to single figures. All of the controls are clearly laid out and within easy reach, while the switch gear operates with reassuring click that gives the impression that everything had been screwed together with a sense of purpose.

The centre stack is dominated by a large and colourful seven-inch colour display, operated by a large dial next to the gearstick. All of the menus are easy to navigate, making it easy to access the DAB radio or adjust the in-car settings while on the move.

We'd recommend spending extra on Audi's virtual cockpit system, which replaces the traditional instrument dials with a customisable digital screen to display everything from navigation directions to the latest fuel prices. 

In base SE trim the A4 Avant gets cloth seats, which are comfortable and adjustable. There is lots of padding for lower back support too, while the reach and rack steering column makes it easy to find a good driving position. Sports seats are added to - you've guessed it - Sport trim and S Line models get part leather/cloth seats as standard. We found the basic cloth seats to be more than sufficient for long distance driving. 

Accessing the boot space is simple, with a powered tailgate fitted as standard. This means you can open the boot hands free, with a push of a button in the cabin or on the key fob. The boot opening is wide too, while the low boot sill makes it easy to load heavy items, with a chrome strip protecting the bodywork on the boot entry floor. All A4 Avants boast 505 litres of space that can be expanded to 1510 litres. This should be more than enough for families and fleets who need to carry occasional large, bulky items. 

Standard Equipment:

SE is the entry-level trim and includes 17-inch alloy wheels, Audi Drive Select, MMI with seven-inch display, DAB radio, USB input, AUX input, Bluetooth, cloth upholstery, three-zone climate control, steering wheel mounted controls, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, electric boot lid release, LED running lights, rear parking sensors, keyless go, electric parking brake, pre-sense city, light and rain sensor and Isofix points.

Sport trim adds alternate 17-inch alloy wheel design, MMI with navigation, a three month Audi Connect trial, upgraded sound system, Sport front seats, LED lighting pack and a Sport styling pack.

S Line trim adds 18-inch alloy wheels, sport suspension, cloth/leather front seats with electric lumbar support plus S line interior and exterior details.

Child seats that fit a Audi A4 Avant (2015)

Our unique Car Seat Chooser shows you which child car seats will fit this car and which seat positions that they will fit, so that you don't have to check every car seat manufacturer's website for compatibility.

Which car seat will suit you?

Driving Audi A4 Avant (2015)

• Engines range from 1.4 TFSI S tronic to S4 3.0 TFSI 354 quattro Tiptronic
• Readers report Real MPG to be between 24–67 mpg

The A4 Avant is offered with petrols and diesels, but it’s the latter that provides the best balance between performance and economy. The highlight is the 2.0 TDI Ultra with 150PS. Not only will it emit 104g/km of CO2, but also provides an official 70.6mpg. 

The more powerful 190PS version of the 2.0 TDI Ultra is impressive too, with more torque and better 0-62mph acceleration. There is a marginal price to pay when it comes to economy - 106g/km and 68.9mpg - but the 190PS is great all-rounder and much more composed when it comes to overtaking slower traffic. 

Both the 2.0 TDI models can be ordered without the efficiency-focused Ultra treatment, which provides slight improvements in outright performance but slightly less economy. There is also a potent 3.0 V6 diesel, with either 218PS or 272PS.

Fuel economy for the powerful 3.0-litre TDI dips to an official 55.3mpg, while CO2 emissions climb to 114g/km or 139g/km for the more powerful model. However, with 0-62mph taking just 5.3 seconds and four-wheel drive fitted as standard, we doubt many V6 buyers will care too much about fuel sipping economy.

If your weekly mileage doesn't warrant a diesel then there two petrol options. The first is a 1.4 TFSI with 150PS, which is the most economical of the petrol engines. Fuel economy is decent, with 51.4mpg, but the four-cylinder engine has to be revved quite hard to pull away from junctions or joining a busy motorway. Given the choice, we'd spend more on the 190PS 2.0 TFSI. It provides more zip through the gears and is quieter under acceleration. Official economy is reasonable too, with 46.3mpg and 139g/km of CO2. 

Six speed manuals and seven-speed automatics are available across the range and there's no penalty for the autos when it comes to fuel economy and CO2. However, due to the jerky nature of the S tronic 'box at lower speeds, we'd choose the slick manual over the dual-clutch automatic.

On the road the A4 Avant is comfortable to drive over long distances, with exceptional motorway manners on 17-inch wheels. Indeed, barely any wind or road noise reaches the cabin and the diesels will hum along silently at 1500rpm. If you choose larger wheels and sports suspension then the ride quality suffers somewhat, with lots more road noise and lots of suspension jarring over potholes.

All A4 Avants get a drive mode selector system as standard, allowing the driver to sharpen or soften the steering and throttle response, depending on how comfortable or dynamic they want to experience to be. But none of the settings have any notable impact on the overall handling. 

Things are impressive on twisting road though, with lots of grip and little body roll, but the Audi is no match for the 3 Series Touring. That said, the steering is firm and direct, with lots of feedback, which lets you push it along with decent gusto. 

Audi A4 Avant (2015) Models and Specs

Currently on sale

On sale until December 2020

On sale until November 2019

On sale until July 2019

On sale until April 2019

On sale until October 2017

On sale until April 2017

On sale until June 2016

On sale until October 2015

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Model History