1998 Audi A4 Avant

Although the sports sedan quality is well-established, "sport" and "wagon" are looked on by a multitude of manufacturers and purchasers as mutually incompatible categories. After all, station wagons are kid-haulers, the kind of automobile ancestral to the minivan. And not anything is as diametrically opposed to sportiness as a minivan, to the exclusion of possibly a wagon, right?

Wrong. Audi had kept on producing There are those considerably sporting wagons for decades now. Among the fresh packages for the sport wagon niche is the A4 Avant, established on the compressed A4 sedan. Like the A4 sedan, the Avant is accessible in both front-wheel force and Quattro all-wheel push from. It uses the fresh version of Audi's 2.8-liter V6, through 5- valve-per-cylinder heads for larger number of tiny gas production. The new engine affects a larger number of electricity as opposed to earliest versions of the engine, investing in no come down in power economy.

Recent tad used amidst a 1998 Audi A4 Avant Quattro headed by all too quickly. It combined the better of German luxury car comfort and sports sedan performance in a weird package. The Quattro all-wheel force gave it traction and terrific handling much in wet, slippery conditions, and the miniscule station wagon design received for a exceptionally comfortable and versatile interior. It may be German, but it is as versatile as a Swiss Army knife.

APPEARANCE: "Sports sedan amongst a fanny pack" is how Audi calls the A4 Avant, and that is as a magnificent a description as any. The Avant is a good-looking, small, two-box design, discernably an Audi but fewer rounded as opposed to the A4 sedan while if its gently-sloped station wagon roofline. It shares sheetmetal investing in the A4 sedan down the road of the windshield, and looks as if it's a larger number of small as opposed to the sedan. It is faintly shorter as opposed to the A4 sedan, amidst reduced rear overhang. Bright roof rails supply a semi-sport-utility appear and one or two supplementary carrying abilities - just now be gloomy of the fixed-mast antenna at the rear of the roof. As on the A4 sedan, the Avant has subtly sculpted sides and pitiful fender flares. It is a astronomical model of old earth elegance, handsome and functional providing no gimmickry.

COMFORT: The A4 Avant is a miniscule wagon, in emphasis on small. Think of it diminished as a family hauler and larger number of as a 4-door hatchback. A really well-appointed 4-door hatchback, a several European brand of car. It is both luxuriously comfortable and versatile. Firm but comfortable seats in on perforated leatherette upholstery (driver's power-adjustable, front passenger manual), automatic climate control in pollen filtration, one-touch electricity windows, fuel mirrors and door locks, and leather trim for the steering wheel and shift knob are a good deal of of the usual luxury touches. A 60/40 split rear seat in a ski passthrough, and rear cargo shade and net bring in the A4 Avant a versatile cargo hauler when necessary. With the rear seat folded, there is a flat 3 underside by 5 bottom carrying space, amongst a multitude of width obtainable just about the rear wheel wells. The coming back seat is not exceptionally spacious, but it is sensible for medium-sized people. The "Atmospheres" interior design thought permits a opportunity of interior styles and materials. Audi's seat heaters, half of the "All-Weather Package", are the right in the industry. Instead of the likely one or two temperature positions, properties hold thre for maximum adjustable comfort.

SAFETY: The 1998 Audi A4 Avant has safety-cage chassis construction, next-generation front airbags and half airbags for front seat occupants, 3-point safety harnesses for all occupants, and 4-wheel antilock disc brakes.

ROADABILITY: The combination of all-wheel press Quattro traction and all-weather Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires whores the A4 Avant good handling features in wet or dry conditions. At a track happening at a wet, slippery Sears Point International Raceway, the A4 Avant got my vote for "car ideal suited to the conditions." On the street in above all drier weather, its nimble handling and compliant suspension earned it a winner for around-town errands, a extended highway trip, and backroad pleasure driving. It was quiet, comfortable still on poorly- surfaced roads, and presistently a pleasure to drive.

PERFORMANCE: The A4 Avant is offered sole in Audi's 2.8-liter, 190-horsepower V6 engine. No difficulty there -- it is a weird five- valve-per-cylinder design amongst variable intake geometry and variable intake valve timing for the best fuel portions at all engine speeds. Although a five-speed manual gearbox is rule resources on Quattro versions, many Avants in their globe should be ordered in on the optional 5-speed automatic transmission. It's further convenient in traffic, and due to the fact that it uses Tiptronic manual shifting licensed for Porsche, it is easily as significantly fun when money is indistinct and the road is twisty. In automatic mode, the transmission's adaptive shift logic learns the driver's driving style, and shifts speedily and smoothly.

CONCLUSIONS: The 1998 Audi A4 Avant supplies a distinct combination of compressed wagon versatility and sporty performance.