Say hello to…
…the Audi A4 Avant, a compact premium estate car, with classy looks and a plush interior.
The fifth generation of Audi’s smallest estate was launched back in 2015 but given a refresh in 2019.
Trim levels mirror the A4 Saloon:
- Sport
- S line
- Black Edition
Standard equipment on the Sport includes: front sport seats in twin leather; a 10.1-inch Multi-Media Interface (MMI) display; Audi Virtual Cockpit; front and rear parking sensors; Pre-sense City, which alerts the driver of an imminent collision and will apply emergency braking at speeds of up to 53mph; lane departure warning; and a reversing camera.
S line upgrades the alloy wheels from 17-inches to 19-inches, lowers the sport suspension, and adds S line design features and privacy glass.
Black Edition models get black styling details and diamond cut Audi Sport wheels.
Is The Audi A4 Avant Suitable For My Fleet
There’s no plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) or fully electric version, which is a drawback when rivals such as the BMW 3 Series Touring and Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate offer them.
However, a mild hybrid electric vehicle is available, which we tested. During our week-long test we averaged 34.6mpg and reached 37mpg on a longer journey, 6mpg off the car’s official combined figure of 43.5mpg.
Boot space is a generous 495 litres with the back seats up, increasing to 1,495 litres with them folded down. This is just shy of the BMW 3 Series Touring’s 500 litres and 1,500 litres. It’s also 35 litres bigger than the A4 Saloon’s 460 litres making it a more practical choice for company car drivers or businesses.
A standard-fit power tailgate and low loading lip makes boot access easy. We were able to comfortably lift two heavy duty storage trunks into the boot.
Leasing A Audi A4 Avant
Intelligent Car Leasing is offering the A4 Avant in Sport trim for £557.82 a month on a 3+36 contract with 20,000 miles per year. On the same basis Gensen Reports expects maintenance costs to be £84.30 a month, insurance to be £40.50 a month and Class 1A NIC to be £141.88.
Driving An Audi A4 Avant
The A4 Avant’s high quality interior, and the overall fit and finish sets it apart from other cars in the class.
There’s a 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen (added as part of 2019 facelift) and Virtual Cockpit digital dials, with three different layouts to choose from.
On the road the A4 Avant is extremely comfortable, with light steering, which make for a relaxing drive – ideal for a high-mileage company car driver.
There are five different driving modes: efficiency, comfort, auto, dynamic and individual, as well as economy tips to help you get the most out of the mild-hybrid engine.
Acceleration is brisk, with a 0-62mph time of 7.3 seconds, while the top speed is 130mph.
FleetandLeasing.com Verdict On The Audi A4 Avant
Estate cars might have fallen out of favour with some company car drivers thanks to the lure of an SUV but for those looking to lease a premium estate car the A4 Avant ticks lots of boxes. Disappointedly, being a mild hybrid rather than a plug-in or fully electric, it doesn’t tick the low BIK box, while rivals do. That’s something that ought to be rectified when the new model comes out. But for now, it’s difficult to recommend a car for an SME fleet that will cost a 40% tax paying driver over £460 a month in tax – along with increased NIC payments for the business – unless it’s a real deal breaker.
Model: Audi A4 Avant Sport Edition 40 TFSI S tronic 150 kW MHEV
- Power: 201hp
- Torque: 320Nm
- Max speed: 130mph
- 0-62mph: 7.3s
- Official fuel figure: 43.5mpg
- Test fuel figure: 34.6mpg
- CO2 emissions: 148g/km
- BIK tax band 2023/24: 34%