2007 Audi A4 Avant
In 2007, Audi's A4 Avant estate wagon was available with either a turbocharged, 2.0-litre four-cylinder or 3.2-litre V-6. You could also get it with a six-speed manual or automatic transmission, and it came with Quattro all-wheel-drive as standard equipment.
But this was not your run-of-the-mill dog-hauler or grocery-getter. The V-6, for example, developed 255 horsepower, which was enough to give it a 0-to-100 km/h time of under seven seconds and an electronically governed top end of 208 km/h.
You paid for this performance with mediocre fuel consumption, of course, and premium fuel was required. Natural Resources Canada gave the 2007 A4 Avant with the 3.2 V-6 and six-speed manual transmission a rating of 13.6 litres/100 km in town and 8.1 on the highway - not exactly thrifty. By way of comparison, BMW's 328xi Touring wagon, a direct competitor, delivered 12.2 city/7.7 highway respectively.
But if you could afford this vehicle's $42,000-plus base price, the cost of fuel probably wasn't much of a consideration. This was a case of performance first, and practicality second, and if you wanted to get behind the wheel of a stylish, competent, high-performance European-built estate wagon, well, that's one of the prices you had to pay.
Interestingly, the Tiptronic automatic transmission version of the A4 Avant offered better fuel economy than the manual gearbox: 12.1 city/8.0 highway. The Tiptronic also complemented the V-6 engine nicely, and you were still free to use the manual shift mode if you felt like it. Acceleration times between the two transmissions were almost identical.
Unsurprisingly, you got a high level of standard equipment with this edition of the A4 Avant. Leather interior, dual zone heat/ventilation controls, heated front seats, 60/40-split folding rear seat, driver information display, clever little felt-lined change drawers located in the centre of the dash, and red ambient lighting were all standard issue, and then, as now, the A4 was a paragon of comfort.
Safety-wise, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, and a full roster of front and side airbags came standard. Like all A4 models, the Avant also featured six crash sensors located throughout the vehicle; these determine the severity of a collision and automatically shut off the engine and fuel pump, turn on the interior lights, and activate the hazard flashers when things go pear-shaped.
You could also order extras, such as a convenience package, a cold weather package, and navi system. The first item included things like Bi-Xenon headlights, HomeLink and driver's seat memory, while the cold weather package gave you heated rear seats, a ski sack and headlight washers.
The European flavour of the A4 Avant was there in abundance. Suspension was typically Teutonic, and arguably a little harsher than it needed to be, could but then - and now - you'll look long and hard to find a better-handling station wagon.
No safety recalls on file for this year of the Avant, but the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has 63 technical service bulletins in its database. These run the gamut, from headlights going on and off at random, to wonky satellite radio and navi, to moisture accumulating in the headlight and taillights, to fuel pressure issues.
Nonetheless, Consumer Reports gives a tentative thumbs-up to the 2007 A4. Though it doesn't get this organizations' highest rating and there are apparently some issues with the engine and fuel and electrical systems, the magazine gives it a "better than average" reliability rating.
Some comments from owners: "small back seat and moron mechanics," "turbo lag on acceleration" and "every 2,000 miles, it's in for oil." Some of these comments are aimed at the sedan version of the A4, but since it shares platform and drivetrain with the Avant, they apply here as well.
Not quite as much enthusiasm from market research firm J.D. Power. The best this organization can muster for the 2007 A4 is a "below-average" rating for predicted reliability. Good marks for overall performance and design and comfort, but mediocre ratings for things like powertrain dependability, initial quality and powertrain mechanical quality.
Quite a drop in value for this one. From a base price of more than $42,000 in '07, it's dropped to about $20,000 for the 2.0 four-cylinder, up into the mid-$20,000s for the V6.
globedrive@globeandmail.com
2007 Audi A4 Avant
Original base Price: $42,340-$50,925; Black Book: $25,475-$27,050; Red Book: $19,500-$20,975
Engine: Turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder/3.2-litre V-6
Horsepower/Torque: 200 hp/207 Lb-ft for four; 255 hp/243 lb-ft for V-6
Transmission: Six-speed manual and six-speed automatic
Drive: All-wheel
Fuel Economy (litres/100 km): 13.6 city/8.1 highway (Manual with V-6); premium gas
Alternatives: BMW 328xi Touring, Mercedes E350 4Matic Wagon, Volvo V70