2016 Audi A4 2.0 TDI Ultra – Review
DRIVING THE AUDI A4 2.0 TDI ULTRA
While some time passed since I tested the previous generation of the Audi A4, I found myself immediately at home when I got behind the wheel of our all-new A4. Audi continues to live up to its reputation for cars manufactured with premium quality materials.
The cockpit of the A4 is clearly structured and provides matching ergonomics between the driver and the car. Every button is exactly where it should be. The driver changes settings either via the MMI controller, located in the center console, or via the buttons on the multifunctional steering wheel. While it takes a few minutes to get used to the structure of the menus, the interface becomes intuitive after some use.
With Audi’s drive select, I was able to change the settings of the car, including the engine characteristics, the steering and the damper to my preferences. Although the A4 2.0 Ultra is trimmed for maximum fuel economy I decided to keep the car in the dynamic mode most of the time.
While the 2-liter diesel displacement provides sufficient torque in the lower rpm range, the engine has a hard time to deliver the desired power output at higher speeds. As a result, the fuel consumption increases disproportionately. With an average speed of 95.7 mph (154 km/h), the A4 achieved 24.5 mpg (9.6 l/100 km). The six-gear manual transmission of the A4 works harmoniously with the car’s diesel engine but has, to my taste, a too long shifting ratio. Optionally, customers can select a seven-speed dual clutch S tronic automatic transmission.
In my week with the A4, I spent 19 hours behind the wheel and covered a distance of 636.9 miles (1.025 km). I used the A4 as my daily driver but also on longer road trips to the Bavarian Alps. After one week, the onboard computer reported an average fuel economy of 45.2 mpg (5.2 l/100 km) with an average speed of 33.5 mph (54 km/h). While the A4 2.0 TDI Ultra is rated with a fuel economy of 61.9 mpg (3.8 l/100 km), our real-world figure reveals a significant difference to the official number.
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