Facelift gives A4 new lease of life

Good things come in small packages, or so they say.

But for the all-new Audi A4, bigger is definitely better.

The German manufacturer's mid-size saloon has undergone something of a revamp.

One of the few entry-level luxury cars available as a sedan, convertible and wagon, the A4 morphs to please everyone from big bustling families to solitary singles. Slide inside and you'll find a cabin that takes the entry out of "entry-luxury".

Thanks to a longer wheelbase, the interior is that much bigger than before, giving enough room for three adults in the back to have a comfy ride.

The boot is also bigger, while the bonnet is longer, but the overhang is shorter to create a more sportier feel. As with so many models vying for a similar market – including Lexus, BMW and Mercedes – a sporty appearance is important and the quicker it looks, the more appealing it is to buyers.

And a series of subtle changes to the A4 have really transformed it into a head-turner.

One of my favourite new features are the headlights.

Gone are the regular large round disks stuck on the front of the bonnet and in their place are a pair of circular lights underpinned by curved shards of metal with attached LED bulbs to create a longer line of light rather than an intense glare.

The A4 is also equipped with daytime lights, which are now compulsory in many European nations. The car's designers have re-thought almost every aspect of the car and no panel has been left unturned to give the customer a new driving experience.

While some of these changes, like the headlights, are glaringly obvious, others are not so, such as the weight. The new A4 is lighter than others, making it pretty nippy. But this was no fun when, on my test drive, the steering started to shake as I topped 120km/h.

What happened is still a mystery to me, but it did the same thing when shifting from reverse to drive while backing out of a parking space. Let's hope – for Audi's sake – the fault was with this test vehicle only because a brand new car shouldn't do that.

Other than the wobbly start, there was not much else wrong with the A4.

In fact, it had a lot of features that are not often found in this class including the intelligent key that allows the car to open automatically and turn on without putting the key in the ignition.

For traditionalists, there is still a slot. Using the handbrake could not be simpler because it is electronic and works at the touch of a button. There's also the Audi Drive Select, which gives different suspension levels, depending on the terrain and what response the driver wants. Neither the 1.8-litre engine nor the 160bhp (slightly reduced from the old model) sound particularly powerful in today's motoring world, but the TFSI, or turbo charge, gives it the extra oomph it needs to kick start the lightweight vehicle into motion.

The speed dials take some getting used to, because unlike most cars, the needles start at 6 o' clock, rather than the usual 7 o' clock.

It's easy to be lulled into a sense of false security that you're under the speed limit, when in fact you're right on it.

Luckily for some, the warning light does sound, but this comes at 130km/h and is a short, sharp shriek – rather than the continuous beeping of most cars – shocking the driver into quickly slowing down.

Even the Bang and Olufsen sound system was not enough to drown this one out.

The radio itself, though, is unnecessarily complicated at times, especially when it comes to programming different stations.

The seat controls can store two driving positions, while the steering wheel can be altered up or down depending on the size of the driver. But either way, the car is naturally best driven putting the turbo to good use and the more your foot touches the floor, the more fun the car will be.

It's very smooth and bumps in the road are taken with ease, never jolting passengers too much, while it grips the road like a pro when turning sharp corners.

The A4 can hit a top speed of 209km/h and it delivers the power with precision, smoothly moving through the gears thanks to its eight-speed multitronic gearbox.

And burning just 7.2 litres of petrol for every 100km driven, makes long journeys very cheap.

Sensors are an important aspect of the A4 and it is filled with them.

There is no rear camera shot when trying to reverse, but the sensors are so sensitive that it doesn't really matter.

The display panel shows the driver where the danger is, moving the coloured patches the closer you get to an object, which is much more helpful than a camera image and more accurate too.

While on the road, the amber lights flash on the corresponding wing mirror when another car closes in in the adjacent lane.

It's fine during the day, but kept catching my eye at night.

However, for those who don't check their blind spot, it is safer.

In today's market where the mid-size competition is fierce, Audi has done a commendable job. While it used to struggle to keep up with the likes of BMW this new model is bound to give it a run for its money.

The rivals

BMW 3-Series Saloon

Said to be the best in the mid-size executive market, the 3-Series saloon combines a great drive with quality and BMW's distinctive looks, but poor fuel economy lets it down.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class saloon

Having undergone a face-lift, the C-Class saloon is now a much sleeker vehicle. Its sporty exterior and comfortable interior has helped attract a younger generation.

Lexus IS saloon

Despite its pedigree, the IS lags behind the competition. Yes it looks good, but its performance doesn't match up.

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