The Goodwood Test: Audi A4 – Tech Heavy

Heritage

The ultra-successful Audi A4 replaced the ageing Audi 80 in 1994 and would go on to be part of a revolution for the four rings, one that changed it from near also-ran in the German car market to a true competitor for BMW and Mercedes-Benz. While the original showed a brand looking to the future, it was perhaps the second and third generations that have become aligned with Audi's rise to near dominant player in the executive market. By 2011 sales of the A4 and 80 had hit an astonishing 10,000,000 worldwide and there's appears to be no sign of the appetite for high-quality mid-range execs dying.

Design

Audi has taken some flack for its rigid design structure, with all models sharing many of the same features, but the A4's new-generation Audi face is a striking one. The central upright grille has now become a stylish hexagon and the headlights chizzled with smart LED inserts finishing the look. Audi was one of the first pioneers of LED running lights through the R8 and A5, and have developed their use ever since. The style is more of an evolution than revolution, but in this particular Audi it is perhaps not the exterior that is most important.

This is the first time that Audi's new interior philosophy has appeared as integral to of its saloons, in this case transferring a lot of the infotainment systems directly into the eye of the driver on their fully digitised dashboard. The interior is festooned with switches, a bold move away from the all-in-one philosophy pervasive in most car design of 2016, but never cluttered despite the wide array of options. The finish is, as ever, of the highest quality.

Performance

We're in the front-wheel-drive version of the A4 rather than the iconic quattro, but that doesn't mean this is a poor man's choice. While it's true that the lack of action to the rear wheels means the fronts at time struggle to do a job often shared, this car is not about being hurled round country roads; its on-road performance is almost secondary to how well everything works inside. This A4, the 2.0-litre TDI, will be used mostly by those who want a quiet commute, or families, so a robust but easy to use interior is a must. You'll find the usual plethora of mod cons, and even the odd flourish that you don't expect – for one it has a wireless mobile phone charging pad, brilliantly removing the faff of trying to plug in USB cables and avoiding the dreaded gearstick hook.

Passion

The A4 is grown up, so passions come in other areas than its hotter siblings. A slight hint of torque-steer under acceleration reminds you that it wasn't designed for a full-bore standing start, but will very happily entertain the family on the long ride back from a bank holiday away. The incredible interior has Audi's mantra of Vorsprung durch Technic written through every stitch, ensuring that Audi's passion for engineering excellence is at the forefront of the experience. Sometimes you don't want to be hustled to the track, there are other cars for that. Sometimes a brilliant cruise with the kids to spectate can leave just as big a smile on your face.

Price of our car: (A4 2.0 TDI S-Line): £33,345 inc £8,595 optional extras