I think you need to consider the needs of an average German customer. They'll spend time driving around town and in heavy traffic and for that they want great economy, who wouldn't. But on those occasions when the Autobahn traffic is light, they want something that can rapidly get them from 60mph to 155mph and brake well back down to 60mph when all lanes are full of slow drivers. For that they don't need awesome handling or super fast shifts, they just need a good reserve of power to get it done. It's also the reason so many German cars have ceramic brakes - it's not for track use, it's for avoiding brake fade on the Autobahn. What you also need to realise is that Diesel is about 25% cheaper than petrol in Germany (or it was last time I took any notice, I don't do diesels). So you get the double whammy of more mpg and costing less.
Mostly true, however the ceramics have 2 major reasons for buyers 1 bragging rights/ look 2 no brakedust so keeps the rims cleaner. I thought they are pointless, but I have them now and I do kinda like them over steel also for those 2 main reasons. I probably wouldn't option them if I bought new.
Not just the German consumer id say, but the type that does a lot of highway miles. My father has a 3.0 TDI Touareg with 280hp, and I wouldnt change for a petrol. Its quiet, comfortable and if you want it to it goes quite well. Compare that to a petrol: They are thirsty and need to change gears if you want the smallest amount of power. So why should anyone buy the petrol, if you cant hear the engine while driving anyway? The same goes for the S4, and even the RS4, as they bassically are like muscle cars: good in a straight line, bad in the corners. I think what petrol heads need to understand is, that most people dont drive their cars to the limit, they just want power and 350hp is quite a lot no matter if its a diesel or a petrol. Who cares if the heavier Diesel engine enhances Understeer, most people, especially those that have enough money to own a S4, will never find out what understeer even is.
@@derfurz8618I know this is a 2 year old comment but I gotta say, the RS4 Avant is no slouch in corners, it's a great drive around country roads here in the UK once you get used to the fact it's a boat that has superb traction and nimble handling when you drive it aggressively, not as nimble as my old hot hatch but by far the best car I've ever owned, but it is a thirsty beast and not very torquey, 444bhp and 430nm of torque. You gotta have the revs up high to get the most out of it but in manual mode that's not an issue. I also love the sound of the V8. Had a few diesels too in the past and wouldn't mind buying one of these S4's for the Mrs and me to swap with every now and again. Again, old comment I know but I just had to thrown my 2 pennies in now that I have driven and own an RS4.
I have the diesel S4 and think it's brilliant. Engine torque is incredible and acceleration amazing, especially in manual mode, build quality is brilliant. I think it sounds nice as well and gets all the looks in Quantum grey. Low down and mid-range thrust is superb and very powerful large breaks. Love it.
Car has now been returned 😞 I loved that vehicle and did 56k in it over 3 years. That engine is off the scale powerful with 700+ Nm of stump pulling power. Loved it to bits.
People who will never even drive a Huracan are complaining about it not having a manual. Complaining is just what the online car community is all about, unfortunately
I prefer a diesel over petrol. My last petrol was a H reg E30 318is, around 2003/4. My brother is an excellent diesel mechanic/technician so any problems he'd sort it. My first diesel tho was 1998/99. A mk1 golf with a 1.6 n/a diesel, it was slow as sh1t, 4 speed box. But a pleasure to drive as it had bags of torque compared to the Nova 1.3s etc my mates had. Now I have a mk2 Clio 1.5td. Most of my driving is urban, it's £30 tax a year and happily returns 50/55 mpg. I've had it nearly 3 years and no plans to swap it..... MOT tomorrow though 😂
@A World Under A Spell Most big companies know their market. Audi seems to be sure the amount of people insiting on a petrol S4 is small enough to negate. He also isnt really complaining just pointing out the irony
I am revisiting this video 3 years later and I think Audi pulled a blinder really. That said you don't see many S4's on the road so the end user didn't agree.
Great video, minor suggestion, I have no idea what the earlier model numbers mean but would probably recognise them, maybe flash up images of the older cars so that us non audiphiles can keep up
James Prescott Audi really has some strange quality issues as of late. My 2020 A4 Avant was in the Shop due to a recall concerning the Riemenstartergenerator (sorry, I’m German and I don’t know the English term for it). My rental was a brand new A3 s-line...cheap plastics galore, rattling noises in the front and the kicker was the rubber insulation from the driver door kept falling off. The car had 1500km on the clock....not exactly a glowing advertisement.
Just bought a petrol B9 S4 Avant as my do everything single car. It's brilliant, the diesel does nothing for me. The wheels and lights for the facelift are awful and make it look oddly dated.
I totally agree with you on the facelift lights! They went back to separate LED clusters which remind me of the orginal LED lights that Audi came out with more than 10 years ago. The continuous LED strips look so much better. For example on your pre-facelift B9.
The only reason audi is launching these new S models as diesels is to get the fleet average for the CO2 lower to be able to build the RS cars. We should be thankful for what we get, soon the base standard will be 100 kw electric
If you get the chance to try the pre facelift petrol s4, give it a go. Might not be as practical a choice, but that engine is a lot more engaging by default
Sebulba’s podracer sounds WAY cool!! 😉 I share your hatred for iPad infotainment solutions in cars. I’ve avoided them and bought other cars instead when they started to show up.
Great review Jay, spot on. Had S4B9 Petrol and now S4B9 Diesel. Love them both great mile munchers and load luggers. 40+mpg is very welcome. Best option, 360 Camera in new S4
@@seashackf1 LOL Engine was not on the options list otherwise I would have gone for Diesel muscle and Petrol sound. As Jay says torque is phenomenal and in real world driving feels quicker than petrol. 360 Camera has saved me curbing wheels already, the birds eye view is super helpful when in an unfamiliar parking spot. Forgot to mention 48v Hybrid system it really improves start/stop experience. Blind spot indicator should be std as on RS4 however (or at least on option list)
Steve Abbott....too bad engine wasn’t an option.😜 If it was then those who didn’t like it would only have themselves to blame. Another option to the petrol sound would be petrol n/a instant power. I’ve seen in a number of reviews that the lag is....horrible. Anyways glad you like your car and it’s working well for you.
The biggest issue I had on my old B9 A4 was the horrendous throttle delay when puling out onto a roundabout. I would say it was borderline dangerous at times.
I've got the S line black edition, it's a few years older, but I love it and will be buying something similar when I get my next car. It's both practical and has just enough performance when needed.
As an S5 (supercharged V6) driver I can tell you that diesel was definitely not the right choice for the S4, 5, 6, 7.... But the German car makers are really struggling to overcome their diesel obsession
This leaves me cold, in an expensive performance car there should be an emotional connection but I don't get it here. And Audi interior quality is not what it once was, ditching the MMI dial for a touchscreen is a big mistake in my opinion. I currently drive an A6 but really haven't been attracted by another Audi to replace it.
I bought a C7 S6 Avant new in 2017, simply because of the petrol 4.0 V8. The replacement does nothing for me and I'm not a fan of the RS models, just a bit shouty for my liking. So the C7 is going to be staying a while, I'm glad I bought the warranty extension option when it was new. It is the best everyday car I have ever owned.
All the grumpy old men will hate this because it’s a diesel and not a quad turbo W16, but I’d sure as heck rather take this than another “performance” SUV.
I actually like what Audi is doing here. Thought they were nuts at first after seeing the RS6, but as an all round road car this seems ideal. I wish we could still get new TDI models in the US.
Everytime going through model list of A4 I end up with Allroad. It has longer and thus comfier suspension travel set up, more sound deadening inside floor, ideal choice of engines, unique color options and looks special. When thinking about veeery fast A4 I aways rather look at upgraded ones from Abt Motorsport because next to S-line and RS which are crazily competing with rough M BMWs the Abt Audis they are sort of like what is BMW Alpina ...based on regular comfortable models with upgrades just right things to make them feel GT rich without spoiling its exhaust, suspenssion and brakes....yes of course you can get some top end full tuning Abt or Alpina tearing AMGs appart in every aspect but mainly....you can upgrade your car just accordinng to you taste with specific parts creating on suit machine which is different to regular manufacturer conditioning "if you want this you can have it only with that and those or nothing"
I'll stick to my tweaked 07 330D which you can get for a bargain these days. 420lb/ft and 280bhp whilst still able to do circa 50mpg on the motorway is a no brainer👍
I am in a similar boat with my lightly tuned 335d touring, albeit I am more likely to get 40 to 45mpg on the motorway. I also had a tuned 330d with similar figures to yours and it managed 210k miles and is still on the road today! Questions for you though, does your 330d's power come in like a sudden bomb? I found the single turbo set up when tuned is far more brutal than the bi turbo 335d that has a far more linear power delivery.
I ran a 2014 330d xDrive for 2 years. They are great cars - so long as you have a warranty......... So frustrating that there is always something costing £1,500 plus every year on top of standard maintenance.
Sabretooth Barnacle Not sure you can compare a modified car with something standard. And BMW and Audi do things quite differently. Then again at 13 years old, your car is doing very well to still be on the road.
Totally agree that the Jag XF Sportbrake S is a very close comparable. Those 2 cars were on my short list. It was like a game of tennis going back & forth deciding which attributes suited me better. Went for the XF Sportbrake S in the end & haven't regretted it.
@@bensmithkent22 the Audi is a second quicker in the 0 - 62 race, but the key is torque with both cars matched at 700nm / 516lbs. In gear acceleration to UK speed limits felt equal. Yep more space, rarer (one of the monthly Jaguar meets I attend has more E-types in attendance than Sportbrakes) & the interior actually I thought was better in the XF Sportbrake & is lasting very well. Also I can't stand the infotainment screens plonked on or to the face of dashboards. Poor design / after thought in my book. Remember each to there own & try both cars to see which you prefer.
Just like my 2005 7g tronic CLS500 :) . Foot down - it drops 1 cog to start with and almost ask you ''are you sure you need more speed'' , then if you keep the foot down it drops down to full power proceeded by a small pause but then boom !! You're off and keep effortlessly going till 155 mph.
Slow in is definitely not the way to drive an Audi. Makes understeer worse by lightening the front end an putting more weight on rear. Need the opposite. Also stiffer rear sway bar helps a ton.....Fast in, brake hard, trail brake to apex helps dial out understeer by keeping weight on front wheels and lightening the rear to help it rotate. Then rocket out of corner.
Paul Bartley.....agreed, but we have to deal with what we got. Think the ‘problem’ with Quattro is it’s set up more for bad weather grip than all out dry weather performance. You also have to be able to adjust your driving style and not let the car do it all for you. Half the fun is knowing what to do and having the ability to do it. Just like you have to adjust for an over steering car. Drifting is definitely more fun, but braking just hard enough to rotate the rear end at turn in is fun too. Most people are either too scared to do it or don’t have the ability and need the car to do everything for them.
@@seashackf1 I don't need the car to do everything for me. I drive an evo 6 😂😂😂. That is superb in bad weather and still great in the dry. Bad engineering is bad engineering
Paul Bartley...you got me there. Aside from packaging it can’t explain why Audi have always done this. Evo’s are great cars, but overall very different to something like an S4 Avant. Evo is ALL about performance and more of sports car. S4 Avant is a balance between performance, practically, luxury, etc.
I swapped an A8 3 litre V6 diesel tiptronic Quattro for an 2016 A4 Avant with the same drivetrain. In the lighter A4 it was a rapid and entertaining machine. The extended range worked better for me driving to and from the Alps compared with the petrol.
@@andrewwallace1030 I get about 22 mpg normal driving, spiritedly I get about 19 and on the motorway I get about 30-33mpg. On the dashboard of the Audi it says 33mpg and at another point it says 19.2 mpg which is very similar to my cars mpg. Which is rather odd because my car is 17 years old, the engine design is about 25 years old is of a much larger capacity, more cylinders, it's petrol and it's supercharged. I make more power as well.
Fast entry helps too. Fast in, brake hard, trail brake to apex keeps weight on front wheels and dials out understeer. Then rocket out of turn. Also stiffer rear sway bar helps a ton.
Very nice Jay! Some pretty good points, especially with regards to the tablets and screens extravaganza in higher Audi models (A/S6 onwards). I would love to have one of these (S5/4) as my daily driver. Keep your videos coming and be safe. Subscribed.
@@urbanoman7689 I think he means its not a great setup for a performance driver orientated car. Petrol engines are more superior, hence all race cars are petrol.
@@3v3rhard The R10 TDI says otherwise. So do the Alpina D3, Golf GTD and others. Most diesels aren't even remotely designed to be sporty, therefore it seems like it's an inherently shit setup for a performance car. Of course, diesels only recently became viable in performance cars, so that might have something to do with it.
Totally agree on that one....diesel in a performance car is a no go for me. But, for the first time ever, I’d rather have a Mustang (GT350) over an M2 or even M3/4. The new M’s sound terrible and have too much crap on them. GT350 - insane sounding NA V8, manual.....basically a new e90 M3. But with the long winters in New England none are a go as only car.
James, I am surprised at the fuel economy that you got from this and the XF that you compared it with. My XF 3.0 diesel did 37mpg on a mixed mainly motorway commute and 57 on a long motorway run.
I have a B8 S4 with the supercharged petrol as the family car. Where I live it is expensive and hard to get a parking spot, so this is my perfect do it all car. I prefer it to 335i because I think audi has much more usable interior. Oh and it is a manual!
The S4 suspension is better than most Audis on sports suspension, but why do they not give us the adaptive suspension option that the rest of the continent have? The gearbox calibration is wrong and the car changes down too easily. It should stay in a higher gear longer when accelerating to take advantage of the huge torque available at low revs. The BMW M340i is the obvious competitor and a comparison would be interesting. I found it a better car to drive, as you might expect, but I have only driven the petrol version.
This car still uses the turbo V6 in the U.S.; I’m not sure if Audi offers any diesel cars here. I suppose that’s why Jay specified this is the European version.
@@andypaul999 yes, terribly dull. May as well buy a nearly new, well specced A4 3.0 tdi and get a tuning box or remap and save atleast 10 grand. I have a 2019 C43 AMG which is equally practical and comfy but 1000x more exciting and something you can drive just for fun. (In standard and in current modded form) .
I'm confused about the gearbox information you gave. The dual clutch was invented for the VAG group car Bugatti Veyron in which had 1001 Horse Power. So now high power Audi's don't have the dual clutch because it can't handle the power.
Yeah it's very odd. The Bentley Continental has a dual clutch setup too. I think the real reasons are cost, and smoothness - apparently a lot of customers dont like the DCT
@@JayEmmOnCars Having owed a car with the dual clutch (VW Jetta) I can say it's great so long it works. Mine started giving problems at 80000 miles. Wouldn't go into reverse. Would if you turned car off and restarted it but as you can imagine that gets a bit tiresome. VW and every gearbox specialist said new gearbox required at £6000+. Never would buy a car with it again. I'll stick to torque converter autos, more reliable.
I'm going to sick my neck out here, without even watching the video to say that diseasal can NEVER be the right choice for a sporty car! How are you going to rev it to 6,000 RPM??????
@@JohnGuidetti751 SQ7/SQ8 petrol are mild hybrid that's why they went back from diesel. Also Audi has almost their entire line up mild hybrid and they have the e-tron to lower the CO2
I find diesel cars incredibly dull and tedious,although they've moved on massively in recent decades I don't find them a pleasure to drive,still ideally suited to wagons,tractors and "off roaders".
I have An Audi A6 Diesel quattro and it has superb blend of power, economy, comfort and handling for my family. I love it, very special car to me. Have you forgotten that Audi won Le Mans in a diesel. Think they know how to build a diesel. I appreciate your opinion.
Worst thing they did switching the S4 to a diesel but that's the way the world is going now. Diesel with Mild Hybrids Plus its lost its grunt out of the exhaust...sad times
ZF must be making MILLIONS of their 8-speed automatic gearbox. All the new BMW performance cars and now AUDI are using it. My M140i uses it. It’s a brilliant bit if kit.
Every automatic bmw of the F-series models with a bit more torque from as far down as the 118d has used it I think. That has to be many millions of cars by now, just from BMW, so yeah.
I suspect that Audi have, as with this whole generation of performance Audi's asked their customers, and then given them what they asked for. We might not like it, but maybe it wasn't made for us? Idk guess we will have to see how it sells
diesel just doesnt do it anymore, with all the modern regulations even if it sounded decent or bearable. There wouldn't even be any chance for that sound to come through. Theres more excitement and ofcourse driver involvement with a bmw but also it being a petrol or benzine the revs are just.... it just simply feels better.
I just can't get enthusiastic about modern Audis, all stereotypes about their drivers aside, I really think they started losing their way after the sort of C6 (2008/2009ish) models, to me they went from being almost the pinnacle of German mass-production, to going down the fashion route, a bit like the Range Rover Evoque, and in fact when the A1 came out, I said it was the matching purse to the designer handbag that was the Evoque. Now they've taken their "fast road" sports models and dropped a diesel in them, it just seems completely at odds with itself. And that colour, not just Audi but a few manufacturers using primer grey as a legit colour, it has to stop. Your car doesn't look modern or edgy in that colour, it looks like they didn't finish painting it and when our "heads turn" it's because we're all laughing at you.
S4 and S6 deserve to be diesel. But a coupe styled vehicle like the S5 and S7 should certainly be Petrol. Audi deffo missed an opportunity by not doing that.
Diesel performance car is def a no go and that lag😳. Funny that you never understood the S4 when it actually forced BMW and Mercedes to up their game. B6/7 S4 forced a V8 into the M3 and C63....thank you Audi. Also by having a very competent, but affordable and versatile daily driver performance car in between the regular range (a4) and top end (RS4) it showed there’s a market there and now you have more choices in the other brands. M-lites and AMG-lites...again, thank you Audi.
Sounds great for a diesel. However, those seats are really an eyesour. Not because of the color, but just how the red leather flows over the black plastic. wtf happened. Audi are amongst the kings of interior!
Great review James. Had a 2017 B9 S4 for a year and a half - superb car technically but never really connected with it. Job changes meant more frugality needed so swapped for a Mini Clubman Cooper SD which is a joy to drive vs the S4. Wonder if we'd still have the S4 if it was a diesel, along with the persistent detachment that came with it.
To me, Audi Sx is now just a trim level. Better to get a well specced petrol S Line. It’s also competent but not special. If you want special and are willing to pay for it, RS is the only way to go.
I think you need to consider the needs of an average German customer. They'll spend time driving around town and in heavy traffic and for that they want great economy, who wouldn't. But on those occasions when the Autobahn traffic is light, they want something that can rapidly get them from 60mph to 155mph and brake well back down to 60mph when all lanes are full of slow drivers. For that they don't need awesome handling or super fast shifts, they just need a good reserve of power to get it done. It's also the reason so many German cars have ceramic brakes - it's not for track use, it's for avoiding brake fade on the Autobahn. What you also need to realise is that Diesel is about 25% cheaper than petrol in Germany (or it was last time I took any notice, I don't do diesels). So you get the double whammy of more mpg and costing less.
Mostly true, however the ceramics have 2 major reasons for buyers 1 bragging rights/ look 2 no brakedust so keeps the rims cleaner. I thought they are pointless, but I have them now and I do kinda like them over steel also for those 2 main reasons. I probably wouldn't option them if I bought new.
Vee Macks theyve changed from
Diesel to petrol for 2020 for the s models
🤷🏼♂️🤦🏼♂️
Not just the German consumer id say, but the type that does a lot of highway miles. My father has a 3.0 TDI Touareg with 280hp, and I wouldnt change for a petrol. Its quiet, comfortable and if you want it to it goes quite well. Compare that to a petrol: They are thirsty and need to change gears if you want the smallest amount of power. So why should anyone buy the petrol, if you cant hear the engine while driving anyway? The same goes for the S4, and even the RS4, as they bassically are like muscle cars: good in a straight line, bad in the corners. I think what petrol heads need to understand is, that most people dont drive their cars to the limit, they just want power and 350hp is quite a lot no matter if its a diesel or a petrol. Who cares if the heavier Diesel engine enhances Understeer, most people, especially those that have enough money to own a S4, will never find out what understeer even is.
@@derfurz8618I know this is a 2 year old comment but I gotta say, the RS4 Avant is no slouch in corners, it's a great drive around country roads here in the UK once you get used to the fact it's a boat that has superb traction and nimble handling when you drive it aggressively, not as nimble as my old hot hatch but by far the best car I've ever owned, but it is a thirsty beast and not very torquey, 444bhp and 430nm of torque. You gotta have the revs up high to get the most out of it but in manual mode that's not an issue.
I also love the sound of the V8. Had a few diesels too in the past and wouldn't mind buying one of these S4's for the Mrs and me to swap with every now and again.
Again, old comment I know but I just had to thrown my 2 pennies in now that I have driven and own an RS4.
VAG - the pioneers of the DCT are even using the ZF8hp now. Brilliant gearbox.
I have the diesel S4 and think it's brilliant.
Engine torque is incredible and acceleration amazing, especially in manual mode, build quality is brilliant.
I think it sounds nice as well and gets all the looks in Quantum grey.
Low down and mid-range thrust is superb and very powerful large breaks.
Love it.
Any update on the car?
Car has now been returned 😞
I loved that vehicle and did 56k in it over 3 years. That engine is off the scale powerful with 700+ Nm of stump pulling power.
Loved it to bits.
I had an a4 but found the pedals too offset it was uncomfortable to drive, please didn't feel there was much under thigh support.
Maybe just me
The people that never bought a S4 petrol are now complaining that its a diesel.
People who will never even drive a Huracan are complaining about it not having a manual. Complaining is just what the online car community is all about, unfortunately
I prefer a diesel over petrol. My last petrol was a H reg E30 318is, around 2003/4.
My brother is an excellent diesel mechanic/technician so any problems he'd sort it.
My first diesel tho was 1998/99. A mk1 golf with a 1.6 n/a diesel, it was slow as sh1t, 4 speed box. But a pleasure to drive as it had bags of torque compared to the Nova 1.3s etc my mates had. Now I have a mk2 Clio 1.5td. Most of my driving is urban, it's £30 tax a year and happily returns 50/55 mpg. I've had it nearly 3 years and no plans to swap it..... MOT tomorrow though 😂
also people who never drove a 3+ Liter diesel in the past decade
@A World Under A Spell Most big companies know their market. Audi seems to be sure the amount of people insiting on a petrol S4 is small enough to negate. He also isnt really complaining just pointing out the irony
I am revisiting this video 3 years later and I think Audi pulled a blinder really. That said you don't see many S4's on the road so the end user didn't agree.
Great video, minor suggestion, I have no idea what the earlier model numbers mean but would probably recognise them, maybe flash up images of the older cars so that us non audiphiles can keep up
Let's take a moment to appreciate the shirt...
Define appreciate?
9:51 that trim misalignment :(
It's not just looks like it cos of the angle
It is misaligned. We are looking square down it and it's not flush either 😳😳
And the rattling 😑😑
James Prescott Audi really has some strange quality issues as of late. My 2020 A4 Avant was in the Shop due to a recall concerning the Riemenstartergenerator (sorry, I’m German and I don’t know the English term for it). My rental was a brand new A3 s-line...cheap plastics galore, rattling noises in the front and the kicker was the rubber insulation from the driver door kept falling off. The car had 1500km on the clock....not exactly a glowing advertisement.
@@pb6198 it’s the camera mount rattling
10:42
Bird: "I'll be fine for a minute, that s4 has loads of la.... HOLY FUCK!!"
Just bought a petrol B9 S4 Avant as my do everything single car. It's brilliant, the diesel does nothing for me. The wheels and lights for the facelift are awful and make it look oddly dated.
I bought a B9 3.0 tdi pre face-lift and cannot work out how they messed up the new one so badly.
I totally agree with you on the facelift lights! They went back to separate LED clusters which remind me of the orginal LED lights that Audi came out with more than 10 years ago. The continuous LED strips look so much better. For example on your pre-facelift B9.
The B9 looked dated immediately when the G20 3-series came out and the facelift did not do its job. It's what's stopping me from getting one.
That’s what I thought when I went to look at a 20 plate today. It strangely looked dated. However it went like stink tho with that 347 bhp
The only reason audi is launching these new S models as diesels is to get the fleet average for the CO2 lower to be able to build the RS cars. We should be thankful for what we get, soon the base standard will be 100 kw electric
If you get the chance to try the pre facelift petrol s4, give it a go. Might not be as practical a choice, but that engine is a lot more engaging by default
I think that this is a great under-stated car. Powerful diesels are really wonderful to drive.
Its mediocre at best for a s4. Its decent as A4 50tdi or whatever they call it these days.
The older I get, the more I enjoy torque figures over horsepower figures.
@@3v3rhard exactly its good from a car lovers perspective without that s badge.
@@johnjuiceshipper4963 responsiveness matters if you want to have fun..
diesels for trucks. performance cars need petrol. no sound no fun.
Sebulba’s podracer sounds WAY cool!! 😉
I share your hatred for iPad infotainment solutions in cars. I’ve avoided them and bought other cars instead when they started to show up.
Great review Jay, spot on. Had S4B9 Petrol and now S4B9 Diesel. Love them both great mile munchers and load luggers. 40+mpg is very welcome. Best option, 360 Camera in new S4
I think this says a lot.....with a brand new engine in the the the car it’s best feature is.... a camera.😔
@@seashackf1 LOL Engine was not on the options list otherwise I would have gone for Diesel muscle and Petrol sound. As Jay says torque is phenomenal and in real world driving feels quicker than petrol. 360 Camera has saved me curbing wheels already, the birds eye view is super helpful when in an unfamiliar parking spot. Forgot to mention 48v Hybrid system it really improves start/stop experience. Blind spot indicator should be std as on RS4 however (or at least on option list)
Steve Abbott....too bad engine wasn’t an option.😜 If it was then those who didn’t like it would only have themselves to blame. Another option to the petrol sound would be petrol n/a instant power. I’ve seen in a number of reviews that the lag is....horrible. Anyways glad you like your car and it’s working well for you.
The biggest issue I had on my old B9 A4 was the horrendous throttle delay when puling out onto a roundabout. I would say it was borderline dangerous at times.
Is that to do with the stop start? Dangerous i turn it off.
@@bensmithkent22 no it was just pulling away with the engine running.
I'm guessing this has an actual speaker in the exhaust like the SQ5 diesel?
Blergh
Embarassing
Is there any excitement taking a diesel to the redline? I think, no.
Riding the torque is satisfying, but not exciting.
I've got the S line black edition, it's a few years older, but I love it and will be buying something similar when I get my next car. It's both practical and has just enough performance when needed.
Love " Shoestring" style intro tune , great video James
The panel fit on the drivers door looks a bit crap too
As an S5 (supercharged V6) driver I can tell you that diesel was definitely not the right choice for the S4, 5, 6, 7....
But the German car makers are really struggling to overcome their diesel obsession
This leaves me cold, in an expensive performance car there should be an emotional connection but I don't get it here. And Audi interior quality is not what it once was, ditching the MMI dial for a touchscreen is a big mistake in my opinion. I currently drive an A6 but really haven't been attracted by another Audi to replace it.
I bought a C7 S6 Avant new in 2017, simply because of the petrol 4.0 V8. The replacement does nothing for me and I'm not a fan of the RS models, just a bit shouty for my liking. So the C7 is going to be staying a while, I'm glad I bought the warranty extension option when it was new. It is the best everyday car I have ever owned.
A really good balanced review - i subscribed. Enjoying your channel - good mix of drives - don't see anyone else doing this
I own a 2016 bmw 335d stage 1 388bhp 788nm and I'm thinking of upgrading to one of these in a couple of year's
All the grumpy old men will hate this because it’s a diesel and not a quad turbo W16, but I’d sure as heck rather take this than another “performance” SUV.
I'm a happy middle aged man who would gladly take an X3 M40i over this. The only things this does better are sip fuel and be a wagon
I actually like what Audi is doing here. Thought they were nuts at first after seeing the RS6, but as an all round road car this seems ideal. I wish we could still get new TDI models in the US.
Own a B8.5 S4 Avant. Love it. Does it all. Nice review as always
Everytime going through model list of A4 I end up with Allroad. It has longer and thus comfier suspension travel set up, more sound deadening inside floor, ideal choice of engines, unique color options and looks special. When thinking about veeery fast A4 I aways rather look at upgraded ones from Abt Motorsport because next to S-line and RS which are crazily competing with rough M BMWs the Abt Audis they are sort of like what is BMW Alpina ...based on regular comfortable models with upgrades just right things to make them feel GT rich without spoiling its exhaust, suspenssion and brakes....yes of course you can get some top end full tuning Abt or Alpina tearing AMGs appart in every aspect but mainly....you can upgrade your car just accordinng to you taste with specific parts creating on suit machine which is different to regular manufacturer conditioning "if you want this you can have it only with that and those or nothing"
I'll stick to my tweaked 07 330D which you can get for a bargain these days. 420lb/ft and 280bhp whilst still able to do circa 50mpg on the motorway is a no brainer👍
I am in a similar boat with my lightly tuned 335d touring, albeit I am more likely to get 40 to 45mpg on the motorway. I also had a tuned 330d with similar figures to yours and it managed 210k miles and is still on the road today! Questions for you though, does your 330d's power come in like a sudden bomb? I found the single turbo set up when tuned is far more brutal than the bi turbo 335d that has a far more linear power delivery.
Can I join the club with my stage 1 f30 335d with 4220bhp and 756Nm with up to 45mpg
Oops I meant 420bhp
I ran a 2014 330d xDrive for 2 years. They are great cars - so long as you have a warranty......... So frustrating that there is always something costing £1,500 plus every year on top of standard maintenance.
Sabretooth Barnacle Not sure you can compare a modified car with something standard. And BMW and Audi do things quite differently. Then again at 13 years old, your car is doing very well to still be on the road.
Totally agree that the Jag XF Sportbrake S is a very close comparable. Those 2 cars were on my short list. It was like a game of tennis going back & forth deciding which attributes suited me better.
Went for the XF Sportbrake S in the end & haven't regretted it.
Surely its a good deal slower 300bhp vs 350 and with a crappy gearbox. Bigger and rarer mind you. Oh and poorly put together inside.
@@bensmithkent22 the Audi is a second quicker in the 0 - 62 race, but the key is torque with both cars matched at 700nm / 516lbs. In gear acceleration to UK speed limits felt equal. Yep more space, rarer (one of the monthly Jaguar meets I attend has more E-types in attendance than Sportbrakes) & the interior actually I thought was better in the XF Sportbrake & is lasting very well. Also I can't stand the infotainment screens plonked on or to the face of dashboards. Poor design / after thought in my book. Remember each to there own & try both cars to see which you prefer.
Just like my 2005 7g tronic CLS500 :) . Foot down - it drops 1 cog to start with and almost ask you ''are you sure you need more speed'' , then if you keep the foot down it drops down to full power proceeded by a small pause but then boom !! You're off and keep effortlessly going till 155 mph.
I absolutely hate that pause it's to reduce overall consumption apparently. What a ham fisted way of doing it. My Z4 did it too
Thanks Jay you mentioned every gen S4 except the one that really counts, that being the B5 😢
I only came here to find this comment 🤣 2.7 bi turbo is possibly one of the best engines ever!
@@ianmarsh7804 🤣🤣🤣
Slow in is definitely not the way to drive an Audi. Makes understeer worse by lightening the front end an putting more weight on rear. Need the opposite. Also stiffer rear sway bar helps a ton.....Fast in, brake hard, trail brake to apex helps dial out understeer by keeping weight on front wheels and lightening the rear to help it rotate. Then rocket out of corner.
Or start off with a good chassis and suspension setup in the first place 😒😒😒
Paul Bartley.....agreed, but we have to deal with what we got. Think the ‘problem’ with Quattro is it’s set up more for bad weather grip than all out dry weather performance. You also have to be able to adjust your driving style and not let the car do it all for you. Half the fun is knowing what to do and having the ability to do it. Just like you have to adjust for an over steering car. Drifting is definitely more fun, but braking just hard enough to rotate the rear end at turn in is fun too. Most people are either too scared to do it or don’t have the ability and need the car to do everything for them.
@@seashackf1 I don't need the car to do everything for me. I drive an evo 6 😂😂😂. That is superb in bad weather and still great in the dry. Bad engineering is bad engineering
Paul Bartley...you got me there. Aside from packaging it can’t explain why Audi have always done this. Evo’s are great cars, but overall very different to something like an S4 Avant. Evo is ALL about performance and more of sports car. S4 Avant is a balance between performance, practically, luxury, etc.
I swapped an A8 3 litre V6 diesel tiptronic Quattro for an 2016 A4 Avant with the same drivetrain.
In the lighter A4 it was a rapid and entertaining machine. The extended range worked better for me driving to and from the Alps compared with the petrol.
The colour is horrid and so is the sound. Also I get similar economy out of my 03 XKR when driving spiritedly.
i think it sounds similar to a veyron at low end?
@@andrewwallace1030 I have to assume you are joking.
Kuddlesworth NA 7.40???
@@andrewwallace1030 I get about 22 mpg normal driving, spiritedly I get about 19 and on the motorway I get about 30-33mpg. On the dashboard of the Audi it says 33mpg and at another point it says 19.2 mpg which is very similar to my cars mpg. Which is rather odd because my car is 17 years old, the engine design is about 25 years old is of a much larger capacity, more cylinders, it's petrol and it's supercharged. I make more power as well.
Kuddlesworth NA your point is?
Anyone noticed the door panel fit?? Not good
What about the BMW 340d Touring? Thanks
Great review! Why would you compare the A4/S4 to the XF? (I would presume the XE would be the close rival?)
In price terms it is the closest, also available in estate form
4:15 already has an engine warning light?
The car isn't on, that's probably why.
The new s4/s5 and s6 are terrible!
It understeers at road speed but also grips and grips and you can take corners at any speed? Really is the jack of all trades isn’t it! 🤣
You just have to modulate entry speed, it's a fast exit car - and conditions dictate its attitude too
Fast entry helps too. Fast in, brake hard, trail brake to apex keeps weight on front wheels and dials out understeer. Then rocket out of turn. Also stiffer rear sway bar helps a ton.
Very nice Jay! Some pretty good points, especially with regards to the tablets and screens extravaganza in higher Audi models (A/S6 onwards).
I would love to have one of these (S5/4) as my daily driver. Keep your videos coming and be safe.
Subscribed.
How’s it stack up against the 335d touring?
Sebulbas pod racer 😂😂😂. Oh James this is the best thing you’ve said. How didn’t I pick that up when I watched this video the other year
That pigeon didn't appreciate the lag either!
Is diesel ever the right choice, unless it is a HGV scenario?!
Original S4 (B5 chassis) was a bi-turbo V6, not a 5 cylinder.
original S4 vas based on C4 chasis, 2.2 5 cylinder, they later based in on B5
@@mihaelmiklosic That was the S2 Coupe, not the S4.
Why is the engine management light on??
Still dont understand how they can do this call it an s4 when its a diesel its just a sales tactic as far as im concerened.
Diesels can absolutely be driver's cars. What are you talking about?
@@urbanoman7689 I think he means its not a great setup for a performance driver orientated car. Petrol engines are more superior, hence all race cars are petrol.
@@3v3rhard The R10 TDI says otherwise. So do the Alpina D3, Golf GTD and others.
Most diesels aren't even remotely designed to be sporty, therefore it seems like it's an inherently shit setup for a performance car. Of course, diesels only recently became viable in performance cars, so that might have something to do with it.
@@urbanoman7689 r10 TDI is because it has to pit about 1/3 as often for fuel. Not because of higher performance
Came along way from 1000 subs back then
I have an S5 and much prefer the 3.0 v6 supercharged engine💖😷👍
The S5 has a supercharged V6, you must be thinking of the S4 which had the supercharged.
@@jackshotton9222 no I have a 2012 Audi S5 with the supercharged V6, with remap, ECS exhaust, reduced supercharger pulley and APR cold air intake 😷👍
@@bath1968 Ahh I see, you’ve got the facelift one. That’s where I got caught out as I always thought the facelift used the same 4.2FSI V8
A manual M2 or diesel S4 for the same price, I know which one I'd have
I'd rather have an estate m340i with that b58, more power and less weight if I need the practicality
@@TheFlyingClutchman I'm pretty young so I'm going for the M2 next no need for an estate yet
Totally agree on that one....diesel in a performance car is a no go for me. But, for the first time ever, I’d rather have a Mustang (GT350) over an M2 or even M3/4. The new M’s sound terrible and have too much crap on them. GT350 - insane sounding NA V8, manual.....basically a new e90 M3. But with the long winters in New England none are a go as only car.
James, please could you review a m340i, preferably a touring as a petrol comparison?
I'd argue a F gen 335d/435d are still rivals to this car given they pretty much have the same 0-60, MPG, and xDrive.
James, I am surprised at the fuel economy that you got from this and the XF that you compared it with. My XF 3.0 diesel did 37mpg on a mixed mainly motorway commute and 57 on a long motorway run.
I did pretty much the same type of driving with both. The Jag really wasnt very good on the MPG front.
Are Audi aiming the S4 at the fleet car market, what with diesel engine?
I think the fleet makert is hurting after covid
For comparison between the brands, you should review the new BMW M340d Touring. That’s the direct competitor to this.
M340d definitely a better car
Do the review in bad weather and see which is the better car.
@@chrismaguire719 There both 4 wheel drive.
I have a B8 S4 with the supercharged petrol as the family car. Where I live it is expensive and hard to get a parking spot, so this is my perfect do it all car. I prefer it to 335i because I think audi has much more usable interior. Oh and it is a manual!
The S4 suspension is better than most Audis on sports suspension, but why do they not give us the adaptive suspension option that the rest of the continent have? The gearbox calibration is wrong and the car changes down too easily. It should stay in a higher gear longer when accelerating to take advantage of the huge torque available at low revs. The BMW M340i is the obvious competitor and a comparison would be interesting. I found it a better car to drive, as you might expect, but I have only driven the petrol version.
Comparing the throttle response to a Maserati 3200 you should see the Wheeler Dealer episode on that car.
I have a b9 with the 272 3l TDI which is same lump but without the 48v system. It's a beast so I like the new S4.
10:43 Bird thought you were going fast enough !
Bird was happy it has turbo lag😉
Shockingly fast reactions from that pigeon...normally they would faceplant into anything going over 30mph.
I'm still trying to process the words 'Diesel' and "Sport" in the same sentence...
Here in Au only the petrol is available at £65,000
The moment you mentioned a 3200GT and throttle problems I started reminiscing about wheeler dealers 😁
i have this car and its phenomenal diesel was gerat option plus it sounds great you cant realy tell on video
@@Intergalacticheroe did you own this car mate ?
Ah, Rover 200 BRM seats. I knew I'd seen those somewhere before.
100% no, they shouldn’t of sold out the fast brands like bmw or Mercedes did 😔
How did Merc and BMW? Their baby AMG and M cars still have straight 6 twin turbo engines, not a diesel. Only Audi sold out
Sludge grey is still the colour for the 'sheeple' it seems.
Competent but dull. Your tone throughout said it all.
Great review and a very nice car!
That door trim that doesnt line up annoys me :(
what i liked about my diesel a6 allroad was doing cruising at 230kmh on highway in silence
This car still uses the turbo V6 in the U.S.; I’m not sure if Audi offers any diesel cars here. I suppose that’s why Jay specified this is the European version.
No reason at all to choose this over a 3.0 tdi A4. Fake sound / no engine character & limited driver involvement.
@@andypaul999 yes, terribly dull. May as well buy a nearly new, well specced A4 3.0 tdi and get a tuning box or remap and save atleast 10 grand.
I have a 2019 C43 AMG which is equally practical and comfy but 1000x more exciting and something you can drive just for fun. (In standard and in current modded form) .
I'm confused about the gearbox information you gave.
The dual clutch was invented for the VAG group car Bugatti Veyron in which had 1001 Horse Power.
So now high power Audi's don't have the dual clutch because it can't handle the power.
Yeah it's very odd. The Bentley Continental has a dual clutch setup too.
I think the real reasons are cost, and smoothness - apparently a lot of customers dont like the DCT
@@JayEmmOnCars
Having owed a car with the dual clutch (VW Jetta) I can say it's great so long it works. Mine started giving problems at 80000 miles. Wouldn't go into reverse. Would if you turned car off and restarted it but as you can imagine that gets a bit tiresome.
VW and every gearbox specialist said new gearbox required at £6000+. Never would buy a car with it again. I'll stick to torque converter autos, more reliable.
I'm going to sick my neck out here, without even watching the video to say that diseasal can NEVER be the right choice for a sporty car! How are you going to rev it to 6,000 RPM??????
Live to see this revving to 9k like my proper 90s petrol sports car
Jay, I think that you got things wrong with the diesel S4. They went for the diesel engine because it has lower CO2
Doubt it. The Sq8/ sq7 just ditched diesel to go back to a V8 petrol. Future S4/5 will probably go back to a petrol.
@@JohnGuidetti751 SQ7/SQ8 petrol are mild hybrid that's why they went back from diesel. Also Audi has almost their entire line up mild hybrid and they have the e-tron to lower the CO2
I find diesel cars incredibly dull and tedious,although they've moved on massively in recent decades I don't find them a pleasure to drive,still ideally suited to wagons,tractors and "off roaders".
Have you driven the car lol ?
I have An Audi A6 Diesel quattro and it has superb blend of power, economy, comfort and handling for my family. I love it, very special car to me. Have you forgotten that Audi won Le Mans in a diesel. Think they know how to build a diesel. I appreciate your opinion.
Worst thing they did switching the S4 to a diesel but that's the way the world is going now. Diesel with Mild Hybrids
Plus its lost its grunt out of the exhaust...sad times
My Panda 4x4 won't do 45mpg. That is an amazing car that S4.
I want one like this www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1252588 would go well with my Jaguar XKR :)
ZF must be making MILLIONS of their 8-speed automatic gearbox. All the new BMW performance cars and now AUDI are using it. My M140i uses it. It’s a brilliant bit if kit.
Every automatic bmw of the F-series models with a bit more torque from as far down as the 118d has used it I think. That has to be many millions of cars by now, just from BMW, so yeah.
Now that cars have 7 or 8 speeds, maybe the small powerband of a diesel isn't so annoying.
I suspect that Audi have, as with this whole generation of performance Audi's asked their customers, and then given them what they asked for. We might not like it, but maybe it wasn't made for us? Idk guess we will have to see how it sells
And now is around 35k euros worth. Couple more years and it's affordable to buy.
Who got the idea to paint cars in industri style..
Looks terrible..
I thought the colour was known as Undercoat Grey.
s4 started with a v6 biturbo before that it wasn't an s4
£54k and has fake noise from the engine and 4 fake exhaust trims at the rear (real exhaust is underneath). No thanks.
Love the styling of this s4 but a touring 330i M sport still excites me more
diesel just doesnt do it anymore, with all the modern regulations even if it sounded decent or bearable. There wouldn't even be any chance for that sound to come through. Theres more excitement and ofcourse driver involvement with a bmw but also it being a petrol or benzine the revs are just.... it just simply feels better.
I just can't get enthusiastic about modern Audis, all stereotypes about their drivers aside, I really think they started losing their way after the sort of C6 (2008/2009ish) models, to me they went from being almost the pinnacle of German mass-production, to going down the fashion route, a bit like the Range Rover Evoque, and in fact when the A1 came out, I said it was the matching purse to the designer handbag that was the Evoque.
Now they've taken their "fast road" sports models and dropped a diesel in them, it just seems completely at odds with itself.
And that colour, not just Audi but a few manufacturers using primer grey as a legit colour, it has to stop. Your car doesn't look modern or edgy in that colour, it looks like they didn't finish painting it and when our "heads turn" it's because we're all laughing at you.
S4 and S6 deserve to be diesel. But a coupe styled vehicle like the S5 and S7 should certainly be Petrol. Audi deffo missed an opportunity by not doing that.
What's funny is that the S5 Cabrio is petrol-only, so they aren't totally tone-deaf.
THE "sensible" option.
Diesel performance car is def a no go and that lag😳. Funny that you never understood the S4 when it actually forced BMW and Mercedes to up their game. B6/7 S4 forced a V8 into the M3 and C63....thank you Audi. Also by having a very competent, but affordable and versatile daily driver performance car in between the regular range (a4) and top end (RS4) it showed there’s a market there and now you have more choices in the other brands. M-lites and AMG-lites...again, thank you Audi.
I'm hearing the lag is German thing that they intentially prefer this, insane.
@@trsisko 🤦♂️
Sounds great for a diesel.
However, those seats are really an eyesour. Not because of the color, but just how the red leather flows over the black plastic. wtf happened. Audi are amongst the kings of interior!
"How does an S car go?" Like a snail I'd imagine!
Fnar
Great review James. Had a 2017 B9 S4 for a year and a half - superb car technically but never really connected with it. Job changes meant more frugality needed so swapped for a Mini Clubman Cooper SD which is a joy to drive vs the S4. Wonder if we'd still have the S4 if it was a diesel, along with the persistent detachment that came with it.
I still love my petrol cars...🙂👍
To me, Audi Sx is now just a trim level. Better to get a well specced petrol S Line. It’s also competent but not special. If you want special and are willing to pay for it, RS is the only way to go.
Why so many people think a soulless cold EV car can be a sport car and a diesel engineering masterpiece can’t?