The new Audi A4 has landed on these shores and has immediately taken top spot for the most viewed reviews on Autocar for the week ending 9 October. Read below to find out what joined it in the top five.
1- Audi A4 3.0 TDI 272 Quattro S line
The fifth-generation A4 is already a favourite here among Autocar’s review team, with Audi focussing most of its attention on the model’s interior and engines as it looks to take on BMW, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz.
The range-topping 3.0-litre V6 TDI – producing 268bhp and 442lb ft of torque – was on test here, which is a direct rival for BMW’s 330d xDrive.
As you would expect, there is lots of technology on offer, with the test car also sporting Audi’s S line trim, which brings an S line bodykit, leather-trimmed sports seats and Audi’s LED headlights with dynamic indicators. Read our verdict on what the new A4 is like to drive.
2- Volkswagen Golf R Estate
Another test drive on UK roads confirming the excellence of a vehicle first tested overseas. This time it’s the four-wheel-drive Volkswagen Golf R Estate. The hot estate is equipped with the same 2.0-litre turbocharged engine as the hatch, complete 296bhp and 280lb ft torque.
The R Estate comes fitted with a six-speed DSG auto gearbox as standard and paddles to change gear manually. It also comes with part-Alcantara seats and LED daytime running lights, while the estate body means it can take 1.8-metre long loads in the back when the rear seats are folded down.
Here is our full verdict on the VW Golf R Estate on the UK’s roads.
3-Hyundai Tucson 1.7 CRDi 116 SE
Hyundai’s smaller diesel engine Tucson sees it square up against the class-leading Nissan Qashqai, but with the bigger 2.0-litre oil burner already impressing the Autocar road test team, it may not be such a foregone conclusion on which is better.
The 1.7-litre engine was always going to fall short compared to the Qashqai and the Renault Kadjar, both using a 1.5-litre diesel powerplant, on the emissions stakes. However, Hyundai has positioned the Tucson’s price point directly between Nissan’s and Renault’s giving potential buyers an added buying dilemma.
As expected with Hyundai the equipment levels are generous, with LED day running lights, automatic headlights, Bluetooth, DAB, dual-zone climate control and heated seats all included. But is it enough to de-throne the Nissan Qashqai?
4-Nissan X-Trail 1.6 DIG-T 163 Tekna
The new entry level Nissan’s X-Trail uses the ‘peppy’ 1.6-litre petrol engine from the Nissan Qashqai, producing 161bhp, and with a £21,995 price point for the Visia trim – it looks from the outset like a winner.
The X-Trail’s bigger form makes the performance from the engine seems more pedestrian than some may want, but the SUV makes up for these shortcomings in other ways, with a nice interior, supple ride, quiet refinement at higher speeds and minimal road noise entering the cabin. But is it enough to be a viable option compared to the diesel variants in the X-Trail’s range?
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