What is it?
We've been generally impressed with the fifth-generation Audi A4 thus far. Although tweaks to its styling may only be minor, the improvements Audi has carried out to the car's interior and engine range have been enough to keep it competitive against rivals from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and now Jaguar, too.
This is the first time we've had the chance to drive the range-topping 3.0 TDI. With 268bhp and 442lb ft of torque, the A4 beats BMW's 330d xDrive, which comes with 258bhp and 413lb ft, while also coming in some way above Jaguar's range-topping diesel XE, which gets 178bhp.
The engine in the A4 is a tweaked version of the one that appeared in the previous generation model, with improvements to power (up 11%), emissions and fuel economy. CO2 has fallen by 21% to 137g/km while combined MPG has risen to 54.3mpg (when the car is riding on 19in alloy wheels).
The S line version reviewed here comes with plenty of standard equipment including LED headlights featuring Audi's dynamic indicators, leather-trimmed sports seats, an S line bodykit, a bespoke steering wheel and sports suspension, which lowers the car's ride height by 20mm.
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"Chances are that if you're
Probably wise to defer the purchase of a 2.0-litre TDI at the moment...
Queen's Speech V.02
In an estate/avant