This is a comfortable high-mileage car and it now has a responsive, powerful four-pot diesel

What’s new?

Audi began fitting the 168bhp TDi engine into the A4 a couple of months ago but this is the first chance we’ve had to drive one.

This engine is an addition to the range rather than a replacement. We tested a two-wheel drive saloon S-line manual, but you can also have the motor in regular or SE trims, with quattro four-wheel drive and S-tronic twin-clutch auto gearbox — which brings the total number of A4 derivatives in the range to more than 80.

What’s it like?

The engine’s very good. It’s a tad noisier than the best four-pot diesels, particularly at cold idle, but it’s quieter here than in the A3, and its delivery and response are both fine.

Piezo-electric injectors allow fuel to be delivered in very precise doses, helping broaden a power band that is often tight on some high-powered diesels. The rest of the A4 package is left alone — it has a good quality interior and is quiet, but lacks dynamism or B-road ability.

Should I buy one?

Accept that dynamically this is far from the best car in the class and you could do worse.

This is a comfortable high-mileage car and it now has a responsive, powerful four-pot diesel. 

Matt Prior

Matt Prior
Title: Editor-at-large

Matt is Autocar’s lead features writer and presenter, is the main face of Autocar’s YouTube channel, presents the My Week In Cars podcast and has written his weekly column, Tester’s Notes, since 2013.

Matt is an automotive engineer who has been writing and talking about cars since 1997. He joined Autocar in 2005 as deputy road test editor, prior to which he was road test editor and world rally editor for Channel 4’s automotive website, 4Car. 

Into all things engineering and automotive from any era, Matt is as comfortable regularly contributing to sibling titles Move Electric and Classic & Sports Car as he is writing for Autocar. He has a racing licence, and some malfunctioning classic cars and motorbikes. 

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