When Audi decided that as a mark of distinction they should not produce anything as common as an ‘estate’ car, they designated an estate variant as an ‘Avant’.
Having put the A5 Avant 2.0 TDi to the test, it has to be said that Audi hit the bullseye. To use refined language, the £48,850 A5 2.0i Avant is a ‘belter’. From the moment one sees its prepossessing, panther-like profile, one knows that here is a machine contrived to make men out of mice and ladies out of lettuce leaves. It doesn’t just ‘sit’ on the road – it squats like a purposeful beast with a purity of form that mirrors elegant engineering.
The interior offers top comfort and there’s a feeling of assurance that tells you all is well with the world.
With room for five to stretch out and for six if you must, plus a large luggage area that, with the seats down, would have a Welsh Dresser banged to rights. There’s no better car for the busy executive or for the family holiday. You’ll love the concatenation of everything from user-friendly providers of music and information to ambiance enhancing equipment systems. The finest Bose sound system, the three touch screens (yes.. three. One for the flight engineer in the front passenger seat), the ‘head up display… the list goes on. There’s every adjunct to modern technological motoring that you can think of. And standards of construction are so high that you won’t find a spot of mediocrity anywhere.
Driven by the latest 204 PS 2.0 litre diesel engine with mild battery assistance and driving through the dual clutch automatic gearbox to the front wheels, there is whopping torque at low revs and enough power to reach 150mph. All is delivered unobtrusively. You slip through the air with so little turbulence, thrusting forward in a motion that is more ‘willed’ than mechanically contrived. At the same time, diesel consumption, for me, was about 55/60 mpg. Which meant that this Audi could have a range of near 700 miles – so it is the perfect long range express.
Sniff the open road, apply featherlight pressure to the throttle and – lo and behold – you are a ‘Sun God’ in a chariot, belting along with the alacrity of a raging torrent of technological might. With almost neutral handling It goes where it’s told and rides beautifully too.This is a load carrier that feels like a sports car. A luxury tourer that takes off like a rocket and clings with the talons of a tiger.
It is a lovely car that’s as smooth as a single malt and as surefooted as a Chamois, letting you enjoy the silky sweet serendipity of serenity.
