Supertest Audi A4 Avant 2.5 TDI Multitronic - final report

Now we are all gradually getting used to it: if the technique is convincing, satisfactory, then only the image is important. This is already the case at Audi: excellent technology is dressed in neat clothes. The fact that everything is decorated with four circles together, of course, helps a lot.

Technique? TDI engines have undoubtedly made a significant contribution to the general acceptance and popularity of (turbo) diesels, and not only in the Group's vehicles; Although the TDI family is not exactly the first to use direct injection technology in passenger cars, it has nevertheless led to generalizations. Just as all SUVs are called jeeps, all engines with this principle of operation (otherwise incorrect) are called TDI.

Technically, in fact, such machines of this concern for a long time had no real competitors, but, of course, many of them also brought good marketing and grew their image. But still: from a user point of view, these engines are undoubtedly friendly.

They have, of course, changed considerably over the course of their history; The first such large TDI was the typical five-cylinder Audi of the time, so this concept was completely abandoned in Ingolstadt, and the 2-liter engines of this concern now have a 5-cylinder V-shape.

But again, it doesn't matter how many cylinders are under the hood, whether the driver is happy with the engine's performance or what the engine allows is not important. And if I just flip through our supertest book that accompanies this Audi all 100.000 miles, it's not hard to gauge overall engine satisfaction.

Multitronic! Again, they were not the first to adhere to this principle, but they are undoubtedly the most resonant today. The primacy belongs to geniuses from the Netherlands who introduced such a gearbox to Dafa more than four decades ago, but unfortunately the technology of the time could not follow this idea, and the timing was probably not quite right.

This was followed by numerous experiments, and until the "variomatic" appeared in most scooters, it seemed that the idea would go to the graveyard. However, Audi has found a good technical solution for transmitting more power and torque with a steel belt.

The first few miles we got familiar with the technique; if we could forget the sonic response of the principle of this transmission (engine speed actually increases and remains constant immediately after acceleration, and the car accelerates in a way that sounds like clutch slip), we would be – again from the driver's point of view – thrilled.

Unless I'm burdened by some particular (today's most common) technique, I revert for a moment to my original desires: I ask the car to move when I step on the gas pedal. To speed up whenever I want. Multitronic is the closest of all transmissions: there is no creak from the very beginning (when shifting gears, because it does not have them or they have them endlessly), and the engine torque is gently transferred to the wheels up to maximum speed.

Um, creak. Yes, during our supertest, the car suddenly started beeping when starting off. We can be generals today because the battle is over; A malfunction of the transmission hydraulic unit caused an incorrect reaction of the entire transmission, which we perceived as vibration during acceleration, which ultimately also led to damage to the drive joints on the hemisphere.

Avant-garde (in our case, new technical solutions inside the gearbox), of course, is associated with a certain degree of risk: no one can predict possible errors, just like practice. Since "our" Multitronic was one of the first in general (not only in Slovenia), this did not particularly outrage us; we accepted the risk even before this Audi came to our yard.

Then the entire gearbox was replaced at the service station, although this was not necessary. There are two reasons for this: because the entire gearbox was only accessible to the hydraulic control unit, and because then “our” gearbox was used for training in the Audi service network. Thus, the replacement cost will be well below 1 million tolar, the same as replacing the entire gearbox and the same as the invoice at the time of repair.

From a technical point of view, we must mention another problem that happened to us shortly before the end of the supertest: turbocharger failure. Nothing like nice driving home from Stockholm (which we thankfully didn't do, but it happened to us almost in front of the house), but this (unfortunately) every turbocharged car owner should expect sooner. or later.

Namely, all mechanics can be divided into two parts: "permanent" elements and "consumable" elements. Mechanical engineering is not an easy science: there are always trade-offs to be made, and consumables are part of those trade-offs. These are spark plugs (also heated in diesels) and injectors, brake pads, all fluids, (sliding) clutches and more.

Whatever one may say, but among them there is a turbocharger, however, it is the most expensive of all. Its critical point is operating conditions: high temperatures (in fact, fluctuations from the ambient temperature at rest to high temperatures at maximum load) and high speed of the axle on which the turbine blades and blowers are located.

Time does not spare this assembly and all we can do to prolong its life is its proper use: if we take such a large load on such an engine for a while, it would be wise to let it run for a while at idle to stop the turbocharger. cool down slowly.

To be honest: when we were in a great hurry (trips to remote corners of Europe and to refueling), we did not let the engine cool down enough. Thus, some of the blame for turbocharger failure can also be attributed to yourself. The good thing about both mechanic failure cases is that both occurred before the warranty expired, which of course means that in this case the costs will not be paid by the car owner.

And if we look at the cross section of two years or one hundred thousand kilometers, save for the two mentioned cases, we had no problem with this Audi. On the contrary: all the mechanics were robust and comfortable.

The tuning of all elements and units is a pleasant compromise of sporty comfort: the chassis pleasantly softens the bumps under the wheels, but the damping and suspension are still a little stiffer and sportier. Thus, even in faster corners, there are no vibrations and unpleasant body tilts. If we add aerodynamics to this package, we can safely say that traveling with such an Audi is deceptively easy: interior noise and engine performance are such that you (too) enter speed zones quickly.

Otherwise (even this one), Audi is betting on well-being. You can also choose different places, but we - if we choose again - will choose the same. The side supports are excellent, the hardness and flexibility do not tire even on long trips, and the material (alcantara with leather) is safe for a person at any time of the year and at any temperature - to the touch and in use.

The advantage of Alcantara is that the body does not slip on such a seat, and other concerns about the tendency to wear have proven unfounded. If the seats were thoroughly (chemically) cleaned at the end of the supertest, they would easily have been credited with just around 30 miles.

For completely different reasons (visibility in our magazine pages), we tend to have bright body colors, but every time we took it out of the laundry, this Audi amazed us with the elegance of a mouse gray metallic hue. The gray color of various shades continued inside, together with the seemingly high-quality materials and the shape of the interior, created an impression of prestige.

Unsurprisingly, there were often queues among the members of the editorial board, so the rule of hierarchy often had to be applied. You see: the boss, then different things, that is, everyone else. And the kilometers turned (too) fast.

Audi Avanti has always been something special; those vans that sparked the trend of such bodies are also among. . Let's call this business successful people. That's why Avanti never wanted to change their mind about the size of their trunk - they have a Passate Variante for such needs.

Audi's luggage racks - which of course also apply to supertests - were noticeably smaller than those of the competition, but significantly more useful than sedans (and station wagons), and with a few extra handles (such as extra net and attachment points, drawers) they very helpful every day.

During our test, we temporarily put a Fapin suitcase on it (also a super test), which made the Audi a perfectly acceptable car for family travel. At the same time, of course, I meant those liters that suddenly became available for luggage, and only a slightly increased gust of wind and fuel consumption.

I would not dare to predict; a car so big and so heavy with an automatic transmission should have consumed even more, but we don't blame her, and with an average volume of nine liters, she pleasantly surprised us. We showed even more enthusiasm when we were "hunting" on the Slovenian border (on the opposite side), since we managed to reduce his thirst to six and a half liters per 100 kilometers, and we rarely managed to raise it much more than 11. greed.

And only in exceptional cases: during repeated trips for photography, during measurements or when we were in a hurry. if you remember that the engine has 6 cylinders, a turbocharger and over 150 horsepower, the result is very good.

If you look back now and try to be a general, this Audi has only one drawback, which may not be: the price. If it were cheaper, it would undoubtedly have a worse image, so it could easily be noticeably placed over the same large cars of other brands of the same concern, as well as over most other cars in general.

In the end, I say, he considers that often mentioned image that creates a hierarchy. That Audi is something more is not an end in itself. "More" wants to be the one who runs it. At times we already felt that way.

Vinko Kernc

Photo by Vinko Kernc, Aleš Pavletič, Saša Kapetanovič

Power measurement

Engine power measurements were taken at RSR Motorsport (www.rsrmotorsport.com). In our measurements, we found that the difference in the results obtained (114 kW / 9 hp - at 156 km; 3 kW / 55.000 hp - at 111 km) with minimal wear, which we measured at the end of the supertest, due to based on weather conditions (temperature, humidity, air pressure), and not on actual mechanical wear.

Under the watchful eye of mechanics and testers

On a final closer look under the Audi leather, we found our colleague still holds up very well. Thus, even after 100.000 kilometers, there were no visible cracks or other signs of wear on the door seals. The same goes for the seams on the seats, which are also on the driver's seat, which is undoubtedly the busiest while remaining intact and intact.

Signs of countless grips and turns of the steering wheel are shown only by the polished skin on it, on which the epidermis is still not damaged. Some signs of wear are indicated by the radio, where some of the switches are peeling from the tire. The luggage compartment shows signs of mishandling, not wear. There it was possible to break the elastic strap for fastening and break the pins of the mesh for attaching pieces of luggage in the trunk.

Like the interior, the exterior, with the exception of some bumps, does not show miles. Thus, only the roof slats are slightly oxidized and slip due to the countless washes in the automatic car wash.

Under the hood, we examined the six-cylinder heart of Audi and found that all major dimensions are well below the allowable wear tolerances, that all the rubber hoses on the engine are actually new and with no visible cracks due to tire aging. When inspecting the engine head, we only noticed an increased amount of overlays on the intake valves, while the exhaust valves were clean.

It is difficult to write a more extensive report on gearbox wear. It was eventually replaced a good 30.000 2000 miles ago, so looking for wear is pointless. Also, the turbocharger does not need any special comments, which we replaced XNUMX km ago.

A high average road speed also contributes to more brake wear, as indicated by the front wheels, where brake soot is most likely to permanently remain on the wheels. The front brake discs were just below the wear limit, as they had one tenth of a millimeter less, that is, 23 millimeters, instead of the allowable 22 millimeters of thickness. On the other hand, the rear disc will withstand several thousand kilometers, since we aimed for a thickness of 9 millimeters, and the allowable one is 11 millimeters.

The fact that the car has accumulated the vast majority of kilometers on long trips is also evidenced by a very well-preserved exhaust system that would have survived many kilometers of driving due to the “health” and absence of oxidation of the pipes. For anyone who doesn't know, the biggest threat to any exhaust system is short runs where the engine isn't up to operating temperature and so condensation builds up in the exhaust pipes, biting into the pipes and connections of the exhaust system. system.

Thus, the car covered 100.000 kilometers very well and (excluding the gearbox and turbocharger) lived up to Audi's reputation as a manufacturer of good quality cars.

Peter Humar

Second opinion

Petr Kavchich

When I think of our now former super test Audi, the first thing that comes to mind is the rush to the press conference in Munich. It was late in the evening, visibility was poor, the road was wet all the time, as it was raining heavily on our side, and it was snowing in Austria and Germany.

I drove an Audi pretty fast. This is made possible thanks to its excellent positioning on the road, electronic stability control (ESP) and engine with excellent torque. In this car I always felt as safe as that evening, which I consider to be the biggest plus.

Borut Sušec

I had the opportunity to take him to Belgrade and back. Not in one day there and back, but after having rested, got out of it after 500 kilometers, it will also not be difficult.

The first sensation behind the wheel was a sense of security, as if I were driving on rails. And this despite the wet road and the wheels in the asphalt. Then he struck me with a comfortable seat, a powerful engine and an excellent machine gun. sequential gearbox. Ease of driving. When, after all this, I installed the cruise control, the ride was perfect.

There were only two things that bothered me while driving. Occasionally heard gusts of wind caused by roof racks at higher speeds, about 140 km / h, and that the trip ended so quickly.

Sasha Kapetanovich

Because of my height, it is difficult for me to find the correct position in the car. The notable exception in this regard is the super-test Audi fitted with sports seats. Perfectly adjustable and soft to keep your spine safe on long journeys.

It is the perfect combination of a diesel engine and a Multitronic transmission. In short, if you throw darts on a map of Europe, you can drive an Audi like this to the point where the arrow gets stuck with the least amount of effort. I miss him already. ...

Matevž Koroshec

Needless to say, Audi has always been known as the most popular car in the supertest fleet. So if you wanted to go somewhere with him, you had to work hard. But, they say, perseverance pays off, and so last year I went with him to Switzerland for a few days anyway. Well, yes, to be more precise, there were only four days, and the length of the route was as much as 2200 kilometers.

And not only "highway", do not hesitate, and, to be honest, I would not go on such a journey in every car. However, the Audi Supertest seemed very fitting for such a feat. And indeed, why its price is by no means low, I found out only when, having driven 700 kilometers, without hesitation, I again rolled into its sporty, but still very comfortable seat.

Boshtyan Yevshek

Audi A4 quietly entered the editorial office. Suddenly he was in our garage, and on the rear window was the inscription "car magazine, supertest, 100.000 6 km." Big! The Multitronic had already impressed me in the A100.000 test we had driven earlier. Even after 1 km of running, I have the same opinion about him, reduced by 6 million tolars. That's how close the new gearbox was, which was replaced by the service station, when the old one began to misbehave - shaking and doing such nonsense.

So, the insult is over. Well, we weren't even best friends in the morning when Audi coldly brushed off his grudge when he woke up, but he quickly calmed down and we were on to you. He was a real "comrade" on long trips - fast, reliable, comfortable and economical. He also ate all his luggage on a family vacation. And got the best marks. I buy, but with the most powerful 1-liter diesel engine.

Peter Humar

From a technical point of view, the Audi A4 Avant is undoubtedly an exceptionally good car package, as evidenced by the excellent front seats and the overall ergonomics of the cabin, as well as a sense of the nobility of the car at every turn. In the case of the 2.5 TDI Multitronic version, it is supported by the economical fuel consumption, the ease of driving even at high speeds and the comfort of the continuously variable Multitronic transmission.

True, there are some inconveniences. The engine is one of the loudest modern turbodiesels, the transmission shifts periodically in manual mode (due to fast gear shifting), the luggage roll due to the attachment (attached to the back of the wider “half” of the back) determines when you can fold any part of the back, and that little you will not find yet.

In any case, the termination of the gearbox cooperation agreement for a little over 60.000 thousand kilometers and the failure of the turbocharger for a good 98.500 kilometers is not trivial. Imagine if this happens outside of the warranty period. In the worst case, you will deduct just under 1 million tolars for a new gearbox. That this is by no means a small amount of money is also confirmed by the fact that the cost of a car decreases over the years, and then the cost of a new gearbox can be as much as half the cost of a car.

Alyosha Mrak

I usually evaluate a car while driving. So this is a prerequisite for me to like the car in general, so that it sits well. In the super-tested Audi, I sat perfectly thanks to the extremely sporty side supports, adjustable seat length and excellent overall ergonomics. Although, after a long journey, her back ached and complained that comfort was not one of the trump cards of the driver's seat. There are several benefits, so I would still vote for it (read: buy more).

Eventually I fell in love with the Audi Multitronic, but despite its sporty nature, I rarely made use of the manual gearshift capabilities. It's just that the "automatic" better complemented the tourist character of this car, so I preferred "cruise" as a manager. But most of all I liked the marathon distances. You know: the less gas stations you see, the better you feel!

Aleш Pavleti.

I won't lie: the first time I got into it, I was impressed by the precise aesthetic design of the interior - the dashboard is very pretty at night - and the ride quality. His modest expense pleases. The popularity of the Audi A4 Avant is also evidenced by the fact that at the time of the supertest it was rarely available.

Primoж Gardel .n

I wanted to test the Audi super test because I think that Audi is a concept of technological progress, perfection, perfection. At the same time, the supertest model is just personal preference when choosing your own car. Van, diesel engine and audi.

The two and a half liter drivetrain surprises with excellent torque and power that just doesn't end there. However, in the company with the special Multitronic transmission, everything works perfectly harmoniously and convincingly in all driving modes.

The driving position is very similar to that in the A8 class. It lacks space and comfort, although the seats are still "German" hard. The only caveat is about the driver's dashboard lighting, which is too circus-like; I would recommend choosing a color other than the intense red.

It will remain in my memory as the flagship of the modern diesel era in the middle class, regardless of brand.

Audi A4 Avant 2.5 TDI Multitronic

Basic data

Sales:	Porsche Slovenia
Base model price:	39.868,14 €
Test model cost:	45.351,36 €
Calculate the cost of auto insurance
Power:	114kW (155 KM)
Acceleration (0-100 km / h):	9,7 with
Maximum speed:	212 km / h
Mixed flow ECE:	7,0l / 100km
Oil change every	15.000 km
Systematic review	15.000 km

Technical information

engine:	6-cylinder - 4-stroke - V-90° - direct injection diesel - longitudinally mounted at the front - bore and stroke 78,3×86,4 mm - displacement 2496 cm3 - compression ratio 18,5:1 - maximum power 114 kW (155 hp) at 4000 hp rpm – average piston speed at maximum power 11,5 m/s – power density 45,7 kW/l (62,1 hp/l) – maximum torque 310 Nm at 1400-3500 rpm – 2×2 overhead camshafts (timing belt) - 4 valves per cylinder - electronically controlled manifold - exhaust turbine blower - aftercooler.
Energy transfer:	the engine is driven by the front wheels - a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) with six preset gear ratios - ratios I. 2,696; II. 1,454 hours; III. 1,038 hours; IV. 0,793; V. 0,581; VI. 0,432; reverse 2,400 - differential 5,297 - rims 7J × 16 - tires 205/55 R 16 H, rolling range 1,91 m - speed in VI. gears at 1000 rpm 50,0 km/h.
Capacity:	top speed 212 km / h - acceleration 0-100 km / h in 9,7 s - fuel consumption (ECE) 9,3 / 5,7 / 7,0 l / 100 km.
Transportation and suspension:	Station wagon - 5 doors, 5 seats - self-supporting body - front single suspension, leaf springs, multi-link axle, stabilizer - rear single suspension, transverse rails, longitudinal rails, coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers, stabilizer - front disc brakes (with forced cooling, rear ) discs, mechanical parking brake on the rear wheels (lever between seats) - rack and pinion steering wheel, power steering, 2,8 turns between extreme points.
Mass:	empty vehicle 1590 kg - permissible total weight 2140 kg - permissible trailer weight with brake 1800 kg, without brake 750 kg - permissible roof load 75 kg.
External dimensions:	vehicle width 1766 mm - front track 1528 mm - rear 1526 mm - driving radius 11,1 m
Inner dimensions:	front width 1470 mm, rear 1450 mm - front seat length 500-560 mm, rear seat 480 mm - handlebar diameter 375 mm - fuel tank 70 l.

Our measurements

T = 5 ° C / p = 1015 mbar / rel. vl. = 65% / Tires: Dunlop SP WinterSport M3 M + S / Odometer condition: 100.006 km
Acceleration 0-100km:	9,7s
402m from the city:	17,1 years ( 133 km / h)
1000m from the city:	31,2 years ( 169 km / h)
Maximum speed:	206km / h (D)
Minimum consumption:	6,6l / 100km
Maximum consumption:	12,4l / 100km
test consumption:	9,0 l / 100km
Braking distance at 100 km / h:	43,3m
AM table:	40m
Noise at 50 km / h in 3rd gear	59dB
Noise at 50 km / h in 4rd gear	58dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 3rd gear	64dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 4rd gear	63dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 5rd gear	62dB
Noise at 130 km / h in 4rd gear	68dB
Noise at 130 km / h in 5rd gear	66dB
Test errors:	the transmission control unit and the turbocharger are out of order

We praise and reproach

discreet but beautiful appearance, image

driver position

headlights (xenon technology)

wipers

ease of use of the cab and trunk

engine performance

transfer operation

ergonomics

materials in the interior

reaction time

harsh diesel sound (idling)

no steering wheel radio buttons

shaking the brakes

spaciousness on the back bench