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However, despite being put together with enough solidity that would make a Honda, much less a BMW weep, there are some areas that the Audi A4 felt like a Volkswagen. In fact, some of these are scary reminders of the dismal Polo we tested a few months back like hard to reach and adjust lumbar support and back rake controls (those rotary twist knobs again!). And the receptionists’ desk-like center console. However, unlike the Polo Classic, the Audi doesn’t come standard with a Blaupunkt stereo system, but an 8-speaker custom made Bose sound system, which sound sweet and good (if you get used to the again, illogical controls). Then again, ask yourself, would you need this good of a sound system when you already have something that is far more entertaining and better sounding? What else could I be referring to than the A4’s 1.8-liter 20-valve inline-4 turbo-charged engine. What’s so special about the A4’s engine is that the turbo is actually a light-pressured turbo that spins at a high RPM. The turbo boost isn’t as felt as say, as a Subaru Impreza, Evo VI or similarly high performance cars. In fact, the turbo whine is only evident when really pushing the engine to its maximum limits. Other than that, the engine behaves much like any other engine from Germany: gutsy low-end, flat torque curve, adequate pulling power. It’s not like the high-pitched Japanese engines mind you. The A4’s engine is more throaty and the sound is more on the bass level. In anyway however, the A4 provides excellent power whether the car is driven on Makati streets or the highways. The nature of the turbocharging is such that the 1.8 behaves more like a larger normally-aspirated German engine, say a 2.3-liter. 150 bhp may not sound like much, but the 214 Nm of torque is there all the way from a near-idling 1750 rpm. The 1.8-liter turbo engine is further helped by an intelligent 5-speed automatic transmission, which actually shifts like a normal manual. In fact, in normal city driving, it’s hard to mistake the Audi A4 for a manual transmission model because of its blistering acceleration and adequate response time. In fact, with this combination of 5-speed automatic and 1.8-liter turbo engine, the A4 gives the same response as the previous generation Mitsubishi Galant VR with a 5-speed manual and a 2.0 DOHC V6. One could easily conclude that the A4 is no sports car. Indeed, the A4 is closer to a touring sedan at heart. With this in mind, the A4 is second to none. However, do not mistake that the Audi A4’s engine lacks in horsepower or anything like that. During regular stop-and-go traffic, the A4 exhibits good torque delivery enabling the car to out accelerate bigger-engined cars such as the Nissan Cefiro or the previous generation 2.2-liter Honda Accord. In fact, the A4’s engine could even make a BMW 323i feel slow when speeding off a stoplight. Although this fact could be attributed to the car’s fabulous engine, it could also be because of the A4’s generally lightness due to the extensive use of aluminum in the car’s suspension. During high-speed driving, the A4 exhibits its well-groomed Autobahn characteristics. In fact, even at speeds in excess of 190 km/h, the A4 shows off its straight-line stability and low-wind noise. In fact, the car remains as quiet as a cathedral sans the terrific turbo whine and some tire noise. It’s so amazing. |
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