RE: Audi S4 Avant: PH Fleet

[havoc]

Not 400bhp, but I've heard a fair bit of empirical data about 330i's (230-270bhp, depending on year) delivering >35mpg combined in the real world. So +75% power for same economy in a very similar vehicle...


As I said in the first post, I think VERY poor mpg vs claims is a largely-VAG issue - BMW don't seem to be AS far away, nor do Merc...
(Jag I'll hold judgement on...not enough data)

[Nors]

Whilst asking myself why this topic on a V6 Turbo that has sporting intentions is turning into a MPG topic, I do see why it's a bit annoying not to be getting close to the claimed MPG.

However, the engine is new and tight. I also think that MPG claims should be there from out of the box, but clearly not. I have an A3 2.0TDI 183 which is supposed to attain 57mpg combined. I do 100 miles a day on mixed roads including motorway. When I first got it I couldn't get the display to read above 45mpg no matter what I did, but after 7k miles it is definately getting better. Now on a causual drive I can get it to 55mpg. A friend with an A6 with almost identical engine had to wait until 15k before seeing anything close to the claimed, which he now is.

So, engine being still a bit tight is probably contributing to the lower MPG in my opinion even though it shouldn't.

[gazza5]

Agree with Nors, its a brand new engine - in my opinion the mpg isnt too bad - but we don't know how its being driven - I know of people who struggle to get 43mpg out of a diesel astra on the motorway - yet I manage it easily (I average 38 mpg in stop start traffic - easily get 48 mpg on the way to cardiff (143 miles from my house including centre of cardiff driving).

We will all get different mpg out of the same car quite simply because no two people drive the same.

Back to the audi - doesn't excite me at all. Technology wise it looks good, but it just seems a bit dull to me.

[981C]

Fuel economy is a function of the ask, plain and simple.

Explains why I've averaged 21mpg +/- 5mpg over the last ten years with 225, 265, 320, 420, 340 and 500bhp. More power just means less time on the throttle.

[Dale487]

Wills2 said:

sicasey said:

My 2016 A4 Avant with the miserly 1.4 litre engine struggles to achieve higher than 36MPG when driven sympathetically.

As a side note, if you didn't know the actual engine capacity you could be forgiven for thinking it was bigger than it is. Quite remarkable really and just goes to show how engine technology has advanced.

Edited by sicasey on Wednesday 1st March 21:45

I'd say that shows the opposite, pretty appalling MPG from a 1.4.

My SEAT Leon estate with the same engine (smaller lighter car I know) easily exceeds 45MPG on the motorway (usually near 50) & 40MPG+ around town with a sensible amount of traffic - I know this is below the claimed 58, about 20% lower. Maybe it's the mileage, I'm currently just over 5k.

To me there seems little point in the S4, all the good points are just normal service from an Audi A4 - I'd save myself £10-15k & get a normal petrol or diesel in Sport or S-Line spec with a few good options.

Regarding modes - I find normal has a better throttle response (easier to hold a constant speed) & steering weight (no more feel or feedback) than Sport unless I'm on a twisty B road.

[Ved]

Ordered one today. Don't give a toss about the MPG. Does everything I want from a new car and very much looking forward to collecting it in May.

[Mosdef]

havoc said:

More pertinently to me, how much more real-world economical is this (and the 340i/M4, and the C43/C63AMG, etc. etc.) vs their nat-asp predecessors. Because if the answer is "not a fat lot", then all we've achieved is a load of torque at the expense of noise, throttle-response and character...

This is my bugbear. I had a CLK63, which was more economical than my 2013 5.5 E63 in any conditions other than central London driving, where the start stop on the E63 helped it achieve a slight advantage.

I now have a 4.8 Panamera GTS, which again, is much more economical than the E63 and better even than the S4 in this review. Even my 2004 A8 4.2 was about the same as this S4.

Things have definitely gone backwards in every respect and all for spurious environmental/efficiency gains.

Edited by Mosdef on Monday 6th March 11:44