Best diesel A4 Avant engine?

[LaneDiesel]

Looking at the idea of an A4 Avant in the search for an estate, however I am a bit concerned about the size of the car with a 143bhp 2 litre diesel engine which appears to be the most common. Are these engines predictably boring and sluggish?

[Toadusmodus]

Well, I can highly recommend the 3.0l V6 diesel. Smooth, powerful and even sounds pretty good, for a diesel!

[ruggedscotty]

3 litre diesel bi turbo wouold be something....

[Skier]

As an owner of an A4 Avant with a 3.0 TDI engine (and the S-Tronic box) I would say go for a 3.0 if you are not overly concerned with the mpg (I still get around 38mpg). I have no experience of the 2.0 TDI and suggest you arrange a test drive in each for your peace of mind. Also bear in mind that day-to-day driveability is governed far more by torque than outright bhp. Both can be remapped and the difference on my 3.0 (remapped by VHub in Tewkesbury using REVO software) is incredible; when you need it to the remapped 3.0 TDI really does shift, especially if you use the paddles to change manually.

[SD_1]

My dad has had a manual 3.0 tdi since new, now 8 years old and on 115k and been brilliant. Outside tyres and brakes, it has had rear bushes for the first MOT and a loose wire in the inlet manifold causing the emissions light to come on. Very easily fixed for virtually no cost.

Brilliant cars and a great engine, I will probably buy it off him when he upgrades.

[SteBrown91]

I would imagine the 140bhp 2.0 would be a bit flat but can be remapped to 180ish bhp, if you can stretch to it go for the 2012 onwards 177 bhp engine (the updated 170) which although is only 7 bhp more it has most of the torque of a remapped 170

[LaneDiesel]

Thanks for the info. Been reading alot of horror stories about the 177's very poor MPG however.

I will be glad when I have chosen and got the new car, the shortlist is now at the A4 avant, Octavia VRS, 520D SE or maybe the Mondeo Titanium X Sport...

[dogbucket]

I found the 3.0l/tip/quattro combo was rare to find in an A4 Avant so went up to an A6 were it is a more common spec.

[jonwm]

I've got an A5 Ultra, its the 136 BHP and can confirm it is pretty slow :-) motorway is fine and 1st gear can get you off OK but other than that its very average.

Plus side is on a run I can average 70MPG on the fuel display and it easily does 650+ on a tank if taken steady.

Normal driving around town and giving it some averages just under 50mpg.