Sedan vs. Avant

[Philly215]

I apologize if this has been posted already. Searched, and found nothing. What is everyone's preferences between the sedan and avant? I just picked up an '11 sedan yesterday and I was debating between the two for a while. I would have been happy with either though. Curious as to what people prefer.

[cory_can]

You're probably going to find that Avant owners are VERY passionate about the body style (me included). The sedan doesn't do anything for me. I've said it before but I would rather have an A4 Avant than an S4 Sedan......the S4 Avant is another matter :)

[SoCalS4Avant]

You're probably going to find that Avant owners are VERY passionate about the body style (me included). The sedan doesn't do anything for me. I've said it before but I would rather have an A4 Avant than an S4 Sedan......the S4 Avant is another matter :)

Couldn't have said it better myself.

I've got two Avants - an S4 and an A4. You can tell where my allegiance is.

[neptunesfinest]

I almost never see avants so I would think the sedan is much more popular. Personally, I hate the look of the avant. When I see the back end of the car I think about what could have been...Not trying to slam the avant folks here lol just my opinion.

[hercfe]

I love the Avant. I love the B6/B7 sedans as well. The B8 does absolutely nothing for me, but the Avant is nice. The B8 has the most refined look of the A4 series, and that just rubs me the wrong way for some reason.

[quality_sound]

You're probably going to find that Avant owners are VERY passionate about the body style (me included). The sedan doesn't do anything for me. I've said it before but I would rather have an A4 Avant than an S4 Sedan......the S4 Avant is another matter :)

He's not wrong.

[williamr91]

I wish I had an Avant....next purchase maybe. I just love the fact of wagons being fast as hell smoking sports cars. Not saying a S4 can stock, but cars like tunned S4 Avants, S2/RS2 Avants, E55/63 wagons, M5 wagon and even dare I say it the new CTS-V wagon are all sweet. RS4 Avant is the icing on the whole cake though :)

[hender]

you shoulda bought an avant

[Philly215]

you shoulda bought an avant

Why is that?

[quality_sound]

Because he said he wished he had an Avant?

[hender]

haha noo.
it's just such a moot discussion point, avant lovers got the avant because they liked it...sedan lovers did the same! I think the answer to "what is everyone's preference" would be the vehicle they bought, and I'm pretty sure sedans outnumber avants quite considerably... only difference being Avant owners usually swear by their avants, and sedan users realize they're more the genpop.

Avant's are great for a family, someone who hauls stuff, or even someone who just prefers the shape [:P] but majority of users on here are younger, and don't need a long hatchback for a commute / general driving.

then it also just boils down to preference, which is pretty inarguable!
NA was never a big fan of station wagons, hence the reason we don't get any S4 avants etc. around here.

[Speedybrit]

The only thing i hate about the avant is no manual transmission other than that i like both the sedan and avant, but prefer the sedan

[carlsA4]

I am currently in a sedan which I will be trading in this year for The Avant. My family is growing and I feel it will suite our needs better than the sedan will. I have also become very fond of the looks, especially after seeng the thread where dude put the RS5 grill in--smoking hot car!

[SupFly]

did somebody say Avant?!!

little partial myself & long time fan of the style

[quality_sound]

haha noo.
it's just such a moot discussion point, avant lovers got the avant because they liked it...sedan lovers did the same! I think the answer to "what is everyone's preference" would be the vehicle they bought, and I'm pretty sure sedans outnumber avants quite considerably... only difference being Avant owners usually swear by their avants, and sedan users realize they're more the genpop.

Avant's are great for a family, someone who hauls stuff, or even someone who just prefers the shape [:P] but majority of users on here are younger, and don't need a long hatchback for a commute / general driving.

then it also just boils down to preference, which is pretty inarguable!
NA was never a big fan of station wagons, hence the reason we don't get any S4 avants etc. around here.

No, Ford and Chevy never liked wagons which is why they convinced every pregnant woman and soccer mom that the god-awful SUV was a better option. It never is.

[quality_sound]

I am currently in a sedan which I will be trading in this year for The Avant. My family is growing and I feel it will suite our needs better than the sedan will. I have also become very fond of the looks, especially after seeng the thread where dude put the RS5 grill in--smoking hot car!

Why do you think the avant will be any more utilitarian than the sedan? Because of the slope of the back window there isn't much real space gain over the sedan.

[joeyo]

I love both. I got the sedan this time, and will probably get an Avant next time around if I stay in an A4.

[mattlqx]

I think it comes down a lot to whether or not you see a Sedan as having wasted space in the back or as having a more appealing shape. I think most Europeans would agree that the usefulness of the extra space in the back makes the Avant more appealing. It certainly does to me. This is my first Avant and I love the crap out of it. I really wish they were more popular over here in the States so there would be S4 Avants again. Maybe someday...

[CurbKiller]

I've actually owned both, first a 2010 A4 sedan and now in a 2010 Avant. While the cargo capacity, when kept below the cargo cover, isn't any deeper than the sedan it is however much more utilitarian in getting things in and out and this is before you get the seats down. I travel a ton and find it suits my needs much better than the sedan.

One first drew me to Audi was that you didn't see them all the time as you would say a BMW or Merc but now they are everywhere. Having the Avant helps in that regard since I almost never see one of them during my travels.

The only con I can think of is when I first got it I felt it didn't feel as premium due to the fact that the fact that the cargo hold is part of the interior, if that makes sense. In the sedan it was nicely separated from the rest of the passenger compartment for obvious reasons.

Generally North American's still have a stigma to wagons which is fine by me. I personally think the Avant is the looker of the two. Am I crazy in wanting to trade to the A4 allroad when it arrives?

As others have said, its' all preference.

[scottyuk]

The only thing i hate about the avant is no manual transmission other than that i like both the sedan and avant, but prefer the sedan

You just live in the wrong country ! ;)

I had a B6 S4 sedan and now have a B8 Avant (6MT of course ;) ). There are pros and cons. The Avant is much more flexible but the sedan is quite handy with shopping as there's no chance of it falling out whilst you load it.

I definately prefer the current styling of the Avant.

[TCHUN003]

Avants are great for people who want storage room without sacrificing mileage and performance. Also, Audi doesn't release this info to the public, but they are more balanced on the track for excellent handling and come with an extra 127lbs of torque from the factory.

[MiracleWhips]

Also, Audi doesn't release this info to the public, but they are more balanced on the track for excellent handling and come with an extra 127lbs of torque from the factory.

Don't forget about the secret reusable parachute in the boot for extra braking power.

[1RAudiSQ5]

well.. This (B8) Avant is my second A4 wagon and I guess it just comes down to needing space. I over looked the 6MT thing cause I am old and was tired of stop & go traffic

[Speedybrit]

You just live in the wrong country ! ;)

I had a B6 S4 sedan and now have a B8 Avant (6MT of course ;) ). There are pros and cons. The Avant is much more flexible but the sedan is quite handy with shopping as there's no chance of it falling out whilst you load it.

I definately prefer the current styling of the Avant.

haha i was actually born in bournemouth and moved to the states in 1999. So i did at one point live in the right country lol

[archrenov8]

Avant all the way. I think it looks better, firstly, and I have always favored the versatility of the Avant.

[formula1guy]

Why do you think the avant will be any more utilitarian than the sedan? Because of the slope of the back window there isn't much real space gain over the sedan.

My wife drives a B8 sedan and I have a B8 Avant. I can tell you first hand, the Avant is much more utilitarian. I've loaded (with the seats down) things in my car that you would stand and laugh if someone asked you to load them in her sedan. No comparison...

[quality_sound]

You just live in the wrong country ! ;)

I had a B6 S4 sedan and now have a B8 Avant (6MT of course ;) ). There are pros and cons. The Avant is much more flexible but the sedan is quite handy with shopping as there's no chance of it falling out whilst you load it.

I definately prefer the current styling of the Avant.

I can deal with the transmission if living in the "right" country means I have to pay almost twice as much for the car and par UK insurance and gas rates. lol I could do a tranny swap and still be far less than UK pricing. :)

[quality_sound]

Avants are great for people who want storage room without sacrificing mileage and performance. Also, Audi doesn't release this info to the public, but they are more balanced on the track for excellent handling and come with an extra 127lbs of torque from the factory.

And you got this info where, exactly?

[quality_sound]

My wife drives a B8 sedan and I have a B8 Avant. I can tell you first hand, the Avant is much more utilitarian. I've loaded (with the seats down) things in my car that you would stand and laugh if someone asked you to load them in her sedan. No comparison...

I agree that the Avant is more utilitarian (its why I have one on order and have owned variants in the past) but the B8 body style loses some of that because of the extreme angle of the hatch. The B7 and older Avants had a much larger advantage.

My statement was really to point out that a growing family doesn't NEED a wagon or SUV or minivan. That's all. I got my first wagon because I liked the body, not because I ever had any issues carting my two girls and all their junk around. :) If he's happy with the sedan he doesn't HAVE to move to the Avant. That's all i was trying to get at.

[scottyuk]

I can deal with the transmission if living in the "right" country means I have to pay almost twice as much for the car and par UK insurance and gas rates. lol I could do a tranny swap and still be far less than UK pricing. :)

That's true and that's why I bought my TT (full UK spec) direct from Germany....although the rate is now poor.

Anyway my comment was tongue in cheek for those on the other side of the pond and not my Euro cousins ;)

[quality_sound]

Oh I know. I've been on VW/Audi forums long enough to know. BMW forums on the other hand...oy. Despite my location, I'm not actually German, just stationed here. I'm from he States but I'm half-English and half Mexican and I learned to drive in England. :)

[TEXAS-AVANT]

Sky Panorama Sunroof :-)

[blackavant]

+1 for the Avant. The avant replaced a vw tourareg, I fit almost everything I can fit in the tourareg in the avant and I get 2x better mileage. With the gas prices now over $4 thats a big deal. Back in 2008 it cost me $120 to fill up the touareg! Also in my opinion the lines just flow so much better on the B8 avant then the sedan.

Congratulations on the new ride! Sedan or avant it really boils down to personal preference. You still made a great choice, just keep on driving and enjoy the new ride! Cheers!

[jkgiant]

I'm in the market and have been debating between sedan/avant. For those who have owned both, how does the back seat leg room compare? I need to be able to fit 2 kids (child sear and booster seat) with the driver seat all the way back (I'm 6'5"). But, but most of my driving is a 70 mile/day commute without kids. I like the Avant, but the limited supply of here in the States, lack of MT, and the price premium make my eyes start to wonder towards the Q5 for more space.

[scottyuk]

There's no difference in leg room. It's the same car but with a different boot/trunk and roof line. The Avant rear passengers have a little more head room.

I don't recall the Q5 having any more space when I was looking.

[piotrowr]

I personally prefer avant since it's easier to throw larger items into the back, especially taller ones that won't fit into a sedan trunk. Has come in handy many many times.

[TCHUN003]

And you got this info where, exactly?

It was a joke..I should've put lol at the end

[Turco]

sedan looks way better

[Ryan_T]

I love and always will prefer the profile of a sedan or a fast/sportback. But I'd be lying if say I never check into the avant section once in a while. Or looks wistfully at an avant.

[BlackOptics]

I almost went Q5 - i do believe the seats are more upright, and the center hump is lower in the Q5... but, there is no contest when it comes to which car is funner to drive, more huggy to the road... easier to load stuff on the roof... and you don't look like all those other SUV-ettes on the road. Avant all the way!