Trying to Decide: Sedan or Avant

[sundaybrunch]

I'm on the hunt for a B8 after my beloved B7 sedan was totaled when some yahoo ran a red light. I've found a B8 Avant with the Prestige packagethat I really like but I'm worried that ultimately I'll end up wishing I had gotten a sedan. Do I love the looks of the wagon? Yes, definitely. (I hate the cargo cover though. Is there a fully retractable one I could replace the OEM clunker with?) What I'm not so sure of is the fact that I've read a bunch of reviews that say the handling of the wagon isn't as tight as the sedan. My B7 was an S-Line and I'm already concerned about not having the sport suspension (I can't find a single S-Line B8, sedan or wagon, in my area) but couple that with what I'm hearing about the handling of the wagon and I'm concerned I'm about to make a mistake.

To all you A4 Avant owners out there - how do you like your wagon, specifically how it drives? Does it drive like it's on rails or is it more "mushy" (to use a technical term). Any other pros or cons that helped you make your decision? (I did do a test drive of the Avant already but it's been icy and it was rush hour so I didn't get to really see what it's got.)

[ultra]

solution= avant w/ sway bars and alu kreuz, no more mushy

[cory_can]

Who told you about the handling of the Avant? Sounds like a sedan owner :) Compare apples to apples (same suspension spec'd on both, same tire size/profile) and you wouldn't notice a difference.....although the Avant has better weight distribution ;)

[r6_11b8]

i had an avant loaner once...i honestly couldt tell the difference between that and the sedan..im sure with some coilovers and some wider wheels it would be awesome...plus they just look so so sexy with aggressive set ups...but i still prefer the look of the sedan..all preference on which one looks better to you

[A4 Centaur]

Avant=Rare

But I am biased.

[S-Liner]

I drive an B8 S-line Avant, it drives well.

To say it drives like it's on rails is almost accurate...I say almost because my tires aren't the stickiest. Some understeer but not terrible enough to keep me from pushing it. Maybe others on here with a better tire can chime in. I feel the suspension is firm and really responsive, pretty good for a DD in my book. I feel lots of road feedback though, again just the suspension and stock 19" wheels. Braking power is pretty damn good. I'm still on OEM pads/rotors but looking into options since mine are due for replacement.

Interior wise, sitting in the cockpit is low and the seats are firm--but comfy. I think the seats provide excellent support throughout--love the Alcantara in mine. All the controls are there laid out really well. The "Big" knob on center console is sort of a pain in the ass some times but not enough to warrant a complaint from me. The rear hatch space is more than sufficient for my needs. My wagon came without a cover so I can't comment on it but, just sort of bugs me that I don't have one.

The only true complaints I got is my side mirrors, it's a pain in the ass backing up. Always having to lean foward as I check my mirrors. The other is the power of the 2.0T, I have no problem cruising and passing. It's just that I wish I had that instant power on tap feel. Once I get the Stage II performed for oil consumption, I'm planning on getting a tune and exhaust to help out in the power area.

[moyenecorniche]

Having the S4 sedan and previously an Avant, I miss the Avant for the practicality and the fun of watching someone's face as you beat them in a grocery getter.
As far as handling take the body away on a quattro sedan and Avant, there is no difference other than a few cosmetics.
handling was always as i wanted with the avant.

( Most people who deride these cars have never been in a sport performance oriented Avant, or even in an Audi. )
Handling was never a concern but if you need the boot space for bikes / skis / home improvement etc..etc.. you'll wish you had an avant evrytime you need the extra space.
the access opening to the boot in the sedan is not only narrow but also so low that it's a a juggle to get anything higher than 30 inches in the trunk / boot.

BTW the rear cover is a necessity when the need to keep contents away and out of sight.

I miss the Avant, to be rectified soon. ( But will still keep the S4 sedan )

[DirtD1ver]

Avant because avant > sedan

[Frinkferta]

I was in your same shoes not too long ago. I was going to get an Avant, but I ended up with an S4. If I were to get an A4, I would have got an Avant.

[cory_can]

I was in your same shoes not too long ago. I was going to get an Avant, but I ended up with an S4. If I were to get an A4, I would have got an Avant.

This makes sense. If you want/need an S4 get one, otherwise the Avant is the way to go.

Sedans are a dime a dozen on the roads. S4's around here are as popular as Corollas. The Avant body was more important to me, so I built one that was faster than 90% of stock S4's. If it had the advantage of a DSG the gap would have been wider.

[KFizz]

I feel like driving an avant makes you something of a Audi connoisseur.

[Mina08]

Avant.

[piotrowr]

Avant = no dog hair on your seats:)

[Mina08]

Just get it lowerd

[Project Quattro]

I'd go Avant, I would have bought one when I got mine if there were any to be found in my area. They're relatively rare. I'm extremely happy with the sedan I bought, but I think the Avants have great lines.

[uwbadger_2005]

Avant = no dog hair on your seats:)

Amen, one of the many reasons I got the Avant and have never thought twice about my decision after seeing all the sedans out there. Handling is the same and as previously mentioned better weight distribution.

[98champ]

Go with an avant. Avant's are rare and can be made to handle just like a sedan but you have more cargo space and can easily put stuff on the roof without scratching paint. And to add to that like other's have said sedan's are a dime a dozen especially where I'm from you can't drive a half mile without seeing an A or S.

[b6onboost]

The B8 chassis overall was a significant improvement over the B7. They handle better period. I would not be surprised if a B8 with non-sport suspension could out-handle a B7 with S-Line suspension. Now the B8 is a larger car so it may not 'feel' as nimble, but that more perception than actual handling ability. With sedan vs. avant, your splitting hairs when comparing handling, its basically the same. Plus you can also improve handling further with upgraded sway bars, an alu kreuz, or even coilovers.

[name.goes.here]

Avant.

First, better looking than a sedan.
Second, offers more utility than a sedan.
Third, not as common as a sedan.
Fourth, holds it value better than a sedan.

/end thread.

[sundaybrunch]

Who told you about the handling of the Avant? Sounds like a sedan owner :) Compare apples to apples (same suspension spec'd on both, same tire size/profile) and you wouldn't notice a difference.....although the Avant has better weight distribution ;)

No one I've spoken to in person (I don't know anyone who owns an Avant) but I've come across comments about it in many reviews. Here's the one that really made me start to wonder:

The steering is too light. I realize that most wagon drivers probably don't want sportscar-like effort and feedback, but the A4's feels like a video game controller. More importantly, the lack of effort means the steering wheel takes too long to return to center. I constantly found myself having to manually turn the wheel back rather than let it slide past my loose grip.

[98champ]

Scroll through and check out QUA77RO's avant about a 1/4 of the way down the page....

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...-thread/page16

No idea if he still has it but I love his avant and what he has done with it.

[A4 Centaur]

He can drive that thing better than most sedan owners! Quite some talent with that guy.

[cory_can]

He can drive that thing better than most sedan owners! Quite some talent with that guy.

that's a little misleading, especially considering the subject of the topic :) ....you should have said that he can drive better than most supercar owners.....which is quite true.

[TheHeiko]

No one I've spoken to in person (I don't know anyone who owns an Avant) but I've come across comments about it in many reviews. Here's the one that really made me start to wonder:

The steering is too light. I realize that most wagon drivers probably don't want sportscar-like effort and feedback, but the A4's feels like a video game controller. More importantly, the lack of effort means the steering wheel takes too long to return to center. I constantly found myself having to manually turn the wheel back rather than let it slide past my loose grip.

Whoever wrote that doesn't know what the F they're talking about and/or can't handle driving. Pure stupid.

I love my Avant. I echo what everyone has said here including that the Avant has better lines than the sedan. For whatever it's worth, I've had plenty of people say things like "I normally don't like wagons but that's damn nice once" or "if I ever were to own a wagon it would be that". Mine had the Sport Suspension with stock Pirelli P6 all-seasons and it handled extremely well. I went to coilovers and bigger/better rubber recently and it amazes me every time I take a corner a little fast. I will eventually get an Alu Kreuz when their prices come back down.

Get an Avant; suspension, wheels, tires - perfect.

[jfo]

No one I've spoken to in person (I don't know anyone who owns an Avant) but I've come across comments about it in many reviews. Here's the one that really made me start to wonder:

The steering is too light. I realize that most wagon drivers probably don't want sportscar-like effort and feedback, but the A4's feels like a video game controller. More importantly, the lack of effort means the steering wheel takes too long to return to center. I constantly found myself having to manually turn the wheel back rather than let it slide past my loose grip.

The steering in the Avant is identical to the sedan, so that guy wouldn't have liked it either. The Avant and sedan are essentially identical except for body style. I have driven both and find no discernible difference in handling. I prefer the look and definitely the cargo capacity of the Avant.

[treginginco]

Ditto

Avant.

First, better looking than a sedan.
Second, offers more utility than a sedan.
Third, not as common as a sedan.
Fourth, holds it value better than a sedan.

/end thread.

[name.goes.here]

No one I've spoken to in person (I don't know anyone who owns an Avant) but I've come across comments about it in many reviews. Here's the one that really made me start to wonder:

The steering is too light. I realize that most wagon drivers probably don't want sportscar-like effort and feedback, but the A4's feels like a video game controller. More importantly, the lack of effort means the steering wheel takes too long to return to center. I constantly found myself having to manually turn the wheel back rather than let it slide past my loose grip.

Number one rule of the Internet = Don't believe everything you read on the Internet.

[Frinkferta]

This makes sense. If you want/need an S4 get one, otherwise the Avant is the way to go.

Sedans are a dime a dozen on the roads. S4's around here are as popular as Corollas. The Avant body was more important to me, so I built one that was faster than 90% of stock S4's. If it had the advantage of a DSG the gap would have been wider.

The funny thing is, my wife didn't want me to get an Avant. She prefers the look of a sedan, quite the contrary to what people would expect from a female. I was looking at a Prestige S-line with ACC...It wasn't meant to be. The owner backed out of selling the car....I still think about it from time to time LOL. I had the K04 in the garage already to go!

[dscline]

No one I've spoken to in person (I don't know anyone who owns an Avant) but I've come across comments about it in many reviews. Here's the one that really made me start to wonder:

The steering is too light. I realize that most wagon drivers probably don't want sportscar-like effort and feedback, but the A4's feels like a video game controller. More importantly, the lack of effort means the steering wheel takes too long to return to center. I constantly found myself having to manually turn the wheel back rather than let it slide past my loose grip.

I've seen the same complaint of light steering about the sedan. That has nothing to do with Avant vs. Sedan. I personally have no problem with the A4's steering (and I have ADS, which I've read has less feel than the standard A4 steering), but I know some who are used to the firmer steering of BMWs don't like the A4 steering. I've never had any issues with it returning to center, first I've heard of that.

Since it appears you got your concerns from an Edmunds review, I have no idea what they're talking about as far the cargo cover:

"It's been noted before that the tonneau will block a good portion or the rear hatch window if you leave it in place."

The cover essentially has three positions: retracted, pulled out flat to cover the cargo area, and when it's pulled out you can slide it up some tracks that raise it up to give you easier access to cargo area. This last position is the only one that blocks a portion of the rear window. Otherwise, you can't see it from the front. Further:

"More distressing to me, however, is that the cover doesn't anchor firmly to the back of the rear seats. After a few openings, the whole unit popped out of its bracket. I tried to re-attach it, but it just keeps releasing. It seems to me that there's a problem with the single-sided latch -- it refuses to catch, no matter how much force I use."

Again, I have no idea what this person is talking about. I've had no such trouble. And I've removed it completely and put it back in before.

And finally:

"Most covers are attached to the hatch and open and close with it, but not the A4's."

Personally, I'm quite glad it doesn't. My partner has a Q5, which has the rigid cover that raises with the hatch. I much prefer the retractable cover in my Avant. We always take gas cans with us when getting gas (to maximize our Kroger points). I have 6 gallon race cans, which are a little taller than the typical "home & garden" gas cans. In my car it's simple: I can either retract the cover, or put it in it's "slid up" position to clear the cans. Sure, in this position it does block a part of the rear window (that position is really just meant for loading/unloading), but the cans would anyway. Despite having a taller cargo area, the Q5 can't deal with the cans so easily. The cargo cover hits the top of the cans so the hatch can't be closed (since the cover is rigid), and it doesn't retract. So every time we get gas in the Q5, the cargo cover has to be detached, pulled out, and stored in the garage.

My vote is: stop paying attention to Edmunds.

[moyenecorniche]

Basically, if you want honest reviews, go to a source like A-zine. This is where you'll find reviews based on longterm ownership, often over 2 or more model lines ( B5 > B6 > B7 > B8 )
by current owners. Most outsiders don't get german designed cars, let alone Audi's. The amount of idiotically obtusely ignorant comments I run into every week just puzzles me.
At a shop having a front wheel bearing replaced yesterday, in a conversation with a customer who was awaiting to have his breathalyzer unit installed ( Yeah !! Norwich ) I couldn't get him to understand that I could drive in 2+ feet of snow with Quattro and winter performance tires with infinitely more control than I ever could with a 4x4 pickup. ( Had an FX4 Ranger V6 20" wheels and Yoko tires ) it sucked in the snow, no comparison to the control of the Avant.

Speaking of snow if you also wish to balance weight distribution in the winter, you could add a few pounds in the rear of the Avant and still have more than enough leftover space for everything else. Just another reason for an Avant over the Sedan.

This >>

LOVE this angle! Sweet ride.


Here's my weiss avant dropping into the corkscrew at Quattro de Seca.

[Mina08]

what a picture

[Elliott]

No manual trans. That's a dealbreaker for me.

[moyenecorniche]

S4 or RS4, definitely manual, but normal Avant tip ( with paddles ) for practicality and work the manual is not as convenient.

[sundaybrunch]

Great advice all around. Thanks everyone for your input! I fell into an internet black hole and let it get the best of me. No more Edmund's reviews for this girl!

[Mtr24]

The only difference IMO is looks and cargo. If you can't find a sedan with folding rear seats (not standard after 2009), absolutely go avant. The weight difference is negligible so I doubt the handling is that different, unless that person was referring to the Allroad. I've even found myself debating the Allroad vs. an S4 for my future ride. A new B9 Allroad with a TT V6 would an awesome homage to the C5 Allroad w/ the 2.7BT... once its sitting on some KW's of course.

[mr_milo]

No manual trans. That's a dealbreaker for me.

Ditto! I really really wanted an Avant but just couldn't get over the missing pedal.

[doowopaudi]

No manual trans. That's a dealbreaker for me.

All my cars have been manual, including my mazdaspeed3 wagon/hatchback back in 2007, so that would be a deal breaker for me as well. Manual sedan all the way.

[BMWBig6]

As others have mentioned, there is little (negligible) difference between sedan and avant suspensions (these have slightly revised spring rates to handle additional rear load). My Avant (with Audi Drive Select and stock S-line sport suspension) handles great.

If you need any more convincing...

[Avantiator]

I feel like driving an avant makes you something of a Audi connoisseur.

x2

I love my avant. Steering seems to be pretty stiff, nothing like an SUV. I've never driven a sedan but I don't feel much "mush" while driving. QUATTRO!

[TheHeiko]

I was waiting for some Avant p0rn to appear. Love it!