So what’s the Audi S4 V6 sports estate really like to live with?
With lockdown in full swing when I took delivery of my S4, life was pretty frustrating. Here was a shiny new high-performance Audi and I was all dressed up with nowhere to go.
Aside from the odd trip to grab the essential groceries, the Audi led an ornamental existence. But all that has recently changed and it’s now being flung into proper big-mileage duties. I can almost hear it saying ‘hang on, what’s going on here?’.
But it does mean that I’ve now gone over 1,500 miles on the odometer which, in my book, is around the point where an engine starts to loosen up properly. Having put some miles under the S4’s tyres I feel a little more confident in exploiting that V6 engine under the bonnet and boy, is it impressive.
It’s torquey and responsive at speed and sits at a cruise as only big Audis can. The only issue with cars like this is that when sat at 70mph they feel held back as if they’re chomping at the bit to get up to derestricted Autobahn speeds.
But dutifully observing the speed limits does have its benefits. For one, the S4 now happily exceeds 40mpg on longer journeys, with a recent empty-to-brim fill costing £64. In doing a full refill, it reset the car’s fuel mileage readout which now states that a brimmed tank will return 530 miles of range – not bad for an estate with plenty of performance.
It’s a good thing that it has that range, too, as I’ve been putting the S4 to good use over longer journeys now that travel restrictions have been eased. The spacious boot has been a real bonus now that I’ve started playing golf more, with a full set of clubs easily gobbled up. I particularly like the automatic load cover which descends when you lock the car to shield things from prying eyes.
I just love how understated it is, too. Only those in the know will recognise it as something other than a regular A4 estate, and I really like that. Audi has a long history of creating under-the-radar performance cars and the S4 feels like a great extension of this.
You could go further, of course – if this was my own car, I’d have the model badges off in an instant and probably try and get the exhaust pipes finished in grey or black instead of chrome for that proper undercover look.
I’m also hoping that the S4 will be able to accompany me on some more adventures as the weather turns warmer. There’s already a camping trip on the cards, as well as a couple of other jaunts across parts of the UK.
I’m already getting attached to this car. With its practicality, efficiency and understated looks, it suits me down the ground.