5,000 Km with a 2022 Audi A4: The good, bad & the ugly

In summary, when I look back at these first 5000-odd km, I have started to understand why the A4 continues to be one of the best-selling entry luxury sedans for Audi.

BHPian JoshMachine recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

5000 km update

It's been a month now since the last update. The A4's going about clocking the miles (and smiles, too) silently and without any drama.

Hit the 5,000 km mark on 14th Aug. As I had mentioned earlier, just love the way one can capture the exact time stamp besides the date.

This run rate translates to approx. 1250 km/month, and if I extrapolate, it would mean approx. 15000 km/year. Haven't had the chance to do long trips, courtesy some hectic work related travels. So hoping to put a lot more on the ODO in the near future.

A few observations on the journey till date.

The GOOD part, first-up:-

• Overall fuel efficiency hovering and settling around 12-13 kmpl. Sometimes, it does shoot upto 15-16 kmpl on good open roads and nose dives to 9-10 kmpl in peak traffic. The highest MID reading has been >19 kmpl on few occasions. I use "Comfort" mode 99% of the times.

• The throttle response is almost instantaneous. The in-line acceleration is a joy to experience

• The design, am in love with it, specially when viewed from the rear 3/4 angle. Sometimes I look back at the car so many times after parking, that my kiddo has to literally snap me out of that daydream

• Have already praised the super insulation inside the cabin so many times. Detailed post, here

• A great feature, very understated, has been the "Auto-Hold" function. Has made the city travelling experience so much easy, when at the crazy Pune traffic signals. Of all the additions over the previous Vento, I guess this one really sits there amongst the top joys!

• From what I have found, Audi Hold Assist is part of the ABS-ESP control system. After you release the brake pedal, the hydraulic pressure is maintained, meaning the hydraulic system keeps the brake pads pressed against the brake discs at the front and rear. During this process, the electromechanical parking brake is not in operation. This means a quicker reaction time, less noise and less braking effect at all four wheels, and enhanced comfort. This Hold Assist is only available in conjunction with the electromechanical parking brake.

• The confidence-inspiring, robust 5-link suspension is being severely tested on Pune roads (or wherever there are). And every time, it comes out with flying colors.

• The LED lights are also quite sharp. Found them to be quite helpful specially during those rainy nights on some highway stretches, when there are no streetlights around to guide.

The NOT-SO-GOOD part, next:-

• The horn pad continues to be irksome. Sometime back, I got it checked at the service center to find if the pad pressure settings can be softened up a bit so as to make the pressing easier by the thumbs, but no luck. I believe it's one of those European/German legacies (where they probably don't need to honk that much) that I have to live with an inflexible setting.

• The "my Audi Connect" app is another piece of work that needs sprucing up, when it comes to response times. I always find the app having a lot of lag, and it just takes the charm out of the whole mobile-connectedness experience.

The ACCEPTANCE part:-

• Initially, the absence of ventilated seats on such a luxury offering put me off, theoretically. However, to my surprise, I was hardly uncomfortable even while driving in hot & humid afternoons. The 3-zone air conditioning is very good, and compensates for whatever lacuna the seats may have.

• During the very initial days of ownership, when I/we were still getting used to the cabin layout etc, I felt dismayed about the seemingly lack of storage options. But then, now, it is not so bad. There is adequate space to keep your coffee mug, water bottles, tissue paper box, keys, loose change, mobile, and some knick-knacks which is a good enough arrangement. No food allowed inside the car, strictly.

• The mild hybrid is another area, where I haven't delved into much. I turn off the auto start/stop feature, the moment I switch ON the ignition. But have accepted that the feature is there to stay and may have its minor advantages in aiding the fuel efficiency.

In summary, when I look back at these first 5000-odd km, I (or we as a family) have started to understand why the A4 continues to be one of the best-selling entry luxury sedans for Audi. It is really a well-put together bundle of nice luxury + useful feature-sets that customers will want from this price bracket.

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