Audi S4 Avant – Ron Perry’s Opinion of the Design:
The Audi S4 is a really sharp looking wagon. It has an aggressive stance and the added body panel trim really adds to the look. Even the aluminum roof rack bars add to the flowing look of the design. The exterior styling is capped off with a set of nice alloy wheels.

Inside the S4, the interior is clean and uncluttered with everything designed to be functional. I really liked the whole layout of the interior but I could do without the carbon fiber trim. It is of the highest quality but carbon fiber is old news in the auto industry and has even been kicked to the curb by most of the serious Ricky racers. It is time for something new. I also had issues with the cupholder arrangement in the front center console. Access to the back cupholder is blocked by the center armrest when it is in the lowered position. When the armrest is in the raised position the comfort level is reduced. Maybe a sliding top would resolve this?

Audi S4 Avant – Christian Wardlaw’s Opinion of the Design:
Generally, I find the Audi A4 Avant to be an appealing automobile with pleasing forms and shapes. It’s the detailing that bugs me. Audi’s new corporate face doesn’t fit this car, which wasn’t designed from the outset to wear it. The taillights remind me of the Honda Civic; though Audi’s design debuted first, it is the ubiquitous Civic that people will remember when viewing this upscale wagon. Other gripes include the S4’s thin-spoke wheels, which lack imagination in my opinion, and the “V8” badges, which are unnecessary jewelry that ruin the surprise.

Inside, the layout is typical of an Audi, with serious, plain, legible gauges; a two-tiered instrument panel design separated by decorative trim; and a rather dark and dour ambience save for the light-gray suede seat inserts. The stereo and climate controls are not simple and easy to use, with the former almost completely embedded into the MMI system. Secondary controls are logically located, often exhibiting considerate attention to detail like one-touch operation for all four windows and the sunroof, or the ability to run with just the front fog lights on and the rear fog light off.

Audi’s Multi-Media Interface (MMI) might be an improvement over BMW’s iDrive and Mercedes-Benz’s COMAND, but it’s still a distraction. Why the Germans think hard keys mapped to icons and menus on a screen are a better solution than a touch screen is beyond me. Plus, since the S4’s dashboard real estate is restricted, the screen and the data displayed on it are small. Even though it features crisp resolution, you need sharp vision to discern the details. My favorite feature is the “Return” button, which keeps me from getting lost in the menus.

Audi S4 Avant – Thom Blackett’s Opinion of the Design:
Oddly enough, my main complaint about this car’s design has to do with its rear cargo cover. Apparently reluctant to adopt user-friendly, logical convention, Audi S4 Avant engineers avoided offering a cargo cover that is lightweight and easily removed. Instead, there’s a cumbersome unit that can only be removed when the seatbacks are lowered, and then it takes some skillful handiwork to slide it back into place. Think you might’ve over-engineered things just a bit, fellas? My only other complaint has to do with the absence of a bumper pad to prevent scratches and gouging, but that might look out of place on a $57,000 Audi.

Points deserving some praise are the alloy trim pieces on the window sills, door sills, and roof rails, and the subtle exterior styling, accented by a lower front skirt with integrated fog lights, S4 badges strategically placed on the grille and tailgate, a V8 badge on the front fender, and side skirts.