FOR The A4 is spacious inside, and a good, grippy car to drive. Thanks to reasonable list prices and strong residual values, the ownership costs are competitive. There are plenty of powerful engines.

AGAINST It's not as exciting to drive as a BMW 3 Series; in particular, the firm ride quality is a real disappointment. The dashboard can be cluttered, too.

FOR The A4 Avant has a well-shaped boot and a roomy cabin. It’s good to drive, ownership costs are competitive and residuals should be strong.

AGAINST The rear seats don't fold completely flat, the pedals are offset to the right and some plastics are not up to Audi's usual standards.

FOR The A4 Allroad offers some of the image and mud-plugging ability of a traditional 4x4 in a less controversial estate body. It also has a practical boot, strong engines and plenty of standard equipment.

AGAINST The pedals are badly offset on right-hand-drive A4s, so the omens are not good for UK Allroads. Plenty of other estates are better to drive. However, its biggest problem is the hefty premium over the regular A4 Avant.