A4 convertible a joy on the road

Peter Hayward

12:33, Jan 11 2010

THE Audi A4 Convertible came out in 2002 and is a fine looking alternative to a BMW or Mercedes. It is one of a few cabrios that can really be called a four seater even though others claim to be big enough. Getting into the back is rarely elegant with the hood up, but that's true of most three door hatchbacks. It's as good as the A4 saloon in every way, with a very wide range of engines including a number of turbo-diesels and a hugely powerful V8. These are immensely enjoyable cars to drive, with excellent road manners, smooth engines and a high level of comfort. Story continues ADVERTISEMENT Out and out sportsters most are not, but driving a number of different models has shown me just how well they handle and hold the road. As age catches up, they are more affordable, where at one time, short supply and good demand meant that prices stayed high. Interior All have a comfortable if occasionally lumpy ride, safe handling and a high level of equipment including aircon, electric hood, excellent stereo, electronic stability control and umpteen airbags. Drive is to the front or all four wheels and bodies are galvanised so that rust should rarely be a problem. Reliability is excellent. FAST FACTS Audi A4 Convertible Price: Pay about £8,000 for an '02 02-reg 2.4, £11,400 for an '04 54-reg 1.8 Sport, or £15,000 for an '06 06-reg 2.0 TDI Mechanical: 160bhp, 1,781cc, 4 cylinder petrol engine driving the front wheels via a 5-speed manual gearbox Max speed: 140mph 0-62mph: 9.1 seconds Combined mpg: 34 Insurance group: 15 CO2 emissions: 199g/km Marks: 9/10 Main rival: BMW 3-series

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