A4 Avant 3.2 Quattro wagon is an attractive combo

What do we all want in a vehicle? How about great looks, stimulating performance, a measure of luxury in appointments and the ability to haul stuff of both the people and things sort? If scoring highly on all four requirements defines a great car, then Audi s A4 Avant 3.2 Quattro AT6 is definitely one great vehicle. It s a station wagon that gos, corners and stops like a premium luxury sports sedan. It also hauls in other more practical ways, too. First, let s scan the specs where we find a 255 horsepower 3.1 liter V-6, a six-speed automatic transmission and a 0-60 mph time of 7.07 seconds. Not stupendously fast but quick enough to make things quite interesting on the right road. More specs: Audi s superb Quattro all-wheel-drive system apportions power precisely to the wheels most able to make best use of it, with a result that the A4 Avant is a delight to drive on a twisting road. The S-Line package s suspension enhancements sacrifice some ride quality, but the trade-off won t bother serious drivers. The package also includes bigger 18-inch alloy wheels and more aggressive rubber. On the practicality side of things, the rear seats are a 60/40 unit and there are 59 cubic feet of storage capacity with the seats folded down. With the seats upright, you still have nearly 28 cubic feet of storage capacity. Elsewhere in the passenger cabin are highly functional switchgear and instrumentation, plush leather seat coverings, genuine wood trim and a generally luxurious feel. The front seats are comfortable and a couple of power outlets in the center console. Moving outside, being an Audi, the A4 Avant s front grille is instantly recognizable as a product of the German automaker, and the balance of the silhouette is clean, smooth and attractive. It s not an exaggeration to say the A4 Avant is a handsome automobile. Unfortunately, it s an expensive automobile, with the as-tested price of my Light Silver Metallic tester checking in at $47,510. The S-Line option accounts for $2,750 of that (and is a bargain in my view), the sunroof adds $1,000 more and I could do without the $1,950 navigation option. Option it as you will, though, the A4 Avant 3.2 Quattro is a great car.