RS4 Avant Updated and Still the Perfect Family Sportscar

Audi sharpens the styling on its RS4 Avant speed wagon.

By Lance Branquinho - November 11, 2019
Rs4 Avant Updated and Still the Perfect Family Sportscar
Rs4 Avant Updated and Still the Perfect Family Sportscar
Rs4 Avant Updated and Still the Perfect Family Sportscar
Rs4 Avant Updated and Still the Perfect Family Sportscar
Rs4 Avant Updated and Still the Perfect Family Sportscar
Rs4 Avant Updated and Still the Perfect Family Sportscar
Rs4 Avant Updated and Still the Perfect Family Sportscar

The best sportwagon just got better

There has never been a bad angle of any RS4 Avant in our eyes. The German company has managed to do the unthinkable with the RS4 station wagon and created a sportscar that is both pure to purpose, and enormously rewarding to drive. And all of that has become even better now with a range of slight updates for 2020.  

Sleek and spacious

In profile, this fourth-generation RS4 Avant does not look much different from the previous model its 2020 year upgrades. The overall shape is still fantastically proportioned and there is an inarguable air of practicality. This RS4 station wagon might be fast enough to tail most supercars, but it can also load up to 53.3 cu-ft of cargo volume with the rear seats folded down. 

>>Join the conversation about the RS4 Avant right here in the Audi World Forum!

Intimidating front design

Where the 2020 model year RS4 does differ from the 2019 version, is in its front view. The Audi single-frame grille has been integrated into the RS4’s front fascia and there are the iconic quattro heritage hood slots also. That new grille is wider and framed by matrix LED headlights, which are housed in darkened bezels. The overall look is dramatic and fits the RS4 Avant's quiet aggression perfectly.  

>>Join the conversation about the RS4 Avant right here in the Audi World Forum!

Striking new five-spoke wheels

There is a new 20-inch alloy wheel design to help differentiate the 2020 model year RS4 Avant from its forebears. Hiding behind those wheels are red six-piston brake calipers, which ensure enormous brake force applied to the front axle – especially at speed when you need to slow down for some hairpin corner. 

>>Join the conversation about the RS4 Avant right here in the Audi World Forum!

Potent twin-turbo V6

Behind that new grille, things remain mechanically familiar. Audi’s brilliant 2.9-liter V6 engine powers the RS4 Avant and is helped by two turbochargers that produce 444hp. All-wheel-drive traction ensures no power is wasted when launching the RS4 Avant off the line and an eight-speed automatic transmission shifts rapidly. The result? A 0-60mph sprint time of just 4 seconds.   

>>Join the conversation about the RS4 Avant right here in the Audi World Forum!

Improved ergonomics with more digitization

As with all of Audi interior’s, the RS4 Avant is ergonomically near perfect. The engineers have put together an ode to a stylish design and premium materials. The one significant change concerns its 10.1-inch infotainment screen interface. It is now angled slightly to the driver and features mostly touchscreen controls which have replaced the traditional MMI system’s rotary know, on the center console. A typical RS4 digital feature is the g-force sensor, something you are not going to find in many rival station wagon vehicles.  

>>Join the conversation about the RS4 Avant right here in the Audi World Forum!

Looks best from the back

The best angle of any RS4 Avant remains its three-quarter aspect. With flared wheel arches making it more than an inch wider than a standard A4 Avant, the RS4 station wagon has a more purposeful stance. Those large exhaust ends also frame the bumper perfectly and emit a great signature note at full throttle. Then there is the aerodynamic advantage of its long roof station wagon configuration, which is inherently more stable at speed than a sedan.  All these attributes make the RS4 Avant a flawless family sportscar that would put a smile on anyone's face. 

>>Join the conversation about the RS4 Avant right here in the Audi World Forum!

For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please check out our how-to section in AudiWorld.com.

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