Can Audi’s 450hp super estate put the BMW M3 in the shade? Self-confessed BMW fan Al Suttie tries the RS 4 Avant for a week and gets a pleasant surprise.

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Audi RS 4 Avant List price (BiK): £69,520 (37%) CO2: 221g/km Economy: 28.8mpg Test efficiency: 25.1mpg

Monday

Value for money is all relative. This was my thought as the Audi RS 4 Avant growled to a halt outside this morning. When a BMW M3 Touring costs from £86,500, this rapid Audi wagon for £15,000 less looks like a bit of bargain so long as you can live with getting from 0-62mph in 4.1 seconds in the RS 4 instead of 3.6 seconds in the M3. Welcome to the funny old world of super estates.

Tuesday

Experience of fast Audis over the years has informed me they are either a hit or miss to drive. Fortunately, this generation of RS 4 falls decidedly into the former camp and is a joy from the moment I set off this morning. There’s no need for mission control to get it started or going, and when it does head off, the suspension is supple and composed in its Comfort setting. It’s also quiet and refined, with only a slight ruffle of wind noise from the driver’s window surround.

Wednesday

A scoot up the A9 to Perth this morning on an errand and the RS 4 does it without a murmur, even returning fuel economy into the 30s. That won’t last the whole week, sadly, but it shows this sort of high-performance wagon can work as long as you don’t mind the monthly lease cost to have a car with this sort of performance mixed with family-friendly practicality.

Thursday

It’s taken a while for me to notice, but the only attention the RS 4 gets is from those in the know. Where the BMW M3 Touring seems to attract too much interest, and not always from the most hospitable drivers, the Audi’s subtle looks fly under the radar. It also helps this car is finished in optional Navarra blue metallic that helps hide the flared wheelarches very well. As such, the RS 4 is car you can park anywhere without worry.

Friday

Stuck in Edinburgh traffic this afternoon on my way home, but not a problem as the RS 4’s front seats have the right mix of support, give, and padding. On top of that, the infotainment is easy to work to scroll through radio stations and set the navigation in a bid to escape the snarl up. No luck with this, so it’s a chance to appreciate the bank vault build quality of this car.

Saturday

A day out at a local classic car show and the Audi is ushered into the reserved parking for display cars. It must be the RS 4’s magnetism because it ain’t my looks. I was parked up alongside a couple of gorgeous MG Midgets, whose owners are very keen on the Audi. One told me he used to have an RS6 until his licence became peppered with speeding points. On the cross-country drive home, the RS button on the steering wheel is engaged for some indulgent fun.

Sunday

It’s not often I rue a car being collected but the RS 4 has got me. It’s pretty much my perfect blend of pace, sensational grip and handling, comfort, versatility and low-key looks. Sure, the steering isn’t as full of feel as an M3’s and 25.1mpg over the week requires a gulp at the petrol station. But, you know what, if I was in the market, I’d take the RS 4 over the M3, and I say that as a longstanding fan of fast BMWs.