Audi RS4 Avant 2012-2015 interior

Nestling oneself into the RS4’s cabin is a pretty pleasing experience. The front seats are heavily bolstered but comfortable with it, and the cockpit ambience is a welcomingly purposeful one.

Materials and fit and finish endow the Audi RS4 with a high level of perceived quality, on top of which come the usual whistles and bells that accompany a high-performance derivative, including a stop-start button, carbon-effect trim and metallic highlights to the pedals. It feels like a place to do business.

With lots of adjustability, most drivers should be able to get comfortable

Matt Prior

Editor-at-large

Because the RS4 is dual-clutch-only, it doesn’t seem to suffer from the offset pedals that blight manual A4s, so finding a comfortable driving position is easy. A large degree of reach and rake adjustment to the wheel means you can sit yourself down low and pull the wheel in close in the best racing style.

But coupled to all that is the kind of practicality you’d hope for from the car you might sling your gear into when your Cayman isn’t quite big enough for the job. Those large front seats make little difference to rear seat accommodation, while the boot is just as good as that in other A4 Avants.

In other words, there’s no compromise asked by having the additional RS mechanicals beneath the floor.