When are we South Africans going to realise the benefits of a station wagon? There are plenty and I reckon we should have more wagons on the roads than sedans. It sounds like an impossible dream but imagine all the SUVs were wagons and we'd be getting close.

And there is good reason to swap out an SUV for a station wagon.

Station wagons generally offer the same, if not more, space than an SUV. They look better too and best of all they drive like a car and not like a ladder with wheels. Fuel consumption is also a feather in the station wagon cap as they tend towards sedan and not whopping great SUV figures.

A first drive in Audi's latest A4 Avant offering is enough to convince one that there is very little place for an SUV today. The A4 Avant has a lot acting in its favour — things like a cargo space of 1430 litres, excellent road manners, plenty of technology, comfort and performance. Of course there is also the top-end interior fit and finish, safety and a stylish exterior.

At 4700mm long the new Avant is around 12cm longer than the previous model but it still manages to look compact thanks to short overhangs and a hot hatch-like sloping rear tailgate. It might be bigger but cutting edge body construction has seen to it that the body is almost 10 percent lighter than before.

The body also looks good with flared wheel arches and some razor-edged lines breaking the curved surfaces. My favourite is the sill line that slopes upwards toward the taillight and then joins the waist-high "tornado" line to make a symbolic R8-ish side-blade silhouette. It is good to see design cues from across Audi's range making an appearance on different models. This also continues with the headlight clusters, complete with brand-building daytime running lights.

Climb inside and the interior is functional with a healthy touch of sporty. Standard items include heated exterior mirrors, variable-height front seats, inside and outside temperature display and of course automatic air-conditioning. Six airbags are standard with two at the front, front side bags and window bags.

An S-Line kit is an option and juices up the interior with S-Line embroidery, tidy upholstery inserts, and an S-Line steering wheel. Obviously the S-Line kit will also up the sporting appearance on the outside with front bumper detailing, side sills and a rear diffuser. Two sports suspension types are on hand, and various Audi drive select modules incorporating dynamic steering and damping control. Wheels can also be specced from 16 to 19-inch options. You can have lane assist, navigation, B&O sound and, and, and…

At launch power came via either 1.8T FSI petrol or 2.0 TDI diesel but later this year a 2.0T FSI petrol will hit the shelves. The 1.8 develops 118kW and 250Nm between 1500 and 4500rpm while the diesel makes 105kW and 320Nm from 1750 to 2500rpm. Power is passed to the wheels through either a six-speed manual or multitronic continuously variable transmission.

The area around Sabie and HazeyView provided the roads for our first drive and the car excelled. Once inside the Avant you almost forget you have that extra room strapped on the back. Space inside is sufficient for the whole family and all the baggage you need. Seating position is good but in the manual the footrest hindered the clutch pedal movement a bit.

Corner after corner the cars turn-in sharply and feedback through the steering wheel is brilliant. This is where the SUV brigade really loses out to station wagons as the low centre of gravity reduces a wallowing ride.

The weight of the steering is a big plus point, at slow speeds it is light but at higher velocities it heavies up. A lot of cars do this but they seem to lose feel and remove the driver from the experience — the Avant doesn't.

Despite the force-fed nature of the power plants delivery is smooth on both cars and performance more than enough to make for safe and effortless cruising and overtaking. The combined fuel consumption figure of the six-speed manual 2.0 TDI is 5.7l/100km while the manual petrol comes in at 7.2l/100km. This combined with the quietness of the oil burner means I'd pick that engine option.

I'd also lump for the multitronic 'box as it is really smooth and eliminates the hassle of clutching while you fight the morning rush hour. In 'manual' mode it is reasonably responsive and still involving.

So, a wagon is a better solution to carrying the kids, groceries, Labrador or sporting equipment than an SUV. It drives better, looks better and, if you take something like an Audi, has all the latest technology on board. And Audi is the master of the station wagon — Audi Avant continues to put the cool in wagon.

2.0 TDI manual Ambition: R327 900
2.0 TDI multitronic Ambition: R342 900