Head to Head: BMW 330i vs Audi A4 2.0 TFSI sport quattro

Along the lines of: Not so long ago, a BMW or an Audi meant you were minted. Now, both of those companies sell cars at prices you'd never have dreamt of. Despite the arrival of premium SUVs and hatchbacks, two cars still form the mainstay of their ranges - the Audi A4 and the BMW 3 Series. 2017 Audi A4 2.0 TFSI Sport Quattro Price From $69,900+ORC Warranty three years, unlimited kilometres Safety five-star ANCAP Engine 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol Power 185kW Torque 370Nm Transmission seven-speed Stronic Drive quattro all-wheel drive Body 4726mm (L); 1842mm (W); 1427mm (H); 2820mm (WB) Weight 1510kg Spare None Fuel Tank 58 litres Thirst 6.3L/100km combined 2017 BMW 330i Price From $69,900+ORC Warranty three years, 150,000km Safety five-star ANCAP Engine 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol Power 185kW Torque 350Nm Transmission eight-speed automatic Drive rear-wheel drive Body 4633mm (L); 1811mm (W); 1429mm (H); 2810mm (WB) Weight 1495kg Spare None Fuel Tank 60 litres Thirst 5.8L/100km What are we testing? Audi's A4 got a mahoosive update in 2016, sending the old-as-the-hills B8 A4 back to its maker and replacing it with the "it is actually a B9, look closely" A4. The A4 ranges starts with a $55,500 1.4-litre front-wheel drive petrol while the top of the normal range is the 2.0 sport quattro for $66,900 (diesel) or $69,900 (petrol). The top-seller is, amazingly, the 2.0 TFSI quattro petrol, powered by a 185kW/370Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder driving all four wheels through a seven-speed twin-clutch, the A4 is gunning hard for Munich's mainstay. The B9 is all-new inside and out and a gigantic improvement over the old car, which was never bad, just felt old. The 3 Series as we know it has been around for a few years now, with regular annual updates to spec and the usual mid-life re-jig (known as LCI, or lifecycle impulse) gifting us with the 330i, (replacing the 328i), a hybrid and a three-cylinder. The range stretches from a 1.5-litre turbo three-cylinder at $57,300, all the way up to a turbocharged 3.0-litre six cylinder ripping out 240kW and 450Nm. Every one of the 3 Series range is rear wheel drive. The top-seller is the aforementioned 330i. Like Audi's bestseller, the bonnet hides a 2.0-litre four cylinder producing (checks notes) 185kW/350Nm...hmmm....they seem the same. But they're not, because the BMW sends power to the rear wheels via a ZF eight-speed. What's more, you can have a six-speed manual as a no-cost option. Most 330i buyers spend the extra bucks on the M Sport, which weighs in at $72,900, $2000 more than the "basic" 330i's $70,900. It's also worth noting for about the same price, you can have the plug-in hybrid 330e with around 30km of electric-only range. So there's a lot more choice in the 3 Series range, a win to BMW, despite the A4 1.4 coming in a bit cheaper than the 318i. What’s the interior like? BMWs aren't famed for amazing interiors but they are well-regarded for their ergonomic, thoughtful designs that have slowly evolved over time. In fact, BMW interiors seem to evolve as slowly as Audi exteriors. The 3 has a choice of a 6.5-inch screen or the "Professional" sat nav which means a bigger 8.8-inch screen in the one-size-fits-all frame. Both are controlled by the ever-brilliant iDrive6 and its console-mounted rotary dial. In the 330i's case, the screen is touch-enabled. Audi's interior is a belter. Much like the second-generation Q7's, it's got a bright and airy feel, helped along by some top-notch material and design choices. In here, if it looks like metal, it is, with lovely touch sensitive climate controls (three-zone, don't you know), a big MMI screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a range of options to really kit the thing out. The newer car is bigger in the wheelbase, so like the 3, you'll get four in comfort, five in a pinch. The Audi edges ahead here, with its super-contemporary looks, a few extra bits and pieces (such as standard CarPlay, which is $479 in the BMW) and a lighter feel. The MMI system shares the same 8.3-inch screen across the range but none are touch-enabled. The Audi's software isn't quite as good as the BMW's but the standard Androind Auto/Apple CarPlay is an obvious and I would say mandatory standard inclusion. As with Munich's offering, you can up-spec the speaker count for some truly pimping sound. The Audi takes another narrow win. A couple of months ago, before the 3's 2017 update, the gap was wider. What’s the passenger space like? It's a close-run thing here. The Germans seem to have a template, stamping out roughly the same car across all three manufacturers to basically come up with the same interior space. The Audi's is comfortable, well-appointed and has little niceties such as a third climate control zone for rear passengers and plenty of space for odds and ends. The driving position is top-notch and both front seat passengers will feel like they're in a car one step bigger. The 3 is a roomy machine for its size and packaging, although the fifth passenger won't be a fan of straddling the transmission tunnel for any great length of time. The front seats are very comfortable indeed and like all seats are trimmed in leather. If you really like quality, plump for the Merino leather, it's lovely (and, of course, expensive). The basic seats in the 318i don't look too flash, but they're comfortable. Close, but the Audi takes the win here too. What’s the boot space like? Both quote identical boot space at 480 litres. And for a fun fact, that's the same as a Mercedes C Class and the Lexus IS. The pair offer a well-shaped space, easy to load into (Audi's probably better here) and both have flop-down 60/40 split fold seats. The BMW has a powered boot whereas the Audi makes do with a mechanical release you can invoke from the key or inside the car. You can also release the seats from inside the boot in the BMW, which makes a heck of a lot of sense. Dead heat. What are they like to drive? Every one of the BMWs is a delight to drive, even what should be a slow-poke 318i. You can choose manual or auto (almost all pick the eight-speed ZF auto) and it doesn't matter which engine you pick, they're all good. The BMW's rear drive chassis is a real sparkler, with lovely feel through the steering and your backside but allied with a strong combination of ride and handling. They're all quiet, they're all composed and it's only when you get to the bigger, fatter wheels that road noise becomes an issue. Focussing again on the big-seller, the 330i is a terrific balance of power, efficiency and fun. The M Sport package is mostly cosmetic, with the softer Luxury Line taking up a small number of sales. The thrust from the 2.0-litre turbo four is strong and it loves to rev. Push it hard and it will tip over the 10L/100km mark, but keep it sensible and it will easily return between 8 and 9. Upgrade to the 340i, though, and you've got a proper rocket, with only a small penalty in fuel consumption. Audi loves to talk about its quattro range, but don't discount the front-wheel drive 1.4. All of the A4s have a seven-speed twin-clutch, which will never match the broad range of talents found in the ZF auto of the 3. Once you're into the 2.0-litre turbo petrol or diesels, you've got yourself a pair of impressive powerplants driving all four wheels, as in the 2.0 TFSI. The B9 A4 is a revelation compared to the old car - quiet, smooth and refined, it doesn't have the ultimate fun factor of the BMW but my goodness is it glued to the ground via its all-wheel drive system. The quattro system is clever, too, disconnecting the rears to save a few tenths of a litre and when you're giving it the beans sends more rearward to make it feel more engaging. The ride is excellent whether you choose adaptive suspension. S-Line suspension also used to keep dentists and chiropractors in brisk business, but now it's just firm instead of potentially injurious. The steering is also much more communicative than the old car, making it more engaging. The BMW wins here unless you spend time on surfaces that absolutely need all-wheel drive. What are the safety features like? Before we even get cracking, the Audi wins this one with a very impressive list of safety features. That kicks off with eight airbags, ABS, front and rear collision mitigation (including pedestrian and cyclist detection), stability and traction control, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert and attention assist. All A4s come with exit warning, too, which detects approaching cyclists and cars warns you not to open the door. You can also add lane keep assist, adaptive cruise which is almost-autonomous (you have to pay attention, it just follows the car in front), turn assist to stop you turning across oncoming traffic and collision avoidance which brakes and steers the car to reduce the severity of a crash. The BMW, while also five star ANCAP, doesn't have such a long list of goodies. The 330i carries six airbags, stability and traction controls, ABS, blind spot sensor, speed limit detection and forward AEB, active cruise with stop and go. As with the Audi, you can option more gear to improve the safety feature set. So, which one wins and why? Heart says 3, but the A4 took more wins here. In reality, the 3 is coming to the end of its current life while the Audi is still a toddler. That doesn't make the 3 a senior citizen, but the A4's safety and interior tech, svelte good looks and good packaging mean it's in front. For a while at least.