If you saw the report of Roxy's day in the BMW X3 then you need to finish this companion piece. We actually got Roxy's full size kennel into the A4's cargo area with little trouble. It slid right in and we had little trouble on the drive out to the suburbs with such a big metal crate in the back. We needed to bring the kennel because we were spending a full day with family and Roxy is still a puppy. So she gets time-outs to keep her calm. The life of a dog owner.

On the highway the A4 is capable, fast and very quiet. There is minimal road noise and getting to six gear is an easy and smooth affair. The A4?s natural highway cruising speed is near 80 mph so be careful. If you go 65 mph the A4 seems like it?s crawling. Although this seems to be a trend industry wide as cars get more powerful across the board. The Chrysler 300C seemed slow at 80 mph.

The trip out and back to the suburbs is about 60 miles. On the way home night driving was a breeze in the A4 although I had trouble finding the interior illumination control since it wasn?t as bright as I like it. I prefer full brightness on the gauges. And yes I did try and evaluate the turning headlights but didn?t notice any change when making my turns.

After this weekend I came to a few conclusions. I would be very happy driving this A4 every day. It is one of the few testers I?ve had and forgotten it was not my car. Running errands, heading out to the burbs, it all felt very natural. The other major thought was that the wagon is a smart alternative to a sports sedan. Especially one as able as the A4 Avant. At Costco yesterday, we were leaving the parking lot and saw a couple trying to wedge two patio chairs into the backseat of a 1990s BMW 3 Series. It wasn?t going well. With such a great performer in the wagon I don?t think I?d ever go with a sedan. Oh and the cargo cover folding down with the seats is a terrific feature. Usually this is wedged into the frame of the car. It is also removable but this is a great compromise. I can?t remember another tester that did this. Can our readers think of any?