2018 Summer (London): A4 Avant 1.8T Petrol or something - Sixt
Great, fully-specced (I think) interior. IMO Audi still make the best interiors of the large German manufacturers. The way you can zoom in and out of Google Maps or the in-built sat nav for nav, the font on the re-sizeable gauges and the way they look and sit within the steering wheel etc. all add-up to a great experience. Same with the built-in speed limit/hazard sign recognition.

Huge rims were easy to curb which wasn't ideal. Had decent-spec handling including ability to change suspension/gearbox (I think) settings between Sport, Comfort, etc. It was OK to drive around but hardly exciting, as it was mainly around London.

Good place to spend lots of miles.

2019 early in the year, Winter (France): V250d or something LWB version
It's a goods van with a gussied-up interior to sell to gullible people as a "V-Class". The Merc UI is still the crappest out of all the large German manufacturers. The BMW system may have less graphics, but the Merc one has a childish-looking font and a lot of pointless rubbish. I hate the touchpad interface. It's not actually as large as one would think inside or even outside. It just-about fit 4 adults, 2 children and their ski luggage (but not skis as we rented those).

It handled the snow fine on winter tyres, and no-one crashed or died, I guess?

NOTE: During one summer we rented a C-Class diesel of some sort - again from Sixt London. It may have been a separate rental last summer, or in 2017, but I really can't be bothered to write about it as the same comments apply on the irritating interior save that it was obviously better than that of the V-Class and much smaller.

2019 Summer (London): 318d wagon - Sixt (sorry, not a
This is the just-replaced generation. Interior was fine but getting a bit dated. Lack of proper (or any) Android Auto integration into the dash etc. was irritating. This means it is also liable to get you done for using your mobile phone for navigation/changing tracks in the UK (fine of GBP200 + 6 points on licence although the Police were very kind and let me off with an Advice). Also noticed a bit more noise, we thought, than there should be in the equivalent Audis

Generally seemed to be a base-ish model which I wasn't initially pleased about and makes the interior a more boring place to live on the longer drives in the UK, even around town. However, on the few occasions where there was a chance to chuck it around, it was possible to do so and catch with a dab of oppo especially with a bit of sheen on the road. That said, the steering seems heavy but not exactly communicative.

Generally similar observations to Greg's 328 review except that we didn't go off-road and he had a higher-spec model. http://gtxforums.net/showthread.php?...tal+car+review I also disagree with his comments on the radio not turning off - I like it that it doesn't!

2019 Late Summer (Ibiza): A4 35 Diesel - Sixt
Basically the same as the first car in this review except saloon, diesel, and with no suspension/gearbox settings to play around with.

Great diesel fuel economy of over 300-400miles on a tank for sure even when caning it and still had that great interior with the great Audi design on dials etc. So, generally still a decent place to spend a lot of time in. Huge boot even for a non-estate. Swallowed tons of luggage and people quite easily.

Best part of handling/drivetrain is that low-down torque from that diesel. However it had 17" rims and Hankook tyres, combined with pure FWD, super-light steering. On the fun Ibizan roads, clearly FWD as anything, and rolled all over the place, hence hard to enjoy driving on anything challenging without guaranteeing carsick passengers (it was OK when I was driving on my own).

It was a real delight to get back into our Legacy which (a) Has communicative (and in comparison much heavier) steering (b) Doesn't roll when you take even the slightest corner. To say nothing of the BRZ. Admittedly I did get caught out by the latter's lack of low-end torque when I got back into it as I had been used to just riding waves of low-end torque in teh A4.

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Incidentally, I have to give props to Sixt especially the guys at Victoria Station in London (some of whom recognise me by now and vice versa). The Ibiza Airport guys were top-notch too.