THE estate version of the Audi A4 has been around the block a few times since it was launched back in the 1990s.

Nevertheless it has kept bang up to date and the latest version is smack on trend with a special Black Edition.

Priced from £29,635 and powered by a 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol engine the eighth generation A4 Avant is more than competitive.

The engine has plenty of firepower developing 170ps which results in a 0 to 60 time of 8.3 seconds and a top speed of 138mph.

On the economy front it can manage 46.3mpg on average according to Audi although we saw only 32 to the gallon on a brisk run.

Emissions are rated at 141g/km which leaves the Avant well placed among petrol powered rivals such as the Volvo V60 and VW Passat.

The Audi also lends itself to the practical side of things with cargo space ranging from 490 to 1,430 litres and that is quite generous for a so-called compact estate.

The Black Edition brings a touch of exclusivity with special alloys, privacy glass and black styling around the grille, windows and in the headlining. The name has nothing to do with the paint finish - and this one was a bright red called Misano.

To cap things off the car we tried also came with black leather upholstery as a £1,250 extra.

The name has nothing to do with the paint finish - and this one was in a bright red called Misano - and that in itself added another £615 to the cost.

With Audi's multi-mode drive system, which varies the ride characteristics and throttle response, a hard disk sat nav and heated front seats among other options the final price of this particular Avant was £35,445.

It is a surprisingly nimble car and exhibits a good deal of rigidity on the road.

In the middle of the rev band the acceleration from the turbo engine is very brisk producing a nice sporty feel, although the power does tail off at high revs towards the top end of the six speed box.

Three zone climate control is standard while styling features include roof rails and spoilers which for an estate make it look quite venomous.

This is a car which offers the best of both worlds and for action families the A4 Avant is a way of joining the Audi club without having to fork out too much.