My A4 is in for a new rear bumper as the result of someone driving into the back of me. I've been given an XE in the meantime. Making every allowance for the fact that it's a manual and less powerful than my A4, the 2 do not compare favourably.
The driving position (even with adjustment) is unnaturally low. The touch interface for Nav, Media, Phone etc. is nowhere near as good as the MMI. Everything build-wise is a division behind the A4. Knobs feel like they might fall off and the general fit and finish appears less solid. On the plus side it has a heated steering wheel and to be fair, does drive quite nicely. Whereas I had been looking at the prospect of an XE as a possible post Brexit alternative, should German cars become prohibitively expensive, I now will have to go back to the drawing board. It's no match. The motoring press would have you believe otherwise but a day in one is quite enough for me.
