Doug DeMuro Says the Audi B5 RS4 Avant Is One of the Greatest Cars He Has Ever Driven

[Source: Doug DeMuro / YouTube]

Love him or hate him, Doug DeMuro has driven a lot of cars. He has been behind the wheel of everything from multi-million-dollar hypercars to obscure enthusiast favorites. So, when he narrows down a list of just nine of his all-time favorite cars from a pure driving experience perspective, every car on that list is going to be really special. Cars like the Carrera GT, Ferrari F50, and the Lamborghini Countach make the cut. It is that kind of a list. And one Audi earned a place of honor. The B5 RS4 Avant.

The choice may surprise some enthusiasts, especially considering the company the RS4 keeps on DeMuro’s list. But his reasoning will resonate with anyone who has spent time behind the wheel of Audi’s RS wagon. DeMuro explained that he had previously owned an Audi RS2 Avant, a car that helped establish Audi’s high-performance wagon legacy. While he admired the RS2’s looks and practicality, he admitted he never truly enjoyed driving it. He described it as front-heavy, plagued by noticeable turbo lag, and filled with creaks and inexpensive interior materials.

For him, the B5 RS4 Avant fixed nearly every one of those shortcomings. Although it arrived just one generation later, DeMuro said the RS4 felt “a light year newer.” Powered by its twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 producing roughly 380 horsepower, the RS4 delivered exactly the kind of performance the chassis deserved. He praised the engine, calling it the perfect match for the car, while also highlighting the wagon’s predictable handling and willingness to rotate through corners.

DeMuro has long been a fan of Audi’s B5 platform, noting that even the standard A4 offered responsive steering and an eager personality. According to him, Audi Sport simply perfected the formula with the RS4. What impressed him most wasn’t outright speed or razor-sharp handling. Instead, it was balance.

The RS4 had, in his words, the right amount of power, the right amount of engine smoothness, and the right amount of steering precision. It wasn’t overly aggressive like today’s most focused supercars, nor was it numb or lazy. Everything worked together in harmony, creating a driving experience that inspired confidence and rewarded enthusiastic driving. That’s perhaps the greatest compliment any enthusiast can give a car.

More than two decades after its debut, the B5 RS4 Avant remains one of Audi’s defining performance models. Its combination of everyday practicality, understated styling, quattro confidence, and genuinely engaging dynamics has allowed it to age remarkably well. Judging by DeMuro’s praise, it also deserves its reputation as not only one of Audi’s greatest creations, but one of the finest performance wagons ever built.