Overview & Reviews

The Audi A4 holds the distinction of having single-handedly revived the Audi brand. Launched in the mid-'90s, the compact A4 quickly became a favorite among luxury car buyers thanks to its beautifully finished cabin, sharp handling and available Quattro all-wheel drive. Although the A4 has offered these core characteristics from day one, it has become increasingly polished and high-tech with each successive generation. No matter which year you're looking at, the A4 promises both engaging performance and suave style inside and out.

The sedan body style has been a constant for the Audi A4, but depending on the vintage, you may also find wagon and convertible variants. Turbocharged four-cylinder power is typically found under the hood, yielding both reasonably spirited acceleration and satisfactory fuel economy. In road tests, we've consistently praised the A4's refined character, with more recent plaudits going to its spacious backseat, which has adequate room for full-size adults.

User Reviews:

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  One year and 22,000 miles later - 2006 Audi A4
  By Dpark - December 22 - 9:16 pm

  Ive had my A4 now just over a year and have put 22,000 miles on it half of which were driving back and forth fom DC to NY in lousy winter weather. The car is so good, the only reason I will ever own another is if and when I splurge on an S4. I had heard mixed reviews about the last generation of A4s reliabilty. Well, I have not had a single problem. Handling, traction, steering and control are out of this world. I often travel and end up renting other cars its amazing how less secure I feel in them compared to the A4.

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  Fun, but ughhh - 2001 Audi A4
  By JCA462 - December 21 - 11:14 am

  The car is nimble and quick with great features, but as far as reliability is concerned, I cant give this car a grade better than a C-. Ive owned the car for two months and have already encountered electrical problems one being the central locking module which is expensive to replace, but was fixed free of charge from where I purchased the car. The engine just seems sketchy to me. It idles high at start up and blows some smoke from the exhaust at times, but not all the time (like during the test drive *angry face*). Random squeaks and ticks have become common, but its a different one each time I drive the car. None of the sounds continue for more than one or two drives. Its a nice car, though.

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  Pleasently surprised - 2017 Audi A4
  By Krishna Bellamkonda - December 21 - 6:07 am

  I had a 13 BMW 320i with Dinan Stage 1 and M Sport(with 6speed manual). It was really a fun car, with enough power and great dynamics. Since I was getting older, and my wife needed an automatic and was sitting in traffic a lot, we decided to get an automatic with more linear power(read I6/V6). Shopped around for Lexus IS350 and BMW 340i. 340i was good, but moving from manual to automatic, I didnt find the transmission react fast enough for my tastes. IS350 with its 8-speed transmission was also not as responsive. So I started looking for vehicles with dual-clutch given faster shift times and better response. Audi A4 is one of the few cars in the market with 7 speed DCT in the price range and new 2.0T motor is torque rich and in fact I found the vehicle better than sportier S3. Also even the base trim(Premium) has the Android Auto/Apple Play combo negating the need for nav package(mine has Convenience package, which is a must-have). And Quattro with rear-bias is another feature worth paying for. All in all, I got almost 5K off sticker on a brand-new vehicle which is a way better deal than BMW 328i(RWD), Lexus IS300(AWD) and Acura TLX-V6 SH-AWD which are way out of Audis league in terms of responsiveness and ride quality. Handling is little better in BMW, but everything else is dated. Previous Audis never impressed me, but this vehicle is quite a revelation and definitely worth considering if you are in market for entry level sporty-luxury sedans. At least until Lexus and BMW move to next generation, Audi seems to the best all-rounder in the segment.

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  Supermodel - 2003 Audi A4
  By newportgary - December 20 - 2:00 am

  I would say this car is like a supermodel. Very good looking, but not very quick. The car has a lot of fine qualities, but if you are looking for off-the-line zip or passing power, you will be disappointed. Probably the best built, best looking car in its class. I cant wait until they put a decent engine in the next round of A4s. Looking back I should have gone for the 3.0 w/o the quattro.

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  Best car for the money in US - 2003 Audi A4
  By duke_u_fan - December 20 - 2:00 am

  Whats not to love about Audi. The quality and workmanship is so beyond every other european make. Its unbelievable how much comes standard.

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  Best care - its my second one - 2006 Audi A4
  By Dutchy - December 18 - 9:43 am

  Excellent vehicle, comfortable, perfect drive experience. Will buy the TT for the missus.

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  Flawless at 15,000 Miles - 2006 Audi A4
  By Bandit Three - December 16 - 12:33 pm

  Mechanically there have been zero problems. The car has performed nicely. Last week, pulling into an intersection I was within three meters of being broad sided by a car running through the red light at high speed. I punched the gas pedal and the cars AWD gripped the road allowing the 2.0 Liter Turbo to haul me out of harms way, permitting the other car to screech around and behind mien Audi. My life, or quality thereof, was saved by this car.

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  A Delight to Drive - 1998 Audi A4
  By DH - December 13 - 11:27 pm

  I have had this car for almost a year now and it is a delight to drive. The AWD is great along with the tiptronic transmission. The car had low miles when I bought it and was well maintained, but still had to have the timing belt replaced @ 60,000 miles.

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  Id buy it again - 2004 Audi A4
  By Gadumah - December 13 - 3:55 pm

  I took ownership of this car almost three years ago and its been trouble free the whole time. I love everything from the design to performance. Even though I have the 3.0 model I wish it had a little more power. Other than that its almost perfect!

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  Good engine - bad everything else - 2003 Audi A4
  By Alex - December 11 - 1:57 pm

  This car has had so many electrical problems I cant even remember all of them. Parking lights each went out one at a time requiring separate visit to dealership for each one. Bad design caused moisture to corrode the contacts. Sunroof was opening on its own and dealer finally found problem after 2 years. Headlight alignment warning light came on, was fixed and now is coming on again after out of warranty. Stereo speakers are shorted out and intermittent. Also, back window just fell out one day. Engine is good but even it had sludge issue and took three days to repair. Hood latch gets jammed and wont open. Cupholder problems - not big enough and wont even pop out of back seat armrest.