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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  Audi A4 1.8T CVT - 2002 Audi A4
  By J. Amador - December 31 - 3:09 pm

  This is my second Audi (4000CS) and am very pleased with the performance and reliability of the car. We purchased the car used (3k) and had it shipped to Europe where it was driven till 05. The vehicle worked flawless!!! Had it up to 130MPH many times between Naples and Rome and always hugged the road. The CVT trans is great on gas as well as the 1.8T driving around town. Overall Id own another Audi. Glad I didnt get the 3.0 as it has more pickup power at the start but about the same as the 1.8T once you get going.

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  A good performer - 2005 Audi A4
  By Pauly - December 25 - 3:45 pm

  Weve had this car for about a year now and its growing on me. I wasnt crazy about the car at first because the gas mileage was so terrible for a 4 cylinder. The car is very solid and I feel very safe in it. The AWD is awesome. Its my first car with AWD and I dont think Ill ever go back. This car is amazing at high speeds, in the snow, rain, etc. Handles like its on rails, doesnt sway, very stable, no rattles, etc. It handles better than my C5 Vette. 4 cyl, turbo is ample. Has more pick me up in the sport mode on the shifter. We just test drove a new 06 Lexus ES250 AWD and the Audi drives and handles better. It made me appreciate the Audi more.

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  Amazing - 1997 Audi A4
  By what a car! - December 21 - 1:46 am

  This is the best car I have ever owned. Driving it is a dream. The 5 speed manual is like butter. The acceleration in good, but wont snap any necks. Handling is amazing. The quattro is a masterpiece. Living in Colorado, all wheel drive is important, and I have never slipped on ice once. These cars dont hold their value well because of reliability concerns, but they are an absolute bargain. The only problem Ive had is the air sensor ($350), which is basically routine maintenance. If something does go wrong, it can be costly though because some parts are only available through audi. This car gives the performance and comfort a of a car 3 times its price and is still way ahead of its time

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  Money pit - 1999 Audi A4
  By ms - December 18 - 5:51 pm

  This is a rich mans car. I have spent more money in repairs and maintenance than on the car itself. ($2,300 in costs to pass emissions test.) I am at the garage every other month with a new problem. Do yourself and your wallet a favor and avoid this car.

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  Mid Life Crisis - 2003 Audi A4
  By greg mitchell - December 17 - 6:46 pm

  I drive frequently back and forth to a remote office, a four hundred round mile trip. 100 miles is secondary, the rest is highway. I have enjoyed the car immensely. I am 6-1 and have plenty of legroom. The manual transmission is silky smooth and the handling superb. I have averaged 22 mpg over 52k miles with 93 octane. I enjoy the manual shift acceleration. I am sure I could squeak out a couple of more mpg if I took it a little easier. I put snow tires on and have had no problems traveling in a few pretty good snow storms. Only mechanical problem was a bad A/C compressor at 20k. Definitely the funnest car I have owned.

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  Get an Audi 1.8T quattro sport! - 1999 Audi A4
  By dkletter - December 16 - 7:34 pm

  Very fun to drive! I got an average of 33 mpg when on a long freeway drive! Great car for the money!

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  NOT RELIABLE - 1998 Audi A4
  By Gino - December 12 - 3:34 pm

  Very fun to drive, awesome in snow. However, **extremely** unreliable. Guaranteed to fail (all happened to me): -ABS Module (min $2000 to replace, for cheaper alternative checkout autoecu.com) -oil leaks (at least $1500 to replace $8 part, do timing belt at the same, same labor involved) -tie rods -Control arms (theres a recall on one of them, but ALL of them will eventually fail) -rear deck speakers (easy fix, just glue the poly-cone, it comes loose causing vibration) -side mirror reflective material deterioriating (ive seen it on other A4s in parking lots) -side door base-molding rots/falls of

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  Rare CVT - 2002 Audi A4
  By CT/CVTer - December 12 - 10:00 am

  The CVT is a pleasure to drive! The car has performed flawlessly. The 1.8t has plenty of power around town and does great on the highway.

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  Good so far! - 2000 Audi A4
  By Jaimie - December 4 - 1:01 am

  I am a member of SCCA & I know from watching the Audi in action that its a stronger car than BMW or Mercedes on the track in endurance & performance. My Audi has so far been perfect. It does idle rough sometimes, electronic gauge panel went bad, & sometimes draws back after hitting the gas.

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  Good God I love this car! - 2004 Audi A4
  By NVRMOR - December 3 - 10:00 am

  This cars "Wow" factor is off the chart. Heads turn wherever I go. People pull up next to me a red lights to tell me how much they like it. The ride is so firm and solid it feels like the car was carved out of a solid piece of metal. With the top down theres only a little more wind than if you had the windows down in a sedan.