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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  What A Superb Car! - 2002 Audi A4
  By A New Car Buyer - February 15 - 2:00 am

  I wanted a car that was safe, sporty, luxurious, well-engineered, fast and reliable-- but not an SUV. I ckd out & test drove Volvos, BMWs, Mercedes, VW Passats & the A-4s. Audis commitment to building safer, superb cars was impressive, as were the test drives. The 3.0 Quattro. Whoa! Just too hot. The 1.8 w/Quattro w/manual was absolute perfection. Power, safety, superb engineering, craftsmanship & attention to detail. (Detroit, are you listening?!!) I bought it.

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  I love this car! - 2002 Audi A4
  By Mtnpdlr40 - February 15 - 2:00 am

  This car is awesome and pleasing to look at. Hope it is as trouble free as I hear!

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  1.8T Bad Engine Design - 2001 Audi A4
  By Geoff - February 14 - 2:38 pm

  The cars great when it works, but after all the problems the world knows about with the ignition coils, it also has a bad oil filtration system and timing belt tensioner. Read the bulletin boards for huge repair bills and horror stories of oil pumps seizing and engine belts falling off. Mine went through two oil pumps and found out the valves needed replacing - all of which Audi refuses to pay for. Bad engine, bad company. They tried to make it right when it was small stuff like the coils, but now that its big engine bills theyre stone walling it. These turbo engines can *ONLY* run on synthetic oil. Yet the dealers have strict instructions otherwise on leased cars. Bad.

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  Fun & Style - 1996 Audi A4
  By Ryan - February 14 - 12:21 am

  Lead: Never Follow. Thats truly what Audi is all about. My lil yellow rocket has so much in such a compact car. The 172HP V6 has plenty of get-up and go and has excellent handling and still a very smooth ride. Of course there is the fear of german cars, but I myself have not had many problems with mine. Other than basic maintenance, Ive never had a problem. With 124,000 miles, this engine has plenty left too. And with the 1996 worth a measly $5-$6k, you can get style, comfort, and performance at a great price. And with Quattro, you cant co wrong. It adds versatility to the list as well. Overall, I would highly recommend this car to anyone, young or old.

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  Audi Dream. - 2004 Audi A4
  By hov - February 12 - 2:00 am

  This car is definitely worth its price. For so many options and features, the driver gets his "bang for the bucks!"

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  My Audi - 2004 Audi A4
  By Bails - February 12 - 2:00 am

  So far the car is great. The turbo does have some flaws, such as the gas mileage isnt that great when you really drive the car hard. The performance that the turbo provides is relatively powerful. It has a lot of good safety features. Would be a good buy for a family.

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  Buyer beware - 1998 Audi A4
  By Grover - February 11 - 7:20 pm

  Terrific car for foul weather, when its not in the shop. Fun to drive, if you can afford premium fuel and poor mileage (19 mpg average). Beautiful car, however, it will break the bank when it breaks down!

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  Great Car - 2004 Audi A4
  By Sonnys - February 1 - 10:00 am

  The Audi A4 3.0Q /6M has been a great car overall the past year. There is a good balance of power, stability and comfort with the vehicle during any driving condition. The enhacned stiffness of the frame for these model years have improved interior feel and perception of a solid, well built car; Which, no doubt, the A4 is. The A4 is in my opinion the best buy for its price range.

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  Gotta Get the Ultrasport - 2004 Audi A4
  By tgoldie00 - February 1 - 10:00 am

  Ultrasport package gets looks from everyone! 6 spd manual gets the car up and going, and performance is great considering the gas milliage. Brilliant Red is just that...simply stated.

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  A4 1.8t 5-Speed M W/ Ultra-Sports Pack. - 2005 Audi A4
  By AZ_Audi_Owner - January 27 - 10:00 am

  This car delivers with the Ultra-Sports package. The 170hp engine has just enough power. I had a 99 A4 before this and it had 150hp and the 20 hp, especially with the manual, is noticeably more powerful. I had 16 inch wheels with a sports package on my old A4 and this new A4 with the Ultra- Sports package rides a lot better than my old A4 ever did, and my new one has 18 inch wheels with 40 series tires!!!! Great job on the suspension guys! I just love this car. Yeah, it could use the Acura TSXs engine, but I have enough fun in my A4 without getting arrested. I highly recommend an Audi. They get a bad rap on reliability. I had my 99 6 years and 100k miles. I had no major problems.