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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  Quietly sensational - 2003 Audi A4
  By colin hansford - October 30 - 2:00 am

  This car is a joy to look at and drive. Winter in Upstate NY has been brutal this year and I was concerned that the 17" all-season tires would be an issue. Not so. I bought tiptronic as other family members cant drive stick but Tiptronic really is a great compromise, I use it all the time, slick fast and efficient changes. Cant wait for spring / summer to wash the salt off, get wax on, and get the sunroof open.

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  Still love this car after 56000 miles - 2002 Audi A4
  By pmrocon - October 28 - 2:00 am

  Strengths: Stong 3.0 liter is a joy to drive, Tiptronic adapts to your driving mood and style. The interior is beautiful and funtional. This design still looks as fresh as it did 3 years ago. Weaknesses: Bose Stereo is not up to the level of the rest of this car, the passenger seat is not comfortable (so say my wife & son).The interior has not worn all that well. Reliability has been OK, the coils failed the same week that I received the recall notice. The bolt holding a pulley onto the engine fell out , an oil seal failed which left me stranded.Conclusions: I think that the A-4 is a better built car than my wifes M-B 240 AWD. Im ordering a new A-6.

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  Fun to Drive, but Awful Service - 2003 Audi A4
  By DSA - October 28 - 2:00 am

  I spent a great deal of time researching BMWs 330X, Mercedes C Class, and others. In the end, I chose Audi. My 2003 Audi 3.0 is a blast to drive. The car handles well and goes like gang-busters. The interior is well designed and very comfortable. However, in the past year and a half I have had the car in for repairs about a dozen times. Problems include keys that stopped working (3 times), replacement AC compressor, ABS, Airbag and other dash lights showing, drive train out of balance, key fobs that would not lock/unlock the doors, etc. Whats worse, Ive had to take the car back to have DCH either re-do their work on multiple occasions. What a let down!

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  Fun to Drive but maintainance high - 1996 Audi A4
  By lawoody - October 27 - 2:00 am

  My car is the FWD 2.8 with 5 spd. auto. The car is very smooth to drive and steers nicely. Strong brakes but the engine isnt the strongest. Great for long drives. Maintanance is costly compared to a honda/toyota/nissan but not out of line. Engine consumes zero oil at 65K. MPG is 23 mix or 27 highway. Some electrical glitches but nothing major.

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  My AUDI - 2000 Audi A4
  By Audi2K - October 25 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Audi on 5/04. The car is solid and preforms solid. I bought it used. My Audi came with 18" rims and low profile Kumho tires. It also came with a lower suspension and a custom dual exhaust that blows away every other Audi. The only problem is that my engine light just recently came on and I have kept my car in top shape by doing oil changes and tune ups. I have to take my car to an Audi dealer and if there is nothing wrong with the motor, the warranty I bought for it doesnt cover it. I this is going to be costly. But its definetly worth it. The tip-tronic shift on my car hauls butt.

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  Amazing car! - 2009 Audi A4
  By Melissa - October 20 - 11:13 pm

  I have the premium plus pkg with nav. This is the best car Ive ever had. Easy to drive and so much fun. Handles turns extremely well at fast speeds. The gas mileage is pretty good, getting 22ish city. I love the "smiling" lights and how they look during the day and at night. Ive never felt so safe and comfortable in a car.

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  My Audi experience - 2001 Audi A4
  By AntonioB - October 20 - 2:00 am

  Overall, I cannot recommend this car. There are too many good vehicles out there to settle for this. Even though it drove well and we felt very safe on it, reliability has been poor, dealership service has been so-so, and attitude at Audi of NA has been bad. Also, the car seemed to have no resale value. We traded it in before warranty expired and are now driving a Honda. We went through the coil recall, and it took 3 trips to the dealership (and 3 times almost stranded on the road) to fix. Audi refused to change remaining coils even though they knew they were defective: they said warranty only covers parts when they fail -they lost me as a client right there. We also had the clutch fail.

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  Lease ONLY-Major Problems - 2000 Audi A4
  By amr3636 - October 17 - 2:00 am

  When I was car shopping I thought I was buying a high end car. As nice as it looks, dont be persuaded by that. I have had my car for a little over a year and I have had nothing by problems. I had to have the brakes redone right after buying it, 3 seals have broke, the fuel pump needed to be replaced, the air sensor thing is not working. My check engine light has been on 4 times in 12 months and now the blinkers do not work. And, I have replaced about the headlights 4 times. Repairs are overpriced and its hard to locate a dealer. Looks are definitely deceiving on the A4.

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  Silver Streakin - 2001 Audi A4
  By JDBryson - October 10 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this vehicle with plans to moderately modify it with a chip and possibly Euro Xenon headlamps since the specific car that I was looking at did not come with Xenon lights. Well, who knew that Id have a lot more than just those modifications? Along with the chip(s) and lights, I have added Stasis Tracksport coilovers, StopTech brakes, Neuspeed rear anti-sway bar, Strat short shifter, Bailey bypass valve, a boost gauge in the center vent, APR snub mount and AWE DTS to firm up the drivetrain as well as a few other mods. The more I add to this car, the more I enjoy it at drivers schools via the Audi clubs and other high performance driving schools.

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  I hate my car!!! - 2003 Audi A4
  By Wiseguymc - October 10 - 2:00 am

  This car is loud, has no power, and it handles like a truck. Audi service is poor. I have received better service from General Motors, Honda and Toyota dealers. Do yourself a favor and buy a CLK320 from Mercedes.