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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  All round performer , with cargo space - 2003 Audi A4
  By fppima - February 5 - 10:00 am

  Owning this car has been a thrill! Been able to move everything from furniture to friends in a sports like fashion. Owned a Focus wagon before as the work car, for home improvements an regular work because of supposed gas milage. WHAT A JOKE! Never better than 18 city/27highway now I get with a true vechile 22city/30highway with the advantages of safety, fun and reliablity.

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  Great Little Car - 1998 Audi A4
  By Audi Enthusiast - February 5 - 2:00 am

  Bought car Certified at 50k and have had no problems since. Now at 90k, car gets even better with age. Have Volvo V70R AWD and the Audi kicks butt all around.

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  Best Used Car Ever!!! - 1996 Audi A4
  By CamClark - February 4 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car used just over a year ago. I have drove the heck out of it already putting more than 24,000 miles on it. No major problems, just a few leaks or normal maintainence. Unfortunately the dealership costs a fortune to fix anything. Average job costs about $500.

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  Goes in the snow - 1998 Audi A4
  By jjones5254 - February 3 - 2:00 am

  I bought this Audi AWD to get me home to the hill top I live on and it has exceeded expectations. It will go anywhere my 4x4 Explorer will with the exception of ground clearance. It is fun to drive here in western VA. Dealership has been good although not a cheap car to maintain. I bought with 87K and now have almost 120k. If you can afford it buy an Audi Certified car for the excellent 100k warranty. That is what I plan to do next.

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  Generally a great car - 1996 Audi A4
  By Blues listener - January 31 - 2:00 am

  Love the car. Im the third owner. I have had to replace the air conditioner, and recently, the transmission. That means I will be keeping it for at least a couple more years to recover those costs. It is in excellent shape and drives like a dream, so I have no problems with that. Warning: all problems should be addressed early when they show up.

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  Never Again!! - 1998 Audi A4
  By weeksmj38 - January 31 - 2:00 am

  I was in love with my Audi for the first four years. Now, in the past 18 months I have spent $7000 repairing it. First the water pump was leaking, then the heat exchanger went, now the car is in the shop gettin the tensioners replaced which is a $2200 job. Once this problem is fixed, I am selling the car and going back to Japanese cars - I cant afford this German engineering any longer!! The styling on this car is terrific, but its not worth the cost!

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  My A4 - 1997 Audi A4
  By dashh - January 30 - 2:00 am

  I have been more than impressed with my A4s outstanding interior, smooth good looks, exceptional build quality and ride. It has generous trunk space and front seats are very comfortable, altho rear passengers lack legroom. Its also quite affordable! The 1.8 turbo with 5 speed stick delivers smooth power (no noticeable lag) and enough horses to run with V6s. Ive been disappointed with reliability, needing to replace headlight bulbs repeatedly, and the rack & pinion steering system. While the ride is nice, Id prefer it stiffer for enthusiastic driving, but replacing the tires with some Kumhos vastly improved it.

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  My second Audi - 1999 Audi A4
  By CFWhite - January 30 - 2:00 am

  After my lovely Jaguar XJS burnt up in a freak occurence, I was left with my 1996 Audi. Although I loved the roadability, I was ready for all the bells and whistles on my 1999. It really compares favorably to the much more expensive Jag, although I did love that car. The Audi is completely dependable and not expensive to keep on the road. I am thinking about getting a convertible.

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  Great driving year after year - 1997 Audi A4
  By Dottie - January 24 - 2:00 am

  This car has outstanding handling, acceleration, and road worthiness. It is a joy to drive under any conditions - in town or open road. The one drawback to the design is the limited leg room in the back seat which was improved somewhat in the newer model. Like any high performance car, it is not cheap to repair but the driving pleasure it offers offsets that negative.

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  Solid, Safe & Fun - 2002 Audi A4
  By Fegs229 - January 24 - 2:00 am

  My first luxury car was worth the wait. Solid car, feels safe to drive and has the features to back up the claims. Fit & finish excellent inside and out. 3.0L engine with the CVT is smooooth and fast. I love the extra power it delivers at high speeds, passes others without straining. Amazing car for the money. Drove the BMW-3 and chose the A4 for FWdrive and price. My wife wouldnt drive this car for the first 1 1/2 years, too powerful. Now I cant get it back from her.