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:

• 

  Hold on To Your Investment - 2003 Audi A4
  By paynowpaylater - August 18 - 10:00 am

  Small disp engine is very quiet and excl gas mileage (25-30mpg). A lot of extras come std, like subwoofer, CD chgr, cargo net, dual zone a/c, 1 touch wndw on all 4. Solid car. Big caveat, if buy/lease, plan for long term. Resale is horrendous. Due to growing family, looking to trade in for familymobile, but am finding out that after < 1 yr, car has lost 1/3 value. Had a BMW before and didnt get to this point until after almost 4 years.

• 

  Fun to drive, expensive to repair - 1998 Audi A4
  By Permechanic - August 18 - 2:00 am

  I loved the road handling and the way 80 mph felt like 35 mph. -Quattro will take off some low end grunt from a stand still. The styling is very slick and the interior very comfortable. However, I found the car to require frequent, expensive service.

• 

  Audi A4 needs a lot of repairs - 1998 Audi A4
  By Sacramento owner - August 16 - 2:00 am

  This car is really fun to drive but has needed a LOT of repairs. In a little over 2 years it has needed 6500 worth of repairs. I spoke to the extended warranty company (thank goodness I bought that) and he said they are losing their shirt on Audis. It is still a blast to drive, but beware of repairs.

• 

  High-speed Cruiser - 1999 Audi A4
  By Snowboard Enthusiast - August 13 - 2:00 am

  Ive put 4K on this car since I purchased it three months ago. One trip from Denver to Utah and several trips into the mountains have been extremely enjoyable. This car is at home with high speeds. I have the 5- speed, but test drove the tiptronic 2.8 and the new 1.8T 5-speed. The 2.8 5- speed had the best acceleration and sense of control to reach optimum torque on uphill climbs. Im looking forward to see how quattro does in the snow, which is a main reason I purchased the car.

• 

  Pain in the you know what - 1998 Audi A4
  By richard303 - August 11 - 2:00 am

  Bought it in 03. The thing is expensive to repair 1200 for a timing belt??? Also the control arm on mine is going or gone along w/ the tie rod ends and Ive heard that it is a problem on the 98s but audi has not officially made it a recall on all 98s...thats another 2k down the drain. The car is very good in the performance area but could use a hp boost seeing how a chipped 1.8T would already out do it in hp.

• 

  My 1998 A4Q - 1998 Audi A4
  By marstein - August 11 - 2:00 am

  I own this car for 5 years now. It has the sports package, Bose Audio and 6 CD changer. INterior is leather. The leather held up very well, the only scratches are from my daughter throwing a tantrum in the rear seat with her sandals, using the buckles. The only thing that bothers me is a light rattle when cold over my shoulder. Poblems fixed by a repair: some control arm broke down after 5 years and the transmission was leaking. Otherwise Ive been lucky. The car rides comfortably, the engine (30V) is very silky smooth but powerful. It does use some oil (1/2 l every month or so). The quattro AWD was useful for skiing vacation. I never slipped anywhere.

• 

  Awesome Car - 1999 Audi A4
  By derek177 - August 11 - 2:00 am

  Never had a problem with it. The AWD is incredible in rain and snow. Sport package suspension and seats are outstanding. All around great car.

• 

  I waited too much - 2004 Audi A4
  By Tal-Yvan - August 6 - 10:00 am

  I dont know how I waited that long to have suche A+ class car. Great product, confortable, it fits perfectly for and average 510 to 6 foot tall people. Great performace once you put your RPMs over 3000. The 6SP tends to rev really fast, so the first 3 gears have to be changed quickly. The torque under 2100 just pushes the car a bit, the the turbo comes and nails you to the seat (careful departing from stop signs). Really happy with the car. PERFECT for daily commute. As for the shark fin... just try to ignore it.

• 

  Perfect Choice - 2004 Audi A4
  By AirCanada - August 6 - 10:00 am

  The Audi A4 1.8T is one great package. It handles like a dream, looks great, is one of the safest cars you can get, and the interior is second to none. The car may not have the power of a G35 but it has plenty for most drivers.

• 

  IMPRESSIVE - 2002 Audi A4
  By sdmacken - August 6 - 2:00 am

  Since the A4s introduction to the US I have wanted one and now I do. The new body style is aggressive and masculine which is indicative of its power. The 1.8T is phenominal in its pickup speed and at times I feel as if I am in the Daytona 500, well maybe not to that extent but you get my drift. I did test drive the 02 Passat and Jetta in order to make a wise choice that the A4 was for me. The Passat did not even have a chance. The sporty feel and tight steering were not there and the A4 had it all. The Jetta was a strong contender with the A4, however, the A4 won me over with its robust exterior and the luxurious interior.