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:

• 

  The Wanderer - 2016 Audi A4
  By Tom K - May 6 - 3:51 pm

  Very disappointed with steering. On straight roads and at speeds over 60mph the car is ALL over the road. You will need to work hard on a long trip to keep it on track. I had the car brought in right away to Princeton Audi. The result, they said that the steering is within correct limits. My conclusion is this is either a very poor design by Audi or Princeton Audi Service is incapable of correcting the problem. My advice, make sure to test drive at speed over 60mph before purchasing.

• 

  Not Bad, Could be Better - 2002 Audi A4
  By CHenry - May 6 - 2:00 am

  I have a fairly loaded 2002 A4 3.0 quattro with 5-speed Tiptronic: sport, luxury, Cold weather, xenons. All-in-all this has been a satisfactory car. Fit and finish was excellent. I have had a few niggling issues: horns had to be replaced at 20,000 mi (horns, whatever?!), power steering fluid mysteriously disappears (once, only). The Tiptronic could be a little smoother on the upshift, especially in low gears. Acceleration is a little weak, even for an automatic.

• 

  Great Car - 2002 Audi A4
  By preston - May 4 - 2:00 am

  If you are looking at comparable cars such as the BMW 3 the Audi A4 gives you more for your dollar and performs just as well if not better .

• 

  Very solid, nice, fast and good looking - 2002 Audi A4
  By A4_1.8_TQMS - May 4 - 2:00 am

  Everything is very close to perfect except of climate control. Probably bad placed temp sensors inside car. Everything else is just great. I love not-cheap-plastic stylish interior. Handling is one of the best. Sport package is awesome. Great value for money.

• 

  Enjoy free scheduled mtc while it lasts - 2000 Audi A4
  By itgrad1 - May 2 - 2:00 am

  I love the look and feel of the car and its been a blast to drive. However, as Mike pointed out..... this car spends a ton of time in the shop. Although this wasnt a problem at first (free until 50,000)its gotten quite expensive. The 50,000 mi service was almost $700 of routine stuff. Save your pennies for the service as its needed every 5,000 miles. Ive replaced the same headlight 5 times, water pump went, computer problems (dash goes black) up the wazoo. Ill be trading in soon. (Note this all happened ironically between 50,000 and 60,000 miles)

• 

  Audi Is German for Crap - 1998 Audi A4
  By stacie - April 30 - 2:00 am

  suspension replaced $1700, dealer thought the head gasket could be sealed but coolant still leaking. Was told that it is now a cracked block. I already paid $1500 for the head gasket now I have to cough up $3000 for the block. I was going to sell the car and now all I can get is trade-in value. Do not buy this car.

• 

  Fun and sporty, but small - 1997 Audi A4
  By jffordem - April 29 - 2:00 am

  Before I bought my Acura TL this was my favorite daily driver. I really enjoyed owning my A4 1.8TQM and regretted that I never chipped it. I sold it 3 years later to afford my dream home. I found this car a lot of fun to drive, and raced it in Solo 2 (Autocross) for two seasons. I also liked the surefooted behavior on snow when I took it skiing. However, I was disappointed with the service, and encourage owners to keep an eye on fluid and air pressure levels in order to avoid unfortunate, avoidable run-ins with the dealer.

• 

  A4 Quattro with performance chip - 1998 Audi A4
  By TheLock - April 29 - 2:00 am

  I purchased a used A4 Quattro in early 02, and its been wonderful. Its a blast to drive - handling is exceptional, and an upgraded performance chip (boosts HP to 190) mated with a 5 speed provides great acceleration from a standing start as well as while going down the highway. The car isnt necessarily the biggest head-turner, but the styling is clean and the fit and finish are great. I get about 25 MPG commuting, and 30 MPG on longer trips. Ive only had one minor problem (power window got stuck) which was covered under warranty without a problem.

• 

  OH YEAH! THIS CAR OWNS!! - 1999 Audi A4
  By floppy joe - April 25 - 2:00 am

  This was the best affordable car Ive ever driven. I love this car and I am very glad that the Audi company built this car. On a scale of one to ten I gave this car a ten.

• 

  The new Audi A4... look out BMW! - 2003 Audi A4
  By Phillypino - April 24 - 10:00 am

  Well-balanced car! Excellent build quality, rides great, and very handsome, stylish, and artful interior/exterior design. The quattro system is awesome! Save your $$, forget the bimmers and the benzes... this car is excellent all-around (especially in the northern climates). 2002 Dolphin Gray Audi A4 1.8T Quattro Sport w/ Manual Trans.