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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  Very disappointed - 2001 Audi A4
  By NY Audiman - September 10 - 8:20 am

  I bought this car new. Maintained it to spec. Have had repeated problems including the radio failed temperature sensor failed twice LED display is failing outside temp sensor is flaky. Today my dealer told me to service a zillion more things and quoted the repair bill at $4900! No way! This for a 7 year old car with about 64,000 miles. Get real. Im never buying an Audi every again. (They even design it badly for maintenance ... its a nightmare to service ... so the labor charges add up quickly.) In contrast, my Acura never needed anything special ... its back to the Japanese in a few months for me.

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  Solid performer with great intentions - 2003 Audi A4
  By Andrew - September 10 - 1:15 am

  The car is reliable, it breaks but rarely is it anything that you cant get home on. I grenaded the clutch 2 months after I got it (the clutch was shot when I bought it) and sawed through the transmission case, but she still got me home! It is a fast car, and there are many modifications out there!

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  Love/Hate Hate - 2003 Audi A4
  By Spin90 - September 9 - 2:22 pm

  This is truly a driver’s car, both interior and exterior finish had a classy sturdy feel. Economy and performance were great, 25/city and highway up to 33 long range trips. Now for the nightmare, the list that went wrong was excessive, items that normally should have no problems for 10 years/100,000 miles started to fail within two week of ownership. Although the warranty/dealer took care of everything while in warranty, afterwards it got out of control. Audi could care less other than to close my filed complaints as soon as possible. Own it get rid of it after warranty, shelf life is short.

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  First Audi - 2002 Audi A4
  By alow13 - September 7 - 10:00 am

  This is my first car, I have driven a truck for the last 8 years and so far I absolutely love this car. The seats are very comfortable and I have plenty of room 64. I think that everything about the car is fantastic. A beautiful car that really stands out among the sea of BMWs and Benzs that flood California.

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  Burns oil - 2008 Audi A4
  By Morris - September 6 - 10:44 am

  My 2008 Audi A4 Quattro burns oil at a rate of 1 quart per 1000 miles. The oil level warning came on at 6000, 10000 and 14000 miles. Each time I had it checked at the dealer where it was purchased and was told each time that no leaks were found and that it was operating normally. They also measured the aforementioned burn off rate according Audi guidelines and informed me that it was "well within Audi specifications and no action is required." These engines are problematic and Audi knows it.

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  LOVE MY CAR - 2001 Audi A4
  By merz4 - September 2 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car over a year ago. I usually tire of things quickly, but I still LOVE this car. The engine is great, instruments and accessories are great quality, and it handles like a dream. I have the quattro suspension, and my husband and I tried to make it spin out in a gravel parking lot and in rain. It wouldnt budge off the road. Made it through the whole winter without a single slide or fishtail. I feel very safe in this car. This car has quality written all over it.

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  Brand new thrill ride! - 2003 Audi A4
  By Yannis Kolettis - September 2 - 10:00 am

  so far, so excellent! went with 2003 after after unable to find all options i wanted on remaining 2002... dolphin gray exterior is understated yet very elegant (much positive feedeback regarding this color)... steering wheel on 3.0 quattro now comes with radio control buttons... i happen to love the "sport" suspension, but if your goal is a "cushy" ride, dont get it... finding myself coming up with errands to run as an excuse to drive the car (!)

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  Brilliant - 1997 Audi A4
  By AudiFan - September 1 - 5:48 am

  I bought this car after its 11th birthday, It had a very hard life before I bought it. But a bit of TLC took care of that. Even though I spent a lot of money on her, What she ended up costing me in total was still a bargain. I would rather have looked at a newer model if I could afford one, But the fact is it has served me well and will continue to do so.

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  What a car! - 2006 Audi A4
  By willm411 - August 29 - 3:12 pm

  This car is awesome! I didnt drive much prior to owning this car, but it begs to be driven! I did chip it to get some additional HP and torque, and put on light weight 18" wheels and ultra high proformance tires to lighten it some but even the stock version was fun to drive! If you buy this car or have a chance to drive it, take it on a canyon road and really push the car! It responds great to tight corners and accelerates like a dream! Nothing anyone can write will express the true enjoyment you get with this car! Even rush hour traffic is bearable! Quattro is a must! Try it for yourself!

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  A Big Car In A Small Wrapper - 2005 Audi A4
  By Spring Laker - August 27 - 12:45 pm

  This review is on the 2005 3.0 A4 Quattro Sedan. I owned a previous generation A4 and this one blows it away. This B6 is larger in every way than the B5 model. I came out of a 03 Passat 4Motion into this and surprisingly the front and rear interior dimensions are almost identical. The only place you lose room in the A4 is the legroom in rear. (-2 inches) and the trunk. Hard to believe if you park them side by side. I think that is why this car is so fun to drive. It pushes the wheels to the edge of the car in each corner giving it great handling. The 3.0 has plenty of torque and acceleration while still avg. 23mpg w/ 50/50 hwy & city driving. Overall a great car and have had no issues