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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  Great car - 2005 Audi A4
  By JC1980 - August 8 - 12:15 pm

  Just bought this car used with 24,000 miles. So far it was exceeded my expectations. This is the first German car that I have owned, having owned a Jeep and Chevys previously. The maintenance package seems great, they found a coolant leak and fixed it along with replacing worn brake pads for free. Oil changes and most other basic services are included as well. My warranty does expire in Decemeber 08, and I have heard its wise to purchase an extended warranty. Being a single guy in Chicago, I rarely use the backseat, but if you have a family you may want to consider the A6 , due to lack of backseat and trunk space in this model.

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  Fun to Drive but Problems - 2005 Audi A4
  By kgkdh - August 8 - 9:53 am

  My 2005 Audi A4 1.8T quattro is really fast and fun to drive. The exterior looks great. The audio system is awesome. Its interior design could be better though, the cup holders are in weird places and dont work well. You can easily spill coffee because they dont hold the cups. All cars come with ashtrays, which we could do without. Our biggest issue is that after only two months of owning the car, the airbag light is on. My Audi dealerships customer service was rude on the phone. She said she was doing us a "favor" by letting us bring the car in today, and wed have to WAIT for the car, no loaner. Give me a break! This is an expensive car and it is only two months old. That was a big disappointment because we really like the car.

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  Luck of the Draw - 2001 Audi A4
  By Scott - August 7 - 12:39 pm

  Bought "used certified" with 30K miles which may explain why its been farily reliable (86K now), though we did bring it back a few times while under warranty. If youre looking for a truly long term reliable car, skip this one. However, I dont regret (yet) the purchase because the value was great. We bought this car for less than a new Mazda3. And driving a sport luxury car rather than an econo-box was a choice I can live with every day.

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  Pleased Overall - 2008 Audi A4
  By SF - August 5 - 6:50 pm

  Really pleased with my lease of this car after one year. Only one issue with a brake light sensor after 1 year of ownership and the dealer fixed it right away. Highway mileage is fantastic, but pure city driving gives poorer than I hoped. But overall, power and handling are the best! This is the funnest car Ive ever driven. Trunk space the best of all convertibles I tested.

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  great car - 2006 Audi A4
  By mikeinmemphis - July 28 - 3:20 am

  I have an 06 S-line quattro six speed. Great car. Quick, agile, weather-proof. Exquisite interior. The only thing that wold have made it THE perfect car is maybe a 6 cyl. instead of the turbo 4. An Avant would also be a great alternative to a gas- guzzling SUV. A fantastic car with few compromises. I saw a S-line with the new graphite package and it is absolutely a killer looking ride.

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  Thumbs down on the A 4 3.2 Sedan - 2007 Audi A4
  By Amy Oroshnik - July 28 - 12:00 am

  I have been real disappointed with the A4 3.2 CVT. I had 3.0 Quattro before and there is no companison. Quattros are what Audi is all about. The CVT transmission is jerky in the 3.2. It is a boring ride. I once tried to accelerate and had a delayed response. It is fast and comfortable but I plan to get rid of it and go back to a Quattro.

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  Run Far, Far, Far Away - 2003 Audi A4
  By JT - July 25 - 8:26 am

  Its a great car when everything is working. Unfortunately, that is rare. Problems Ive encountered in the approximately 35K miles Ive owned the car: rear driver side power window fail - $400 rear pass. side power window fail - $400 (I live in mortal fear of operating the power windows now - Im sure its only a matter of time before the front ones go) CV joint - $1200 bottomed out and punched a hole in oil pan (ok partly my fault) $800 check engine light - faulty "crankshaft assistor" $1250 bulbs are difficult to replace. Do not buy this car if not under warranty. You will regret it every day you own it

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  I dont know why I like Audis, I just do - 2001 Audi A4
  By Mostafa - July 24 - 6:45 pm

  I bought my 2001 Audi 2.8 almost 1 year ago. It has been a great car. I took it in today because the check engine light came on (becuase the gas cap wasnt screwed back on correctly) Ahhh! Oil changes are about $85 which is a lot, but its good for 6k miles. Everyone thinks Im crazy for paying that much for an oil change, but thats how it is. I love having a powerful car. Brakes work great! Almost too well. All my friends love driving my car, its fun!

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  Audi A4 2T sedan - 2007 Audi A4
  By KGD - July 24 - 11:26 am

  I havent owned this vehicle long enough (purchased 1/2007) to give a complete review. I was pleasantly surprised at the power and response from such a small engine. I find myself wondering why everyone else is driving so slow on the highway. At slower speeds and around corners, the handling is very quick with very little lean.The manual shifting with the 2T package takes some getting used to and, frankly, some practice. The suspension is somewhat stiff but I think youd have to agree that it is race oriented. The interior is comfortable and "no nonsense". Everything is there and nicely organized around the driver. I personally liked the gauge positioning and control positioning.

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  A4 Effort - 2002 Audi A4
  By dxt - July 21 - 10:00 am

  This is my 2nd Audi, and by far this A4 is a big imrovement over my last Audi. I love the style, handling, interior and exterior build quality and the little touches Audi built into this car. I look for twisty roads to drive and I smile every day I am in this car. I give Audi a big A 4 effort !!