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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  Fun to drive, but not worth it in the long run. - 2010 Audi A4
  By Brian Gardner - January 1 - 10:13 am

  I bought my A4 used at ~38k miles. Its a comfortable, fun car to drive. Great on gas, accelerates quite quickly, and with snow tires, its a champ in the Michigan winters. However, its been a maintenance nightmare. Shortly after I bought it, the water pump started leaking. Thankfully, that was replaced under warranty. Next, the blower for the front defroster went out. Then it started burning oil badly. Turns out this is a common problem, and the fix was basically rebuilding the engine and replacing all of the pistons. Again, covered under warranty. But, while doing that work, they discovered that the timing chain was in need of replacing as well, which was not covered under warranty. And now, not more than 2 weeks after having that work done, the motor controlling the locks on the drivers door stopped working so I cant lock my car. This has been my first Audi, and it will also be my last.

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  Great car but not reliable. - 2009 Audi A4
  By Bill - November 16 - 12:04 pm

  In three years of owning a CPO Audi A4, I have had seven trips to the dealership with the check engine light. On four separate occasions, I have had to return to a dealership after a repair when the repair was not properly completed. It is a great car, but the reliability issue overshadows other issues.

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  AUDI A4 ....What a dissapointment!! - 2009 Audi A4
  By Ramon Albarran - October 14 - 10:24 am

  Do your research!!! I purchased this used 2009 A4 Quattro with 72k miles, the car is very appealing and looks very nice which is what my wife liked about it. I thought I got a really good deal on the car, but now I know why the dealer basically gave it away and didnt push for that extended warranty. This car is by far the worse car Ive ever had on maintenance issues. The oil consumption is just ridiculous and just started ticking very loud...I have a 3 series BMW and absolutely love it. Im going to be trading the Audi in soon for another BMW and be done with this car. I jumped in this car without doing my research and paid for it. There are complaints about this oil issue every where and the dealership will not help unless your under warranty. Even under warranty it will be a hassle, dont make the same mistake!

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  Less Impressed Than Id Hoped - 2008 Audi A4
  By D Manetta - October 13 - 2:33 pm

  Purchased this car in 2014 after my 2006 A3 2.0T was totaled by a hit-and-run driver. The 2008 A4 had 28K miles from a warm-weather state and was a one-owner car from a vacation home - well cared for with full service records based on time, not mileage. I would have preferred Quattro, but the price and mileage were hard to beat. I should have listened to my instincts. Vastly different character than the A3... this A4 feels like a luxury car without any sporting pretense. The CVT transmission is horrendous - slow to respond in standard mode, jerky engagement from dead stop... in Sport mode, it holds RPMs far too long at low speeds before initially "upshifting." Engine vibration is far more apparent than it should be for any luxury vehicle - the same engine in the A3 was less prone to vibration. Brakes on the A4 are less direct, more difficult to modulate and with longer pedal travel than the A3 - might be fixed with stainless steel brake lines. Steering is much lighter and less dynamic as well same with the suspension which is calibrated for a compliant, soft ride over handling - lacking the balance of a BMW 3-series. Lastly, the climate control is noticeably less accurate than the A3... the interior temp seems to be about 5 degrees higher than the set point during all seasons. Might be a faulty part or just the nature of the system - hard to tell and not worth tearing apart the climate controls to find out. On the good side, the car is indeed comfortable as a highway cruiser. The interior materials are top notch. The trunk seriously swallows more cargo than my wifes Ford Escape. Instruments are legible and direct. For the price paid, the car came well optioned for a 2008 model - although bewildering that certain features now standard on mid-level cars (like heated seats, Bluetooth and USB/AUX inputs) were nowhere to be found on my A4. Its a handsome car that will serve as a good family hauler for a couple of years - a car that I wouldnt be ashamed to take clients between point A and B. Lesson learned though - its not a drivers car in the same way a 3-series might be. No major mechanical issues so far (knock on wood)... replaced post-purchase: an A/C diverter valve, the engine thermostat and the window lock switch. Not bad for a mid-2000s Audi. Overall, Im not sure I would buy the A4 in this configuration again... at this price point for a used vehicle, there are more competent sport sedans and more reliable family sedans that cost less to operate.

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  stay away - 2006 Audi A4
  By jei - October 1 - 10:53 pm

  2006 a4 cabrio s line. this car suck .. its not reliable at all . I have 95000 miles on it and every 2 months something break or stop working . the parts are crazy expensive. the material that the interior is made of are cheap and dont last at all. the car feels cheap all over .. my 2000 bmw with 180000 miles had way way way less problems than the audi and still going strong . I really regret buying audi.

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  Love and hate, go hand in hand for this car. - 2004 Audi A4
  By Matt B - July 12 - 1:02 am

  You really have to be passionate about owning this car. Like, to a point where fixing it as almost your priority. There is something constantly wrong with this car. Sunroof leak... ruins the headliner... also to a point where water will ruin the amp.... suspension issues with the control arm bushings not lasting, J-plug cracking and leaking coolant... and putting plastic just where it doesnt belong, window electronics crap out too. Its almost not worth the premium price brand new if you think about it. There is always something wrong with this car. It was probably best to lease this car when it was brand new... dont get this car used... there is a reason why you dont see so many of these cars on the road. And as far and repairing this car... parts are expensive and what crawl space do you have to work with. You have to remove so many excess things just to get to what you need. I loved this car, but it was such a hassle.

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  Meltdown - 2007 Audi A4
  By czech3 - May 20 - 7:58 pm

  At around 120k miles I replace the timing belt. The engine sounded more high pitched with a whining sound right aferwards. Several thousand miles later the oil symbol started flashing and several blocks later the engine was toast. The local garage it was towed to thought it was the timing belt. Took it to the dealer and they said it was the oil pump. When Consumer Reports says the A4 models have major engine problems I guess this is what they meant. No satisfaction from the Audi dealer...only blame that I drove it several blocks befor pulling over.

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  I love it, but I hate it too. - 2004 Audi A4
  By lagdh - May 16 - 3:00 pm

  This car is fantastic... When it works. For all the two years Ive had it, I dont think it has worked properly for more than two months of that time. Theres always some problem which is hard to diagnose, the problem which then ends up being expensive. This is not to say that it isnt a great car, it certainly is. The Quattro AWD is spectacular in the snow and sticks to the road in summer as well. Performance needs improvement though --- Theres very little low-end torque, and there just needs to be more horsepower to propel this 3,500 pound car. Overall Id say dont get this car over 100,000 miles, itll just frustrate

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  A4 1.8T Quatro - 1999 Audi A4
  By giventi - January 27 - 8:20 pm

  One of the most expensive car to maintain. It will eat your wallet. If you know how to work on this car go for it. It drives very solid and safe. AWD great on snow but when you have more than 6-7 inches of snow you are in trouble. Very low clearance. Almost every Audi made around that time have problem with cluster panel. Air bag light on. has bunch of very expensive sensors. If all the maintenance done regularly it is OK to buy one of them. Otherwise even if you get it for free prepare yourself for $3 to 4 thousands of repairs in couple years. Engine mount and tranmsn mnt collapsed at 110K mls. That shakes rear axle like hell. Front end have so many parts to replace. FORGET ABOUT IT!!!!!!!

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  2009 A4- stay away - 2009 Audi A4
  By dsand00 - December 31 - 12:48 pm

  I bought it with 24000 miles and am going to sell it as soon as it gets out of CPO. I have replaced the motor mounts 3 times, a steering hose twice, and just got done replacing the pistons. All these repairs were done before 55,000 miles. I now have about 62k on it, and cant wait to sell it. This car has been a nightmare and would have cost more than $12000 in repairs if it wasnt a CPO car.