2023 Audi A4

Pros:

• The cabin is well-made and looks great.
• Features of technology that are advanced and easy to use
• The rear seat is spacious enough to accommodate adults.
• The A4 45 TFSI moves quickly because its engine is turbocharged.

Cons:

• The driver is less involved when there is no feedback from the steerer.
• When this happens, it can feel like the transmission is taking forever to shift down.

How do you drive an A4? We used the A4’s 45 TFSI turbocharged four-cylinder engine for our tests, which makes 261 hp. It is more than 60 horsepower than the standard 40 TFSI engine. Our test car went from 0 to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds, which is suitable for a vehicle in this class with a four-cylinder engine. For example, the dual-clutch automatic transmission in the rival BMW 3 Series is less sharp than the conventional automatic transmission in the BMW 3 Series. But you get used to how slow its reflexes can sometimes be. The Audi A4 functions normally and silently the vast majority of the time.

The A4 has a firm brake pedal feel, but it is hard to park because it has a dual-clutch transmission and is activated quickly at low speeds. On our test track, the A4 stopped at a good 111 feet during the emergency brake test at 60 miles per hour. But because our test vehicle had summer performance tires, stopping distances will be longer with all-season tires, which are more common but have less grip.

The A4 feels capable, but turning it feels like little fun. Incredibly disappointing is the steering, which doesn’t give a good feel for the road or how much grip the car has. This place doesn’t have enough energy, but what about poise and skill? Absolutely.

How comfortable is the Audi A4? Even though the front seats of the A4 are a bit stiff, they are still great for long drives. The A4 is quiet on the highway, but we heard more noise from the tires and wind than expected for its class. The A4 hasn’t been updated since 2017, while its competitors have improved. Because of the typical Germanic stiffness of the suspension, which keeps the body from moving too much on uneven pavement, the ride never feels rough.

How does the inside look? The A4’s interior is modern and functional, focusing on technology. When it first came out, the multifunction digital instrument cluster was a big deal because it had many functions and almost no lag. It is still a great product. How well this generation has aged is shown by how hard it is to find specific ways the A4 feels old compared to newer competitors.

When it comes to space inside, the A4 is no longer a small car. The A4, which looks and feels like a midsize sedan, has enough room inside for four average-height people. Headroom is also not a problem for people 6 feet tall in the back. Many windows and thin pillars also make it easy to see.

How good is the tech? The A4 no longer has a knob on the center console to control the central MMI display screen. Instead, a touch screen has been put in its place. We don’t think it’s something you’ll forget. Most drivers will be able to use the touchscreen, which has a 10.1-inch screen with high-quality graphics and an easy-to-use menu system. There are plenty of USB ports for front and back seat passengers, and Apple CarPlay and (non-wireless) Android Auto are already built.

Audi’s 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit screen was vibrant and speedy. The optional Bang & Olufsen audio system could have been better. We’ve heard of great B&O systems in many cars, but one in the A4 needed more clarity and punch to be considered one of the best.

Advanced driver assistance features come standard on Premium Plus trims and higher, and they work well enough to justify an upgrade.

What about putting things away? The trunk space of the A4 is smaller than that of many of its competitors (12 cubic feet), but it makes up for this with a large trunk opening and functional cutouts that let you store more things or longer items like golf clubs. The 40/20/40-split rear seats allow you to use the car in more ways. The A4 has enough space on the inside to store personal items, but it could be better. Your phone will fit in the awkwardly square and shallow container in front of the shift lever, but it won’t be safe there. The storage space beneath the armrest in the middle of the vehicle is a little small.

A car seat can fit in the space that is there. Even though a rear-facing child seat will always hit the front seat backs, the A4 has more room for the front passenger when a car seat is installed. You could fit four adults and a small person in your bag.

How well does it use gasoline? The A4 45 TFSI gets 27 cities and 31 highway mpg, which is suitable for a luxury sedan. Even though we drove fast on some canyon roads, we got an average of 28 mpg on our 115-mile test route, mostly highway. This estimate is very close to the truth.

Is it wise to buy an A4? Just because the A4 is made in Germany doesn’t mean it’s a bad buy. Compared to non-German competitors, it often has more features for the same price, but it has a different business-class feel than the A4. Just remember that the much-wanted 45 TFSI engine costs much more than the starting MSRP, making it less affordable. The industry standard is four years or 50,000 miles for warranties that cover everything from bumper to bumper and the powertrain.

The Audi A4 offers much. It’s lively and can be driven confidently on back roads. Still enjoyable? Lastly, it has less style than the best sports sedans. Even if you ignore the sporty parts of the A4, it’s a delightful car to drive. The fact that the current A4 is still a strong competitor after being on the market for half a decade shows how great it is.

We recommend that you consider the Premium Plus trim, which is in the middle, because it has several features that improve the luxury and technology. Also, because the 45 TFSI engine’s extra power doesn’t change the bottom line much, we would upgrade to it.

Audi A4 models

Three trim levels for the small luxury car Audi A4 for 2023 are Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige. Each has one of the two turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines: the base 40 TFSI (201 hp, 236 lb-ft torque) or the 45 TFSI (261 hp, 273 lb-ft torque), also called the S line. All A4s come with all-wheel drive and a dual-clutch automatic transmission with seven speeds.