Pros

• The house is well-made and looks nice
• Features of technology that are both smart and easy to use
• The back seat fits adults
• The A4 45 TFSI moves quickly because its engine is turbocharged

Cons

• The driver is less likely to take part when there is no steering input
• Sometimes it takes a long time for the transmission 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 horsepower. This is more than the standard 40 TFSI motor’s 60 less horsepower. 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 rival BMW 3 Series has a conventional automatic transmission that is very sharp and a dual-clutch automatic gearbox that doesn’t engage positively. But you get used to its slow reactions. Most of the time, the A4 goes smoothly and quietly.

The A4 has a firm brake pedal feel, but parking is tricky because it has dual-clutch gear, and the brake pedal moves quickly at low speeds. The A4 stopped well on our test track when it went 60 miles per hour. It took 111 feet. But since our test car had summer performance tires, stopping distances will be longer with all-season tires, which are more common but less gripping.

The A4 seems very powerful, but turning it feels like it could be more fun. Incredibly disappointing is the handling, which doesn’t give a clear sense of the road or how well the car grips it. This place could be more fascinating, but what about its grace and skill? Yes, for sure.

How comfortable is the Audi A4? Even though the front seats of the A4 are pretty complicated, they are happy for long trips. The A4 is quiet on the highway, but we heard more tire and wind noise than we would have thought for a car in this class. This is probably because the A4 has not been updated since 2017, while its rivals have changed. Because of the typical Germanic stiffness of the suspension, which can handle body movements on uneven ground, the ride never feels rough.

How does the inside look? The A4’s interior is modern and functional, focusing on technology. The digital multifunction instrument cluster, which had a lot of functions and almost no latency, was a great idea when it came out and is still a great product. How well this generation has aged is shown by how hard it is to find situations where the A4 feels old compared to younger competitors.

Regarding the room inside, the A4 is no longer a small car. The A4, which looks and feels like a midsize car, has enough room inside for four average-height people. Headroom is also acceptable for people 6 feet tall in the back. Many windows and thin walls also make it easy to see out.

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

Audi’s Virtual Cockpit, a fully digital 12.3-inch screen that replaced the analog gauges in our test car, impressed both technically and aesthetically with its clear graphics and quick reactions. The optional Bang & Olufsen music system could have been better. We’ve heard great B&O systems in other cars, but the one in the A4 didn’t have enough clarity and power to be in the top tier. Advanced driver assistance systems come standard on Premium Plus trims and higher, and they work well enough to warrant an upgrade.

What about putting things away? The trunk space of the A4 is only 12 cubic feet, less than many of its competitors. However, it makes up for this with a large trunk opening and proper holes that make storing longer items like golf clubs easier. The folding, 40/20/40-split rear seats make the car more practical. The A4 has enough room to store personal items, but it could be better. Your phone will fit in the oddly square and narrow bin before the shift lever, but it won’t be safe. The compartment under the center armrest is also pretty small.

A car seat can fit in the room that is there. Even though a rear-facing child seat will always hit the front seatbacks, the A4 has more space for the front passenger than thought. You could fit four people and a small person in your backpack.

Does it use gas efficiently? The EPA believes the A4 40 TFSI’s 30 mpg combined (26 city/35 highway) doesn’t help the sportier A4 45 TFSI. Even though we drove quickly on canyon roads, we achieved 28 mpg on our 115-mile test route, mostly highway.

Should I buy an A4? You shouldn’t think the A4 is a bad buy because it’s German-made. It boasts more functionality than non-German competitors for the same price, but it doesn’t feel like the A4. Remember that the rare 45 TFSI engine costs significantly more than the MSRP, making it unaffordable. The industry standard for bumper-to-bumper and powertrain warranties is four years or 50,000 miles.

The Audi A4 has a lot to offer. It is impressive in how well it moves generally and can be driven quickly down a back road. Still interesting? Lastly, it has less style than the best sports cars. Even if you ignore the A4’s sporty qualities, driving it is usually fun. Even after more than ten years on the market, the modern A4 is still a strong rival. This shows how good it is.

In 2024, the base Premium style will come with many new features that come as standard. It now has sensors in the front and back for parking, an advanced cruise control system, and help for staying in your lane. If you choose the base trim, the 45 TFSI engine, which boosts horsepower from 201 to 261, is a significant improvement that will save you money.

Audi A4 models vary

Three trim options 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. Every A4 has an all-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.