Sorry 3-Series - Audi tops the entry level luxury car segment

Let me first begin by saying that this is an excellent car. Audi has taken some major leaps forward with the new B7 model A4 and they may have the best small luxury vehicle out there with this car. If you are looking at the 3-Series or C-Class then you owe it to yourself to look at the A4.

I have been driving this vehicle for the last 21 days as a loaner while Audi is trying to fix some electrical issues on my '01 B5 A4 (Fortunately those issues are covered by an extended warranty.). Normally I wouldn’t write a review on a car that I don’t have extended experience with, but I have had the opportunity to take this car on extended highway trips, city driving and twisting/turning country driving. I have also pushed it in a vacant parking lot to do some things that I would not/could not do on the street. This is the base model A4 2.0 T with limited options as described below. I am not going to give you all of the specs on HP, wheelbase, etc as you can do that research on your own. I’m going to give you the opinion of someone who likes cars and driving a lot and has driven and owned many cars.

Exterior / Styling:
This is strictly my opinion, but from a styling standpoint, Audi ranks in the top three in terms of overall looks and design of their cars. The A4 is very aerodynamic and has a futuristic appeal to it. Like the new BMWs, Audi has shunned some of the smooth curves of the previous model for more angular styling, but it is in no way extreme like Cadillac. The large grille took a little time to get used to, but it blends well with the overall appeal of the car and is unlike any other manufacturer out there.
All of the body panels line up properly and gaps are small and tight. The metallic silver paint finish appears more durable than previous years and the clearcoat has a nice, smooth luster to it. 17” alloy rims are on this model, and there is a larger than usual gap between the wheel well fender and the top of the tire. Less gap here would make the car look more aggressive in line with the rest of the styling. Twin exhaust pipes sit neatly under the rear bumper. Reverse lights look small, but are effective. Non HID headlights are on the base model and do a good job of lighting up the road, but HIDs would have been preferred (and are standard on some of the A4’s competition).

Interior:
Audi is known for their top notch interiors and this car is no exception. First class materials abound. All surfaces are designed for a smooth tactile sensation. Materials are high quality and much more durable when compared to previous generation A4 models (where the coatings would scratch or rub off over time). Control layout and function is intuitive for the most part and existing Audi owners will feel right at home. The turn signal has a function that will make it flash 3 times by pressing it down (or up) without actually turning it on. This is great for lane changes where you may have just held the stalk in place tmporarily while changing lanes. The cruise control stalk is in an odd position, but it is easy to use. The instrument cluster layout is traditional w/ MPH, Tach, Temp, & Fuel gauges & a multifunction display. The gauges on the dash are considerably smaller than previous models and the numbers could be hard to read for those who have trouble with distance vision. The base model does not have Audi’s multifunction trip computer as in previous generations. It is available, but you now have to pay for it with the "Technology Package" where before it was standard on all A4s. You can no longer turn off the multifunction trip display as in previous generations and it could be a strain on the eyes in extended night driving. Dual climate control is standard, but the driver’s and passenger’s temp controls remain independent so you have to adjust both temp settings instead of just one – even if only one person is in the car. Most of the A4’s competition can have the passenger control function as a “slave” to the driver’s temp control when only one occupant is present. When the gauges are lit up, the interior looks like a cockpit of a spaceship. Everything has a back light – even the vent control wheels - and it makes it very easy to find functions at night. This model was equipped with the Audi Symphony AM/FM Cassette w/ 6 disc in-dash CD changer. This car has no navigation so I cannot comment extensively on that systems functionality, but I have seen it in person. The nav screen is small compared to Lexus or Infiniti, and it's position in the dash requires the driver to take his/her eyes off of the road in order to view it. it should be mounted higher in the console so it is closer to the windshield where the road can still be seen in line of sight vision. Sound on the Audi Symphony stereo is good, but bass heavy. Classical and jazz listeners may be somewhat dissapointed, but other music types sound good.

Black leather seats are comfortable, but they should be perforated as in previous models to allow for better ventilation. The Driver’s seat is powered, but not the passenger (both should be – even on a base model). Both seats have a power lumbar adjust that is very well designed, and both seats have a small storage compartment underneath. The steering wheel is ergonomically shaped and comfortable to use. Controls on the steering wheel are well placed and easy to use thumbwheels make for quick volume & function changes. Front head and legroom is good (I’m 6’ tall), but rear legroom is still cramped. This car is larger than previous models, but not all of the size is going to interior space. Headroom is improved though. The trunk is large and could hold several sets of golf clubs. Power windows are one-touch up and down and power mirrors are standard. ESP stability control is standard. Cup holders are large, but only one is useable when the armrest is down. The parking brake handle also hits the armrest when lifted. The aluminum trim that lines the dash area keeps with the futuristic look of the car, but it reflects sunlight back into the driver’s eyes under some conditions (a potential hazard). Wood trim is available as an alternative to aluminum on some models. The glovebox is large, but the door is too big and and cumbersome and it could be prone to break under pressure based on its design. There is a separate storage area for the Owner’s manual under the steering wheel which saves space in the glove box. The rear armrest comes with a standard first aid kit and cup holders. Rear lock control is in a strange position below the rear ashtray and could accidentally be kicked by an occupant. Sound insulation in the car is much better than previous genertions and outside noises are significantly reduced. It's still not on par w/ Lexus and Mercedes in the "quietness" department though.

Safety:
It's German so you know it's safe. Safety is top notch from frame construction down to the six standard air bags. Front, front side, and front and rear head airbags are standard. The additional 2 (for a total of 8) rear side airbags are optional. The car comes with ESP stability control standard. All five seatbelts are three-point belts with pre-tensioners. The IIHS awarded the A4 its highest crash test rating. Active head restraints, LATCH anchors and a standard first aid kit round out the safety features. Although I have not had to use it, the jack and tire changing hardware look completely inadequate and probably couldn't do a good job on anything other than a perfectly flat parking lot.

Ride:
The ride is comfortable but firm with the 17” wheel and suspension setup on this loaner and even small bumps are translated into the cabin. The ride remains controlled however and never once did I feel like I would lose control of the car – even when pushed near its limits. ESP Stability helps keep control, but I did manage to slide a little on wet pavement with the ESP turned off (I was purposefully pushing the car to achieve this and would never drive like that under normal circumstances). I prefer a sportier ride and handling and this car delivers fairly well in stock form. For those who prefer a more cushy ride, a smaller rim size would help reduce bumps, but would sacrifice some in handling. The Quattro AWD helps maintain traction in adverse conditions, and the car has a slight propensity to understeer. ABS brakes feel jittery when engaged under heavy emergency braking, but do the job. The car comes with adaptive steering. Turning the steering wheel is effortless (reminiscent of Lexus) at low speeds, but it firms up at higher speeds providing more feedback from the road. I found the adaptive steering kicking in at strange moments a couple of times. Overall the steering may be a little too light for the heavy performance minded driver.

Engine / Transmission:
The 2.0T FSI engine is a newer engine model for Audi, but it has plenty of HP (200) and Torque for this little car. Audi's 4 cyl engine has comparable power to the base V-6 engines of it's competitors. It follows in the steps of the 1.8T engine employing a turbocharger for additional power with reduced fuel consumption. Turbo lag on this car is negligent compared to the 1.8T engine in previous models. The FSI technology injects fuel directly into the cylinder instead of through a valve opening which is similar to how a diesel engine operates. This may explain why the engine sounds similar to a diesel and is loud outside the car. There is also pronounced noise inside the cabin on acceleration and excessive vibration at idle compared to 4 cyl engines in other European luxury makes. The 2.0T FSI has won acclaim in automotive circles making Ward’s “Top Ten Engines:” list 2 years in a row (as did the previous 1.8T). Time will tell how the new engine holds up, but I suspect that tuners will grow to like the FSI as much as the previous 1.8T due to the advanced possibilities of direct injection. The 2.0T FSI sips gasoline and has returned mid 20's MPG in mixed driving and approx 30 mpg highway. I noticed that maybe 5 or ten times (over the month that I had the car) the drive by wire controller was a little slow to respond to me pushing the throttle and the car hesitated momentarily to take off from a stop.

The transmission is a 6 speed automatic with “Tiptronic” shifting. The transmission program keeps the engine reving at just the right amount of RPMs to make maximum use of the turbo on the engine. This is one of the largest improvements over previous generations and makes driving the 4 cyl fun. A CVT transmission is available on FWD models only, but not with Quattro. The 6 speed shifts very smoothly except under very high RPMs and is well mated to the engine. The additional gear helps fuel economy. Acceleration is smooth, but driving in “Tiptronic” mode with 6 speeds requires slightly more thought process than the previous 5 speed transmission. Lower gear selection is only available in “Tiptronic” mode. The Quattro AWD is purely mechanical and the added benefit of AWD is a nice touch. (I will personally never drive another non-AWD vehicle.)

Service:
It’s German so expect to take it in to your service department on a regular basis. That’s just the way it is. If you don’t want to put up with that then buy a Lexus. I have an affinity for German cars and I am willing to deal with the requirements of ownership. Service from my local Audi dealership has been less than stellar. I have owned several Lexus cars and a Mercedes. While Mercedes service is good, Lexus treats you like a god – even if your car is 10 years old and way out of warranty. Audi has a long way to go in that department. When I spend a lot of money on a nice car, I expect to be treated well as part of the price and my local Audi dealer, Checkered Flag, has yet to live up to that promise. Your dealership may be different, but I suspect that this is not engrained at the corporate level like it is with Lexus and Mercedes. This is the primary reason I didn't give the Audi A4 a 5 star rating. If Audi had the mechanical reliability and dealership customer service of Lexus then Audi would be near perfect in my book. On a side note, Consumer Reports and JD Powers indicate that reliability (as defined by number of problems per 100 cars) on Audi models continues to climb where BMW and Mercedes continues to fall - something to consider when German car shopping.

Other:
The keyless remote fob has decent range. The fob is too large and bulky and is not comfortable to carry in your pocket. If they can make a cell phone as thin as the Motorola Razr then they can surely come up with a smaller key fob. Windows can be rolled up and down with the remote, but the dealer will have to program that option for you. There are a number of other custom settings that the dealer can set for you as well. I would ask the dealership for a 90 day "Programming Adjustment Period" for free when buying the car. That should give you time to fine tune the car to get all of the settings where you want them before the dealership starts charging you for changes. I also wish they would lose the stupid looking “shark fin” antenna - especially on cars w/o GPS like this one.

Conclusions:
There are a few drawbacks as with any vehicle (hey – they didn’t ask me before they designed it), but they are minor in comparison to the big picture overall. This is a well designed and expertly engineered car. I really like my B5 A4 and I like this B7 A4 even more. I am still a few years away from buying another car, but this one would top my list right now. I have driven the C-Class and 3-Series (not the '06 model though) and right now the A4 tops the list for me.