Review: 2009 Audi A4

Sales of the redesigned Audi A4 are relatively strong, thanks in part to its increased power, roomier interior, and better gas mileage

By Thane Peterson

Editor's Rating:

The Good: More powerful engines, attractive interior, excellent fuel economy in the base model

The Bad: Mediocre fuel economy with V6 engine, slower acceleration than many rivals, pricey option packages

The Bottom Line: A classy, easy-to-live with compact luxury sedan

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Up Front

Audi is weathering the economic crisis better than most of its rivals. The German company, which is owned by Volkswagen (VOWG), trails BMW (BMWG), Mercedes-Benz (DAI), and Lexus (TM) in sales, but has been slowly gaining U.S. market share for more than a year. One of the main reasons is the relative success of the redesigned Audi A4, the flagship model that accounts for nearly half the company's U.S. volume. A4 sales fell 22.9%, to 7,515, in the first three months of this year—a good performance in the current environment. By comparison, first-quarter sales of the once-hot BMW 3 Series fell 26.4%, the Mercedes C Class by 29.8%, the Cadillac CTS by 36.7%, Toyota's

Lexus ES by 41.4%, and the Infiniti G37 sedan by 43.2%.

What's the A4's appeal? It can't match the raw speed of most of its rivals, but it has a classy interior, excellent handling, and plenty of pep for most owners. It also has better fuel economy (the base model gets 30 miles to the gallon on the highway and 23 mpg in the city) because it's one of the few compact luxury cars offered with a four-cylinder engine. And you can always pay more and get the A4 with all-wheel drive and a powerful six-cylinder engine, as well as in station wagon and convertible versions.

The new A4 sedan, the version I test-drove, is 4.6 inches longer and 2.1 inches wider than the old one, as well as being nicer and a tad roomier inside. Both of the A4's available power plants have been bumped up in power for '09. The base engine is a turbocharged 2.0-liter, 211-horsepower, inline four-banger (up from 200 hp in the previous A4), while the 3.2-liter V6 is now rated at 265 horsepower (up from 255 hp before).

However, choosing among the many versions of the A4 is complicated. The front-wheel-drive entry-level model, the 2.0T, comes with a continuously variable automatic transmission, while all-wheel-drive versions of the 2.0T come with either a stick shift or a six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. The V6-powered A4 sedan comes only with the Tiptronic transmission and all-wheel drive. The wagon comes only with the smaller engine and all-wheel drive. The A4 convertible is still based on the previous generation A4.

The list price of the '09 A4 sedan is about the same as for the previous A4—starting at $31,825 for the entry-level 2.0T with the four-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive and rising to $41,225 for the top-of-the-line V6-powered 3.2 quattro.

Adding options, however, can dramatically raise the ante. In 2.0T models, many of the available options are bundled into packages ranging in price from $4,000 to $7,350 and including such enhancements as 17-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats with a memory function, auto-dimming mirrors, an upgraded sound system with a 6-CD player, rain-sensitive wipers, and a trip computer. A similar Prestige Package in the 3.2 quattro costs $3,350.

There's also a $1,450 Sport Package in the 2.0T that includes sporty suspension and front seats, 18-inch performance tires, a sport steering wheel, and paddle shifters.

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