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The Audi A4 is a premium family car available as a saloon or an estate with a choice of fuel-efficient engines. It gives you the latest tech, a smooth, comfortable ride and a beautifully made interior.
The Audi A4 badge has been a familiar sight on British roads for nearly 30 years, but here we’re focusing on the latest fifth-generation A4, sold new since 2016 and updated in 2019 with refreshed looks and upgraded tech.
You can buy an Audi A4 as a saloon or as a roomy estate, called the A4 Avant. There are also sporty versions – the S4 and the high-performance RS 4 (only available in Avant form). There’s also the A4 Allroad – a version of the Avant estate which has four-wheel drive and a slightly raised ride height, giving it SUV-like capabilities.saloon
The trim lineup begins on earlier models with the SE, then rises through Sport and S line. In 2018, a Black Edition model was added. Post-2019 models are Technik, Sport, S line, Black Edition and Vorsprung. S4 and RS 4 models have their own well-equipped specifications.
The Audi A4 is a premium car and even the most cost-effective versions have lots of tech and features included as standard.
The car has been around for a while so the trims have been tweaked over the years. Audi also offers an extensive options list on new cars so the first owners may well have added even more features. As a general rule though, you’ll get Bluetooth, DAB radio, air con and cruise control across the board, as well as parking sensors and alloy wheels. As you go up the trim levels, you’ll find extras like electrically adjusted and heated seats, upgraded sound systems and plusher upholstery. S line models have a sportier look thanks to different bumpers and more hugging front seats.
Post-2019 cars have a revised look with LED headlights included as standard across the range, as well as an updated infotainment system. Known as MMI, this includes some very high-tech features including Google Earth mapping and up-to-date news, weather and traffic information, but some of them require a subscription to work. The latest A4 also gets a high-definition driver’s display in place of traditional analogue dials, and support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Running costs for the Audi A4 are reasonable for most models, although you’ll pay more to own one of the higher-spec, high-performance models. A variety of petrol and diesel engines are available, from small, fuel-efficient ones to larger, more powerful ones. The diesel options range in fuel economy from 47.1mpg to 54.3mpg, while the non-S4 and RS 4 petrol engines will give you between 35.8mpg and 53mpg, according to official figures.
There are no Audi A4 plug-in hybrids or full-hybrids but some models have a mild-hybrid system to slightly improve fuel economy. Both all-wheel-drive and front-wheel-drive models are available – of these, front-wheel drive gives you better fuel economy.
The key rivals for the Audi A4 are the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the BMW 3 Series. The Audi is right up with the best when it comes to comfort and interior quality, although the BMW is the best choice if you want a car that’s fun to drive. BMW and Mercedes also offer hybrid options; the Audi A4 doesn’t.
You could also consider a Volvo S60 saloon (or the V60 estate), which is similarly luxurious inside and comfortable to drive, although it doesn’t feel as high-tech inside as the BMW or Mercedes.
The Audi A4 is a practical car, especially if you opt for the A4 Avant estate model. With a boot space of 495 litres it has lots of room for luggage, pets and other bits and bobs, and it’s more spacious than the Mercedes C-Class Estate or the BMW 3 Series Touring although it’s a touch smaller than the Volvo V60. The A4 has space for four adults (five at a squeeze) and lots of cubby holes to store your odds and ends.
The Audi A4 sits more or less in the middle of the Audi range. Audi uses a numbering system in which higher numbers represent bigger cars, ranging from the compact A1 hatchback to the large Q8 SUV. Among Audi’s saloons, the A4 is bigger than the A3 and smaller than the A6 or A8.
When it was released in 2015, the Audi A4 was awarded the maximum five stars by the independent safety organisation EuroNCAP. However, standards have moved on since then, and the EuroNCAP rating has expired. While the A4 is available with some of the latest safety technology, it’s unlikely to perform as well in a crash as some of its newer rivals.
As of late 2023, there are no full-electric or plug-in hybrid versions of the Audi A4. There are, however, several mild-hybrid engine options in A4s made since 2019.