2008 Audi A4 2.0T Quattro Road Test

In many ways, the A4 is sort of a “home” car for me and many members of our

It's a car that you can really warm up to. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

staff. It was the first Audi I officially tested, and we are regularly stewards for three or four different A4s on an annual basis, in different body styles and configurations, ranging in heat from jalapeno (2.0T) to habanero (RS4). And while the current A4 is getting on in years, it's always a joy to get behind its wheel. This German compact executive sedan is a shining beacon of pride for Audi; it is not only one of their most popular models around the world, it's also a benchmark in quality for other brands to measure up to. The A4, like good wine, has gotten better with age. Its mid-life update saw styling go from handsome but slightly anonymous to handsome and completely noticeable thanks in part to the now ubiquitous trapezoidal horse-collar grille. The redesign has been received successfully, as has the slight adjustment to the suspension, ride and handling. The suspension system from the '05 update brought in components from the A6, while many of the linkages and arms are made out of lightweight aluminum to shed weight, not to mention the ZF Servotronic steering. The result is that every

The S line package combines all the features most people want, plus the S line gear. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

time you head out, there's more feeling and more connectivity between you and the car. Audi has been working hard at improving on this, and its efforts have been paying off. Look at the new TT with its half-aluminum, half-steel structure, or the rear-biased Quattro all wheel drive system for further proof, or for that matter the new MLP platform of the A5, and the next-gen A4, which offers improved weight distribution and balance. Time has gone on, and as much as we love the A4, and even though the car's refresh only took place three model years ago, this end of the segment has changed. Firstly, cars are growing bigger. I remember when the divide between compact and mid-sized luxury machines used to be well defined. BMW's 3-Series and 5-Series are one such example; the C-Class and E-Class are another. Yet, entrants from North America, specifically the latest CTS, plus Japan's Infiniti G35, and to a lesser extent the Volvo S60, all somehow straddle the size divide. Relative to these machines, the A4 feels small, especially in the way that its cabin is laid out. While none

A4's cabin is cozy, though bigger drivers may want more room. That'll come next generation. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

of us have had complaints about the A4's cabin, it's a common place for taller, bigger folks to feel wedged into place. I admire the tailor-fit quarters; the way that the console and doors provide sufficient support to brace myself when driving. Rear room is also not as large as with some of its competitors. These are two areas which you can almost guarantee will be changed with the next A4. Likewise, while the A4's 13.4-cubic-feet trunk is giant, it's also expected to grow. As far as brand values go, you might not have known that Audi is perceived as being the sportiest luxury brand in its home market of Germany, something that's starting to seep into the North American consciousness. Audi's actually made it a sort of pledge to offer its factory-conjured suspension and appearance tuning on more and more of its cars, and has made it standard fit to the A3 and the A4. The S-Line package for the A4 consists of a sportier tuned ride, body sill extensions, bigger wheels and a splash of S-Line badges inside and out, but nothing strictly mechanical. I like the look of tarted up A4s; they convey a sense of substance over those less dressed while at the same time

2.0T provides the right amount of power, and with lots of torque it always feels like it's ready to go. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

looking less fussy. Audi regularly switches up their range of alloy wheels, with 2008 bringing a new, thin five-spoke design to V6-equipped cars, and a cool Y-spoke 17-inch design on 2.0T cars. To bring out the sinister side, try out the Titanium package, which replaces all chrome trim with black, and adds a set of tasty touring race car style 18-inch wheels finished in gunmetal paint. Check out the road test of a white Avant model from this past winter – one of our all-time favorite testers to date. Crisp and smooth, Audi's famous 2.0-liter FSI direct-injected lag-free turbocharged four is a fantastic engine. Smoothness and efficiency are its key assets, and even though it only has 200 horsepower, it's more than sufficient to satisfy, especially when mated to the ultra-slick six-speed manual gearbox. It feels stronger and more willing than 200-hp rivals from Acura, BMW and Lexus – it's no wonder so many A4s are sold with this engine. In terms of acoustics, the 2.0T can't match the full-bodied song of the 3.2 V6, but I've heard many an A4 2.0T with an aftermarket exhaust that's sweet to the ears. Go-fast add-ons aside, over a week of mainly city driving I averaged 28 mpg, a brilliant figure for an all wheel drive vehicle.

I'll take mine just like this - S line, 2.0T, quattro and a manual. A well-rounded, high-value package. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

As a way of ushering today's A4 out, Audi is now offering a Special Edition package that groups together some of the most sought-after options at a discount, such as leather-trimmed seats, Sirius satellite radio, 17-inch nine Y-spoke wheels, and an S line body kit. Step up to the 2.0T Quattro model and you get six-level heated front seats and a metallic exterior paint job. It can be applied to both the sedan and Avant, and is free. That's right, the SE trim is a no-cost option. Good value, I'd say. A new A4 is right around the corner for us. It's already on sale in Europe, and it'll go on sale here as a model-year 2009 product this September. It's quite the looker, taking after its curvy and aggressively styled A5 Coupe brother, and it's based on the new Audi architecture which serves better balance and control, reported enough to eclipse the C-Class and seriously trouble the 3-Series. With an as-tested price of $37,375, the 2.0T Quattro with S line package has everything you'd need, except, perhaps for satellite radio, which is optional. For a handsomely equipped 3.2-liter model with the automatic you'll pay just a hair under $40k, which isn't more than you'd expect to shell out for any of its rivals. By no means should the A4 be ignored; it may be in its last year, but it's certainly a good vintage.

Source automobile.com