Audi A4 reviews

Bought from new with options of driver's information pack and sports seats. From new the "ride" in the car was inferior to another identical model bought just a few months earlier. The car functioned normally in terms of reliability, performance and economy but the radio and the overall ride had problems. What's good: Good performance. Quite good fuel economy (44mpg) Good finish inside (which has lasted). Reliable so far (in terms of no breakdowns). What has been bad: 1. The rear hatch has deceptive limitations, restricting what can be placed in the load area. For example the hatch opening is too small to allow plastic garden chairs to be loaded. 2. My radio can only be relied on for Radio 2. Stations like Classic FM are only usable in high signal areas, whereas the identical example car has far superior radio reception (identical model of radio) in a wide range of signal areas. The fault was pointed out to the Audi main agent "yes, the radios do vary sir" was the response. In the end, gave up. 3. The tyre noise varies significantly between the two A4 examples, and despite trying different makes of tyre, one of the cars (yes it's mine) has persisted with higher road noise throughout its whole life. 4. At high speeds a my car also suffered some vibration, which persisted after wheel rebalancing, renewal of tyres and replacement of one alloy wheel. No constructive feedback from the Audi main agent, but after 5 years the problem was mostly sorted by an independent tyre specialist who said the rear tracking was badly out of alignment (note the car was supplied in this state by Audi). The realignment sorted the vibration (and an accompanying body creak), although some rumbling (as if one of the tyres has a "bump" on it) remains. 5. The gearbox control unit failed at 90,000 miles - a common problem I've learnt. Audi will only replace, but I've subsequently learnt that repairs are possible. One plus here - as the car had been serviced throughout at an Audi agent, Audi provided the part free, leaving only the labour to be paid (£300 instead of £1500). 6. Headlights seem much worse than other cars I drive (e.g. Honda, Peugeot) In summary, these cars are better than many, but the quality of build (in 2004) was variable and the service from (at least one) Audi main agent is more focussed on "ticking boxes in a service schedule" rather than doing what is needed to the car. Would I buy another? Quite possibly, but would probably go for used and give it a thorough road test, remembering that "sales" are only interested in selling a car, rather than ensuring the car being sold is problem free.

I was not really intending to buy a new car when I visited the dealer during a 'special' sales event but this car - the A4 SE Ultra - really impressed me so I did buy it! Since then I have continued to discover lots of minor improvements which really make it a superb vehicle. The engine is excellent, with good performance, frugal fuel use ( current average is 61 mpg ) and CO2 emission below 100 ( so currently no tax). The road holding, ride comfort and low cabin 'noise' is also superb. I'm lucky enough to have LED lighting on my model and this is so impressive - as is the interior LED pack although I'm not entirely convinced as I occasionally feel the number of light sources is a little distracting. The Sav Nav system continues the high standard and the continuous display of the max speed limit is very useful. Audio system is to a high standard - although the interface will not work with my elderly iPod despite the manual suggesting it should. Other devices have, however, proved to work well. After 5000 miles driving I am still enjoying everything the car offers - and little touches like a 'glove box' on the right-hand side of dash is an excellent bonus. I am still exploring the options of changing the ride dynamics but not totally convinced I can detect much change. All-in all I think it is one of the best purchase decisions I've ever made.

This is my second Audi A4 Avant both of which have been turbo Diesels. They have both been very reliable and both have done over 150,000 miles without any major problems and very few minor poblems. They are an ideal size for my needs, very well built, comfortable and I consider them to be a well designed and good looking car. I have two classic cars and the Auidi shows how far cars have progressed in terms all aspects over the last 50 years. My wife has a 'new' Fiat 500 and that is ideal for town running but the Audi is superb over long distances and we never feel any aches or pains after doing long distances in it. I would recommend the Audi A4 Avant to anyone wanting a 'small' estate type car that does not feel any different to driving a saloon type car. It just has more practicality and feels very safe especially when transporting our grandson about in it, along with pushchair etc. I have had it 're-mapped' (my previous one was too) and it now has lots more power, but with much improved economy too. It was doing around 44mpg 'overall' but now achieves much higher mpg in the high 50's and with the increased power it is much safer when overtaking or pulling onto motorways/dual carriageways etc. It shows how 'poor' the factory settings are in the name of 'reliability' to protect the manufacturers 'image'

I have had this car for about 4 years, when purchased it had 80k on the clock it has now just turned over the 100k mark and still has that solid Audi feel about it . First the good bits I think the Quattro 4 wheel drive is great it puts its power down in all weathers and greatly improves the handling and where certain German saloon rivals for the same price are left struggling for grip the Audi just pulls away with no fuss. The Bose speakers are excellent delivering a good sound no matter what your taste in music . Most of the A4 s have climate as standard ,although if you want to save a bit on fuel I would keep the ECO button pressed unless your on a long motorway trip or one of our regular British heat waves descend. And if you like your toys you can search the internet find one with heated leather,sat nav ,cruise and 4 wheel drive with history for 5k and under. On the downside tax for mine is £290 a year and even if you drive like a vicar you will be lucky to average 26 to 28 mpg but mine has the 220 bhp petrol engine that makes it feel like a poor mans RS4 very nice ; )

I was able to purchase this Audi 80 TDI when my husband died, 12 1/2 years ago. It is the most reliable, dependable, comfortable car I have ever had. It saw me through the last 8 years of my working life (100+miles a week). It had 35,000 miles on the clock when I bought it as an approved Audi used car from an Audi dealer and it now has 165,500 miles on the clock. I have had it fully serviced regularly and it has never let me down badly or overly expensively. I am only concerned now about it's 'not very green' performance. It is in good running order and I now put about 3-4000 miles a year on it compared to the 12-13,000 miles a year when I was working.It is great for motorway driving which I do 4-5 times a year in retirement when I go up north to visit friends and family. I am now 70 years old and I have hoped it would see me out in my driving life as affording another of this quality and temperament is probably financially beyond me. It has spoiled me for a quality car.

This is our first Audi, and we are very pleased with it. I did do a lot of research both online and in magazines before we chose a car. We had gone from 2 cars to one, and we wanted a little more luxury than we had had before. We bought it s/h from an Audi dealer, and had no preference for petrol/diesel or manual/auto. The semi-auto transmission is very good indeed, as it is much easier to drive in heavy traffic, and gives the opportunity to change down through the gears when slowing, should you wish to. The front seats are comfortable, but the rear seats are a little disappointing, and leg space in the back is compromised unless the front seats are moved forward.The boot space is good, and more than adequate for our needs. Running costs are better on longer journeys as expected, but are good overall. It's been very reliable for us. I'm pleased with the performance, as there is always power to be found in S gear! I would most certainly recommend Audi to anyone.

Exemplary build quality, everything feels solid, well made, it drives well, smoothly, quietly, and still looks almost new in spite of being 15 years old! Comfortable cabin is a nice place to be, leather seats and wood trim, excellent radio/cassette. BUT... spoiled by niggling faults, mostly caused by electronic glitches, such as warning lights staying on, central locking playing up, blocked drain holes causing water to compromise electrics, dangerous sticking accelerator (!), fuel gauge not working, leaking power steering reservoir (easily fixed), the wipers stalk stopped working except for fastest speed only, and poor economy, around 25 mpg. Electronics were supposed to improve the reliability of cars, but when they go wrong they are costly to fix. My earlier Audi 80 had fewer problems. Notwithstanding, I still love this A4 and enjoy driving it! 82,000 miles on the clock, and cost £695, a bargain!

Having come from a Ford Mondeo 90,000 over 3 years to a Audi A4 2013 model - having had 3 older Audi over the years. Car looks great - is comfortable but with all the new electronic gizmos for radio, media, nav system etc all run through a central joy stick - its crap - easily knocked off the thing you are doing by a brush of the hand while searching for the electronic hand brake. Does no drive straight - the older audis had a damping system - the new seems skittish while driving. Braking is not as good. In all disappointed inwhat I thought would be a better car all round. Running costs seem to be a bit heavy - with the older model was getting 55mpg this is doing about 42mpg. You would expect a newer car to be more efficient - possibly too much power being used to drive all the electronic functions.

FOR Car is V6 6-speed quattro and ideal for rural use. Engine and mechanicals excellent and will probably outlive me. Bodywork very good and minor rust problems on ns rear wheel arch and tailgate easily rectified. Diesel consumption is about 37mpg average ; on longer trips >40mpg. Tyres last about 20000 miles Very comfortable and plenty of room ; radio & CD player very good Excellent driving experience AGAINST Some plastic internal trim fittings poor quality and easily broken ; poor dealer response re this problem. Parts expensive ; dealer costs very high and uneccessary items advised (ie replace rear light cluster completely >£120 to solve internal moisture problem !) Garage/dealer required to change light bulbs !

The Audi A4 diesel saloon (2000cc) is a comfortable car to get into and out of. The seat height and door opening make it easy for 60 year olds to access the car without any discomfort. Right, were in the car and start it up. All controls and instrumentation are clearly laid out and easy to use. The car, with sensible use, gives excellent performance (acceleration and speed etc) and with this comes good performance (miles per gallon fuel use). For a middle aged couple, this car is boringly good. It does what is required of a family sized vehicle being used for leisure, comfort and some trips with luggage required. Would I get another - yes. Though I might change the colour and trim for some excitement.

Mechanically, this is the best car I have ever owned. It's like driving on a magic carpet. It is a powerful motor car with excellent road-holding qualities, smooth transmission and a high level of comfort for both driver and passengers. It is not cheap to run however, which I expected, but the cost of fuel can be eye-wateringly high. My only problem with it is the lack of durability of the paintwork on the front grille. I've only had the car a year, and have had to repair numerous paint chips, a crack on the radiator grille, and a cover for a headlamp washer which fell off on the motorway after I struck a bird. The front of the car seems to be made of bone china rather than metal.

Much better fuel consumption than I was expecting (way better than my previous Vauxhall Insignia). Level of 'gadgets' and 'gizmos' a litte disappointing (again compared to my previous Insignia) - no heated front seats, no electric folding mirrors, no electric operated drivers seat adjustment, no automatic sensing main beam, no adaptive forward headlights. Does have DVD Player though which is useful when stuck in a long traffic jam. Big gripe about the car is the uncomfortable seats - absolutely awful after about an hours driving. Vauxhall seating was much comfier and could do a two hour drive without any problems whatsoever.

I have had this car for five years and it now has nearly 200 000 miles on the clock. Starts reliably since I replaced the starter motor but clatters furiously when idling. The drive is best described as sedate having to much mass for what is left of the engine power. There is no quick acceleration but,so far, it has always got me to my destination. The seats are not comfortable for long journeys having been designed by the same people who made Soviet tanks. Twenty pounds of petrol does approximately 100 miles of local driving on bad roads.It has a huge bootspace.

Fantastic reliability For a 14yr old car. Limited space in back seat for family all 6ft +. Used mostly on short runs and reasonably economical, good on long runs if driven carefully. ALL electrics etc. still work. Door trims on bottom of both front doors have fallen off. Biggest downside is that on both keys the blade and fob have separated and Audi want £280 - £300 EACH to replace them!!!!!! I could replace the car for that!! I have owned this car for 7 years without any major problems!

I bought my car 10 years specifically to keep for life, either the car's or mine. It's lasted very well, me not so well. It is a B6 model and to me this was the zenith of A4 development. Just the right size, practical, economical, reliable and to my eyes, very attractively styled. So good, that at the end of it's model life, Audi couldn't bring themselves to kill it.So they shipped the whole assembly line to Spain, where they still build it as the Seat Exeo. How's that for a testimonial?

A good car for my needs, reliable & fun to drive. It has some disadvantages, principally that I can't get my golf clubs in the boot. I find the dealership charges very high. For instance about 18 months ago the clutch failed & the local Audi dealer wanted £1750 to replace it & said it would take 2 weeks to get a new clutch. A small local garage managed to replace the clutch the next day for £1000 ! The dealership also wanted £65 to reprogram my key fob - they are ripping motorists off.

Not an exiting car to drive, in fact, it's quite boring. It does all it is meant to do but lacks "thrill". It has limited rear seat space compared to previous cars. I tried the A4 Black Edition and it the most uncomfortable car I have ever driven. Running costs are not bad but I wonder how they calculate the mpg! I don't speed and don't use motorways but the mpg achieved is well below that advertised. My next car will not be an Audi.

Very happy with this A4 purchased last weekend from Mex Motors. The car drives beautifully and is in very good condition for a 2003 model with only 51300 miles on the clock. Just find the brakes a little sharp. The service I received from Mex Motors was very good just that they forgot to sign the car service book to say that it had just been serviced. This they are willing to complete if I call in to their office. Ian Brear

I am very satisfied with all aspects of my Audi . It is well made , comfortable , has good performance and is reliable . It may be slightly expensive to run , but I am prepared to pay for this . I particularly like the four wheel drive which increases safety and makes winter driving more pleasureable . For a V6 it is quite economical and is restful to drive for long periods . It is the fourth Audi I have run and is the best one yet !

looking above doesn't include 'feel-good' factor. I just LOVE this car (A3 too small - A5 too big & less attractive), so I'll be keeping it. We use it sparingly so every trip is enjoyable - spend 3mths/annum in France - perfect for the sunnier clime. Tis the v6 and whilst sublime engine to sit behind it is neither fast nor frugal - 40mpg JUST about available on steady run, with max anticipation,etc...