Used 2009 AudiA4 Premium 2.0T

How it Looks
At a glance, the A4's styling changes seem modest, on par with the previous generation's mid-2005 face-lift. The most dramatic changes are in the details: The scalloped headlights have been swapped for more streamlined ones with optional R8-style LEDs around the main bezels. The wide-mouth grille is larger and lower, and the taillights borrow the cleaner look of the platform-related A5 coupe.

Redesigns often bring growth spurts, and the A4's puts it ahead of many competitors. Though still a compact car by EPA dimensions, the sedan has grown about 5 inches in length and 2 inches in width over its predecessor, putting its footprint between its German peers and some of the domestic and Japanese competition. Less competitive is the A4's wide, 37.4-foot turning circle, which trails all but the all-wheel-drive 3 Series.

Cabin Quality
It's difficult enough to differentiate the dashboards in the A5 coupe and A6 sedan. Now the A4 joins that ilk, which is certainly not a bad thing. A 6.5-inch center display sits beneath the same cowl as the gauges; with the optional navigation system, the display grows to 7 inches. Either way it's controlled by Audi's Multi-Media Interface. Characteristic of most Audis, materials quality is excellent: Most surfaces are soft to the touch, and just about every switch or knob has a low-gloss, well-crafted finish.

I can't enthuse about how the things actually operate, however. I've dinged Audi and sibling brand Volkswagen for this before, but I like my controls to have consistently damped motions when I click or turn them, like those in most Lexus and Acura models. The A4's don't: The window switches and climate knobs operate with vague uncertainty, and some of the other buttons feel downright brittle.

I'm equally perplexed by some of the layouts. The outgoing A4's moonroof dial, a standard-setter for its ease of use, has been replaced by a clumsy knob that isn't nearly as intuitive. Last year's seat-warmers were operated using simple thumbwheels below the temperature controls; now, like in other Audis of late, you can only adjust them after futzing through a submenu on the climate-control screen. The sun visors, like in many European luxury cars, don't extend to cover the full side window. Lame.

As knob-based setups go, MMI is midpack. It's easier to use than BMW's iDrive, but not as intuitive as Mercedes' Comand. The A4's system follows the likes of Audi's A5, A6 and A8. An array of shortcut buttons allow quick access to the major menus, and four directional keys help sort through the labyrinth of submenus. A well-marked "return" button — something most versions of iDrive still lack — brings you back to the previous screen, and zooming in or out on the navigation map requires just a quick crank of the knob. Not so easy is map scrolling: You have to dial coordinates on an X- or Y-axis, then spin the wheel feverishly to move the cursor east/west or north/south. That alone makes me yearn for the touch-screen setup Lexus and some Infinitis employ.

In other areas, though, versatility is a strong point. The center armrest raises and extends forward to support arms of all sizes, and the tilt/telescoping steering wheel has plenty of range. I found ample legroom and headroom up front, and the leather seats provided decent lateral support — impressive considering they're the most basic offering. Sport seats with larger bolsters are optional, as are even shapelier S-Line seats with Alcantara inserts. Check out the photos at right to compare them.

The basic single-CD stereo boasts 180 watts, 10 speakers and an auxiliary MP3 jack. Premium Plus A4s add full iPod integration, while Prestige models have a 505-watt, 14-speaker surround-sound stereo from Danish pros Bang & Olufsen. My test car came thus equipped. For this class, the audio quality is stunning. I usually stop paying attention to a stereo after a few songs, but here I had to listen to all 10 tracks of "Dark Side of the Moon." Twice. Competing Bose and Harman units just don't come close.

The rear seat is a bit low to the ground, but two adults can fit comfortably. Cargo dimensions lead the segment, and a 60/40-split folding backseat, unavailable on the G35 and Lexus IS, is standard. The resulting opening is enormous and ledge-free, and the outboard seat belts sit within gutters to stay out of the way. The center belt mounts in the seatback rather than the rear shelf, so it stays out of the way when you fold the seat. Few family sedans have it this good.

How it Moves
The majority of A4 sales will be 2.0T versions. Though Audi hasn't published percentages, spokesman Chris Bokich said the 2.0T's weight distribution should translate to better handling balance than the 3.2 sedan's more nose-heavy setup. My test car wasn't sloppy by any stretch, but for all-out fun, it gives up something to the rear-wheel-drive 335i or G35.

Audi has no immediate plans to offer the 3.2 with a manual transmission. Quattro all-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic are standard. Both should prove adept partners for confident acceleration — not the sort of gut-flattening punch you get in the BMW or Infiniti, but enough to swap lanes with a direct-injection CTS. The automatic upshifts smoothly but sometimes holds stubbornly to higher gears when you need a lower one. A Sport mode solves much of this, but I'd prefer if it downshifted on deceleration a bit more aggressively. Brake hard coming into a corner, and it often sticks to third or fourth gear, leaving you flat-footed accelerating out.

Fortunately, Audi's capable Tiptronic manual mode allows drivers to override this tendency. It hammers off quick shifts, complete with downshift rev-matching, and it won't dally in the intermediary gear if you want to skip two gears at a time. Steering-wheel paddle shifters are optional, but the tiny gear indicator within the gauges is too small to see at a quick glance.

The 2.0T Quattro sedan also comes with a six-speed automatic, but in early 2009 there will also be a stick-shift option. Audi will also market a front-wheel-drive sedan with a continuously variable automatic transmission. The Avant wagon comes only as a Quattro automatic. Thanks to a number of upgrades, the four-cylinder actually delivers more torque across a lower rpm band than the V-6, and according to Audi's acceleration figures it's nearly as quick with the stick shift.