2009 Audi A4 3.2 Quattro - Road Test

underrated & overlooked, this car truly deserves more attention than it currently gets. :)

For the price the competitors offer better cars/options.
Don't get me wrong, I like the A4 I just think the price jump from 2.0T to 6-cylinder is ridiculous.

Yes it does more things better than both its German rivals!

Please see the GTI listed in the top of many comparisons and as one of the best cars in the World by Car and Driver among other accolades. You know it is possible as a car enthusiast to like BMW's without pissing over other brands. I could easily live with a RS4 or M3 sedan so....

you troll, be objective, you do everyone on the site and BMW a disservice making such dribble

amazingly ignorant and stupid, please, please give it a break, the records broken, it keeps repeating the same bulls_t over and over.

.89 G is pretty good for a sedan, the M3 coupe only gets .94

Fact of the matter is that if you drive a BMW you are part amazinBimmer. His mind is the mind of so many BMW drivers that it has become part of the brand and form the perception of who you are in the minds of other road users who see you in your BMW.

I have said it many times, they might be good cars, but to own a BMW takes you down in class.

just test drove the new 2009 A4 at NH Speedway and compared to the C-Class 3 series and IS this car handled better, turned better and had more grip around tight corners at high speed than all these other cars. What surprised me was the 3 series had more oversteer, weaker brakes and oversensitive steering than the A4. The new variable steering system in the Audi is superb, while it allowed more than enough feel of the road it handled the cones much better than all the three other cars.

I rated A4 th best followed by the 3-series and C-class (tie) and the IS clearly last. The C-class had firm seats but was very sluggish around the turns. The IS had the softest seats (it felt like a Lincoln more than a sports sedan), sluggish ride and brakes and minimal grip around fast corners.

Note the A4 6-Cyl is priced at 328i levels not 335i. The interior of the A4 keeps improving over previous models and it was the easiest to read for the first time from all the 4 cars above. THe C-Class also had a nice interior, but the 3 and IS still have a cheap plastic feel.

Of course its more expensive than the other two it has a more sophisticated and superior drive system in its quatro drive!

The magazines report on "on the limit" diving and handling as if this was all important. The truth is that if driven in the way people actually drive their own cars the picture is very different. What MeanVulcan has found would be pretty much a more accurate picture if reviews were done from a real world perspective.

Racing cars, are not road cars and road cars are not racing cars. BMW always actually delivers a real world compromise...

At almost 3900 lbs., this model of the A4 interests me less and less. I know weight inflation is happening to all autos but this is ridiculous.

It will because of it's weight get a 5 star crash test rating from not only the government but also a best pick this year from the insurance institute for hwy safety. Why do so many put so much emphasis on handling or front or rear wheel drive? I doubt anyone in this forum is a professional race car driver or for that matter drives on a race track daily to work. If I was in the market for a coupe I would buy the 335 because it's available and very tunable. If I was in the market for a sedan I would get the new Audi sedan. More leg room and better interior styling. I think both brands offer a lot of safety, styling and prestige for the owner.

BMW995: what are you on crack? 3900 lbs...where did you get that inaccurate info. The specifications of weight for the new 2009 A4 I've copied for you. I have immediate family that work for Audi/VW at their present headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich. I usually buy an Audi since I can get a product under the employee/family plan. This is actual information that will be noted in upcoming marketing brochure:

"This 3.2-liter V6 with all-wheel drive weighed in at 3,483 pounds, 88.2 pounds more than before. The base-model A4 with its turbocharged four-cylinder engine weighs 3,109 pounds, 44 pounds more than its predecessor."

In my readings on this website, I always notice a few "nats" flying around that pretend to be some kind of car enthusiast (MichaelTaylor, BMW995, silver1). I enjoy driving both my wife's Audi A4, and also my BMW. Each car has its own unique driving experience and something to offer. When it's bad weather outside I'll jump in my Toyota Tacoma. Just because you may drive a 'bimmer' doesn't mean you know much about other cars; you and MichaelTaylor would probably find fault even if someone GAVE you a new 2009 Audi A4.

Excellent point follows what I just added. Both are great German Premium Brands.

"I usually buy an Audi since I can get a product under the employee/family plan."

What a hookup!

The new A4 is that light? That's impressive then, especially for its size. If those figures are accurate a 328xi is 150lbs heavier than the V6 A4 then, and the 335xi is 350lbs more.

Audis are nice looking vehicles, but I could never get used to that upside trapezoid grill :)

Lexus IS350 hands down though... it looks the best and it'll easily blow away A4 6cyl, 328i, and C350.

Way too chicken out and put 328i in their instead of 335i - you think peeps here wont catch that??

Jaybrn: I totally agree!! That's why I always have to own some Audi product (so I can help out the sister's employer). But she is limited in how many cars she can buy for family per year - four. The way some of the "nats" on this website talk bad about Audi are that only BMW or Lexus is worthy of fun driving experience. I love my BMWs I've owned, but I also have owned 4 Audi's over the years, and think they've been fantastic German products too. I really like their quattro system and their first rate interiors. My father likes his Lexus; his orignal 1990 has over 310K miles and he just bought a new. Just show me the road and I'll make some fun happen with either the BMW or Audi make.