The Audi A4 remained highly competitive. In fact, this A4 was nearly everything a compact sports sedan should be. It has a solid, high-quality feel and the interior is exquisite. Agile handling makes it fun to drive and the ride, though quite firm, is supple and controlled. The cabin is quiet unless you ask the turbocharged four-cylinder engine to work hard. Otherwise, it sounds civilized and the seamless eight-speed automatic transmission is terrific. Fuel economy is a very respectable 25 mpg overall, which is made more impressive, given its popular Quattro all-wheel-drive. For a punchy higher performance A4, you'd have to opt for the supercharged V6 S4.
If you want more cargo space, the Allroad is essentially a wagon version.
Clearly the biggest negative is the Poor score in the IIHS small-overlap crash test. Other demerits include stopping distances that are unimpressive for a sports sedan. The A4 suffers from a tight rear seat, but that's par for the course in this class. Controls are complex at first, but with practice, their logic becomes clear.