General Comments:
I did not intend buying an Audi in 2013; I actually was more set on a BMW. However the specifications, power and AWD Quattro system were hard to pass up, considering the equivalent BMW was about $15,000 to $20,000 more. The salesman at Audi was much more accommodating, which complemented the buying experience.
I ended up choosing an A4 with optional black pearl effect paint (no cost), beige interior and sunroof. The rest was standard. The Quattro models in 2013 already came loaded with three zone climate control, electric adjustable seats with lumber support, keyless go, sat nav, and a music hard drive amongst other things. 2013 models came appointed with more standard equipment than the A4 Ambition, which replaced it later in 2014.
The car drives well. The S-Tronic transmission changes gears fast and smoothly. However the rare jerkiness does occur at take off. The start-stop technology is responsive. 155 kWs of power is more than sufficient. Put your foot down in sports shift mode and it knocks you back in your seat a little. 6.5 secs to 100km/h feels quick for an everyday sedan. The Mercedes and BMW in the same price bracket felt noticeably slower.
My favourite driving feature is the Quattro system; it grips like a gecko and driving it in the wet allows the driver to retain fantastic control. The car takes corners at ease, leaving me feel in-control even at speed.
On the road the car absorbs bumps well. I read the sportier S-Line models feel harsher, so take this into consideration at purchase. Road noise is at an acceptable level; not overly silent, but far from overwhelmingly loud. Fuel economy is not as advertised at 7L/100km average. Closer to 9L when traveling around town in non-peak hour traffic. I have managed around 6L on long and constant-speed road trips.
The interior, although now 7 years old, feels like something you'd expect in higher-end car. Mine is optioned with beige interior colour, which adds more prestige than the common black on black. The sunroof is a great feature to have, yet has noticeably more wind-noise than the Mercedes W203 C Class I owned previously.
The seats are firm, which I like, and lumbar support was standard on our model. Legroom in the rear is average for a sedan, and it does depend on how tall the driver and front passengers are. Saying that; it's fine for 2 adults to travel comfortably in the rear. The boot is spacious and the rear seats fold down split or fully, which is very useful for a sedan.
The technology is functional and easy to learn. The sound system is more than adequate, and the hard disk allows my iTunes songs to be stored with artwork. I didn't feel it necessary to upgrade to the optional premium sound system. Satellite navigation is average, but later models in 2014 use a newer system with free map updates, which was not available at the time of our purchase.
I am disappointed our A4 has the traffic settings within the computer's menu, but it does not function. At the time of purchase the dealer advised it would work when Audi Australia switches on the traffic service; alas that was not true. I've been advised by Audi Australia a piece of equipment isn't fitted. It's not a big enough issue for me to get retrofitted.
Climate control, lighting, keyless entry all work as you would expect from German engineering. Controls are easy to learn, yet the none-tech-savvy individual may need a little time to get to used to all the settings. Audi still placed a lot of buttons on the console so new drivers can easily find the car's most common functions without needing to learn Audi's MMI system right away.
After sales service has been fantastic and the dealer has been very helpful with all my post-purchase questions. I have 3 years free servicing as part of Audi's Corporate Program. However at $550 a minor service, I will be keen to see what independent Audi specialists quote when my free servicing expires.
So far our Audi has not suffered from the dreaded oil burning issue, with the 1000km top-ups so many drivers have reported. I have had it topped up twice in the last 20,000km, which seems acceptable. All done gratis by the dealer. Nothing has gone wrong with the car since purchase.
A good overall car. A well priced premium-marque European sedan with a prestige feeling interior and fantastic AWD handling.
