The Audi A4: an excellent car, but you should wait for the 2002 model

Author's Rating:

Pros: performance; styling; high quality materials; good value for money; quattro drive

Cons: lack of passenger space; average fuel economy

The Bottom Line: 
The 2001 Audi A4 merits serious consideration if you are looking for a well-built car that looks good, performs like no car in its class and doesn't cost a fortune.

Author's Review
A good friend of mine recently bought a fully-loaded Audi A4 2.8 quattro with the sports package, leather seats, moonroof, Bose stereo system with 6 CD changer and a tiptronic transmission. This car is a worthy challenger to the BMW 3series as the standard bearer for the near-luxury sports sedan category. However, you should consider waiting for the 2002 model which is coming out this fall and should make several improvements on the current A4. For those of you who can't wait until the 2002 model arrives, here is my opinion on the 2001 A4:

Performance: The A4 performs like a true driver's car. The 190 hp engine with 207 lbs of torque provides above average acceleration times and enough power to get around town and pass on the highways with ease. Revving the engine past 4500 rpm, the Audi V6 engine does not sound as smooth as the inline 6 found in the BMW 3 series, but it performs its job with vigor and provides generous amounts of torque at all rev ranges. The A4 quattro equipped with the sport package also handles and corners better than other sports sedans. The steering is firm and direct without being too heavy and the car's suspension handles sharp turns and uneven pavement with poise and stability. The quattro all wheel drive also instills a tremendous sense of confidence when the weather turns wet or cold and allows one to push the car's limits without fear of the car's tail sliding out. This is a car that begs to be driven quickly.

However, the 2002 model should be even more fun to drive because it purports to offer improved performance from every perspective. The 2.8 liter engine with 190 hp and 207 lbs of torque is bumped up to 3.0 liters with 217 hp and 221 lbs of torque and the suspension should be upgraded to handle the increased power and weight of the car.

Design: Both inside and out, Audi's recent models have redefined the meaning of class and styling (something that the designers from BMW, Mercedes and Lexus should aspire to do). While the Audi TT, A6 and A8 are higher profile cars than the A4, the A4 shares the excellent design qualities of those cars. The interior is composed of high quality leather, wood and plastics that are grouped into "atmospheres" by Audi, which are comprised of matching colors and textures that give a designer look and feel to the interior. Everything in the interior of the A4 screams high quality materials and solid worksmanship. The excellent design of and the quality of the materials used in the A4 interior stand in stark contrast to the interiors of the BMW 3 series, the Mercedes C320 and the Lexus IS300. Just sit in one of those other cars and you'll see what I mean. The Audi interior just looks and feels better.

The exterior of the car still looks sporty and modern four years after it was redesigned. The styling clearly shows a resemblance to the Audi family of cars but also maintains its own sense of identity. While the other cars in its class are also good-looking cars, I think that the Audi sets itself apart by its original shape and clean lines. The exterior of the 2002 model shows a stronger resemblance to the current A6 and seems like a natural evolution of the current model. Preliminary photos indicate that the car looks like a mini-A6, which is great considering that most people (including me) believe that the A6 is one of the best-looking cars around.

Drawbacks: The major drawback of the 2001 A4 is its lack of rear passenger space. Since my friend doesn't regularly drive people around in the back, this issue doesn't effect her very often, but she often complains about having to make excuses for the cramped quarters when she does have rear seat passengers. The 2002 A4 is slightly larger than the current model from almost every perspective, so hopefully that will also translate into more interior room. The other major drawback to the A4 is that it only gets about 20 mpg. My friend was expecting about 23-24 mpg when she bought the car, but she needs to refuel more often than she would like.

Overall, the 2001 A4 is a great car and raised the bar when it was introduced in its current body style a few years ago. While this car has been tweaked by Audi each year with minor improvements, potential buyers should consider waiting for the entirely new 2002 A4 to be released this fall. The 2002 A4 should offer improved performance as well as more interior room for about the same price as the current model.