2024 Audi A4
Overview
In a world of automotive extroverts, the 2024 Audi A4, like its A6 and A8 sedan brethren, is the strong, silent type. It may lack the pomp and adornment of some competitors, but it’s got confidence and a well-appointed style all its own. That stands for its dynamic aptitude, too; it’s a premium sedan first, but won’t leave you wanting when the desire for a little fun arises. Its turbocharged four-cylinder engines have enough muscle to keep things interesting, and standard all-wheel drive and taut suspension tuning bring balanced handling and foul-weather grip. The interior takes the strong-silent-type thing to heart, and although carefully assembled with premium materials and attention to detail, a bit more playful style might lighten the mood. Indeed, the same could be said of the somewhat staid exterior styling. But while competitors like the Alfa Romeo Giulia, the Genesis G70, and to a lesser extent the Mercedes-Benz C-class, continue to lead with their looks and follow with more driver engagement, the A4 continues to deliver its own brand of quietly expressed quality, a rare attribute in the today’s market.
What’s New for 2024?
The A4’s standard equipment roster grows for 2024 with the inclusion of adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, parking assist, and a heated steering wheel; all models except for the base A4 40 get remote engine start functionality via the myAudi app. The Navigation package adds traffic sign recognition, which also activates Predictive adaptive cruise control. In the style department, Arkona White replaces Ibis White across the A4 lineup and Progressive Red metallic, available on the A4 45 and S4 models, replaces Tango Red metallic.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
The base Premium trims are up $1100 for the 40 and $1000 for the 45, but pricing for the rest of the 2024 lineup remains unchanged. Offsetting that markup is the new-for-2024 inclusion of adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, parking assist and a heated steering wheel as standard equipment. Still, the mid-range Premium Plus trim makes sense as it bundles together
18-inch wheels, a Bang & Olufsen sound system, a top view camera system, a reconfigurable digital gauge display, a wireless charging pad, memory settings for the driver’s seat, blind-spot monitoring, and remote engine start functionality via the myAudi app. We’d suggest the more powerful 45 powertrain—it makes 60 more horsepower than the 40—and it’s a relatively inexpensive $1600 upgrade.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
Audi offers the A4 in two strengths: 40 and 45. Both are powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with a 12-volt hybrid system and all-wheel drive; the 40 makes 201 horsepower, while the 45 ups the output to 261. Although we’d love a six-speed manual, a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is the only transmission. The well-equipped A4 45 we drove scooted to 60 mph in a speedy 4.8 seconds, and the automatic shuffled gears quickly and smoothly. Precise steering, well-controlled body motions, and strong roadholding combine to make the A4 a sharp, if not class-defining, handler. Equally as impressive is its damping, which instinctively treads the line between comfort and sharp reflexes with balanced results. Steering feel, so important in a sedan with sporting overtones, is subdued at lower speeds and on the highway. However, almost as if by magic, the steering becomes pleasantly communicative when you push the car on twisty roads.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The Audi A4 40 is EPA-rated for 26 mpg city and 35 mpg highway. That’s actually a slight improvement of 2 mpg in both measures over the 2023 model. The official A4 45 numbers aren’t in yet, but we expect them to match or fall within 1 mpg of the 40 in each metric. That said, the last A4 45 model we ran on our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route, which is part of our extensive testing regimen, returned a solid 33 mpg. For more information about the A3’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
Like most of the current Audi lineup, the A4 blends contemporary design cues with sharp technology and quality materials to create a clean, functional upscale cabin environment. Most controls and switches are placed for easy access and operate with a satisfying tactile feel. The A4 does a commendable job of carving out passenger space from its relatively compact footprint. Rear seating is spacious, with 35.7 inches of legroom, and a standard sunroof contributes to the airy feeling. Storage bins and cubbies are on the small side, however, but the trunk offers 12 cubic feet, which is about average for the class. We managed to cram five carry-on suitcases into the trunk, and the A4’s back seat folds in a useful 40/20/40 split, making it easy to accommodate longer items such as fishing poles and skis. As with many of the sedans in the entry-luxury class, the A4 is accommodating but not capacious; choose the A4 Allroad wagon if you need more plentiful cargo space.
The Car and Driver Difference
Infotainment and Connectivity
The A4’s infotainment system consists of a 10.1-inch touchscreen with excellent image quality. For 2024, all A4 45 models get remote start functionality via the myAudi app.
All A4 models at the Premium Plus trim level benefit from an available Navigation package (standard on Prestige Trim) that now includes traffic sign recognition which is integrated into the adaptive cruise control. Additional standard features are generous and include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, two USB ports, and voice command. SiriusXM satellite radio, and in-car Wi-Fi are included in various option packages, as is a more powerful Bang & Olufsen audio system with 19 speakers. A cool digital gauge display that Audi calls Virtual Cockpit is optional, and we highly recommend it.
How to Buy and Maintain a Car
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Audi has significantly upped the A4’s standard safety content and driver-assistance features for 2024, making adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist and parking assist standard. Previously only available on costly upper trim levels, they add a new layer to the A4’s value. For more information about the A4’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:
Standard adaptive cruise control Standard automated emergency braking with forward-collision warning Standard lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Audi’s warranty coverage is strictly average among luxury brands, and it offers no complimentary scheduled maintenance coverage, unlike BMW.
Limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles Powertrain warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles No complimentary scheduled maintenanceArrow pointing downArrow pointing down
Specifications
Specifications
2021 Audi A4 45 TFSI Quattro
VEHICLE TYPE
front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE AS TESTED
$53,840 (base price: $41,945)
ENGINE TYPE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, iron block and aluminum head, direct fuel injection
Displacement
121 in3, 1984 cm3
Power
261 hp @ 6500 rpm
Torque
273 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm
TRANSMISSION
7-speed dual-clutch automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension (F/R): multilink/multilink
Brakes (F/R): 13.3-in vented disc/13.0-in vented disc
Tires: Continental SportContact 6, 245/35R-19 93Y RO2
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 111.0 in
Length: 187.5 in
Width: 72.7 in
Height: 56.2 in
Passenger volume: 92 ft3
Trunk volume: 12 ft3
Curb weight: 3705 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 4.8 sec
100 mph: 12.9 sec
120 mph: 20.7 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 5.6 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 2.8 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 3.7 sec
1/4 mile: 13.5 sec @ 102 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 126 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 149 ft
Braking, 100–0 mph: 304 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.97 g
Standing-start accel times omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 26 mpg
75-mph highway driving: 33 mpg
Highway range: 500 miles
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/city/highway: 27/24/31 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED
More Features and Specs
