2009 Audi A4 3.2 quattro Road Test Review

A4 Photos

Subtle updates to the exterior won't have the new A4 mistaken for anything but an Audi. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

The A4 has grown substantially, allowing for much more room in back and easier ingress and egress. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

You'll want to be up front though. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

The longer wheelbase allows the engine to be placed further back, improving weight distribution and handling. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

Now it's a lot more fun in the corners, or while sliding around on ice. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

The 2.0T has more torque than the 3.2-liter V6, but the V6 still feels pretty quick. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve started to learn German. And while my grasp of the language hasn’t been going all that well, I’ve been able to form the odd sentence and correctly identify a couple of phrases, one of which just so happens to be Audi’s slogan, Vorsprung durch Technik. Roughly translated, it means “advancement through technology”. And that brings me neatly to Audi’s very advanced 2009 A4, which I drove earlier this year in Niagara-On-The-Lake.

Advanced technology has been partly responsible for the surge of Audi’s sales worldwide. While the R8 is one of the most desirable cars on the planet, it’s the FSI direct injection and S tronic twin-clutch gearbox in the A3 that’s luring consumers in with stellar fuel efficiency. Likewise, it’s the magnetorheological dampers and the hybrid-steel aluminum chassis of the TT that allows it to attract the sort of drivers that once dismissed it as being nothing more than a Golf in a cocktail frock. And there’s still plenty to expect with the new A4 - a brand new platform, new engines, and, of course, those LED daytime running lights, all of which help Audi’s smallest sedan to cement its status as one of the best cars in its class.

And though the associations aren’t as strong, technology has helped the A4 become one of the roomiest cars in its segment. Making the transition from the old cabin, which was rather cozy for those up front and cozier for passengers in back as it was short on rear legroom, to the new interior, the A4 sports sizable growth in its wheelbase by some 6.3 inches, which equates to a rear compartment that feels nearly as spacious as the A6. And while its physical footprint isn’t as big as Infiniti’s size-and-a-half G35, or Acura’s TL, it’s big enough to trump the C and the class benchmark 3 by large amounts. How Audi managed to fit a 16.9 cubic foot trunk into the A4 is an enigma - it’s more than 1.7 cubic feet larger than the A8. German mafia henchmen, this is your new ride.

And while the rear seating area might be a nice place to pass time, the seat you’ll want to be in is the one behind the steering wheel. From the driver’s position, the A4’s cabin is essentially identical to that in the A5, with the A6 and Q7-style wraparound dash that flows into the center console. Like all other Audis, bar the A4 and TT, every A4 features MMI with slick new flush controls as standard equipment, though navigation is an option. One problem I noted with the outgoing model was that the armrest was in the way of the parking brake, but not so any more as the new A4 features a space-saving electronic parking brake unit. All A4s also get a brake holding function similar to the VW Tiguan and Passat, keeping you from rolling backwards when taking off from an incline.

With the A4 now being a larger car, it’s important to note that its growth hasn’t come at the cost of dynamic abilities; rather, it its size is a byproduct of its improved abilities. The new A4 rides on the same MLP platform as the A5, which was specifically designed to improve the car’s weight distribution and handling characteristics. By pushing the axle forward nearly 6.3 inches, using lightweight components in its redesigned multi-link front and rear suspension layout, plus a 60-percent rear bias on torque distribution under normal conditions, Audi has greatly reduced nose heaviness and the car’s tendency to understeer - a very good result. Combined with Servotronic speed sensitive power steering that’s meaty and surprisingly visceral, as well a firm but compliant ride, the A4 corners as if it’s on rails. Eventually it will run into understeer (what car with 55 percent of its weight up front won’t?), but under most driving conditions it’s right up there with its rear-drive rivals.

As with the current car, there are two engines to choose from. This particular example came with the bigger one, a 3.2-liter V6 featuring valvelift technology. It’s one of the only engines in the world to have its valves lift to more than one height for improved response and breathing efficiency. The engine makes 10 extra horsepower over the non-valvelift 3.2, and a few extra pound feet of torque too over a broader range of revs. It’s good enough to deliver a 0 to 60 mph run in the low to mid six second range, which is by no means bad, but neither will it allow you to say auf wiedersehen to Mr. BMW or Ms. Three-Pointed Star, not at least until the 300+hp S4 arrives. Yes, that means as cultured and smooth as the 3.2-liter V6 is, it can’t keep pace with the bigger six in the C-Class or the twin-turbocharged motor of the 335i. Europeans can order their A4 3.2 with either a six-speed manual or, like this tester, a six-speed automatic with paddles for manual mode shifting. Unfortunately, the 3.2 is auto-only, but given that it’s always on the ball, this is not a bad thing.

And though one wasn’t available for sampling, I’m willing to bet that the 2.0T engine is an overall better powertrain unit. It isn’t the ubiquitous engine that’s been featured in everything from GTIs to TTs, but rather a heavily revised version of that engine code-named EA 888. It makes a bit more horsepower (211 vs. 200), but a considerable amount more torque - 258 lb-ft - which is more than the V6’s 236 lb-ft, making the bigger engine seem a little weak in the knees. And, if the current 2.0T is any indication of what the new engine will be like, expect smooth, tractable power and a small appetite for fuel. Oh, and a six-speed manual is on the cards, too.

As individual items, the engine, gearbox and suspension system all mark forward progress for Audi, but with the latest A4, these elements are tied together through the new Audi Drive Select system. With the push of a button on the center console, the A4’s steering weight, throttle response, damping and shift points can all be altered to one of three different settings - Comfort, Sport or Automatic. Flipping through the different modes on Niagara’s smoothly paved roads shows little difference in the amount of body roll, but with the suspension set on Comfort, the A4 smothers over minor undulations and cracks in the road that would otherwise be broadcast loud and clear. Even more obvious is the pleasing heaviness of the steering, and the razor sharpness of the gas pedals’ response. A fourth mode, Individual, allows single elements of the system to be customized, allowing you to have the supple suspension settings without compromising the reactivity of the drivetrain and steering. Indeed, this all-inclusive system is the icing on a truly great sports sedan.

With regards to technik in the conventional sense of gadgets and features, the A4 comes well stocked with the latest toys. This particular European-spec test car came stuffed to the gills with push-button start, radar cruise control, lane departure warning, blind spot warning system, parking camera, a 505-watt Bang & Olufsen surround sound stereo and ventilated seats, which I’m told are a segment first. Which features will actually be offered here in Canada have yet to be confirmed, but we’ll know soon enough as the car will be going on sale this autumn.

On looks alone, the A4 easily qualifies as the most appealing of the entry-level premium sedans, at least to most peoples’ tastes. With its (optional) LED mascara, and handsomely styled nose, it is muscular and aesthetically pleasing. But the new A4 is more than just a pretty face, it’s a roomy sports sedan with faultless build quality, astute attention to detail, and a passion for the road. In embracing technology Audi has created not only the most advanced A4, but the best A4 to date as well.

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2004 Audi A4 3.0 quattro		Westmont, IL	Price: $17,991
2004 Audi A4 3.0		San Jose, CA	Price: $14,991
2004 Audi A4 1.8T quattro		Tucson, AZ	Price: $14,995
2004 Audi A4 1.8T quattro		Roseville, CA	Price: $15,505
2004 Audi A4 3.0		Naples, FL	Price: $19,845
2004 Audi A4 1.8T quattro		Franklin, WI	Price: $13,933
2004 Audi A4 3.0		Hendersonville, TN	Price: $15,999
2004 Audi A4 1.8T quattro		Waterloo, NY	Price: $13,904
2004 Audi A4 1.8T		Memphis, TN	Price: $9,992
2004 Audi A4 1.8T quattro		Great Neck, NY	Price: $12,999
2004 Audi A4 1.8T		Memphis, TN	Price: $16,985
2004 Audi A4 1.8T		Beverly Hills, CA	Price: $11,891
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2004 Audi A4 1.8T		Bethesda, MD	Price: $19,999
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2005 Audi A4 2.0T quattro		Dallas, TX	Price: $17,991
2005 Audi A4 2.0T quattro		Vienna, VA	Price: $14,999
2005 Audi A4 3.0		Santa Monica, CA	Price: $22,995
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2005 Audi A4 1.8T quattro		Conroe, TX	Price: $11,995
2005 Audi A4 3.0 quattro		Clearwater, FL	Price: $19,983
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2005 Audi A4 2.0T quattro		Saint Paul, MN	Price: $19,599
2005 Audi A4 1.8T		Easton, MD	Price: $16,995
2005 Audi A4 1.8T		Atlanta, GA	Price: $14,900
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2005 Audi A4 1.8T		Tulsa, OK	Price: $17,092
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2005 Audi A4 3.0 quattro		Everett, WA	Price: $17,044
2005 Audi A4 2.0T quattro		Jacksonville, FL	Price: $20,950
2005 Audi A4 2.0T		Fort Lauderdale, FL	Price: $14,487
2005 Audi A4 1.8T		Sarasota, FL	Price: $22,992
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2005 Audi A4 2.0T		Dallas, TX	Price: $15,991
2005 Audi A4 1.8T quattro		Colorado Springs, CO	Price: $17,435
2005 Audi A4 2.0T quattro		Ellicott City, MD	Price: $15,487
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