Complete Guide to Buying an Audi A4

The Audi A4 has been one of the German carmaker’s most popular models and a big reason behind the company’s spectacular growth in its initial years in India. Barring a brief absence due to BS6 emission norms and a realignment of Audi’s India strategy, the A4 has always offered a strong alternative to its two compatriots. If you’re looking for a mid-level luxury sedan that’s powerful, comfortable, offers a rich interior with loads of space, and turns heads with its classy design, you can’t go wrong with the A4. And with this Audi A4 buying guide, you simply won’t go wrong with choosing the right A4 variant for your needs.

Audi A4 Specifications

Why You Should Consider the Audi A4

The mid-level luxury sedan segment is an unforgiving one that has seen the demise of the Volvo S60 and the Jaguar XE. That the Audi A4 continues to remain a strong contender in this space despite a year’s absence is thanks to the following strengths. 

Punchy Yet Refined Engine

The Audi A4 is powered by a four-cylinder, turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine that produces 193 PS of power and 320 Nm of torque. There’s only one transmission on offer, a 7-speed DCT or as Audi calls it, a DSG. This engine also gets a lightweight 12v hybrid system that’s supposed to enhance performance and fuel efficiency. The former is certainly true as the A4 does 0-100 kmph in a shade over 7 seconds with a top speed of almost 250 kmph. The fuel efficiency too is pretty impressive for a car of this size at 17.4 kmpl. However, the standout aspect of the A4’s engine is its sheer refinement and silence, which is no doubt aided by the hybrid tech. This combination of stonking performance and refinement is something you’ll not find in the A4’s competitors.

Best-in-Class Ride Quality

Yes, the A4 doesn’t get Audi’s famed Quattro all-wheel drive system. But its front-wheel drive tech and pliant suspension endow the Audi A4 with the most comfortable ride quality in its segment. The suspension, especially, is highly absorbent and gobbles up road imperfections without a squeak. Combine that plush ride with an ultra-refined engine and you’ve got an apt place to comfortably spend long hours on urban commutes or highway runs. What burnishes the A4 cabin’s comfort credentials further is the excellent NVH level as you virtually don’t hear any engine, suspension, or tyre noise once the A4 is on the move.

Feature-Packed Cabin

Audis are synonymous with modern features and the A4 is no different. To start with, on the driver’s side, you get a fully-digital Audi Virtual Cockpit for the instrument cluster that also relays navigation details and electrically-adjustable front seats. In terms of infotainment, there’s a 10.1-inch unit with connected car tech and voice commands support. Ambient LED lighting, 3-zone climate control, and a unique Comfort Key that you can use to store and retrieve important settings (seat, lighting, AC etc.) round out the Audi A4’s interior feature package.

Why You Should Not Consider the Audi A4

The Audi A4 really maximises its strengths, which means it also makes a trade-off in certain aspects. Here are two reasons that might make you wonder if the A4 is the right car for you.

Not as Fun to Drive as Rivals

The flip side to having the plushest ride quality in its segment is that the A4 is not the car you’d want when it’s time to have some fun. While the engine and the sharp transmission hold up capably in the face of spirited driving, the softer suspension might disappoint you with its inability to keep up. Being sprung on the softer side also means the A4 suffers more body roll than its rivals, throwing another spanner in the works when you try to hustle it around. In simple words, the Audi A4 is more of a 100-metre sprinter than a parkour athlete. 

Lack of Powertrain Options

In its initial years and well before the BS6 era in India, the Audi A4 was available with a range of powertrain options, including a V6 engine. However, today it’s available with just one powertrain based around a petrol engine. Prospective buyers might be put off by the absence of a diesel powertrain, especially as both the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the BMW 3 Series offer powerful diesel engine options.

Audi A4 Variants

The Audi A4 is available in three variants, all powered by the same engine and transmission combo. At these prices, the A4 is the most affordable Audi car you can buy in India and undercuts its rivals by a significant margin.

Best Audi A4 Variant to Buy

Given the Audi A4’s competitive pricing, the top-of-the-line Technology variant is a better buy compared to its other variants. In addition to the Premium Plus variant’s features, the Technology variant also comes with Audi Virtual Cockpit, driver’s seat memory function, wireless phone charging, gesture-enabled hands-free boot opening, and memory function ORVMs. But if these additional features aren’t important to you, the Premium Plus variant makes a solid case for itself thanks to its greater price advantage over rivals.

Audi A4 Warranty & Service Cost

The Audi A4 comes with a 2-year/unlimited kilometres warranty out of the showroom. However, buyers can pay for an extended warranty of up to 5 years/unlimited kilometres. Additionally, the German carmaker also offers 3-year paint and 12-year body protection warranties for unlimited kilometres. 

In terms of Audi A4 service costs, you can expect to pay anywhere between Rs 23,000-32,000 per service. The service interval for the Audi A4 is 15,000 km/1 year, whichever is earlier. 

Summary

In its first stint, the A4 was one of the cars that propelled the Audi brand to the top of India’s luxury car market. With Audi finding a second wind, the A4 is once again at the forefront by carving a niche for itself in the highly competitive mid-level luxury sedan market. The brilliant ride quality, excellent NVH damping, and feature-rich cabin combine to make it the most comfortable car in its segment while the powerful engine offers blistering performance and decent fuel efficiency, making the A4 a redoubtable mid-level luxury sedan. With this Audi A4 buying guide, we hope you have a clearer picture of which is the right A4 variant to buy.

Technical editor: Manharjot Singh Guglani