By KBB.com Editors
With so much to love about the 2008 Audi A4, it's hard to find a reason not to own one. From a driving enthusiast's point of view, the A4's quattro all-wheel drive and energetic turbocharged four-cylinder engine make it the nearly-ideal car, while young status seekers crave it for its upscale pedigree and reasonably affordable price. Audi even nails the little things many of its competitors overlook, such as backlighting every switch and control regardless of importance. If it weren't for the A4's somewhat cramped rear quarters, we'd almost be tempted to call it the perfect sedan.
If you like the idea of paying thousands less for a European sports sedan that is as frugal with fuel as it is quick off the line, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better choice than the A4. Optional quattro all-wheel drive is a bonus for snow belt residents.
If you think a bona fide premium sports sedan has rear-wheel drive and a normally aspirated, non-turbo engine -- like the Mercedes-Benz C350, Infiniti G35 and Lexus IS 350 -- you may find the Audi A4 a little impure for your tastes. Taller folks might also find the driving position somewhat confining.
All A4s receive the S line package as standard equipment. The package includes aggressive front and rear fascias, larger side moldings and an integrated trunk spoiler.
Driving Impressions We drove the six-speed automatic and six-speed manual versions of the 2008 Audi A4, each with the four-cylinder turbo engine and quattro all-wheel drive. While the automatic model was a...
joy on the highway -- delivering a quiet, comfortable ride, inspiring stability and with plenty of power to pass -- the transmission magnified the engine's turbo lag in the stop-and-go of city driving. The manual car, on the other hand, was equally impressive on the highway while also providing more of the kick we expect from a sports sedan. When sunny skies turn to rainy weather the all-weather traction advantages of the renowned quattro all-wheel-drive system are much appreciated and, even in dry weather, we could feel its calming influence while negotiating curving on-ramps and the like.One-Touch Windows
Even when we expect a vehicle to have four one-touch up/down windows, we're still delighted with their ease and convenience. They make life a little easier.
Audi Navigation
The simple and intuitive touch screen fits nicely into the dash. Behind the flip-down screen you'll find two SD memory card slots, which can be used to play MP3-formated music files through the audio system.
Interior
The A4's rear seat can be tight on legroom for some, and the front armrest can interfere with the parking brake lever. Beyond these minor points, however, we find the A4's comfortable, stylish and well-crafted cabin nearly without fault. The textured aluminum is one of the finest examples of interior metal trim we've ever seen, and every surface and seam is pleasing to both the eye and the touch. If you're looking for a nice place to spend a commute, you won't have to look beyond the A4.
ExteriorFrom the side, it wouldn't be hard to mistake the 2008 Audi A4 for the last-generation car (model year 2002 to 2005). And if your vision isn't what it used to be, you might be excused for confusing the two from the rear. But only from a mile away, on a moonless night in the middle of the Black Forest, could you mistake the two models from the front. At first, we thought the Audi family's trapezoidal big-mouth grille looked less graceful on the A4 than when we first saw it on the larger A6 and A8. But, like its big brothers, the A4 seems to embrace its identity a little more warmly every time we see it.
The base A4 powertrain includes a four-cylinder turbo engine, six-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive. In addition, the well-equipped entry A4 features an AM/FM stereo with in-dash six-disc CD changer, one-touch up/down windows, keyless entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, cloth seats, leather-wrapped wheel/shifter/handbrake, four-way adjustable/multifunction steering wheel, cruise control, fog lights and 16-inch alloy wheels. Standard safety equipment includes a sophisticated anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic stability control, active front head restraints and front, front-side and two-row head-curtain airbags.
In addition to an impressive list of standard features, the A4 also features a long list of options, including a choice between leather and premium leather seating, DVD-based navigation, premium sound system, heated seats, driver-position memory, rear-window sunshades, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, wood trim, Homelink, auto-dimming/power-folding outside mirrors, bi-xenon adaptive self-leveling headlamps, retractable high-pressure headlamp washers, 17-inch wheels, a sport suspension and rear side-impact airbags.
The A4's available four- or six-cylinder engines come with sophisticated FSI Direct Injection technology designed to deliver increased power and better mileage. The V6 is the smoother and more powerful engine of the two, but the four-cylinder turbo is lighter (promoting better handling), less expensive and delivers better fuel mileage. Also available in varying combinations are front-drive and quattro all-wheel-drive systems, plus six-speed manual, six-speed Tiptronic automatic and continuously-variable transmissions. The front-drive V6 A4 comes with the automatic transmission only.
2.0-liter in-line 4 Turbocharged
200 horsepower @ 5100-6000 rpm
207 lb.-ft. of torque @ 1800-5000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/31 (FWD, manual), 21/30 (FWD, automatic), 20/28 (AWD, manual), 19/27 (AWD, automatic)
3.2-liter V6
255 horsepower @ 6500 rpm
243 lb.-ft. of torque @ 3250 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/27 (FWD, automatic), 15/25 (AWD, manual) 17/25 (AWD, automatic)
To compare current market prices, check out KBB.com's car classifieds to view the new and used Audi A4 vehicles for sale near you.
Based on 314 Ratings for the 2005 - 2008 models.
Review this carBy Lucab (TX) on Sunday, May 05, 2013
I own this car - My approximate mileage is 85,000
overall rating 1 of 10rating detailsPros: "It looks good"
Cons: "It lives at the repair shop, horrible & unreliable"
Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 1
"We've had this car for about 7 years. It's basically always in the shop and Audi has never been particularly interested in fixing it. Usually by the time we get it back from the dealer something else has been broken, so we just keep taking it back until the thing that is broken is either so minor that it's not worth the effort to fix (like a window that won't roll down) or it's something that we can't see (like a leak in the engine). It's had problems all over the place since the day we bought it and because it's German, the repairs aren't cheap. My husband had been having Audi do all the work on it (because it requires special Audi approved oil or something) but I finally took it to my mechanic who found a major engine leak that Audi had promised was fixed months ago after several thousand dollars. Needless to say, we're selling it tomorrow and will never, ever buy an Audi again and have the deepest sympathies for anyone else who gets sucked in by the gorgeous design."
2 people out of 2 found this review helpful
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By Paul (FL) on Saturday, April 06, 2013
I own this car - My approximate mileage is 53,000
overall rating 4 of 10rating detailsPros: "great to drive, good mileage and fast"
Cons: "lousy warranty and poor QC"
Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 2
"I purchased the car new and while I love driving the car, owning it is a completely different story. The car is very gadgety and the gadgets often don't work properly. Many of the problems are intermittent and therefore difficult for the dealer to duplicate. In very cold weather (which we have little of in Florida) the transmission will lock in neutral or park. There is a noise in the front end the dealer is unable to find much less repair, the tire pressure monitoring system is a joke and when it rains, the right rear seat belt gets wet. The dealer says the factory issued a service bulletin on that problem, but they will not repair it if the warranty is expired unless you pay for the repair. I understand there is a class action lawsuit about this issue as well. The car burns a lot of oil and has since it was new. My driving is almost all local and city driving and the car burns a quart of oil every 600 miles. You can almost set the trip meter on it. It burns very little oil on long trips. Go figure. The car has many small problems like this that alone are no big deal but add up to a lot of frustration and time sitting in the dealers service customer lounge. Even with all the problems I have had with the car , It is still the best driving car I have ever owned. Gets great mileage, has tons of power and great brakes. It is a bit noisy but I expected that with a four cylinder that produces 200 HP. The seats are very comfortable and the climate control system is awesome once you learn to use it. **WARNING** Replacement parts for this car are obscenely overpriced. Someone stole the outside mirror control knob from my car. I went to the dealer for a replacement and it was over $80.00. I assume that's why someone stole it. A small 3" piece of fuel return line was was $110.00. My dealer's hourly labor rate is $110.00 per hour which I find to be excessive. The dealer's service adviser is very nice, and they schedule repairs quickly, but if the computer doesn't tell them what the problem is, they haven't a clue. I must admit that I feel abused every time I leave the service department, but they sure are courteous when they abuse me. The A4 is probably a pretty good deal if you are not going to keep the car beyond the warranty period. Unfortunately the warranty is only four years and I will never again buy a car that has a longer loan than warranty."
1 person out of 1 found this review helpful
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By Paul (FL) on Saturday, April 06, 2013
I own this car - My approximate mileage is 53,000
overall rating 4 of 10rating detailsPros: "great to drive, good mileage and fast"
Cons: "lousy warranty and poor QC"
Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 2
"I purchased the car new and while I love driving the car, owning it is a completely different story. The car is very gadgety and the gadgets often don't work properly. Many of the problems are intermittent and therefore difficult for the dealer to duplicate. In very cold weather (which we have little of in Florida) the transmission will lock in neutral or park. There is a noise in the front end the dealer is unable to find much less repair, the tire pressure monitoring system is a joke and when it rains, the right rear seat belt gets wet. The dealer says the factory issued a service bulletin on that problem, but they will not repair it if the warranty is expired unless you pay for the repair. I understand there is a class action lawsuit about this issue as well. The car burns a lot of oil and has since it was new. My driving is almost all local and city driving and the car burns a quart of oil every 600 miles. You can almost set the trip meter on it. It burns very little oil on long trips. Go figure. The car has many small problems like this that alone are no big deal but add up to a lot of frustration and time sitting in the dealers service customer lounge. Even with all the problems I have had with the car , It is still the best driving car I have ever owned. Gets great mileage, has tons of power and great brakes. It is a bit noisy but I expected that with a four cylinder that produces 200 HP. The seats are very comfortable and the climate control system is awesome once you learn to use it. **WARNING** Replacement parts for this car are obscenely overpriced. Someone stole the outside mirror control knob from my car. I went to the dealer for a replacement and it was over $80.00. I assume that's why someone stole it. A small 3" piece of fuel return line was was $110.00. My dealer's hourly labor rate is $110.00 per hour which I find to be excessive. The dealer's service adviser is very nice, and they schedule repairs quickly, but if the computer doesn't tell them what the problem is, they haven't a clue. I must admit that I feel abused every time I leave the service department, but they sure are courteous when they abuse me. The A4 is probably a pretty good deal if you are not going to keep the car beyond the warranty period. Unfortunately the warranty is only four years and I will never again buy a car that has a longer loan than warranty."
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By Paul (FL) on Saturday, April 06, 2013
I own this car - My approximate mileage is 53,000
overall rating 4 of 10rating detailsPros: "great to drive, good mileage and fast"
Cons: "lousy warranty and poor QC"
Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 2
"I purchased the car new and while I love driving the car, owning it is a completely different story. The car is very gadgety and the gadgets often don't work properly. Many of the problems are intermittent and therefore difficult for the dealer to duplicate. In very cold weather (which we have little of in Florida) the transmission will lock in neutral or park. There is a noise in the front end the dealer is unable to find much less repair, the tire pressure monitoring system is a joke and when it rains, the right rear seat belt gets wet. The dealer says the factory issued a service bulletin on that problem, but they will not repair it if the warranty is expired unless you pay for the repair. I understand there is a class action lawsuit about this issue as well. The car burns a lot of oil and has since it was new. My driving is almost all local and city driving and the car burns a quart of oil every 600 miles. You can almost set the trip meter on it. It burns very little oil on long trips. Go figure. The car has many small problems like this that alone are no big deal but add up to a lot of frustration and time sitting in the dealers service customer lounge. Even with all the problems I have had with the car , It is still the best driving car I have ever owned. Gets great mileage, has tons of power and great brakes. It is a bit noisy but I expected that with a four cylinder that produces 200 HP. The seats are very comfortable and the climate control system is awesome once you learn to use it. **WARNING** Replacement parts for this car are obscenely overpriced. Someone stole the outside mirror control knob from my car. I went to the dealer for a replacement and it was over $80.00. I assume that's why someone stole it. A small 3" piece of fuel return line was was $110.00. My dealer's hourly labor rate is $110.00 per hour which I find to be excessive. The dealer's service adviser is very nice, and they schedule repairs quickly, but if the computer doesn't tell them what the problem is, they haven't a clue. I must admit that I feel abused every time I leave the service department, but they sure are courteous when they abuse me. The A4 is probably a pretty good deal if you are not going to keep the car beyond the warranty period. Unfortunately the warranty is only four years and I will never again buy a car that has a longer loan than warranty."
Was this review helpful to you? yes | no | report abuse
By Paul (FL) on Saturday, April 06, 2013
I own this car - My approximate mileage is 53,000
overall rating 4 of 10rating detailsPros: "great to drive, good mileage and fast"
Cons: "lousy warranty and poor QC"
Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 2
"I purchased the car new and while I love driving the car, owning it is a completely different story. The car is very gadgety and the gadgets often don't work properly. Many of the problems are intermittent and therefore difficult for the dealer to duplicate. In very cold weather (which we have little of in Florida) the transmission will lock in neutral or park. There is a noise in the front end the dealer is unable to find much less repair, the tire pressure monitoring system is a joke and when it rains, the right rear seat belt gets wet. The dealer says the factory issued a service bulletin on that problem, but they will not repair it if the warranty is expired unless you pay for the repair. I understand there is a class action lawsuit about this issue as well. The car burns a lot of oil and has since it was new. My driving is almost all local and city driving and the car burns a quart of oil every 600 miles. You can almost set the trip meter on it. It burns very little oil on long trips. Go figure. The car has many small problems like this that alone are no big deal but add up to a lot of frustration and time sitting in the dealers service customer lounge. Even with all the problems I have had with the car , It is still the best driving car I have ever owned. Gets great mileage, has tons of power and great brakes. It is a bit noisy but I expected that with a four cylinder that produces 200 HP. The seats are very comfortable and the climate control system is awesome once you learn to use it. **WARNING** Replacement parts for this car are obscenely overpriced. Someone stole the outside mirror control knob from my car. I went to the dealer for a replacement and it was over $80.00. I assume that's why someone stole it. A small 3" piece of fuel return line was was $110.00. My dealer's hourly labor rate is $110.00 per hour which I find to be excessive. The dealer's service adviser is very nice, and they schedule repairs quickly, but if the computer doesn't tell them what the problem is, they haven't a clue. I must admit that I feel abused every time I leave the service department, but they sure are courteous when they abuse me. The A4 is probably a pretty good deal if you are not going to keep the car beyond the warranty period. Unfortunately the warranty is only four years and I will never again buy a car that has a longer loan than warranty."
1 person out of 2 found this review helpful
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By Ketchup57 (AZ) on Saturday, February 16, 2013
I own this car - My approximate mileage is 125,000
overall rating 9 of 10rating detailsPros: "Fun and Reliable!"
Cons: "No ipod connection and not enough cup holders"
Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10
"I purchased a brand new A4 in Aug of 2007 and it has NEVER let me down. It's a fun car to drive and gets great gas milage. I just got the belt replaced about 10k miles ago which is around $1300, but that is the only preventitive maintenence that I had to do so far. I just had my first actual repair a few months ago which consisted of a Vac Pump, Connection, seal, spring, and coolant Ad. It cost me about $635. Not bad for a 6 year 125k car. I have had the brakes done 2 or 3 times which is around $500 per pair. Overall I love this car and hope to keep it another 6 years!"
6 people out of 6 found this review helpful
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