Used 2021 Audi A4

It’s satisfying to drive a well-built luxury sedan. It’s a feeling you can’t get from a tall SUV or a cramped coupe, and it’s a feeling the 2021 Audi A4 and S4 sedans exude in spades. Beyond the impeccable build quality and cutting-edge interior electronics, the A4 and S4 excite with their stable ride, precise steering, and powerful turbocharged engines.

While rear-drive sedans like the BMW 3 Series, Genesis G70, or Alfa Romeo Giulia are a bit more entertaining on a racetrack, the all-wheel-drive A4 and S4 exit corners with unflappable composure.

Audi A4 competitors include the cars mentioned in the previous sentence, plus others such as the Lexus ES and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

If you could peel away the 2021 Audi A4/S4’s cool virtual gauge cluster, remove the adaptive cruise control and turn off the adjustable shock settings, you’d still have an amazingly fun performer. The A4’s steering is precise and perfectly weighted at all speeds, and the sophisticated suspension finds that happy place between a comfortable ride and adept handling.

The 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder puts its 201 horsepower to good use. In the A4 45 model, the 2.0-liter is even stronger, putting out 261-horsepower. The top powerplant is the turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 in the S4. With 349 horsepower, it propels the S4 to 60 mph in only 4.4 seconds. The 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (8-speed in the S4) works well in manual or fully automatic mode, but we still miss the 6-speed manual that was dropped after the 2018 model year.

Opt for the S4 and you’ll gain access to a limited-slip rear differential and an adaptive suspension with adjustable dampers that automatically stiffen to improve the car’s cornering performance.

The A4/S4 interior is one of the nicest in this class. From its elegant design to its choice of materials, the A4 cockpit delights and pampers. High-tech features like the Virtual Cockpit further distance the A4 from lesser sedans, as does the excellent new 10.1-inch MMI touch screen that occupies the center dash.

The system provides easy access to music, navigation, and data via Audi’s new MIB 3 infotainment setup and includes acoustic feedback for easier use while driving. It even offers the option of handwriting recognition with whole word input. Regrettably, this upgrade means the old MMI rotary controller, which we found quite good, has been removed.

The A4’s standard seats are nicely equipped and supportive, but the available sport seats are suggested if you’re the kind who enjoys carving up tight turns. Rear-seat accommodations are not as generous as in a Lexus GS, and the driver’s right knee rests against hard plastic instead of a padded console.

Last year, the Audi A4 sedan was made to look more aggressive look without sacrificing any of the German company’s familial DNA. Almost every piece of sheet metal was new, and the design on the 2021 Audi A4 still looks fresh. In front, a wide grille and larger air inlets flank LED headlights.

All 2021 A4s are all-wheel-drive quattro models, so they get the S line visual treatment. This includes a titanium-black honeycomb grille, matte-silver aluminum inserts in the front air intakes and rear exhaust cutouts plus unique 18-inch wheels.

The 2021 Audi S4 is distinguished by double-slat, single-pane grille, plus quad exhaust outlets and a slim spoiler on the trunk.

VIRTUAL COCKPIT
With Audi’s Virtual Cockpit, traditional analog gauges are replaced with the automotive equivalent of an ultra-high-definition TV. Using a 12.3-inch TFT (thin-film transistor) display, the unit simulates full-size gauges or, when the screen is being used by the navigation system, smaller yet still visible versions. Google Earth provides a satellite view of the road ahead, and even informs the adaptive cruise control about upcoming curves or offramps.

WIRELESS APPLE CARPLAY
We like Apple CarPlay because it brings our familiar iPhone operating system to the car. But we don’t like having to connect our iPhone to the car via cable. With the 2021 Audi A4, however, you can toss that old USB cable because the Apple CarPlay connection is wireless.

No surprise, the 2021 Audi A4 is generously equipped. The base model, the A4 40 Premium, has 17-inch forged-alloy wheels, wireless Apple CarPlay, the Audi Virtual Cockpit, walnut interior trim, and heated front seats. If you order an A4 40 Premium Plus, it adds 18-inch alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control, a handy top-view camera system, and two rear USB ports. The A4 40 Prestige goes several steps higher with a Bang & Olufsen sound system, a head-up display, and a navigation package. Note: The Audi A4 45 models, the ones powered by a 261-horsepower 2.0-liter, are similarly equipped, but the base A4 45 rides on 18-inch wheels, not 17s.

Notable standard equipment on the 2021 Audi S4 includes all that luscious go-fast hardware, most notably the 349-horsepower V6, adaptive sport suspension, a limited-slip rear differential, and diamond-stitched sport seats to hold you in place.

The Convenience Package, optional on the base A4, will be popular. For $1,800, it includes an alarm, Audi advanced key, Aude side-assist, a heated steering wheel, and front and rear parking sensors along with Sirius XM radio.

Stand-alone options worthy of note are a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system ($950), rear side airbags ($350), and a sport suspension ($500), which lowers the A4 by about an inch.

Key options on the S4 include Nappa interior leather ($1,000), 19-inch alloy wheels with summer tires ($800), and Dynamic Steering ($1,150), which automatically adjusts the ratio and level of assist. Serious drivers also should consider the optional S sport package ($2,500), which equips the S4 with a sportier adaptive suspension, a sport rear differential, and red brake calipers.

The 2021 Audi A4 40 TFSI quattro is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder that makes 201 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque. A new 12-volt mild-hybrid arrangement contributes 13 horsepower via the alternator belt.

In the A4 45 TFSI quattro, the same engine pumps out 261 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque, also aided by the new mild-hybrid system. A 7-speed dual-clutch automatic is the only transmission choice in these two A4s. It changes gears smoothly, and can be shifted manually via shift paddles behind the steering wheel.

The S4’s turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 is good for 349 horsepower, which is sent to the wheels via an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (A4 40 TFSI quattro)
201 horsepower @ 4,200-6,000 rpm
236 lb-ft of torque @1,450-4,200 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 25/34 mpg

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (A4 45 TSFI quattro)
261 horsepower @ 5,000-6,000 rpm
273 lb-ft of torque @ 1,600-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 24/31 mpg (A4 sedan), 24/30 mpg (A4 Allroad)

3.0-liter turbocharged V6 (S4)
349 horsepower @ 5,400-6,400 rpm
369 lb-ft of torque @ 1,370-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/28 mpg