Had a GREAT week with the all-new 2009 Audi A4 Quattro 3.2 liter. The previous edition of the A4 was always just “ok” for me, but this new car is REALLY something special. It was apparent as I walked up to the car that it had been taking steroids. Sure enough, it is five inches longer, 2 inches wider, and Audi stretched the wheelbase six inches, resulting in a much better ride and drive.
I picked the car up at DFW Audi from my friend, Bobby Baillargeon. As I entered Airport Freeway, the acceleration from a dead stop was incredible. I first thought it was supercharged it felt so good, but that was not the case. They just did an incredible job with torque and the shift bands of the six-speed automatic transmission. It is rated at 265 horses, but feels like 300 easily.
The interior is all new and fabulous. The extra room was put to good use with more leg room for the front seat passengers, MUCH more back seat room, and a cavernous trunk. The seats were very comfortable and Audi used some of the softest leather I have ever sat on. The crispness of the interior strikes you the minute you open the door. The dash is well laid out and all controls are very easy to operate and figure out.
One of the cool things about this car is a row of LED lights that run under the headlights, the length of the lens. This feature gives the car a distinctive look and screams AUDI when you see it. Handling on the new A4 is terrific, brakes are more than ample and even though I was not trying, I managed 20 miles per gallon in town and 26 on the road, better than I expected given the power.
You may recall how much I have loved the A5. This new A4 is based on the same chassis, which explains why it has such a wonderful ride and drive. All in all, this is simply a great car. MSRP was slightly more than $44,000 on this ultra-loaded sedan, which places it directly in line with the BMW 3 series and Mercedes C Class.
I have been an Audi fan for many years and have often said that every time they re-do a car, it gets dramatically better. The 2009 A4 verifies that.
