To watch Audi’s A4 evolve over the years has been a most interesting process. The lines have become evermore chiseled and

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angular, the grille larger, the lighting elements more detailed and LED infused, interior more luxurious and feature set more abundantly equipped, but the overall shape has remained just as singularly defined as this car’s mission, to deliver premium five-passenger comfort and all-weather performance to luxury buyers with discriminating taste.

Like all “compacts” within the luxury sedan sector the A4 has grown quite a bit since inception, now 183 mm (7.2 inches) longer than the original 1995 version, with a 193-mm (7.6-inch) longer wheelbase, plus it’s 93 mm (3.6 inches) wider and 12 mm (0.5 inches) taller, and I’m not talking about the long-wheelbase version sold in other markets, but of course we now have the wonderful A3 four-door filling the entry-level void the A4 outgrew. Both are great looking sport sedans, but most would agree the A4 is the more enticing of the two. This is as it should

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be, the A4’s higher $38,500 starting price $6,900 dearer than the A3’s very affordable base price of $31,600 (plus $2,095 for freight and pre-delivery prep). As with all Audis, you get what you pay for, and with the A4 this age old adage translates into a larger more substantive car that takes luxury, performance and, as mentioned, style up a significant notch. Of course, it didn’t hurt that my tester was trimmed out in sportier S line Competition guise.

This is about as close as you can get to an S4 without going over $50k unless you add on $890 metallic paint, my as-tested A4 2.0 TFSI Quattro Tiptronic plus S line Progressiv slotting in at $50,440 thanks to its classic Floret Silver metallic exterior finish, although still about $5k more affordable than the $55,200 S4. In lighter shades the A4’s slightly larger grille looks downright menacing when trimmed out in

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the S line Competition model’s gloss black, as do the LED rimmed headlights, not to mention the slats and bezels surrounding the fog lamps that get integrated within the edgy front brake ducts, those part of a sharply shaped lower lip spoiler with aero cutouts and a razor thin black foil underneath that adds an element of DTM-bred performance to the racy four-door. Blackened rocker extensions are almost lost between the glossy black S line Competition rims, 18 inches in diameter and wearing 245/40 all-season rubber. Black mirror caps and window surrounds bring more attention to the Silberpfeil inspired paintwork, whereas a black diffuser was the only element that found its muse from the dark side on this A4’s

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backside, the subtle deck lid spoiler done out in body-colour paint so as not to detract from the beautifully detailed LED taillights. These aren’t as sharply drawn as the A3’s or for that matter the Q3 or Q5’s rear lenses, but they look elegantly appropriate on the A4.

That S line Competition package costs an extra $1,250 over the regular S line package, the more basic upgrade requiring $1,700 more from your wallet and this seemingly bespoke customized Competition version increasing the A4’s price tag by $2,950, but it’s well worth the extra coin. A sport suspension is the only unseen element included in both S line packages, with the Competition upgrade getting the regular S line model’s leather-wrapped three-spoke multifunction flat-bottomed steering wheel with perfectly placed thumb spats for taking advantage

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of its aluminum-look shift paddles, plus aluminum and red logo trimmed S line doorsills, a black headliner and roof pillars, and leather upholstered sport seats with driver and passenger powered lumbar support, albeit the Competition version gets even more attractive Alcantara inserts at all four window positions, the driver’s of which is wonderfully comfortable, about as supportive as you can get, and ultimately grippy in the corners, while the same suede-like material gets used for the door inserts.

The more complete S line Competition package also adds a gloss black instrument cluster surround to go with the piano black trim that replaces the regular S line’s aluminum

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inlays, as well as stainless steel pedals. The only oddity is the replacement of the lower priced S line model’s 255/35R19 shoes with the aforementioned 18-inch wheel and tire package. Don’t get me wrong as I love the way the black rims look, and 18-inch tires delivery plenty of grip on this relatively small and lightweight package, especially when fitted with Quattro all-wheel drive, while the ride is better with 18s and replacements cost a lot less, but normally a performance upgrade like this includes larger diameter rolling stock, not smaller.

Either way this particular A4 2.0 TFSI Quattro was a brilliant driver, the direct-injected

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and turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder making a spirited 220 horsepower from a hard charging 4,450 to 6,000 rpm and prodigious 258 lb-ft of torque from a deep and delightful 1,500 to 4,300 rpm, making the standard eight-speed autobox seem like overkill, at least on paper. In reality its shifts were almost as seamless as the A4 FronTrak version’s Multitronic chain-driven CVT, albeit with nice positive increments between each gear, more noticeable when Audi’s Drive Select button was set to Dynamic mode (Comfort and Auto modes are also available), which optimizes throttle response, transmission shift points and steering assist for the best possible performance. When so engaged it sprinted to 100km/h in just 6.4 seconds, hardly S4 territory yet still respectable for an entry-level engine in a well-equipped luxury-sport sedan. The six-speed manual

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can only achieve 6.6 seconds to 100km/h, incidentally, whereas the base Multitronic front-drive A4 needs 6.8 seconds to pass the 100 km/h mark.

Drivetrains in mind, it took me a while to dig through Audi Canada’s hardly accurate retail website, but I finally found what I believe to be the correct numbers for A4 fuel economy. Thanks to a standard automatic idle start-stop system and other fuel-saving measures the A4 gets excellent fuel economy figures, but in the build configurator (where most will first see the fuel economy numbers) the company makes the claims confusing with a five-cycle EnerGuide rating of 9.9 L/100km in the city, 7.6 on the highway and 7.6 combined (I first assumed and then verified that the combined rating is wrong¬), and then under the specifications section they claim this front-drive CVT equipped model gets the same

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fuel economy as the all-wheel drive Quattro version with the eight-speed automatic (not so, being that last year’s less realistic two-cycle EnerGuide rating showed a significant difference between the two models and the A4’s available drivetrains haven’t changed one iota), which is estimated at 10.9 city, 7.2 highway and 9.2 combined. As it turns out, a technical data comparison pop-up showed the FronTrak’s combined rating at 8.9 L/100km, which makes sense. According to Audi’s build configurator (where fuel economy wasn’t shown for either the six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic in the technical data comparison pop-up found on the build page, but further digging found this information in a different “Complete technical data” pop-up, but the ratings were different than the info shown directly on the build configurator) the six-speed Quattro might be the most efficient

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at 10.6 city, 7.3 highway and 9.1 combined, but as to this information’s accuracy your guess is good as mine.

Their website might be a mess, but all the Audi models I’ve tested have been excellent. Like every four-ringed model, the A4 tracks straight and true on the highway, our ridiculously low limits child’s play for a car created to sustain near unlimited autobahn cruising speeds. In reality this A4’s all-season 18s capped its top-line speed at 209 km/h (130 mph), which if you choose to test anywhere in Canada could have your car impounded for at least a week and a very steep bill arriving in your mailbox. That in mind it’s best to enjoy the A4 amid undulating curves and corners, preferably far away from any Tim Horton’s (if that’s possible) in some remote corner of the country where the only worries you need to look out for

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are the sparkling eyes of headlamp transfixed deer at dusk, or if that can’t be arranged, the closest cloverleaf highway entry/exit ramp you can find. During such moments the A4 remains rock solid in its chosen lane no matter the condition of the road or state of the weather, Audi’s award- and race-winning Quattro four-wheel grip coming into play in dry or wet, and especially noticeable when surfaces get truly slippery at which point the A4’s performance-engineered traction and stability control joins in to get you off the line as quickly and with as much control as possible while minimizing understeer and oversteer along the way.

On that note my test car’s braking power was breathtaking, with easily enough binding

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capability to bring it to a near immediate stop no matter the speed being traveled. Confidence inspiring is a term that comes to mind, with ABS, electronic brake-force distribution, and a brake disc wiping feature part of the standard package, the A4 an ideal car to improve any driver’s capabilities.

Keeping track of your speed is easy as the primary gauges are laid out in a simple efficient manner, their design nicely detailed but not overdone. A tachometer on the

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left and a speedometer on the right, flanked by ancillary gauges with a nice clear multi-information screen set in the middle, accessible via high-quality steering wheel controls. It’s a highly legible setup that perfectly suits the A4’s go-fast personality. As mentioned the driver’s seat is near perfect, and that goes for the front passenger seat as well, whereas rear passengers are more than adequately cared for thanks to three-abreast seating, and when three’s a crowd a folding centre armrest adds to the comfort with twin pullout cupholders and a felt-lined lidded storage compartment improving convenience. Most should find headroom more than adequate and legroom is superb for the class, while hip and shoulder room is more than ample if only two are seated in back.

Likewise

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the A4’s trunk is ultra-large with 480 litres (17.0 cu-ft) of capacity to spare (according to external European sources – Audi Canada’s website doesn’t offer cargo capacity information in its technical specs, but the US EPA rates it at 12.4 cubic feet which is equivalent to 351 litres), plus my tester upgraded the single-piece folding rear seatback to a more flexible 60/40 configuration, but there’s no standard rear pass-through behind the armrest. Just flip a coin to decide which rear passenger gets to enjoy the window seat with its optional heated elements after a cold day of skiing, as the left one won’t be getting any use when skis and poles are piled up on its backside, or a better idea is to opt for the $250 centre pass-through with its removable ski and snowboard bag.

As

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mentioned those rear seat heaters are optional too, but front seat heaters are standard across the A4 range. Other standard items available in $37,800 base FWD Komfort trim that don’t get replaced by something better in my Quattro Progressiv tester include automatic HID headlamps with signature LED DRLs, dynamic range adjustment and washers, separate DRLs, front fog lamps, LED taillights, rain-sensing wipers, a leather-clad three-spoke tilt and telescopic multifunction steering wheel, a powered glass sunroof, powered heatable side mirrors, Bluetooth hands-free, a full-colour high-resolution MMI infotainment system with a lower console-mounted controller, 10-speaker audio with satellite radio and Audi’s music interface, automatic climate control, powered front seats with powered driver’s seat lumbar adjustment, leather upholstery, cruise control, a multi-information system ahead of the driver, an electromechanical parking brake,

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heat-insulating window glass, plus S line exterior details and S line branded aluminum doorsills (yes, this is another confusing part of the Audi build configurator, as it lists these as standard and optional items). Most dealers will bring base A4s in with the optional Convenience package, which includes powered lumbar for the front passenger’s seat, proximity access with pushbutton ignition, and Drive Select for $950, all of which are included in Progressiv plus trim.

Move up to $40,500 Quattro Komfort trim and Audi adds larger 18-inch wheels plus the 60/40-split rear seat, while my Quattro Progressiv plus trimmed tester upped the ante with the a colour display for the driver information system, an auto-dimming rearview mirror featuring an integrated compass, auto-dimming side

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mirrors with memory, driver’s seat memory, three-zone automatic climate control including rear seat heating controls, a navigation system, a rearview camera (this is standard with most competitors), rear parking sensors, a universal garage door opener, aluminum satellite inlays and high gloss exterior trim.

Options with Progressiv plus trim include fine grain natural ash wood inlays replacing this model’s standard aluminum “Trigon” inlays for $700, front parking sensors for $400, rear side-impact airbags for $500, adaptive cornering lights for $300, and 19-inch wheels for $1,700.

The adaptive cornering functionality and heated rear seats are standard with Technik plus trim, which for $46,200 with the manual or $47,800 with the automatic

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also gives you a different set of 18-inch rims held up by an adaptive damping suspension, Audi Side Assist to warn of adjacent vehicles, unique aluminum inlays inside, and a Bang & Olufsen audio upgrade.

As a caveat, I’m reasonably confident in the aforementioned features, but once again Audi’s website differs from an A4 build sheet that a local dealer group gave me to verify, so don’t blame me or your dealer if you find differences between what I say here and what you can actually get (more than one person at my local dealer admitted to regular frustration with Audi Canada’s incompetence when it comes to online marketing material), blame Audi Canada for not having its facts even remotely straight.

It’s

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difficult to say whether or not such digital inconsistencies are hurting sales, as the A4 is doing fairly well when compared to most of its non-German competitors. Then again we need to ask ourselves why such a good car only sold 5,850 units during 2014 compared to 10,086 BMW 3 Series models and 7,054 deliveries of the Mercedes C-Class. Audi includes its S4 and Allroad Quattro sales in this A4 figure (it no longer offers an RS 4 here), while BMW combines its sedan in regular, hybrid and M3 guises, plus its wagon and hatchback GT models under the 3 Series banner, and Mercedes includes its sedan and coupe body styles in regular and AMG trim within its C-Class sales numbers (it doesn’t offer a C wagon here anymore). Other than Mercedes swapping with BMW for the segment sales lead during the first six months of 2015, by a significant margin I might add, Audi was still a distant third during this year’s Q1 and Q2 while Acura’s brand new TLX is not far behind.

On

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that note Audi should also be concerned that the A4 has only seen fractional growth over the last decade, where C-Class sales have risen by more than a third since 2004, 3 Series sales are up by about 25 percent, the Lexus IS sells at almost 10 times the rate that it did 10 years ago, and Cadillac’s new ATS has been making steady progress up the sales charts too, whereas Acura’s new TLX is on target to outsell all of these up and comers in its first full year, nearing A4 sales as already mentioned.

Just why the A4 isn’t attracting more buyers and lags so far behind the C-Class and 3 Series while Audi’s Q5 is the luxury compact crossover segment leader is anyone’s guess, but the only problems I found while building Audi’s compact SUV included a complete lack of info about the standard panoramic sunroof and no mention of tire pressure monitoring, which is optional. The dedicated A4 pages were

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much more problematic. Possibly a website that wasn’t so frustratingly inaccurate would help Audi’s A4 sales, because the car certainly measures up to the competition in most respects.

The quality of interior materials is excellent as usual, at least the soft-touch surfaces. Audi could upgrade the amount of pliable synthetic surfaces being used, the inclusion of hard plastic on the lower dash, glove box lid and entire lower console not in line with others in this class. The door panels are soft to the touch from top to bottom, mind you, living up to segment expectations, while interior switchgear is attractive, high in quality, nicely damped and reasonably tight.

As far as I’m concerned, the A4 is a superb premium compact sedan from a luxury brand that should be as well respected for its impressive engineering and technological leadership as it’s so often lauded for design. When others were pushing six-cylinder, rear-drive compacts, Audi was turbocharging four cylinders and equipping them with Quattro all-wheel drive, and now it’s difficult to find a car from one of its rivals that doesn’t come standard with a turbo-four and optioned out with all-wheel drive. The A4 deserves its many awards, continual praise from media pundits like myself, and its loyal fan base, therefore sales numbers should logically follow. Possibly this will change with next year’s redesign (it even looks better), but only time will tell. For now, don’t let the brand’s incompetent website put you off a car that should be on your premium compact shortlist, because the A4 truly deserves your attention.
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