2021 Audi A4 review: No-nonsense, entry-level luxury

When a consumer first dips their toes into luxury sedans, they have a tendency to start off small. As a consequence, the compact-lux section necessitates automakers to put forth a solid effort in order to continue to keep these first-time customers coming again for far more. To that stop, the 2021 Audi A4 delivers a ton of package to the desk in an effort to stand out from the crowd.

The most noteworthy update for the 2021 Audi A4 is the addition of a twelve-volt delicate-hybrid system, as nicely as replacing the foundation front-wheel-drive set up in favor of AWD throughout the board. Each the foundation 40 and the greater-output forty five variants get this upgrade, as nicely as a small electrical power bump — not that either edition automatically required it. My tester packs the beefier edition of Audi’s two.-liter turbocharged I4, which now provides 261 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque.

The A4 forty five may possibly not be a proper sports sedan like the peppier S4, but holy heck, it can continue to scoot. Between the delicate-hybrid system and the engine’s own minimal-down torque, this 4-door will jump off the line like a pet that just listened to the word “outside,” specifically if I swap out of the regular Consolation mode, which softens throttle response in order to emphasize clean, productive driving. The delicate-hybrid system does a fantastic position in the background, supporting cut the motor before in deceleration although starting it again up smoothly. The 7-speed automated transmission is a minor slow to respond in specific cases, but otherwise it’s content material to hang out at the rear of the scenes. Light steering and easy-to-modulate pedals additional enhance the knowledge.

The EPA fees the 2021 A4 forty five at 24 miles for every gallon town and 31 mpg freeway, numbers that I have no challenge achieving, even in gross, wintry ailments. The confounding issue is, although, the EPA fees the outgoing 2020 A4 with all-wheel drive at 32 mpg freeway, so… where’s the gains from the delicate hybrid? Confident, the slight electrification adds rewards like extending prevent-start off operating, but according to the feds, that additional bit of mechanical complexity is a wash.

The ride in my tester is a minor on the harsh side, but that’s by layout. Not only does this auto incorporate 19-inch alloy wheels ($800), which restrictions tire sidewall sizing and inhibits poor-street mitigation, it also rocks a $250 activity suspension that will make sprightly driving a bit far more partaking by flattening out the handling. Individuals looking for a far more consolation-oriented ride will want to skip over these offers, but it isn’t going to go far too considerably in a person route the knowledge is continue to adequately damped on fantastic roads.

Even if you will not spec the larger sized wheels, there are continue to ways to gussy up the 2021 Audi A4. This auto also carries the $five hundred Black Optic bundle, an affordably priced upgrade that ditches the exterior chrome in favor of gloss-black trim. The 2020 refresh did wonders for the A4, giving it a a great deal fresher experience that greater matches larger sized choices like the A6 and A8. It can be continue to on the nameless side, but minimal-essential is not a poor issue in addition to, there are continue to exciting flourishes in this article and there, like the miniature gentle display that can take spot in the matrix-style LED headlights (part of the top Status trim) every single time I lock or unlock the auto.

The inside isn’t going to escape the upcharge probable, either. For $five hundred, Audi will toss in a flat-bottomed steering wheel, aluminum trim and sportier seats wrapped in leather-based and Alcantara suede. It can be a sharp minor combination that adds a shocking total of visible oomph for not that a great deal cash. The seats are supportive with out getting restricted, and heated suede or cloth constantly feels greater to me in the winter than chilly leather-based. You can find a great deal of room for my 6-foot Gumby body up front, and the absence of a “sporty” cut roofline indicates the again seats aren’t far too shabby, either, even though legroom is a minor restricted.

My most significant criticism about the inside requires storage room, or a absence thereof. The twelve cubic-foot trunk is far more than sufficient for a person or two people, but it lags at the rear of rivals from Mercedes-Benz and BMW, even if it’s only by a bit. The interior’s stowage alternatives are minimal, far too my tall-but-not-vast thermos has difficulties fitting in the small cup holders with out smacking dashboard controls, and the door pockets aren’t vast sufficient to deal with it, either. The armrest folds up to reveal a small tray that’s fantastic for minor far more than a mask and a cellphone, with the wireless charger getting up most of that room.

If the inside is fantastic, the 2021 Audi A4’s cabin tech will make it fantastic. All trims arrive regular with a 10.1-inch touchscreen running the hottest solitary-monitor iteration of Audi’s MMI infotainment system, which incorporates wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Automobile. I experienced high praise for the twin-monitor edition of this getup when it first debuted, and the pared-again edition in this article isn’t going to scrimp on capabilities, responsiveness or aesthetics. It boots up speedily, and it can take really minor time to get utilised to. My Status-trim tester also sports USB ports for the rear seats, in addition to the two up front. Audi’s Digital Cockpit, which replaces the gauge cluster with a twelve.three-inch monitor, arrives in the midtrim Top quality In addition product, and as constantly, it decreases distraction by offering up navigation, audio and other details just down below my common eye degree.

Audi created certain to load up the A4 with a great deal of its hottest and best protection systems, far too. Common package incorporates ahead-collision warning and automated crisis braking, although relocating up to the Status trim throws most modern conveniences into the fray, such as adaptive cruise regulate, lane-maintaining help, a bird’s-eye digicam and parking sensors. Whilst it’s a great deal easy to continue to keep this compact sedan in between the traces, whether or not on the freeway or in your area CVS parking lot, a minor additional piece of thoughts goes a long way. Props to Audi for owning an amazing resolution on its backup digicam, to boot.

The 2021 Audi A4 starts out rather reasonably priced, with a foundation cost of $40,a hundred forty five, which is not poor considering all that regular tech and now-regular all-wheel drive. On the other hand, piling on the alternatives can make the window sticker silly in a hurry. In array-topping Status trim with a several additional add-ons, my evaluation product has lifted its out-the-door cost to $fifty three,840, which is about a grand away from the cost of a foundation-product A6. But with two motor alternatives and 3 trims, there is bound to be a center floor that need to fit most customers.

Preserving up with the Joneses is not easy in the compact-luxury-sedan section, but the 2021 A4 is accomplishing a fantastic position of it. The BMW three Sequence was not long ago refreshed, and it strikes a proper stability in between smooth and sporty, but I come across the corporate inside uninspired and missing the good quality and refinement of the A4. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a damn fantastic luxury auto, but its present iteration feels a minor at the rear of the situations continue to, that will not be a challenge in the close to future as an all-new technology is slated to debut for the 2022 product calendar year. The 2021 Audi A4 is in the right spot at the right time with the right machines, resulting in a small luxury sedan that isn’t going to skip out on the significant stuff.