Audi A4 saloon (2011-2015) - Interior & comfort
Excellent interior quality, but the Audi A4 is let down by uncomfortable sports suspension
The Audi A4 has a very high-quality interior, but this should come as no surprise – Audi is part of the Volkswagen Group, which has an excellent record in this area. As a premium model, the A4 uses higher-quality plastics than you’ll see in the equivalent VW, while metal trim and details give it an expensive feel.
Thanks to a steering wheel that adjusts for rake and reach, and a driver’s seat that can be raised or lowered, getting a good driving position should be easy. All models come with parking sensors at the rear and visibility is comparable to rivals.
Ride quality is one area where the Audi A4 has been criticised. Audi has solved the problem by offering the more comfortable basic suspension setup on high-end models at no extra cost, but their big wheels mean the ride can still be quite firm.
Go for the more basic models with smaller wheels to get the best ride. Selecting Damper Control from the options list also improves comfort, but this costs up to £680 depending on the model.
When we compared the Audi back-to-back with the Mercedes C-Class and the BMW 3 Series, we also found it was the noisiest inside of the three.
Dashboard
Age works against the Audi A4 here: its menu graphics and infotainment screen aren’t quite up to the standard of the brand-new Mercedes C-Class. That might sound like a criticism, but the Audi A4’s interior has long been the benchmark in this class, and it’s easy to see why. The quality of plastics is right up there with rivals, even if the dark colours Audi favours can make the interior seem a little gloomy. All but the basic SE models have a leather interior, which makes the Audi feel special.
Equipment
The Audi A4 has a healthy amount of kit, including alloy wheels, automatic lights and wipers, a powerful stereo with DAB, rear parking sensors, and cruise control. However, the £1,000 SE Technik model looks good value, adding front parking sensors, a leather interior and sat nav to the list.
Options
Desirable options include heated front seats (£300), powerful adaptive xenon headlights that follow the curve of the road (£1,130) and quattro four-wheel drive. Quattro costs around £1,500 on basic cars (it’s standard on powerful models) and adds an extra layer of safety on slippery roads.
