2009 Lexus RX 350: This early luxury crossover is still popular today because it remains powerful, comfortable and has a high degree of refinement, Mike Hanley says.
2009 Audi A4: The redesigned A4 offers sleeker styling, more luxury features and better gas mileage, Kelsey Mays says in this video. Even better, Kelsey says the impressive sport sedan is fun to drive in a second video.
View and share all of Cars.com’s videos via YouTube
Audi’s contender in the entry-level luxury sport sedan segment has a tough play to make in a space that's packed with competition from the likes of Mercedes and BMW. Does the new Audi A4 hold its own against a recently redesigned C-Class and BMW’s 3 Series? Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays finds a few reasons why the A4 deserves serious attention from car buyers looking to enter the luxury sedan market.
This past weekend, Kelsey Mays and Joe Bruzek of Ask.cars.com spent some time in the all-new 2009 Audi A4. While the redesigned A4 may be significantly updated, the design sure looks similar to the outgoing model.
Still, check out the photo gallery below and more news on the 2009 Audi A4 can be found here.
Audi invited us to Elkhart Lake, Wis., this past weekend to check out the American Le Mans series at Road America on Saturday. (Ingolstadt, Germany’s, two R10 racecars ended up clinching a one-two finish, incidentally.) Oh, there was also a new 2009 A4 on hand to drive around local roads all day — a European version, to be sure, but aside from a few cosmetic changes, it’s mechanically identical to the one hitting U.S. showrooms this fall.
Drive we did. A full review is in the works, but at first blush the redesigned A4 is worth a look in a segment jam-packed with excellent cars. It isn’t as dynamic at the limits as a BMW 3 Series or an Infiniti G35, but for most people it certainly ought to be playful enough — and as a daily driver it stands out above both.
Audi announced pricing today for redesigned versions of its A4 sedan and wagon. The 2009 A4 sedan will start at $32,700, while the Avant wagon lists for $34,500, not including an $825 destination charge. That's nearly $3,000 more than the outgoing 2008 sedan's base price and about $1,500 more than the outgoing wagon's. The cars arrive at Audi dealerships later this summer.
For the extra cash, you get a completely restyled exterior and a new interior that more closely resembles the cabin of the A4's larger sibling, the A6. The A4's standard turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder also makes more horsepower and torque than before; it's rated at 211 hp and 258 pounds-feet of torque. Sedans are offered with front- or all-wheel drive, while the Avant wagon is only available with all-wheel drive.
The A4 line is Audi's best-selling series by far, which makes this launch critical for the automaker. The new A4 looks like a solid contender in the entry-level luxury segment; we'll have more to report when we drive it later this month. If you want to see and drive one for yourself, Audi says some dealers will have A4s available for test drives in a little more than a week.
Now that we’ve tackled the best economy cars, hybrids, SUVs and concept cars, it’s time to decide which car we want in our own driveways. This post is kind of like asking us what we’d do if we won the lottery, but considering we’re a fickle bunch when it comes to cars, there’s a bit more to consider than pure fantasy.
Kelsey Mays: 2009 Cadillac CTS-V
Energy independence notwithstanding, I’d gladly shell out $4 a gallon for a CTS-V. The regular CTS is one of Lutz & Co.’s finest achievements yet, and the thought of 550 hp underfoot is stupefying enough to make me crave one. Reality bites, but this Caddy bites back: It still has a full backseat, commute-friendly amenities and a trunk that can fit a weekend’s baggage. Naturally, if I had one, most of my weekends would be spent at the track.
It seems kind of silly to report that these all-new Audi models are getting new engines. New models should get new engines, after all, but that isn’t always the case in the automotive world. With its new A4, though, Audi is making it all-new in terms of exterior styling, interior and, now we learn, the base power plant.
Replacing the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that is a staff favorite at Cars.com is a new, more powerful turbo four. Horsepower bumps up 11 hp to 211, and torque gets a healthy addition of 51 pounds-feet to 258.
The turbo will be the only power plant available for the A4 Avant, while the sedan offers an optional 265-hp, 3.2-liter V-6. Both come with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. The new A4 and A4 Avant go on sale this fall.
Related
More 2009 Audi A4 Avant Photos
Up Close: 2009 Audi A4
More Audi A4 News
What can we say — we really liked the new 2009 Audi A4 Avant when we first saw it yesterday. Today, we’ve found a crop of new photos from Audi that show off the all-important profile of this wagon, along with different exterior and interior colors. We’ve added them to the same gallery as yesterday’s post, so all the photos are in one place. Check out all 24 of them below.
Note: Not all the trim levels shown will come to the U.S.
It’s a good day to be a station wagon fan. Audi has just taken the wraps off its new 2009 A4 Avant. This wagon is based on the redesigned A4, and both will go on sale this fall in the U.S. We’re really impressed with the design, as it’s a much more noticeable departure from the previous wagon than the new sedan is from the old version.
The rear slopes severely, which gives the car a throwback look to older generations of German wagons. We’ve seen a lot of sharp, angled designs from all the German automakers as of late, so it’s nice to see some curves again.
Inside, the Avant will have a layout nearly identical to the 2009 sedan, which we’ve covered quite a bit. Most noticeably, the Avant adds Audi’s multimedia interface system and a new dashboard layout.
Under the hood, however, will be just one engine: a new turbocharged four-cylinder that Audi is keeping to itself until the Geneva Motor Show in a few weeks. The sedan will get that engine as its base, along with a 265-hp, 3.2-liter six-cylinder. The Avant will come standard with Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive and an automatic transmission.
Stay tuned for more on that new engine and pricing, but for now check out more images below and let us know if you like the look.
We first saw Audi's next-generation A4 at last summer's Frankfurt auto show (read the original post here) but it wasn't until Detroit that Audi brought out a U.S.-spec model. At first glance, it seems to be one solid little car — the sport seats in the S-line version on the auto show floor were supportive but not stiff, and there's a bit more room in back than I remember in the previous A4. Credit some of that to the ceiling, which has slight indentations above passengers' heads before it meets the rear window.
Previous
Subscribe to our feed
Email us your tips!