Wednesday, March 23, 2005

Audi A4

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Audi A4 gets in your face

Bold look gives redesigned 2005 model an unmistakable identity in luxury field

By Anita Lienert / Special to The Detroit News

Audi didn't fiddle much with the cabin in the A4 European model, which was already world-class. Changes include an improved navigation system. Comment on this story Send this story to a friend Get Home Delivery

TUCSON, Ariz. --John Eby owns a 1998 Audi A4 and he's due to replace it soon, but he's having some second thoughts about the look of the new A4, redesigned for 2005.

The controversy centers on the A4's aggressive new front end, which has a yawning grille that makes the sedan look as if it's ready to vacuum up everything in its path. It's a bold new look for the German brand and it is destined to stretch across the lineup, from the larger A6 sedan that debuted a year ago to the compact A3 sedan due in May.

"I'm not sure I like the front end," said Eby, 40, an air-traffic controller from Woodhaven. "It might grow on me. It's different. I don't completely hate it."

But there's no doubt about his feelings about the brand that aspires to be a major luxury player.

"With my Audi, I got the most car for the price," Eby said. "And with the new A4, I have to say the interior is awesome. They set the standard."

The new A4, which competes with such luxury stalwarts as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Acura TL, Infiniti G35, Volvo S60 and BMW 3 Series, is on sale now.

Prices range from $28,070 for a front-wheel-drive A4 2.0T sedan with a six-speed manual transmission, to $36,120 for a top-of-the-line A4 3.2 sedan with quattro, which is Audi's version of all-wheel-drive. Base prices include a $720 destination charge.

The A4 is also available in a wagon version, which Audi calls the "Avant" model. Avant prices range from $31,170 for an A4 2.0T Avant quattro to $37,120 for an A4 3.2 Avant quattro.

I drove several versions of the A4 wagon and sedan in February and, unlike Audi owner Eby, I am not wishy-washy about its looks.

The new face, which adds drama and presence to the A4, is eye-catching and gives Audi an unmistakable identity on the road.

The design of the A4 is as pleasing from the rear, too. The new horizontal taillights make the A4 look wider and more muscular and are a welcome change from the cookie-cutter vertical taillights on the old A4.

I was less distressed about the A4's looks than I was about the window stickers tucked into the gloveboxes of my test cars. It was amazing how much the bottom line can inflate, once you start adding options.

One A4 Avant 3.2 quattro I drove had eight options, including a $1,950 navigation system and an $800 lighting package with adaptive front headlights that drove the price up to $45,270. The nicer paint choices, including light silver metallic and pearl coats, will add $450 to the price, too.

When you get into that pricing stratosphere, there had better be a dealership experience to match.

But Audi owner Eby bemoaned the fact that he couldn't get a free loaner when his Audi was in for service, and it has been, especially for suspension problems.

He said it bothered him that a woman he works with who owns a Lexus got better dealership treatment and free loaner cars. with such ritzy items as a navigation system

What bothered me were the things you still can't get on the A4, including a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, adjustable pedals to help customize the driver's seat to fit all body types or a reclining rear seat, a feature that is showing up on all kinds of sedans ranging from the Chevrolet Malibu Maxx to the new Toyota Avalon.

Audi, which likes to call itself a "company driven by engineers," did some sound work, however, with key components of the A4 -- everything that makes the car stop, go and corner.

And the cupholders are better, too. They don't pop out of the dash anymore in an awkward location -- but are inside the center console and designed specifically for the U.S. market. There's even an extra 12-volt power outlet in the center console. In other words, this is the most Americanized A4 yet.

Audi product planners say the major complaint with the old A4 was its underpowered base engine, and that's gone.

The base 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that made 170 horsepower has been retired in favor of a new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 200 horsepower and 207 pounds-feet of torque. The new base engine has a suitable amount of power for passing and merging.

Audi engineers say it's the first time they've combined FSI, or their version of gasoline direct injection, with turbocharging. This helps to deliver more power and torque at greater fuel efficiency. The EPA says the A4 2.0T Quattro gets 22 miles per gallon in city driving and 30 miles per gallon on the highway.

The 2.0 T engine can be ordered in the front-wheel-drive version with a six-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable transmission and two quattro versions with a six-speed manual transmission or a new six-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic or clutchless shifting.

A new 3.2-liter V-6 engine that makes 255 horsepower and 243 pounds-feet of torque replaces the old 3.0-liter V-6 that made 220 horsepower and 221 pounds-feet of torque. The 3.2-liter engine, which debuted in the new A6, is mated to the new six-speed automatic transmission.

The brakes are improved on the A4 and there's a new standard version of ESP, or electronic stabilization program, which senses yaw and makes corrections.

This safety feature gives the driver more understeer control. There's never a sense that there is a dead spot in the steering, especially when you are going around a corner. It also combines antilock brakes and traction control.

The A4 was a pleasure to drive in the hilly terrain near Tucson, with its switchbacks and steep inclines. It fits like a glove from the moment you slide behind the wheel, handles well and makes you seem like a better driver than you really are.

Audi didn't fiddle much with the cabin in the A4, which was already world-class in most respects.

Changes include an improved navigation system, which now features a map instead of primitive-looking arrows that popped up behind the steering wheel to point the way. The steering wheel is redesigned, with new audio controls and menu items. Aluminum trim is now standard, which fits nicely with the brand's precision-engineered image.

Safety features are outstanding. They include standard active headrests that protect against whiplash, as well as standard side air bags and side curtain air bags that protect all outboard passengers. Rear side air bags are a $350 option and a tire-pressure monitoring system is a $250 option.

I was delighted with the precise attention given to some of the small details on the A4, like the fact that the rear seat has a button that allows you to lock all doors, and the trunk has little pull-down hooks to hold laundry or garment bags.

The A4 may not quite measure up to competitors like the 2005 Acura TL with its impressive 270-horsepower V-6. It may not have the cachet of the BMW 325i in some purist circles. It may not have the service reputation of a brand like Lexus.

But you have to give Audi credit for taking a chance by revamping the car's image, while not straying from a successful formula in terms of world-class interior design.

By the time I finished my conversation with John Eby, he had pretty much talked himself into buying one.