Interior
reviewed by
Any recent Audi owner will find the A4 interior familiar, though some of the basic black German efficiency has given way to a warmer, more contemporary cabin a bit north of Germany into Scandinavian territory. Unlike its C-Class and 3 Series competitors, leather upholstery is standard in every A4, and the fit and finish match recent Audis commonly used as benchmarks.
Front seats are electrically adjusted with four-way power lumbar support for the driver and manual headrests that adjust for height but not angle (for safety reasons). With generous travel in the tilt-and-telescoping steering column everyone should be both comfortable and properly positioned for driving, and seat support will easily last a tank of fuel on the highway. The sport seats in S-Line or Sport packages are even better at keeping you secure without taking away any comfort; only those of wide girth may prefer the less-bolstered standard seat. A driver memory system for seat and mirrors is available.
The rear seat is best for two adults or three kids; the center floor hump and console are similar to what you find in most compact four-doors. Seat cushions are pleasantly long and the low-profile headrests on the back seats ensure good rearward vision without passengers yet lift enough to provide passenger comfort and protection. A substantial center armrest offers cupholders and storage within, and doesn't make you fall inward or outward to relax on one arm. The split backrest folds with the narrow part behind the driver, each released by a simple latch without first removing a headrest.
Rear seat reading lights and seatback nets are standard, as are LED footwell lights for the toe room under the front seats. Last year's redesign added almost and inch and a half to rear seat knee room, though in anything but full-size cars this is typically a pinch point.
There are some exceptions (IS front legroom, 3 Series and C-Class rear width) but on average, the A4 offers better head, leg and shoulder room than its primary competitors. The standard moonroof and the big Open Sky roof on Avants let in light and offer the illusion of more spaciousness.
Light-colored cabins have complementary trim colors, with a lighter shade for seats, door insert panels and headliner; and darker shades on the dash, door edges and armrests, and carpeting. A metallic-look trim is the default, though genuine wood (a light honey-colored almond ash or darker walnut) for the glovebox, console and doors may be specified. It's unlikely you will find a more appealing interior at the price.
Seats in the S4 have Alcantara inserts and embossed S4 logos. Contrasting stitching also highlights the seats, as well as the leather-covered shifter and steering wheel. Standard interior trim is brushed aluminum; options include stainless steel, carbon fiber, and gray birchwood.
The A4 driver faces a dashboard modeled after other recent Audis, with the console slightly tilted left and center dash angled toward the driver and carried to the same height as the instrument pod; passengers can still reach those controls but it flows to the driver so much better. The center armrest top slides fore/aft and all the controls are within easy reach, the ergonomics faultless. We would prefer the gate for the manual mode on the automatic transmission shifter on the left side (closer to driver) than the right, however.
Large dials provide speed and engine revs, with 0 straight down; you may have to recalibrate your mental clock positions for the speedometer needle; and the mid-range of the tachometer may be obscured if you lower the tilt wheel too far (and you'll mask the warning light pod top center). However, with everything properly positioned, all instruments are clearly visible and well lit at night, with deep amber lighting to preserve eye recovery time. Between the two primary gauges is a message center for gear selected and engaged, radio data, range remaining, outside temperature and so forth. On higher-level cars trip computer data, cruise control distances, and navigation data are shown here as well.
At the same height and to the right is a 6.5-inch color screen. On non-navigation cars this does radio, some climate and car setup chores (beep with alarm, unlock driver door only, etc.). On non-navi cars the MMI (multimedia interface) command dial is in the center of the radio panel just below the vents, and it and the similar control for climate immediately below it are illustrated on the screen.
On navigation-equipped cars the MMI is ahead of the shifter (or behind it from the driver's point of view). It maintains the eight hard key choices as before and remains among the more intuitive-type systems; the upgrades to the voice-recognition navigation system only make it easier and quicker. With this setup the radio panel reverts to a CD control panel, the screen is larger and it includes a backup camera. Many of the audio and setup controls can be run through the thumbwheels on the steering wheel that both rotate and push-to-click.
Automatic climate control with full manual ability is standard on the Premium model; it kept a black wagon's occupants comfortable in desert sunshine. On Premium Plus and Prestige models, three-zone climate control gives independent control to each front occupant and places a pair of vents with temperature gradient in the back of the center console. Rear window shades are optional (with the Prestige Package) if you prefer to avoid aftermarket tint.
The standard audio system handles most inputs. But for the best in sound entertainment, pop for the Bang & Olufsen system, which backs up some added visual drama with 14 speakers fed 10 distinct channels and 505 watts of output. (Last year's mid-range Symphony system is no longer offered.)
With all that packed into a small four-door, storage spaces are at a premium. Each door has a map pocket that will hold a bottle, both center armrests have small bins, seatbacks have net pockets, and the surprising glovebox can hold more than some papers and the owner's manual. Beyond that, you're headed to the trunk.
Trunk space, which Audi listed as 16.9 cubic feet in 2009, has been mysteriously down-rated to just 12.0 cubic feet for 2010; although as far as we can tell it's the same trunk. The new number is about the same as for a BMW 3 Series and a little smaller than a Lexus IS or Mercedes C-Class. But you can still add more cargo space by
(CVT), front-wheel drive, and speed-variable Servotronic power steering. Also standard are AM/FM/CD audio with auxiliary input and Sirius Satellite radio, single-zone automatic climate control, cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel with redundant controls, leather seats with power adjustment up front, aluminum interior trim, split folding rear seat, sunroof, fog lamps, alarm, and 17-inch wheels.
The A4 2.0T quattro Premium sedan ($32,350) is equipped similarly, but with all-wheel drive and six-speed manual transmission. A six-speed Tiptronic automatic is optional ($1,200). Yet another variation is the A4 2.0T quattro Premium Avant ($35,350), an all-wheel-drive wagon with Tiptronic transmission. The Avant comes standard with the Open Sky panoramic sunroof.
The Premium Plus package ($3,550) for all the above models adds three-zone climate control, iPod and Bluetooth interfaces, heated front seats, driver information display, Homelink, rain-sensin
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