What's New
The 2020 Audi A4 returns with new infotainment, a revamped exterior, and a mission to prove sedans aren’t dead. The first of those may be the most significant, as the A4 debuts a faster infotainment system with a generous 10.1-inch touchscreen.
The exterior design remains conservative overall, but pinched headlights and sharp creases add some flair to the A4’s profile. It also adds standard LED headlights.
Choosing Your Audi A4
The A4 comes in three trims: Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige. Sedans are the default, but the A4 is also available as the A4 allroad wagon for an extra $6,700 (or $7,200 in Premium trim).
Prices start at $38,395 including destination for a Premium sedan and extend up to $54,645 for the A4 allroad Prestige.
Engine Choices
The A4 is available with two engines, both using four cylinders and a turbocharger. The sedan is available with either, with the 45 TFSI costing $3,000 or $3,500 more than the base 40 TFSI, depending on the trim. The A4 allroad is only available with the 45 TFSI engine.
Engine Type | Horsepower | Torque | Fuel Economy (Combined) |
2.0L Turbo 4-Cylinder 40 TFSI | 188 hp | 236 lb-ft | 30 mpg |
2.0L Turbo 4-Cylinder 45 TFSI | 385 hp | 273 lb-ft | 27 mpg |
Choosing between the two may come down to climate – the base engine comes with front-wheel drive cars, while quattro all-wheel-drive models get the extra power. This means the A4 allroad is only available with AWD.
Both engines use a seven-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel-drive models are heavier, but the extra power pays off in a 0-60 mph sprint of 5.6 seconds.
Passenger and Cargo Capacity
All A4 models seat five. Passenger space is good, with a healthy amount of leg and headroom in the second row.
Cargo capacity in the sedan is average for the class at 12 cubic feet. The A4 allroad fares better with 24.2 cu ft behind the seats, or 58.5 with the bench folded.
Safety Features
The A4 – like much of Audi’s lineup – makes safety a priority. Automatic emergency braking is standard alongside forward collision warning and automatic high beams.
The Premium Plus further includes blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and front and rear parking sensors. The Prestige leads the way with lane-keeping assist, a surround-view camera system, adaptive cruise control, and an automated parking system.
Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are available on the base Premium model through the Convenience Package ($1,500) among other features. The Premium Plus can be had with adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist via the Driver Assistance Package ($1,500).
The A4 carries a five-star overall safety rating with the NHTSA.
Connectivity
The A4’s new infotainment system does away with last year’s console-mounted control knob. Taking its place is a 10.1-inch touchscreen compatible with Apple and Android smartphones. Audi says the new system will respond to natural voice commands.
The Premium Plus includes Audi's virtual cockpit plus system, which includes a 12.3-inch driver gauge cluster, along with a wireless charging pad, rear USB ports, and satellite radio. The Prestige also features standard navigation and a head-up display.
Navigation is a $1,600 option on the Premium Plus.
The A4 Premium starts at thousands less than rivals like the BMW 3-Series, but you wouldn’t know it from the features list. Leather upholstery comes standard, as do heated and power front seats, three-zone climate control, and a power sunroof. The new exterior has LED lights at both ends along with 17-inch alloy wheels.
Only one substantial package is available at this trim, and it'll likely be a popular one. The Convenience Package ($1,500) includes keyless entry, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, heated side mirrors, satellite radio, and memory settings for the mirrors and driver’s seat.
The Premium Plus trim gets 18-inch wheels included, complementing flashier LED headlights. The side mirrors now feature auto-dimming and power-folding functionality. The driver gets an upgraded instrument cluster, memory settings for the driver’s seat, and a leatherette-covered console.
Spirited drivers should look to the Sport Package ($750), which lowers the suspension and swaps in sport seats upfront. Standalone options include ventilated front sport seats ($800) and a 19-speaker Bang and Olufsen audio system ($950).
As the king of the A4 range, the Prestige trim comes with navigation and all the safety tech baked in. The Bang and Olufsen audio system are standard, along with a surround-view camera, a head-up display, ambient lighting, and dual pane acoustic glass for the front side windows.
The Cold Weather Package ($600) bundles a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, and all-weather floor mats.
Our favorite 2020 Audi A4 is the base Premium trim, in either sedan or A4 allroad form. It comes with standard features that pricier rivals can’t match.