2009 Audi A4

“Sporty, superlative, progressive and emotive,” Audi calls them, and we can’t disagree. These new A4s explore new territory by moving up to the highly competitive “midsize” car segment. Previous A4s have been “compact” cars, with legroom-challenged rear seats. These new models are not. Still far from large, they are longer, wider and roomier than the ones they replace—much appreciated in their much more usable back seats.


This size, in fact, is exactly where we see the bulk of the U. S. sedan market going—a bit larger than traditional “compact,” yet smaller, lighter, more nimble and more fuel efficient than traditional “midsize.” Like the old nursery rhyme character Little Red Riding Hood’s astute choices of meals and beds, it may be “just right.”


They are available for 2009 in handsome sedan and even shapelier wagon (which Audi calls “Avant”) body styles. The sedan gets its motivating power from a choice of engines—a smooth and torquey 265-hp 3.2-liter V-6 or a sugar-sweet and more fuel-efficient 211-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder—but the Avant offers only the turbo four. And, despite these ’09 models’ larger sizes, all variants deliver better fuel economy than their ‘08 counterparts.

Design

We were initially unimpressed when this German luxo-sport marque’s now-signature face appeared on the size-larger A6 a few seasons back. It was dominated by a large, deep, gaping maw that looked positively predatory. It looks best in Europe, where it is laterally bisected by a long front license plate, but it has evolved and grown on us since.


On the ’09 A4, this so-called “single-frame” grille is flanked by a pair of superbly shaped headlamps over glowing snakes of LED running lights above aggressive louvered air intakes with large fog lamps at their outer ends. From tire patch to roof, their overall shapes are re-proportioned for a more planted, athletic stance. With wheelbase and hoods noticeably longer and front overhangs (ahead of the wheels) much shorter, they part the air with a slick drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.27, and the sedan’s 16.9-cu.ft. trunk trumps its direct competitors.


Their bodies are also lighter yet more rigid, thanks to extensive use of ultra-high-strength steel. Audi describes their interior design as “expressive, taut and dynamic,” and we can’t offer more effective adjectives. Their artfully crafted cabins are trimmed with Audi-typical high-quality materials, excellent attention to detail and (mostly) logically intuitive controls. A wide variety of high-tech options is available, from the more-intuitive-than-most MMI (multi-media interface) operating system to DVD navigation to three-zone automatic air conditioning.

Power

Standard in the ’09 A4 sedan is Audi’s new 2.0-liter TFSI (turbocharged, fuel straight injected) four-cylinder that drives the front wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. It spins out 211 hp and a healthy 258 lb.-ft. of torque vs. the previous turbo four’s 200 hp and 207 lb.-ft.; yet, largely thanks to its direct fuel injection and variable exhaust valve lift (Audi Valvelift System, or AVS), its fuel efficiency is up some 15 percent. Optional is a 3.2-liter V-6 good for 265 hp and 243 lb. ft., with another variation of AVS that varies intake valve lift. That plus reduced internal friction increases its fuel efficiency some 10 percent over its predecessor.