Introduction

Audi serves up refinement in its A4 sedan and Avant (wagon) models. The A4 comes with a brilliantly designed interior, a smooth ride and excellent handling. It glides over the road, soaking up bumps, yet feels taut on winding roads. Keeping your foot down as you bend it through that high-speed sweeper doesn't cause a knot in your stomach. The A4 always feels like it's on rails.

Walkaround

Sedan or wagon, these are great-looking, understated vehicles. EPA classifies the A4 as a compact, but it's an upscale, elegant car in a smaller size. A4 sports some revisions for 2000: Up front, single-piece headlights give a new clear-glass look. Fog lights have been relocated in the lower front bumper. The radiator grille and front bumper were redesigned and heated windshield washer jets have been concealed. New exterior mirror housings, side turn indicator repeaters and body-colored side moldings improve the profile. New outside door handles provide better grip. Redesigned tail lamps look sportier. The A4 looks the part of a sophisticated European sports sedan. Few sedans can match its clean, distinctive styling. Its neatly rounded profile features minimal front and rear overhangs and large glass areas. It looks equally elegant from the front and rear. It's a strong basic form with no extraneous trim. The A4's graceful design presents a strong rival to the BMW 3 Series. From the outside, there is little to distinguish the 1.8T from the 2.8 except for unique wheels and a badge in back. The Avant wagons are just about the slickest small haulers ever conceived. In some ways the Avant is more eye-grabbing than the sedan. While most U.S. manufacturers have turned their backs on wagons, Audi has demonstrated that light cargo capability and svelte sheetmetal are not mutually exclusive concepts. At a tidy 176.7 inches, the Avant is actually 1.3 inches shorter than the sedan. It's not quite an inch taller, and its sloping tailgate lends the same graceful touch as the sedan's curved rear roof pillars.

Interior Features

For 2000, the instrument cluster has been revised with improved white lighting with red pointers. Now there's a digital clock with date. An ammeter and oil temperature gauge are provided in addition to the usual array of instruments. The switch gear has been redesigned for 2000. Like the more expensive A6, the buttons are illuminated and offer improved feel. Air vents on the dash panel have illuminated markings to simplify operation at night. The climate control system automatically adjusts according to the season by sensing the angle of the sun. Auto up and auto down power windows in front, with auto down power windows in the rear are among the standard features that show this is a luxury sports sedan. The center console has been completely redesigned for 2000. Storage cubbies are padded to keep small stuff from rattling. Cup holders have been redesigned. The spacious, comfortable interior sports understated elegance. Audi's "Atmospheres" allow customers to select coordinated interior schemes to match their personal tastes at no extra cost. Materials were upgraded for 2000. Doors close with a solid "thunk." The front seats are comfortable. Optional sport seats add side bolstering for additional support. A large dead pedal is one of the many indicators that Audi views driving as an active rather than passive activity. Optional leather upholstery is a high-quality treat. The rear seats have been redesigned for 2000 with more pronounced contours that offer more side support. It is still possible for three people to sit in the rear, but it's more comfortable with two. Audi's attention to detail is impressive. The latch for the trunk lid or Avant's hatch is automatically covered when the rear hatch is opened. The Avant wagon offers 31.0 cubic feet of cargo capacity with the seats folded down. It won't hold as much cargo as many sport-utilities, but it holds quite a bit of stuff. And it stops, goes and handles far better than any SUV. Like the sedan, the Avant comes with a new lining for the cargo area and a luggage net is standard. Avant also includes a 12-volt power socket in the rear.