Introduction

The 2020 Audi A4 returns for the new model year with a new look. For 2020 it gets a facelift; its sharper style is an improvement, with pinched headlights flanking a neat grille. The spacious cabin, with standard leather, gets a new infotainment system and a 10.1-inch touchscreen that eliminates the console control knob that used to control everything from audio to phone to navigation. 

The A4 handles with verve and accelerates with gusto. It uses two versions of Audi's tried and true 2.0-liter turbo-4 engine that delivers good performance wherever it's found, including Volkswagen and Porsche. Front-wheel-drive A4s use a 188-hp version, while cars with Audi's optional Quattro all-wheel-drive get 60 more horsepower, making 248 hp. Its 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox shifts crisply at speed but doesn't like casual; it can stumble around town. 

The 2020 Audi S4 makes use of a more powerful 349-hp V-6 with an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic.

The latest A4 earned very high safety scores thanks to its high crashworthiness and standard safety equipment. It got five stars overall from the NHTSA, with four stars for frontal collision.The IIHS gave it the top 'Good'? score on all six crash tests, earning it a Top Safety Pick award. Last year's headlights were only rated 'Acceptable'? and 'Marginal,'? but new designs in 2020 will likely change that. 

Every A4 comes standard with automatic emergency braking, while optional safety equipment includes active lane control, adaptive cruise control, rear side airbags, and a surround-view camera system. 

The base front-wheel-drive A4 is EPA-rated at 27 mpg city, 35 highway, 30 combined. The all-wheel-drive version drops to 24/32/27 mpg, while the A4 Allroad wagon comes in at 23/31/26 mpg. Naturally, the 2020 S4 brings up the rear at 20/27/23 mpg. . 

Lineup

The A4 trim levels are Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige, each with several option packages and many exterior and interior colors. 

The A4 Premium comes with leather upholstery, a 10.1-inch touchscreen with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, heated and power-adjustable front seats, moonroof, ambient lighting, three-zone climate control, and active safety gear.

The Premium Plus costs nearly $50,000 with all-wheel drive, while the more than $50,000 A4 Prestige offers acoustic glass, and upgraded audio system.

The A4 Allroad is generally equipped like its sedan A4 siblings, but with adaptive dampers.

The S4 comes with front sport seats with pneumatic side bolsters and seat massagers, as well as the performance upgrades. . 

Walkaround

Audi styling favors sharp lines and subtle creases while staying clear of drama. It's mature. The 2020 A4 catches up and modernizes a bit, but still doesn't step more than knee-deep into the edgy waters. There are sharper headlights and taillights, and a shield-style grille that comes off stronger, but the tweaks only freshen things a bit. They also bring the A4 more in line with family styling, namely the A6 and A7. 

LED accents in the headlamps also add definition of the face of the A4, while more pronounced wheel arches enhance its profile. The stylish coupe-like roofline on the Audi A5 stays on the A5.. 

Interior

The cabin in the A4 is clean and elegant, with aluminum and wood trim bringing an upscale look and feel. There's also some matte plastic, and it doesn't take much away from the upscale look. 

The new tablet-like touchscreen floats above the low dash, replacing the rotary control knob for infotainment interface. It's much easier to operate and is less clunky. The optional digital instrument cluster is a delight.

The standard leather upholstery is soft and comes in a wide range of dyes. The front seats are power-adjusted and heated.

The A4 has more than 35 inches of leg room in the rear, although the transmission tunnel runs through it. The trunk holds a modest 13 cubic feet, so if you need more, turn to the Allroad with its 24.2 cubic feet. And with the Allroad's rear seats down that expands to nearly 60 cubic feet. 

Outward vision is very good thanks to a low beltline and narrow roof pillars.. 

Driving Impression

The A4 can make just about any commute a joy. The 2.0-liter turbo-4 in the front-wheel-drive version makes 188 horsepower, mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with a light case of the hiccups at slow speeds. It can accelerate from 0- to 60 mph in about seven seconds, a decent if not dazzling pace. 

The all-wheel-drive and Allroad models use a 248-hp variant of the same engine. The sedan can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, while the heavier (by 200 pounds) Allroad takes 5.9 seconds. 

The S4 with standard all-wheel drive has a 349-hp 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 with an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic that makes 369 pound-feet of torque. It hustles to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, and has a top speed of 155 mph. 

The Audi A4 has sharp steering and a smooth, composed ride on a softly sprung multi-link suspension that soaks in big bumps exceptionally well. 

Adaptive dampers, standard on the Allroad, are available for the A4 sedan, although it will probably be hard to find a car on a dealer's lot that has them, without ordering them. They make the ride firmer. 

The dampers don't make the Allroad a hardcore off-roader; they're meant to bring stability to bumps and rough pavement. The Allroad's all-wheel-drive system is more rugged than the sedan's, which disconnects the front axle to save fuel. But even with the beefier all-wheel drive, it's still not meant for off-roading; the low-profile tires say so. . 

Summary

For those who still favor sedans, the Audi A4 is a sedan's sedan. We're inclined to say the base front-wheel-drive Premium is best bet; it has the lowest cost, the best gas mileage, decent acceleration, and everything else the Premium Plus has. 

 

-by Sam Moses with driving impressions by The Car Connection.