Four-cylinder turbo drives Audi A4 into 2010

Audi’s compact A4 zooms into 2010 with only a handful of changes following its redesign for the 2009 model year, which lengthened and widened the German sports sedan.
Although it never has commanded the respect of handling champ BMW 3 Series or matched the cachet of Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the A4 has an impressive blend of sporty handling and luxury.

Oddly Audi’s press materials don’t say much about the A4’s chief change for 2010, elimination of the 265-horsepower V-6 model. The new A4s come with a single engine choice: a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder plant rated at 248 horsepower.
Zero-to-60 time ranges from 7.1 to a quick 6.4 seconds for the Quattro all-wheel model equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission. That’s just one tick off last year’s 6-cycliner’s time. The Quattro manual also gets the best gas mileage – 23 miles per gallon in the city, 30 on the highway, a decent showing among luxury sports sedans.

Prices start at $32,275 for the front-wheel drive A4, which matches the 2.0-liter engine with a continuously variable automatic transmission. Add $900 for the Quattro manual and $2,100 for the Quattro six-speed automatic, which keeps all models reasonably priced.

The starter price includes leather seats and undercuts BMW and Mercedes rivals and is substantially less than the 2009 6-cylinder A4 at more than 40 grand.

The new Audi looks sharp sitting on 17, 18 or 19-inch alloy wheels. While styling is not as eye-catching as the CC sedan from sister company Volkwagen or Infiniti’s G37, it is very handsome. The LED headlights and taillamps are especially cool.The inside is roomier, including a needed boost in rear legroom, thanks to the 2009 makeover. Length of the cargo space is impressive as are the perfect fives scored in government crash tests.

Interior styling also is handsome, although I would have chosen to use less of the aluminum-colored plastic around the dash display. 2010 Audis also benefit from a new-generation multi-media interface, which the carmaker says is easier to use. You’ll still need to familiarize yourself with its operation before taking off, however, or be stuck fumbling to change controls and functions once on the road. A traditional set of audio controls would help.

In addition to leather, the base A4 comes with a long list of standards such as a power sunroof, keyless entry, halogen headlamps, foglamps, power front seats, automatic climate control, driver’s lumbar support, cruise control, 10-speaker audio system with CD player and satellite radio capability.

Safety features include tire-pressure monitor, antilock brakes, traction and stability control, side airbags and curtains.

The optional navigation system now includes real-time traffic data and the Audi Drive Select adjusts throttle, suspension and steering components while the driver chooses Comfort, Dynamic or Automatic settings.With its added room, sharp looks, sporty dynamics, smooth ride and luxury appointments, the A4 makes a good choice for business people looking to put some fun in their commute as well as an impressive yet not ostentatious ride for taking clients to lunch.

Although the convertible model has been dropped, awaiting its next-generation overhaul, the A4 remains available as an Avant wagon. And performance fans can opt for the 333-horsepower S4, which starts at $46,725, including destination charge.