Road Test: Audi A4

04/11/97

The newest car in Audi's nine car 1997 arsenal is the 1.8 liter, 4-cylinder 150 hp, five valve sedan called the A4 1.8T. That "T" stands for turbo and the vehicle comes as a quattro. We know A4 is the model derivation and that this vehicle is a sibling of the A4 2.8 V6. We also know that AWD means all-wheel-drive or, as they say in Stuttgart, quattro.

Those of us on the left coast may pooh-pooh small semi-luxury sedans that sport all wheel drive. We may say to anyone who will listen that these cars are never going to go off-road and ask if there is really enough snow back in the east and midwest to warrant spending 30 grand for a mid-sized car that will schusch through it?

Think about this: AWD on an automobile like the Audi that's built with great,solid chassis dynamics. In my book that means the cat exudes a Peace of Mind personality. When you drive one of these Tuetonic tanks you FEEL safe. They handle, they are rugged, and they go where you point them and stick. You just know the car is going to do what you tell it to. It has 150 hp, and while it's not fast, it does corner like a race car. You can throw the A4 around corners with abandon and it responds.

Its overall length is 178 inches and it weighs in under 3000 pounds. It is obviously not a large car and takes about eight seconds to go 0-60 mph in the five speed manual configuration. No one buys an Audi for performance; you like 'em for the way they are built and the sense of safety they impart--sort of a "this thing will last forever" attitude.

Standard equipment for 1997 includes anti-lock brakes, one-touch power windows, an anti-theft system, a sound system with cassette player, and central locking, though this maneuver of "scrunching" the door key with both hands to physically activate all the locks takes a bit of getting used to. There is an optional sunroof. One of the neat things about the A4 is the availability of "cool shade" colors for 1997, which include Tropic Green, Pelican Blue, and Brilliant yellow. The model we tested was adorned in Aqua Green and elicited a great many positive comments from onlookers.

The 1.8 liter version we drove has an EPA highway of 30 mpg and city of 22 mpg. Base price is $22,500 and the price can range to $34,400. Warranty includes three-year/50,000 mile no charge scheduled maintenance and 24-hour roadside assistance for three years.

AUDI A4 quattro

Powertrain
1.8 liter, 150 hp, 4cyl turbo, 5 valves per cylinder
Front wheel drive
5 speed manual transmission

Chassis
Rack/pinion power steering
Power assisted 4-wheel disk brakes

Options
5-speed automatic transmission
Perforated leatherette upholstery
All weather package
Sunroof package
Trip computer
Hands free phone
Compact disc changer

Bill Maloney