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When the ninth-generation Audi A4 was revealed back in September, at the Frankfurt Auto Show, it was a bit of a shock. The platform the previous-generation A4 was riding on was approaching a decade of service, which led to the idea that Audi was taking their time and cooking up something big for this A4. What the public ended up getting was a new car that was hardly distinguishable from its predecessor. No extreme makeover. No groundbreaking design language. After eight years and a brand-new car from the ground up, what sat on the Audi stand at Frankfurt looked like a mild refresh. Some may say that’s boring, lethargic engineering. The 2017 A4 is anything but. The understated evolution on the outside only serves to highlight the revolution in tech and design on the inside.
Understated luxury: it’s what Audi aims for and takes pride in. And in the inevitable pissing contest where the equivalent BMW and Mercedes line up on either side, “understated luxury” is Audi’s strangest argument. At first glance, a Mercedes C-Class, with all its swoops, flowing lines, even the massive tri-pointed star on the grille, exudes luxury. And if you’ve ever driven a Mercedes, it follows through on its promise of a rich experience. The outside advertises the inside. A BMW 4-Series’s sharp, brash cuts, fins and side vents imply lightweight, focused performance. Whether that’s what you get — well, that’s a discussion for a different day. In direct contrast, the 2017 A4’s evolutionary design does more of what Audi does best. The simplicity of design is refreshing — a breather, even. New for 2017, Audi moved the hood-shut line down onto the fender to meet with the now-sharper crease that runs the length of the car, camouflaging the panel gap and cleaning up the hood’s surface. It seems simple but having a clamshell-style hood meet a body line like that takes incredibly precise engineering (especially on a mass-produced car).
2017 Audi A4 Specs
Engine: 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four
Transmission: Seven-speed S-Tronic; permanent all-wheel-drive
Horsepower: 252 brake horsepower
Torque: 273 lb-ft
0-60 mph: 5.7 seconds
MPG: 22/30, city/highway
MSRP: $45,900 (as tested)
And it’s that attention to detail on the finer attributes that translates to the interior. But actual cabin experience — the driver-car interaction — leaves you with a sense that you should have this level of luxury all day, every day. To frame it better, a Mercedes’ interior is fantastic, but it’s almost too opulent and feels more like a treat than your day-to-day standard. The A4’s interior doesn’t shout anything at you. Your reward comes in noticing how ergonomically perfect the cabin is; how extra “ambient air vents” were added to the passenger-side dash so there were no unsightly breaks in the line; how the brushed aluminum or wood door trim is frameless on the leather (another feat that takes absurdly precise engineering). Where Audis of old were seen as boring and dull, the new A4 is a designer’s car, full of smart lines and clever detailing.