Underwhelmed.....

[Torquer]

So I received my new A4 40 tfsi stronic black edition with sound and comfort pack a few days ago and after the initial enthusiasm I now feel a little underwhelmed.

My previous car was a 2016 plate Skoda Superb 2.0 diesel which I had for 4 years. I couldn't fault the car in finish, performance, economy, drive and specification but I was hoping moving to Audi I would be moving up in quality, I would say this is not the case. In fairness I probably should have moved to the A6 for a fair comparison, but the Skoda Superb is priced at under 30k compared to the Audi A4 at 40k, the A6 at 40k+.

In some areas it's an improvement over the Skoda. The sports suspension is better than I feared, it's not harsh it's smooth and supple. The engine and stronic gearbox work like a dream and the virtual cockpit is good, overall the driving sensation is better but I'm comparing a diesel to a petrol. I do love the night driving experience with led interior lighting and led headlights though.

But there are also some areas I do feel let down:

1. Road noise - It's maybe because the car is runing on 19 inch alloys, but it's definitely way noiser on certain surfaces than the Skoda something I was not expecting.

2. B&O sound package - Although I would rate the sound as good particularly in the bass so long as it is maxed out and considering bought as part of a package it's good value. It does not have the clarity of the Skoda Canton sound sytem, midrange and top end are simply not there.

3. Fit and finish - The car feels classy but it also feels a little dated in the cabin. Certain areas where I would have expected higher quality materials are lacking, carpets, floor mats, soft touch materials in the lower doors and around the centre console. Also moving to the piano black finish everywhere is a serious mistake.

4. Reversing all round camera - Poor quality graphics.

5. Two features lacking for the price compared to Skoda - Electric seats with memory key function which is brilliant if two drivers share the car and adaptive cruise control, a fantastic feature with an auto gearbox.

Do I regret moving to a smaller lower spec Audi A4 compared to a bigger high spec Skoda Superb for a lesser or similar price, I'm not sure yet.

 

[voorhees]

I think the 19's are the issue and as for the B&O I thought the same, adaptive cruise is the best I cannot believe they don't do it as standard but its all about the money.
I would hold judgement and centre on the better bits, the Audi will come good.

 

[cuke2u]

Sorry to hear you are disappointed, I feel the opposite to you and this maybe seems to suggest that research before you buy is the key. The 2020 A4 has plenty of threads about the lack of options and the b&o sound system since the b9 was first produced, but it depends upon who you talk to. As far as interior noise is concerned, with regular 18" wheels and the privacy glass and the laminated front side windows that come with that, the interior db has been measured as being as low as a Bentley at 60mph.

 

[smog c6]

Hi,

I totally get what you mean about the sound insulation. I wrote a review over on the VF forums about being underwhelmed about the sound insulation. I have the privacy glass package with acoustic glass all around and no sunroof. My Audi A6 C6 has better ambient sound insulation, talking and birds chirping etc. the Audi A4 suppresses low frequency’s better such as on the motorway, tyre roar and certain cars going past. I have the 2.0tdi 190 engine in my A4 and it’s good but not as good as the 2.7tdi v6 from my 2005 A6 in terms of refinement. Overall I’m happy I was driving an A3 the other day and that was like having a window slightly open compared to the A4.

 

[Andy101]

I agree with the road noise observation. I'm running a TDi Avant Black Edition which has the 19's. Ive moved form a similar Spec'd A6 Avant Back Edition, also a TDi.

The nose comes from the rear compartment, its nothing new on the A4's, already have an offcut of dark grey carpet to go in the boot. This will sort the rumble as it did in a precious S-Line A4 Avant.

Ive has a previous A4 with B&O, the B&O in the 2020 is no match for it, however it is a massive step up from the standard install and I can't say I'm disappointed with it.

There are areas which do feel cheap, seat height adjustment lever is the worst, followed by electric window switch and the external door handles. The one think that is plain nasty is the key fob.

Ive had it a week, and only covered 300 miles given the COVID-19 situation, usually doing 750.
Am I disappointed ? No, it's a great car for what I need.

I would have preferred the A6 S-Line that wasn't possible due to a 200PS glass ceiling on the company car policy Having just stepped out of a 190PS A6 Black Edition, the A4 is easier to park in tight spots, has more kit as standard and feels more lively on the road - even though it is 'just a 35 TDi' . Noisier yes.

I did look at the Superb and it was a strong contender on paper. On looks the A4 nailed it.

Happy A4 Black Edition Owner (need to change my profile pic).

 

[SiPie]

Complaining about road noise, poor stereo, poor finish....?

I went from a 2015 Subaru Forester XT to 2018 Audi S4 Avant.

No complaints from me whatsoever (except doesn’t go through ploughed fields quite as easily)

 

[jds_sg]

I guess if you have moved from a larger vehicle to a slightly smaller one noise entering the cabin is usually a little greater. Its always been the case in my experience that the larger the vehicle the more remote you feel from road noise. I've always found the cabin to be very quiet in comparison to other vehicles I have owned, and strangely, even though I have the 19" wheels it seems like there is less road noise coming in than with my previous A4 B9 which had 18" wheels. Different tyre makes maybe...?
I had an A3 courtesy car which was a diesel, and that seemed quite noisy by comparison. Also had a Q2 with a 1 litre petrol for a day too, that was fairly unpleasant too.

 

[Nick_B]

1. Road noise - It's maybe because the car is runing on 19 inch alloys, but it's definitely way noiser on certain surfaces than the Skoda something I was not expecting.

Alas my experience as well - the 19" wheels are simply not suited to our poor road surfaces with lots of road noise. On the Continent with their excellent roads, fine - but not here. I have already had to replace one wheel which was buckled following a pothole incident.

 

[OCDaveS4]

So I went from Impreza WRX to S3 and now S4. I was overwhelmed with the quality, ride comfort and quietness of the S3 and the S4 is in a league above. (But still manages to convey the low-end roar of the motor).

Your road noise might well be the tyres - when I bought my S4 they’d put 2 new tyres on and I paid to have the other 2 done. They’re on 19” 5 spoke alloys and they are Falken Azenis FR510 and super-quiet.

Hope you get to love your A4 over time

 

[Flowrider99]

Road noise is largely dependant on wheel size and tyre manufacturer/model. In general the smaller the wheel diameter the greater the tyre wall height and hence the quieter the tyre. What tyres do you have on the A4?