2011 Audi A4

The 2011 Audi A4 Sedan is offered in three trim levels Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige. The pricing starts from $33,000 and goes up to 43,000. It has only one engine option and two drivetrain options in all the trim levels. As it falls in the luxury segment, you’ll find plenty of features even in its base Premium trim, while the Premium Plus trim adds more convenience features. 

The features like 17-inch alloy wheels, sunroof, cruise control, power-adjustable seats with leather upholstery, and a 10-speakers audio system, present in its base trim. However, as you go for its higher trim levels, more features like automatic xenon headlamps, three-zone climate control AC, navigation package, seat memory function, and Bang and Olufsen premium sound system are added. 

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We recommend you to go for its top-end Prestige trim option, as it offers absolute luxury at a fair price. The features like Bang and Olufsen sound system, seat memory function along with heating function, 18-inch alloys, tri-zone climate control AC, and many luxurious amenities give you an excellent driving experience and comfort. It comes only in the Quattro AWD option, which further enhances the handling capabilities of the car.

All the trims are offered with a single engine option, which is a 2.0L naturally aspirated inline-4 motor that produces 211 horsepower and 258 lb-ft. of torque. There are quite a few transmission options on offer. The Premium and Premium Plus have options for a CVT, a 6-speed manual, and an 8-speed automatic transmission which features both FWD and AWD drivetrain options. 

The Prestige features a 6-speed manual or 8-speed automatic transmission, and comes only in Quattro AWD configuration. The motor is truly enthusiastic and accelerates from 0-60 mph in just 6.2 seconds, and completes a quarter-mile in 14.9 seconds. Along with great acceleration figures, the Quattro AWD technology offers excellent handling and ride quality.

The C300 and the 328i are more powerful than the A4, still, the A4 is quite quicker in terms of acceleration. The Lexus IS 250 has quite a sluggish performance in the segment, but it has a superior-top speed of 170 mph. The A4 is the only one that offers an AWD drivetrain as standard even in its entry-level trim option, while the others are offered with an RWD drivetrain. 

The 2011 Audi A4 Sedan has one of the most refined engines in the segment which delivers a class-leading fuel economy. Its 2.0L motor delivers 21 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highways, and a combined figure of 23 MPG. The tank capacity of 17.2 gallons can last over 370 miles in the city drive, while on the highways you can expect over 500 miles of range, both of which are above average for the segment. 

The A4 has a superior fuel economy both in the city and the highways, while the Mercedes C300 has a thirsty motor. The BMW has a decent fuel economy but comes with the smallest tank in the competition, which can run only up to 290 miles in the city and 451 miles on the highways, whereas the A4 has maximum driving range among all. 

Audi always impresses with its interior quality and design, the 2011 Audi A4 Sedan is no different. All the controls in the cabin are placed in a very convenient manner. The dashboard looks simple and elegant with black soft-touch materials covering it and some aluminum trims truly enhance the looks. The center area is cluttered with lots of buttons and knobs but doesn’t feel cheap at all and has tactile feedback. 

The seats have leather upholstery even in the base trim and offer the utmost riding comfort. They are excellently bolstered and are well-cushioned and feature power adjustments along with a heating function as well. The top-end trim also gets a memory function, which further enhances convenience. There is an ample amount of room on offer, where five passengers can sit comfortably.

The A4 offers plenty of headroom both at the front and the rear. Also, there is ample legroom in the A4 and the BMW. The IS 250 offers plenty of legroom at the front, but a minimum amount of room at the rear. But one of the major drawbacks of the cars in this segment is their boot space. The A4 offers a trunk volume of 12.0 cubic feet where you can barely fit some mid-sized luggage and is on par with the segment.

Some standout features of its interior are:

• 8-way power-adjustable seats with heating function
• Leather upholstery
• Three-zone automatic climate control AC
• Driver seats with memory function
• Auto-dimming IRVM
• HomeLink universal garage door opener

How intuitive is the 2011 Audi A4 Sedan's infotainment unit?

The A4 features Audi’s Multimedia interface infotainment unit right at the center. It has decent graphics but doesn’t really seem that intuitive, but quite practical to use. The base trim offers all the basic features like AM/FM radio, Bluetooth connectivity, AUX, USB inputs, and a 10-speakers audio system. However, the higher trim offers some of the truly standout features which include:

• Audi multimedia interface
• Bang and Olufsen premium audio system
• Navigation
• Voice activation
• SiriusXM satellite radio
• Bluetooth hands-free interface

The appearance of the 2011 Audi A4 Sedan doesn’t seem too basic nor too overdone. The sedan is very elegant from the outside with a simplistic look. The projector headlamps are boxy and the massive Audi signature grille with chrome highlights make the front fascia bold and appealing. From the side, it doesn’t look too long and has a sloping roofline. The minimal usage of cuts and creases makes it elegant, and the chrome treatment around the windows truly highlights its looks. 

The A4 and the C300 almost have equal weight still, they are a lot different when it comes to fuel economy. The A4 is the longest in the segment which results in an increased cabin room. The ground clearance of all the cars in this segment is quite decent to tackle some bumpy roads but the A4 rides closest to the ground and might scrape on the curbs, which is not a concern with the BMW 3-series.

Some standout features of its exterior are:

• 18-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels
• Sunroof w/slide & tilt functions
• Automatic xenon plus self leveling headlights
• LED tail lamps
• Auto dimming heated pwr mirrors w/driver side memory & integrated turn signals
• Chrome trim around side windows

Along with the power and comfort, the A4 sedan is very much capable of safeguarding the passengers, which is proven by some reputed agencies like the NHTSA and the IIHS. It received an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars from the NHTSA in its crashworthiness test, while the IIHS awarded it as ‘Top Safety Pick’ that assures that the car is capable of taking impacts during a crash. 

Along with the robust build quality, it also packs a plethora of advanced active and passive safety features which further enhance the occupant's safety. Some of the remarkable features include:

• Brake assist
• Tire pressure monitor
• Blind-spot monitor
• Adaptive cruise control
• Advanced airbags with dual-threshold deployment and passenger sensor
• Rear-view camera w/park sensor
• Tire pressure monitoring system

The 2011 Audi A4 Sedan proves to be a value-for-money offering in its segment. It is a complete package with adequate performance, comfort, and safety. Its engine along with an enticing performance delivers class-leading fuel economy as well. The cabin feels premium and comfortable with an ample amount of room as compared to the rivals and is fitted with all the luxurious amenities. At a fairly affordable price tag, it is a better option to consider over the rivals.