2013 Audi A4 Total Car Score Analysis

The 2013 Audi A4 earns an average Total Car Score for the Entry Luxury Sedans & Wagons segment. 
 
This model year is significant because it represents a mid-cycle revamp for the eighth generation of this compact executive car. 
 
The most apparent changes are cosmetic, as the front fascia falls into line with an updated look that applies throughout Audi's lineup. The headlights and grille are reshaped, so are the taillights. 
 
Audi's Multi-Media Interface (MMI) infotainment system has been revised, while the cabin is rendered even tidier by the deletion of a few buttons. Since it's all about the details, the optional leather upholstery has changed from Nappa to Valcona, which is supposedly firmer and with a more pronounced grain. 
 
On the driving front, power assistance for the steering is now electric. This system finds few fans among the car reviewing cognoscenti, since it offers less tactility than an old-school hydraulic system. Most reviewers, however, consider the steering in Audi vehicles to be one of their few downsides anyway. So whatever fuel savings the new setup can provide will be welcomed rather than spurned. 
 
The suspension has also received some attention: shock absorbers have been retuned and rear suspension mounts redesigned. The newest version of Audi's Drive Select feature -- which allows adjustment to throttle, transmission and chassis settings -- is deemed by critics as an option worth springing for. Drivetrains are unchanged except for a few efficiency measures.

2013 Audi A4 Model Line-Up

The 2013 Audi A4 comes as a five-passenger sedan or an all-wheel-drive wagon with a raised ride height (the 2013 A4 Allroad Quattro, covered elsewhere on this site). 
 
The sedan is powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that's turbocharged to make 211 horsepower and 285 pound-feet of torque. This is linked to either a six-speed manual transmission, a Tiptronic eight-speed automatic, or a continuously variable transmission (CVT) in the front-drive versions. 
 
Trim levels are Premium, Premium Plus and Prestige. Even Premium has dual-zone climate control, leather upholstery, a sunroof, auto wipers, satellite radio and 17-inch alloy wheels. Premium Plus brings 18-inch wheels and heated front seats, while Prestige adds a blind-spot warning system, navigation and a Bang & Olufsen audio system. 
 
The main option packages are: Convenience (Bluetooth and iPod integration), Style (LED running lights and some extra brightwork on the body), Navigation, and Sport (stiffer suspension, performance tires, sport seats). 
 
Safety-wise, the roster includes stability control and a decent array of airbags, although rear side airbags are only optional in the two higher trim levels. Even without them, the A4 scores well in crash tests. 
 
There are no EPA estimates yet for the 2013 Audi A4.

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