Car Sight

The 2010 Audi A4 continues to wear its newly styled body well. The Audi A4 sedan and wagon are longer and wider than the 2002-2008 Audi A4 lineup, and in many ways, they closely resemble the mid-size Audi A6 sedan and wagon. Slightly stubbier, the Audi A4 sedan and wagon have the now-customary deep Audi grille, LED daytime running lights, and canted headlamps that rest more attractively on the Audi A5/S5 coupes and cabriolets. With the new Audi A 4 lineup comes a deeper, darker binnacled dash that leaves out some of the more expensive wood trim of the past, and in the process omits some of the impression of quiet luxury that used to pervade all Audis. Audi A4 it's still handsome and well finished, but there's more black and metallic plastic and LCD readouts than ever.

The Audi A4 offers a single turbocharged four-cylinder engine, with one of three transmissions and front- or all-wheel drive. The base  Audi A4 sedan has a 211-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, coupled to a six-speed manual, a six-speed automatic, or in front-drive versions, a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Audi's best transmission, a paddle-shifted, dual-clutch gearbox, isn't yet offered. All-wheel drive is available on the four-cylinder sedan and comes standard on the six-cylinder car. The Audi A4 Avant wagon comes only as a turbocharged four, with quattro and the six-speed automatic. There's not much reason to opt for the CVT version other than price. Fuel economy reaches a high of 23/30 mpg with the four-cylinder CVT.