Consumer Road Test: The 2011 Audi A4 2.0T Quattro Vs. The Competition

Before I get started with this review I am just going to assume that you have the personal good taste, financial foresight and impeccable grooming habits that so often lead to the ownership of a new Audi automobile. I test a brand new car each and every week of the year and I could imagine myself being a "one car man" in an Audi, if you get my meaning.

But what if you haven't driven as many cars as I have and need to buy something that demonstrates you are a success yet makes you feel passionate about driving every time you get behind the wheel? Why else would you spend this amount of money, if not to feel something in your soul?

The luxury new car market is full of cars that can seem very appealing during that first test drive but if you get this decision wrong then you will have just blown a huge wad of cash on something you will be stuck with for at least a few years. You may also wind up buying what amounts to a one way ticket to becoming an unhappy curmudgeon who only listens to talk radio.

Sure, I only had this Quartz Gray Metallic tester for a week but it's amazing how much you can learn about a new car in that amount of time. And as I put quite a few miles under my A4's optional sport 18-inch wheel rim/summer tires, I think I know a thing or two about what this luxury sedan is like to live with and how it stacks up to the competition-most of whose offerings I have driven at some point or another.

So instead of going on and on about how the 2.0 liter 211 horsepower/258 lb. feet of torque turbocharged 4-cylinder engine was perfectly mated to the slippery smooth, all new for 2011 8-speed automatic, I am going to tell you what makes the A4 so special in my mind compared to the competition. And, no, it isn't just the fact that my tester had full-time all-wheel drive during an unseasonably rainy week yet still returned 26.4 miles per gallon?

Well, I was impressed with the instantaneous thrust from idle, the taut steering, and the deliciously tactile touch points all around the lovingly assembled interior that even featured rear seat climate control for my dog. Thanks Audi, just letting you know that my 60 pound Boxer Daisy Mae really appreciated that very important feature for those other few days when it was really hot again.

As follows, are my thoughts about the 2011 Audi A4 2.0T Quattro used in comparison with these other similar luxury models that I have been fortunate enough to spend time with in the past.

2011 Cadillac CTS-Compared to the A4, the interior of the CTS feels cramped and the controls/knobs/switches that you find in the interior seem like they are made for people with tiny hands. Isn't this supposed to be an American luxury car? Also, I felt like I was sitting on top of the leather seats instead of in them thereby rendering them totally uncomfortable. Not GM's bests effort in my eyes.

2011 BMW 328i-Its handling/steering advantage is much more difficult to notice when the 3-Series is equipped with xDrive all-wheel drive and its elevated ride height. It also gets much more expensive than the 2011 A4 when similarly equipped but clearly the BMW will always be the A4's biggest competitor. The interior of the 3-Series, however, needs an update to keep up with Audi.

2011 Infiniti G37-The interior still feels shoddy, the transmissions (manual or new automatic) are nowhere near as smooth as the Audi's and while I like the roar of the 3.7 liter V6 engine, the A4's 2.0 liter turbo is far more civilized and smooth.

2011 Mercedes C-300-The car that shows there is still a reason to save up for an E-Class.

2011 Volvo S60-I was so hopeful that the 2011 S60 would stoke my desires thanks to the T6 version's 300 horsepower/325 lb. feet of torque inline 6-cylinder but the driving experience still left me somewhat cold. It's still a sexy sedan, though.

2011 Acura TSX-Buy a TSX 4-cylinder with a manual transmission and you can have almost as much fun and more graceful handling that the Audi offers for almost $10,000 less. That's a whole lot of money to save, even if the TSX doesn't have the chromed interior door handles of the Audi A4. It's up to you, though. You only live once. And the 2011 Audi A4 2.0T Quattro does make you feel very much alive.

Vehicle Tested: 2011 Audi A4 2.0T Quattro Tiptronic Sedan

Base Price: $34,140

Price as Tested: $40,470 (including destination)

Options on Tester: Quartz Gray Metallic paint ($475), Premium Plus Trim ($3,400)-(Xenon Headlamps, 17-inch 10-spoke alloys, Bluetooth, 3-zone climate control, Heated Front Seats, Home Link, Split Folding Rear Seats, Audi USB/iPod integration, auto headlamp/windshield wiper/rear view mirror function), Exhaust tips ($130), 18-inch Sport Package ($1,450)-(18-inch sport designed wheel/performance tire, 3 spoke steering wheel, sport suspension, sport front seats, paddle shifters)

Engine: 2.0 liter turbocharged/direct-injected 4-cylinder

Power: 211 horsepower/258 lb. feet of torque

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

0-60: 6.6 seconds

Top Speed: 130 miles per hour

EPA Fuel Economy Estimate: 21 city/29 highway

Economy as Tested: 26.4 miles per gallon

Gas Tank Size: 17.1 gallons

Run on: Premium Unleaded

Trunk Size: 12 cubic feet

Curb Weight: 3,715 lbs.

Turning Circle: 37.4 cubic feet

Crash Test Rating (IIHS): "Top Safety Pick" for 2011

Warranty: 4 year/50,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty

1 year/5,000 mile first service is complementary

Vehicle Assembled in: Neckarsulm, Germany

Vehicle Provided by: Audi North America

Source: Audiusa.com

Acura.com

Volvousa.com

BMWusa.com

Infinitiusa.com

Cadillac.com