2022 Audi A4 2.0 TFSI: A comprehensive ownership report

The Vento’s impeccable ownership experience had raised the benchmark of expectations for us on some critical, non-negotiable engineering factors.

BHPian joshmachine recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Prologue

Audi calls the A4, the core of the brand.

This is no small feat, considering that the product portfolio of the “Four Rings” includes more than 50 different model variants and is available in more than 100 countries across the globe. For a model that has sold close to 8 million copies since its birth more than 25 years ago, the A4 is one of the most successful and popular models for Audi.

I couldn’t agree more, when people say they are still enchanted by the A4 after all these years, when coming across a spectacular sight like this:

And this timeless design of German craftsmanship is one of the key factors, why we brought home the Terra Grey Metallic A4 on the 2nd of April this year.

“For a quarter of a century now, the Audi A4 has symbolized the Four Rings like no other model. It stands for cutting‑edge technology in the premium mid‑range, as well as for innovative production technologies at the highest level,” said Albert Mayer, plant director at Audi’s factory in Ingolstadt.

This ownership thread or "book" is the humble story of how we fell for the A4: hook, line and sinker..

..and how we continue to be enamored with it, every passing day!

Chapter 1: Summary of likes and dislikes

LIKES

• Eternal, beautiful design + elegant silhouette
• Smooth, creamy 190 hp engine + linear inline acceleration. Healthy torque
• Super silent on the inside, very good NVH insulation. Tombstone-like.
• C-l-a-s-s-y interiors. Built to last. Maybe built on another planet. Ultra-premium fit & finish
• Wonderful 5-link suspension. Gobbles up everything.
• Very ergonomic steering wheel and multiple seating comfort positions
• LED lights are a great boon on highway drives
• Contemporary Multi Media Interface
• S-Tronic DSG. Just brilliant. There when you want it.
• Super comfortable Hankook Ventus tyres
• Good fuel efficiency: 15-17 kmpl on highway, 11-13 kmpl in city
• All passengers get their own air-con temp setting. Rear seat comfort quite good.
• Good ground clearance, no need to do a crab dance on those skyscraper speed-breakers
• Beautiful rotary, knurled knobs all around. Love Audi for not going all-touchscreen way

DISLIKES

• Mild Hybrid is only that, just mild
• Lack of wireless Android Auto/CarPlay
• Lack of Audi radar-based safety system(international variant has it, atleast as option)
• Lack of ventilated seats (again, present in international variant)
• Efficiency mode is quite sluggish in response
• Lack of a full-sized spare wheel
• Inadequate cabin storage options
• Horn pad hard to press & reach by thumb
• Primary User recognition not quick enough
• 'myAudi Connect' app experience iffy

Chapter 2: How it all started

From my (ex)Vento ownership report, it’s quite clear that we loved the Vento because of its salient features including the pliant suspension, fantastic engine + DSG combo, and the general go-anywhere ability. So, it was very evident that our next car had to be at par with these features at the very least, if not better.

The Vento’s impeccable ownership experience had raised the benchmark of expectations for us on some critical, non-negotiable engineering factors.

And so when we started the research last year to consider a potential upgrade, there were the following simple but clear requirements for our next car:

• It should have a powerful engine

• It should have beautiful design elements

• It should have stellar ride & handling attributes

• It should be good on tech and comfort all around

• It should be a proper luxury upgrade, both inside & outside

By the way, we were not sure on the timelines for the purchase when we started the search, so we didn’t target a particular month but that changed a bit later when we started doing test drives. Since we were generally keen in moving to the luxury bracket, we knew that a certain budget had to be taken into consideration.

Having said this, we had also jotted down some ‘not really interested’ attributes for our potential upgrade:

• ‘outright’ performance

• Crossover SUV / MUV/ Body-on-Frame ladder type

• Electric-only

• ‘Just out of the oven’

The above pointers (both, must & not-interested) mainly stemmed from the conviction of what we (as a family) really wanted in the foreseeable future and, experiences of owning few cars in the past.

Given the fact that I have been behind a steering wheel since 1997 with few kilometres on the odo (approx. covering Omni: 65,000 km + Alto:105,000 km + Dzire: 110,000 km + Vento:87,000 km), I feel I have reached that zenith in terms of preferences for my driving style in the next phase of life – essentially more of a ‘cruiser’, less of a ‘corner carver’.

Continue reading BHPian joshmachine's ownership report of his Audi A4 for more insights and information.