Review: 2010 Audi A4 2.0 MT6

For many years, I wondered why people made such a bid deal over the Audi A4. Everywhere I turned, I would see an A4. Granted, an A4 is on the low end in terms of pricing, so it would fit into the budget of those who want luxury but don't want to spend $60K+ for a car. However, I still didn't realize what all the hype was about.

Well, now I know.

The A4's of yesteryear have been small and compact, but these past couple years Audi stepped it up a notch and built a car worthy of being called a sedan.

Interior

Function and comfort were definitely top of mind when Audi designed this car. The interior of the 2010 A4 provides an aesthetic that defines what you would call "subtle luxury". The car I tested featured black leather with aluminum trim. The aluminum gave the interior a more refined, elegant look, although the beige interior with wood paneling looks good as well.









The A4 I tested came with the premium plus package that includes interior features such as bluetooth phone interface, three zone climate control, heated front seats, and Homelink universal garage door opener.

One of my favorite features that is standard in all Audi vehicles is that you can navigate through radio stations and adjust the volume from the steering wheel so you don't have to take your eyes off the road.

Here is short clip featuring the interior of the 2010 A4...





As always, Audi's MMI (Multi-Media Interface) system is always a welcome pleasure. Everything from the navigation system to the entertainment system is controlled by one knob in the center of the dashboard. It takes some getting used to, but after a little while you'll be able to figure everything out.





Of course, we can't forget the sunroof, which is standard in all A4's and a must-have in a warm weather city like San Diego. The cruise control also makes those long drives that much more comfortable.

Exterior

The stylish and sporty exterior of the A4 is a far cry from its predecessors. You know how rappers take pride in their diamond encrusted jewelry? That's how I feel about the headlights on this Audi. I will never get tired of looking at the Xenon headlights and the running LED daytime lamps. The back tail lights even look stylish. Plus, with the premium plus package you get the exterior chrome window trim. I never thought I'd use "sexy" and "bling" to describe a car, but I will this time. On top of that, I have never been attracted to red cars, but this one I could certainly live with.





The Drive





I took the car up to the mountains near Julian, California just to see how the car would handle the windy roads. It actually did pretty good with its all wheel drive system. The gears in the 6-speed manual transmission were so smooth and buttery.

The 211 horsepower and a 4-cylinder engine may not seem like alot, but it's enough for your average everyday commuter. Besides, it offers up decent gas mileage - ~22 city mpg and ~30 highway mpg.

For $38,255 ($32,350 base) which includes the premium package, the sport package, and exhaust tips, this A4 is worth it and then some. But then, we are a little biased :)


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Audi Car Market in India

This is a guest post by Deepthi Alvares...

With the growth of the Indian car market, the success of Audi India, the maker of fine cars has also been growing. Audi has received an overwhelming response from the Indian consumer ever since its inception. Till date, Audi India has been commended with five awards for its chic, luxurious and efficient cars.

The sales figures for Audi in India have also been climbing higher and higher by the day. Two years ago itself, when recession had severely hit the car market, Audi had seen a three-fold rise. The car maker had sold off 1,050 units in 2008 much higher compared to 349 units that were sold in 2007. The Indian sales volumes increased by 201 per cent. In spite of the unfavorable market situation, Audi India has recorded great sales figures up by up to 230 per cent.

In April 2010, Audi India reported a 69 per cent jump in its sales at 189 units as against the 112 units sold during the same period a year ago. This year the car maker looks at continuing to focus on improving its customer service by bringing in new cars to India and also by offer superior standards of service. However, the April figures sales already speak of the confidence that Indian car buyers have in the luxury brand.

What makes Audi among the top in the Indian car industry? An athletic character, high-tech engineering, and modern designs are carried in all Audi cars sold in India. The Audi A3, A4, A6, and A8 have their own marketplace within India. With the impressive dealer network in India, Audi has been successfully leaving its footprints in every nook and corner of India since 2004. The tempting good looks, gratifying complexity, and revolutionary technology in Audi cars attracts the rich and famous Indian buyers to its showrooms.

The Audi model range in India comprises the Audi A4, A6, A8, Q5, Q7, TT, and the R8. Audi has in it the DNA of a winner and the booking of its cars even before their official launch in India stands as enough proof for the same. Audi is always one step higher when it comes to alluring the Indian car buyers. Its leading-edge technology and efficient cars add greater number to the already high sales figures.

Believing in the core brand value 'Vorsprung durch Technik', Audi looks at growing as the unbeaten premium brand in India in the coming years. It is believed that Audi India will be investing as much as Rs 192 Crore for production of cars in India over the next 3 years. It has already begun assembly of its cars within the country starting with the A6 being assembled at Aurangabad in Maharashtra, India.

Audi cars have lived up to the expectations of the Indian market and have also been accepted enthusiastically by consumers, thus fueling it to drive speedily towards the sphere of success.

Get more information on Audi Cars and Audi A4 Car in India...

Spotted: Audi 5000

This old-school classic Audi 5000 was spotted on the streets of Union City, California. You can tell the owner really took care of this car. No dents! It looked flawless on the outside...

Speaking of which, check out this Audi 5000 commercial from 1988 featuring Joanne Woodward...

Miramar Audi Service Review

Recently I ran into a dilemma... I was sitting in the driver's seat of the Q7 and removing the SD card out of my camera.  Well, the card slipped through my fingertips and fell into that little crack in between the seat and center console.  I searched and searched, but could not find it… 

Sidenote:  I'm thinking about buying one of these Drop Stop seat wedges so I never have this problem again!

If there hadn't been important pictures on the card (like the A4 pictures I'm supposed to post here), I would have just let it go.  However, I really needed that SD card and it was lost in a little black hole under the seat.

So I went to the Miramar Audi Service department here in San Diego and pleaded my case…

I told one of the very nice service consultants, Jack Myers, that they were probably going to have to take the seat out of the car in order to find the card. He told me that it might take awhile because they had a few cars in - maybe half a day. I had no problem with that being that I could just sit in their waiting room and work.

Below is the desk Jack let me use to do my work. It was funny because people who walked through the back door thought I worked there and was asking me questions…

Well, a little over an hour later Jack appeared with SD card. I bowed to him and kissed his feet - well, not quite, but I wanted to! And a little while later I was back in the chariot…

So I write this as a BIG Thank You to Jack and the guys at Miramar Audi ;)

Speaking of which, Miramar Audi is getting a huge makeover this year. Another service consultant at the dealership, Dominie Long, told me that Miramar Audi is set to become a flagship showroom in January 2011.

Here is a short clip that shows what the showroom and outside of the dealership look like right now. I also included a picture at the end of the clip of what it will look like when it’s finished…