bob m

Anyone coming from or considering BMW's and bought the A4, what were your deciding factors? Price, ride, tech?
As a follow-up question are there more Audi to BMW converts or BMW to Audi converts?

Eric5273

I've owned 4 BMWs in the past (including my last car) and this is my first Audi.

What sold me on Audi this time around was the interior styling and the tech. The BMW iDrive system is very good, but there is no virtual cockpit available. Yes, you can get a heads up display, but I much prefer the virtual cockpit. The A4 also has Apple CarPlay which BMW does not have yet. Also, the interior of the BMWs I considered all look a bit dated compared to the A4. And on top of all of this, the A4 is cheaper than the 3-series when equipped with similar options.

I don't doubt that at some point BMW will catch up to Audi, but I was buying a car this year, and this year the A4 was the best option for me.

xuesheng

I've owned 6 consecutive BMW's before now and just got my first Audi. I've been interested in Audi for several years but have always found BMW to lease far better. I test drove the 2017 A4 and was sold. The ride is spot on for me - very quiet, connected to the road, and yet very smooth and comfortable. More solid feeling and refined than the BMW in a modern way. The interior styling is superior at this point to my eye, perhaps because I'm simply ready for a change. Seating and steering wheel are very comfortable and I like the seating position. The tech is cool but less important to me, although I will admit I'm becoming much more facile at using steering wheel controls due to the virtual cockpit design than I ever was in my BMW's. Finally, the B&O sound system in the P+ is superior to the Harmon Kardon in my opinion.

benoa

I owned an F31 (3 series touring) for a year between two audis. I was disappointed at the ride quality, cheap interior plastics, seat comfort and low-tech feel (LED turn signals are only appearing now).

bob m

Eric,

How would you compare the driving experience between them? I'm extremely pleased with the nimble handling of the A4. A few years back I test drove an X3 - and was not all that wowed - but I admittedly did not give it a fair test drive.

bob m

For whatever reasons, BMW seems to have better leases. I think you summed up my "driving impressions" - "The ride is spot on for me- very quiet, connected to the road, and yet very smooth and comfortable." And this coming from owning a Q5 and a Macan. I also like the tech - safety parts, but the Nav system never seems to work as well as Audi claims in their videos. Example, when I was asking for driving directions to an address, I clearly stated house number, street name and city and each and every time, gave me an incorrect city. I brought it in to show my SA and he had to try a half dozen times to have the city stated correctly. Also think the B&O system is about the best I ever had, except when volume is pretty high, not crazy, eardrum blasting high, but higher than normal volumes - ya know, how you play it when one of those catchy, pounding songs comes on. At that point, the base sounds too boomy and distorted, otherwise at more normal levels, sound is very crisp.

Eric5273

I feel like BMW has regressed in this area over the past 10 years. One of the big issues I had with my last car (BMW X1) was the run-flat tires that now come standard on every BMW. They make the ride quality much worse. Also, their new electric steering is much worse than the old steering system they used to have, which was the best on the market.

So based on all of that, I think Audi has caught up to BMW in terms of performance, and maybe even passed them slightly. I think they are somewhat similar now. 10 years ago BMW was way better.

As for the X3, it was actually a vehicle I considered. If it was between the X3 and the Q5, I would have chosen the X3. I first went into the Audi dealership to look at the Q3 and Q5, and while I was there, I saw the A4 and had to have it.

redherring

Drove the 428i xDrive Gran Coupe last year prior to buying the A4. Owned two Audis before but was open to changing if I liked the BMW better. Although I liked the exteriors of both--with maybe a small nod to the Bimmer--the interior was a slam dunk for Audi, and primarily the seats. I found the standard (non-sport) seats in the 428 to be horrible--too stiff, too upright, and too flat, like sitting in a slightly padded dinette chair. The sport seats were better, but at the time only available in the 435, which was significantly pricier.

Not to mention that comparably equipped the BMW is about $5G more than the A4, and totally not worth it.

xuesheng

I've only tried the voice Nav once so far and also had problems.
I'll need more time to play with that. Agree completely on the B&O but I rarely listen very loudly.

The other two things I've noticed so far that are minor negatives are the cup holders (too close to the dash, I'm concerned my cups will rub the wood trim) and I can't see the turn signal indicators unless I adjust my steering wheel higher than my comfort zone. Minor issues for a great ride!

Christo123

I currently drive a loaded 2014 428i, my lease is ending in a couple months, so it's that time for a new car, YEA!. I most likely will be ordering a Prestige 2017 A4 very soon.

I do wish the exterior of the A4 was more exciting. I find the A4 exterior design very conservative bordering boring in appearance, of course in my opinion. However the technology and new engine/drive train are fantastic. I love the interior design and the sport seat are amazingly comfortable.

Getting back to the 428i, it has been my favorite BMW based on exterior design, drive and handling, they are all exceptional. I'd probably be getting into a new BMW but there is nothing new there, not like the ultra modern design of the A4. The A4's new engine/drive train is so lively and the cars feels so light, plus the open air interior really feels inviting