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I was the proud leaser of a 2014 BMW 328i for three years. I knew that I wanted to stick with a German sport-sedan since anything else would not be a driver's car. For years, BMW was my go-to brand. I loved the 3 Series/4 Series since they were such nice drivers, great looking, and I had only heard great things from their drivers. When my lease was about to expire in November, I still loved BMW, but I knew that the new generation of 3 Series wouldn't be out until 2018. I obviously didn't want to have an outdated BMW within a year, so I looked at the Mercedes C-Class. The interior was very high-quality and attractive, I loved the front of the car, but the rear to me was just but ugly, and then came the price! $41,675 starting for a C-300 w/ sport package base. This DOES NOT include the backup camera, keyless entry, smartphone interface, and not even leather seats. Final price after adding the options I wanted $49,000. I also knew that the 3 Series I wanted would be approaching this price if I built it comparably. Which brand is left? Lexus? No thank you, most new Lexus models are just butt ugly with their Nike inspired LED headlamps and center console that look like they came from a Tonka truck. Then I remembered Audi, I always loved the look of the A7 and Q5, but a friend of mine had a 2012 A4 and I remember the cramped rear seats, dated looking dash, and the dreaded CVT, so obviously the A4 was not my first pick in my mind. Then I decided to visit my Audi dealer. I got in the new A4. I was blown away. The interior alone looks about 5-7 years ahead of ANYTHING else on the market. The exterior keeps Audi's conservative look, but the modern, angular lines, bold front grille, and gorgeous LEDs really make the car look quality and bold and elegant. The features that came standard with the car I could not believe: sunroof, CarPlay, rearview camera, Xenons, even 3-zone climate control, pre-sense, and more!!! A comparable BMW or MB would easily hit $50k and would come with any of these features standard.
I decided to go with the A4 ultra 2.0 Premium with Convenience package and since it was November, it came with the Season of Audi package (included AT NO COST) So I was getting the 18" wheels, MMI Navigation plus, Virtual cockpit, and S-line bumpers, illuminated door sills, and Audi connect at no charge.
THE BEST PART:
FINAL LEASE PRICE:
$379/month (tax inc.) for a 36-month lease w/ 12,000 miles/yr.
Sticker price: $40,360
Some observations:
Build Quality:
Better than my BMW and my BMW was miles ahead of my previous American vehicles. The new A4 is rock solid, every panel is padded, everything you touch feels high quality, no rattles, the standard leather seats are very comfortable and supportive, the infotainment is clean and responsive, the real wood inlays are beautiful, there is virtually no wind noise and the interior is quiet. The build quality is just as good or even better than the C-Class. The quality on this car feels like a much more expensive car. Even the A/C toggle switches seem to be made of metal. Display resolutions are very sharp.
Price:
I truly do not know how Audi puts so much into a vehicle and keeps the price so low. The standard features are so convenient and welcome. I guess the FWD setup allows for these cost savings.
Exterior/Interior:
Interior is a class leader, PERIOD, with its clean, modern lines and excellent build quality, and ergonomics. Exterior is very well executed and for me it is gorgeous but I can see why a few might say that Audi was too conservative in their exterior design. The dual exhaust pipes, standard LED DRL, progressive turn signals, and door mounted mirrors, make this car stand out.
Performance:
I was a little reluctant to go with an ultra since seeing a car's horsepower star with a 1 is not my cup of tea. But I can say that this car is about 90% as fast and quick as my '14 328i. The 27/37 mpg is a big plus also. The throttle is quick and the brakes are tighter and more responsive the the 3-Series. Never had a DSG before but I love that you can drive it just like a manual either with the paddle shifters or shifter. Downshifts actually slow down the car in manual mode. Engine note is good. Pirelli P7s do a good job with keeping the car planted and the hard braking stops the car on a dime.
Infotainment/Features:
The CarPlay is so easy to use and integrates your smartphone into the car. The virtual cockpit is the BEST implementation of a virtual instrument cluster on the market today. The navigation setup is great and it is updatable, mobile hotspot, Audi connect, traffic signs, etc. and all smart, useful features that make this more than just a car. People unfamiliar with smartphone integration or car infotainment systems in general will have to deal with a big learning curve.
Other:
At 3 months old, I only had to take it back to dealer for a software update.
I am truly very happy with going with Audi and how over-engineered those Germans really made the A4. This is the car that will allow Audi to level with and even exceed MB and BMW. I also feel relieved that I am not paying $700/mo for my old 328i. I highly recommend the new A4 to anyone wanting a compact sport sedan and doesn't want to pay $45-50k for a BMW or MB where you still want to add options even after you get the car.
Thank you for welcoming me to the Audi family and wish for a spectacular experience with my A4.
3 months have gone by so far and I really can't think of any negatives. With my BMW, there were some things I could point out that bothered me a fit: road/tyre noise was really intrusive, no standard alarm system(since mine didn't have an alarm system, there was no audible beep when locking/unlocking car, jerky transmission at low speeds that affected 2012-2015 models, steering wheel center hump obstructed view of instrument cluster, incandescent turn signals/brake lights, halogen headlamps were standard, some interior trim/components were pretty poor quality for a BMW, more like Yaris level quality. And at $47,000, I kinda got ripped off by dealer. With the Audi, there really is nothing bad I can point out so far.
Solid writeup. Not sure what your source is for Audi being #1 in reliability, but according to JD Power, it's still Lexus for the 5th year in a row. Same conclusion from CR here.
I too am in my first Audi (first German car for that matter) for over two weeks now and it's hard to argue its well built high quality interior, quiet ride, excellent tech, and superb fuel economy. It's a top value in its segment!
I know some people don't trust CR but based on MY car experience, they are pretty dead on.
My mom leased a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee for 4-years, within that time: window regulators failing, brake problems, a class-action lawsuit, coil problems, speakers blowing out for no reason, A/C problems, car left her stranded, overheating problems, burning oil, interior design was embarrassing. Overall horrible experience from a horrible manufacturer.
Then she leased a 2004 BMW x5 and had no problems-not one. Then she re-leased a 2007 X5 and again, had no issues and the car was quality, reliable, comfortable, and a great driver with excellent performance. Then she needed a larger 3-row SUV and ended up with an '10 Cadillac Escalade.
In the 4-years she owned the Escalade: 3 recalls, all 4 exterior door handles popped off, power seats went out, navigation/infotainment failed after 4 years costing $1,200 to replace the head unit, terrible mpg, cover fell from underneath instrument panel and got lodged between pedals WHILE DRIVING almost causing a crash, hood compartment screws rusting, plastic trim flaking/fading, emblems fading, numerous rattles, center console broke. When I looked at the service records over the 4-years, it visited the dealer a total of 15 times.
Then my mom went German again, with a '14 BMW 740Li. So far the car has been flawless and only visited the dealer for a faulty blower motor. Other than that the car is so comfortable, quiet, a great performer, beautiful, and is our go to car for long trips.
Based on these experiences, it makes sense who Cadillac and Jeep along with 80% of other American car manufacturers always rank so low and why Japanese and European manufacturers consistently rank among the top. I really wish the US can make a quality car that can equally rival German sports and luxury cars but it seems even in 2016, they are still clueless even though they are miles ahead of 90s and early/mid 2000s levels.
Congratulations on the new A4! My fleet is kind of similar to yours. We have a mineral white metallic 2014 BMW 328i X Drive and our Audi is an A6 (we traded in a Q5, our first Audi, for the A6). We've really enjoyed our time with the Audi brand.
I decided to go with the A4 ultra 2.0 Premium with Conv. package and since it was November, it came with the Season of Audi package (included AT NO COST) So I was getting the 18" wheels, MMI Navigation plus, Virtual cockpit, and S-line bumpers, illuminated door sills, and Audi connect at no charge.
I also leased a 2017 A4 Ultra last month, with the Season of Audi package. I am really enjoying the car so far.
I think the Season of Audi package is a great deal considering the extras you get, but it is not free. If you look at the window sticker, Audi shows it as an included option, but the MSRP ($37,850) is $2,950 more than a regular Ultra. On Audi's website, it lists the Season of Audi package as a $2,950 option. Since you cannot otherwise get many of the package's features on the Ultra model, I was happy to be able to get the package, but it was not at no-cost.
wow i have a similar story to you. had a 2013 328i m-sport . decided i wanted something new.
looked at the 2016/2017 c300 but felt the transjission was old / engine underpowered in the class. almost went for a C43 but it cost way too much money (the C300 was already more expensive than the audi / bmw alternatives. came back to audi and got a 2017 a4 a week ago (i got the non ultra with quattro so i'm not really saving any fuel though)
12-11-2016, 02:15 PM
BMW 328 vs Audi A4: My story w/ photos
