2000 Audi A4: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

Available "curtain" side airbags and new performance models highlight Audi's entry-level line. A4 sedans and Avant wagons come as turbocharged 4-cylinder 1.8T models with 150 horsepower and as V6 2.8 models with 190 hp. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard on these models and a 5-speed automatic is optional. Audi's Quattro all-wheel drive is standard on Avants and optional on sedans in place of front drive. Traction control is standard on front-drive 2.8s but is unavailable on front-drive 1.8Ts. For 2000, these models get a mild restyle, reworked center console, and standard trip computer; the 2.8s also add a standard power front passenger seat.
The new performance models are the S4 sedan and, due late in calendar 2000, the S4 Avant. Both have Quattro, a 250-hp twin-turbocharged V6, and the 5-speed automatic or a 6-speed manual transmission. S4s have a sport suspension, 17-inch wheels with performance tires, and unique grille, bumpers, and leather-upholstered interior.
Newly optional for all models are Audi's Sideguard airbags designed to deploy from above the side windows as a head-protecting curtain against side impacts. Seat-mounted front side airbags are standard. Other new options include high-intensity headlamps and a satellite-based navigation system with audio and visual direction prompts but no video-type display screen.

COMPETITION

This hotly contested segment has a clear benchmark, it is the Acura TL (and its 2-door cousin Acura CL). The TL succeeds in blending comfort, style, luxury, and sport into an efficient package at an affordable price.
But the Acura's not for everyone. We also recommend the sporty and Euro-flavored Audi A6, the comfortable Buick Park Avenue, the affordable and fast Infiniti I30, and the luxury-orientated Lexus ES 300.