2021 Audi S4 Consumer Reviews

Athletic handling, room for enthusiast mods packaged in a business like, docile exterior. Like wearing business attire to respectfully conform, but really to clothe a beast. Driving at even 2/3 of capability is wild. Launch control with traction off in sport mode is a blast. With aftermarket tune and bolt ons, drops a sec from 4s to 3s. Have seen stage 3s that give sub 10 1/4s. Definitely a sleeper, and they go fast on the market. One thing coming from Mercedes is that there are certain details like the gas door, moon roof or paneling that seem less high end. But I am willing to trade that luxury for greater performance. The comparable C43 has more luxury and the BMW 340i edges closer to the M-series with a stiffer ride. The Audi S9 is a good middle ground, enough niceties but not excessive sportiness to the point of sacrificing comfort. Some have stated oversteer when pushing the car, but the default mode is really enough to gleefully get where you need to go. Things start getting slightly scarier if you want to test the grip limits, but the back kicks out fine in the quattro 40-60 rear bias. Quattro AWD is still one of the best vs xDrive or 4MATIC or even Genesis (which is similar to xDrive). The exhaust noise is not excessive or overbearing, again leaning toward refinement. In cabin noise is decent, not ultra quiet like Mercedes, and aftermarket exhausts, going catless or burble tunes can really put you in obnoxious territory. This is after all, a sleeper, crouching silently and hidden away. Twin-Scroll provides both low and high end torque. Default mode has a slight turbo lag from dead stop. A throttle controller or piggyback may reduce these. Enthusiasts suggest upgraded intercooler, there are non-warranty breaking piggybacks like the JB4 to up the response and ECU flash options. Stage 2/3 sees hybrid turbo/downpipe which bumps bhp 100 from 350s. Some use aftermarket springs like KW. The TCU is also modified to unlock a sort of race mode. The default refinement gives way to harder shifts and higher revs while maintaining stability, some wheel spin issues with the extra power. This thing will consume oil over some time, less so than a BMW, but still needs to be monitored. There are some strange gauge settings - the boost indicator goes from Min to Max, so aftermarket gauges might come in handy. City driving averages low 20s, highway 30s. Mods would lower this further. The newer models include updated MMI, and mild hybrid. Safety wise, there is emergency monitoring / braking which might startle drivers. The brakes are solid, but attempting to come to a smooth slow stop is touchy. The brake tends to grip hard at the last moment, giving a slightly abrupt stop. Consumables like the brake pads, tires will wear more quickly due to sportiness, and maybe some internals like spark plug replacement at earlier than expected mileage. Suspension is great, bumps do not feel jarring from overly rigid suspension and the tires stay planted through turns, with little sway from being lower to the ground. The weight is almost 4000 pounds with a full tank, but does not feel so. Third gear is where things start getting wilder. First and Second take some time to warm up, but can be controlled manually with S-tronic shifts. The shifts are really quick, transmission has not discernable issues - Something that lower end Mercedes had issues with in power delivery. Overall, is a solid purchase, reliability seems okay, though Audi maintenance and repairs will be at a premium which are covered by maintenance packages. If you want a sports sedan, emphasis on sports and a well built interior, minus some high end luxury. This is good sporty/business attire to respectfully contain this sleeper, put on waze, a radar detector and you might escape attention when that sports jacket finally comes off.

Bought this car new and it has certainly met my expectations! Its a 4-door AWD vehicle that doesn't disappoint! Wonderful acceleration and control, along with a nicely appointed interior. This car is the whole package!

Love this car. Best car I have ever owned. Great blend of luxury and sport. A total blast to drive.

Amazing car. No problems so far. Five stars all around except... Value: 4 stars because of its high cost of acquisition and the very expensive services ($700/20k and $1200/40k-spark plugs replaced for performance factor). Every other service is around $250-$300. Performance: should have been 5 stars but I rate 4 stars because of lag in throttle at low rpm especially in non sport mode, and lack of manual transmission. It wakes up though if you depress throttle considerably in any mode. Then, hold on to your kidneys because g forces may send them to the rear seat! Comfort: 4 stars for lack of leg room and headroom for small people but great with small kids. Who buys an S4 for rear leg room anyways? Lazy Americans don't buy manuals anymore because they are too busy holding latte on one hand and cheeseburger on the other to shift manual.