All S4s come standard with a 3.0-liter V-6 engine that generates 349 horsepower and pairs with an eight-speed automatic transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive. Although the model we tested outpaced most competitors in terms of speed, it fell short of expectations in terms of visceral engine response and exhaust soundtwo crucial aspects of a sports sedan. The V-6 engine’s quiet operation and absence of a manual transmission did not prevent it from providing strong push when needed. It effortlessly switched between a calm and responsive mode. Its automated transmission was also outstanding; because of its seemingly intelligent reactions, we discovered that the impulse to manually shift was almost entirely gone. According to the statistics, the S4 outperforms most of its rivals in terms of performance. However, the experience lacks the intensity and incisive management strategies of elite competitors. With agreeable damping and tautly controlled body motions, its chassis is its strongest point, giving it the ability to function equally well as a sports sedan and a luxury sedan. The S4 is incredibly responsive and simple to drive; its precise steering, outstanding cornering stability, and tenacious grip on the pavement increased our confidence to bomb on-ramps, but it also meandered serenely around town. The brakes were extremely quick, but at city speeds, they were finicky. On windier roads where the brake pedal could feel overly soft, the erratic feedback also ruined the fun.
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Is there an Audi S4 for 2022?
There are three trim levels for the 2022 Audi S4: Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige. An eight-speed automatic transmission paired with a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine (349 horsepower, 369 lb-ft) powers all models. All-wheel drive is required.
When was the S4 redesign for Audi?
Preliminary Model Audi has stated that its final new model with a combustion engine will be released in 2025, therefore updated A4 and S4 models are anticipated to be released prior to that year. The Audi A4 and S4 sedans will look the same overall from the exterior in 2023 as they do now.
Has the Audi S4 been retired?
Beginning in August 1991, the factory produced the first-generation Audi S4 (Typ 4A), also known as the Audi 100 S4, which served as the performance variant of the recently revised C4 platform 100 four-door, five-seat saloon. It was created to replace the departed Audi 200 quattro turbo, which was based on the C3 and had been retired at the end of 1990. It had been Audi’s first real sports-saloon. [6] [7] Audi’s first S4 model is frequently known to as the Ur-S4 because of this; the name comes from the German: Ursprnglich augmentive word (meaning: original).
In 1994, Audi made some minor updates to the C4-based model line and did away with the 100 nomenclature; all of the former Audi 100 line’s variations were then rebadged as the Audi A6. Audi temporarily stopped using the S4 brand in accordance with the change in model nomenclature and started selling an updated but essentially similar version of the vehicle based on the “new” A6 and badged as S6. Despite the moniker change, the main distinctions between the exiting S4 and the new S6 were aesthetic.
Between October 1992 and July 1994, a more potent, pricey, and exclusive model known initially as the S4 Plus and eventually as the S6 Plus was offered.
[5] The “Plus” vehicles, which were produced in extremely small quantities, included a number of performance-enhancing improvements, including the replacement of the inline-five engine with an Audi 4.2-liter V8 engine.
After a brand-new Audi A6 based on the C5 made its debut for 1997, the S4 and S6 were clearly distinguishable cars with significantly different underpinnings.
In July 1994, the C4 variation S4’s factory manufacturing came to a stop after less than three years.
[5]
Ayrton Senna, who had a silver Avant and was the distributor for Audi in Brazil, was among its most well-known owners.
How much does a brand-new Audi S4 cost?
The improvements made to the 2020 S4 mirror those made to the 2020 A4, including new design (particularly up front) and a thorough overhaul of the multimedia and dashboard systems. These two vehicles are still difficult to distinguish from one another, but the S4 has unique features including a quad-tailpipe exhaust system, a modest rear spoiler, and aluminum mirror covers. However, unless you have a keen eye, you won’t see those from a distance greater than 50 feet.
Due to this, the S4 is something of a sleeper vehicle. Although it has the same exterior design as an A4, it has significantly greater power (101 or 161 more horsepower, depending on which A4) and significant suspension improvements.
Tuning Makes the Difference
Prior to driving the S4, I tested the larger three-row Q7 SUV, which had its own update for 2020. The engines and transmissions in the two cars are identical: a turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6, an eight-speed automatic transmission (rather than a dual-clutch transmission), and standard all-wheel drive. This didn’t initially look good for the S4 because the Q7’s powertrain made driving a real drag. Even worse would be a performance automobile without a performance engine.
However, there was still some optimism for the S4. It receives some significant upgrades, like as specific tune and transmission gearing, and it does away with the Q7’s 48-volt mild hybrid technology. In the S4, those adjustments prove to be beneficial (as does the car being 1,235 pounds lighter than the Q7 55 TFSI variant).
The S4’s engine and transmission feel more tighter, and the throttle response is significantly better. Similar to 2019, these tuning adjustments provide the S4 349 horsepower and 369 pounds-feet of torque. Although there is still a little bit of latency for a performance-oriented sedan sporting a S label, it is at least tolerable, and the car’s explosive acceleration at roughly 2,500 rpm helps to make up for it. Audi claims that the S4 can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, but in my experience, it accelerates far more quickly.
The S Sport Package ($2,500) that my car had added an adaptive damping suspension, red brake calipers, and a sport rear differential that gives the all-wheel-drive system the ability to vector torque. According to Audi, 75% of S4 purchasers would choose this option, and it makes sense if you want to drive the car for pleasure. I left the car in Dynamic mode for the most of the drive, and the adaptive damping suspension didn’t feel overly busy while yet keeping a welcome sensation of tautness.
I wish I could say the same about the steering of the car, which is light and provides little feedback. Although Audi does provide a Dynamic Steering option that could be useful in this situation, my test vehicle was devoid of it. Although the S4’s potential is immediately obvious when you begin to hustle it through the corners, the entire experience is almost robotic. That sense of disconnection is caused by the absence of steering feel, the subdued exhaust note (even though it sounds great outside the car), and a slight lag in the gas pedal. Although you’ll move quickly, your heart won’t beat faster.
Interior Upgrade
The S4 receives the identical interior improvements for 2020 as the A4, with the largest change being a brand-new entertainment system that substitutes a sizable 10.1-inch touchscreen for the outdated rotary dial controller. Even better, it keeps the physical climate controls that are simpler to use and avoids the dual-screen configuration found in the Q7 (among other vehicles). The screen is really attractive and reacts to inputs rather rapidly. I was also appreciative that I could reach the opposite side of it without having to lean out of the comfortable sport seats, even though that meant that after only a few short hours of use, I had fingerprints all over it. (The screen attracts fingerprints; keep a microfiber cloth close at hand to wipe it down frequently.) Standard features include wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a USB-C port has been added up front.
The system’s biggest flaw is one that most contemporary Audi cars share: a volume knob that wants to hang out with the passenger. This time, the volume control is also hidden behind the shifter, so you must reach over or around it to get it. The fact that the button serves as both the tuning and track-skipping controller only makes the problem worse.
The backseat is still cramped, and there is a noticeable floor hump that makes it difficult to fit three people because the car’s dimensions haven’t changed since the refresh. If you have taller passengers, you’ll need to arrange the chairs carefully to accomodate everyone. Although vision is actually rather good because of the relatively large back windows, I had problems fitting behind myself properly because I’m just under 6 feet tall.
S4 Price: What’s It Going to Cost Me?
Similar to the A4, the S4 has three trim levels: Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige, with pricing beginning at $50,895 (destination included). The starting price is somewhat cheaper than in 2019. Mid-grade Premium Plus with the S Sport, Navigation, and Driver Assistance options served as my test vehicle. This increased the cost to $62,840, which is not inexpensive but is within the range of the competition. The S4 falls somewhere between the 2019 BMW 330i we most recently reviewed ($57,420) and the 2020 BMW M340i ($69,570), in terms of both price and performance.
The S4 doesn’t really hold up to the M340i. In our tests, the BMW accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.89 seconds, which is far faster than the S4’s stated 4.4-second time. An RS 4 might stand a better chance, but at the moment, that vehicle is only available in Europe as an S4 Avant wagon. I’d also rank the S4 behind the G70 we owned for a year in the 3.3T trim. Although it may not be quite as quick as the S4 in a straight line, the G70 3.3T is a complete blast to drive around corners. You could have something if you swapped the steering from the G70 into the S4.
I liked a lot of things about the S4: Its design improvements look terrific, and the interior revisions are an improvement (especially those aluminum trim pieces around the air inlets). It can be difficult to tell apart from the conventional A4 unless you are near to it, which gives it the air of a sleeper vehicle. That exhaust note serves as a good representation of how driving the S4 finally feels: While it may seem like you’re having a blast from the outside, from the driver’s seat, the experience is more like a yawn than a bang.
Audi S4 dependability
With a 2.0 out of 5.0 reliability rating, the Audi S4 is ranked 27th out of 31 premium midsize automobiles. Poor ownership expenses are indicated by the $1,171 average yearly repair cost. You can anticipate more major repairs for the S4 because both the frequency and severity of repairs are higher than those for the ordinary vehicle.
Cost
In comparison to the $739 average cost of premium midsize automobiles and the $652 average cost of all vehicle models, the total yearly cost of repairs and maintenance for an Audi S4 is $1,171.
the typical annual sum for unplanned maintenance and repairs for all model years of a car. A vehicle’s greater average cost alone does not imply that it is less dependable. For instance, your car’s parts and labor may be pricey, especially if it’s a European luxury model, but if there are few serious problems and frequent service visits on average each year, that’s a sign of a dependable vehicle.
The typical annual frequency at which a vehicle is taken in for unplanned maintenance and repairs. This metric is produced by monitoring millions of distinctive automobiles over a number of years to ascertain the typical yearly visits for each make and model. Controls were included to prevent small, routine shop visits, such those for oil changes.
The severity element of dependability calculates the likelihood that a repair will cause a significant problem. The cost of a repair is assessed to be excessively expensive given the unscheduled nature of the repair if it is three times the average annual repair cost for all models. Due to their more expensive labor and component expenses, premium and luxury brands have a higher barrier.
Frequency
Owners of Audi S4s need to take their cars in for unplanned repairs on average 0.9 times a year, as opposed to 0.6 times on average for luxury midsize cars and 0.4 times on average for all vehicle models.