The things I do for my readers. Someone recently emailed me asking for advice on whether to buy the BMW M3 or Audi S4. Not wanting to get tempted into blowing my savings, I hadn’t driven either, so could not say. At any rate, the M3 is no longer available as a four-door, and with three kids a coupe just wouldn’t do for me. The Audi, on the other hand, would work quite well for me, especially in Avant form. That is, assuming it was much more fun to drive than the A4 3.0, which I didn’t enjoy much. Best assume not, and not risk financial suicide by wandering into the candy store.

But here was someone in need of advice, and getting my 1,000,000th hit on Epinions deserved some reward, so I could not put off testing the S4 any longer. The only S4 at the first dealer I checked was fitted with a six-speed automatic. I passed. They also had a pair of RS6s, but those are automatic only and at nearly $90,000 well beyond what I can see myself spending on a car anytime soon, or even ever. So I checked with a second dealer. Alas, their S4 was a manual. Not an Avant, but the sedan should drive much the same. So no more excuses.

In my test drive I was seeking to answer a couple of questions. Is the Audi S4 just an A4 with a larger engine, or is it a better, more fun to drive car all around? Assuming it would clear this fairly low bar, how does the S4 compare to two other high-performance sedans I have driven recently, the Volvo S60R and Cadillac CTSv?

Update: the day after writing this review I just had to drive the BMW M3 . I've inserted some of my observations below.

Update July 2004: If you can't swing the price of the S4, the new Subaru Legacy GT might be the next best alternative. I've provided links to my reviews of this car and others at the bottom of the current review.

Styling

For 2002 Audi redesigned the A4 to look much like the A6, just a foot shorter. Strangely, this style works a bit better on the smaller package. For one thing, the A4 has a bit of a wedge to it that the A6 lacks. This lends the car a more dynamic stance, as if it’s raring to go. Beyond this, the proportions are better, with a very short rear deck and less front overhang. Flared wheel openings, found in the A6 only on the top-of-the-line 4.2, also keep the A4 from looking as chunky as the larger sedan does from some unflattering angles. Finally, the huge expanse of smoky plastic surrounding the rear plate on the A6 is absent here.

Overall, the new style works. Some people will complain that different models should look different, but I personally favor a family look among a brand's cars. Also, the old Audi A4, once the style leader among near-luxury cars, now looks bland in comparison, even economy.

The Audi S4 looks much the same as the regular A4, just with a small spoiler on the trunk lip, shiny aluminum rather than body-color mirror housings (why?), and 18-inch wheels. The wheels are of the “Avus” style first shown on a mid-engine concept car years ago. With six thick non-tapering spokes, I’ve never been a fan of these—an odd number of tapered spokes would look more dynamic—but these at least look better than those on the last generation S4.

Inside we have the usual Audi interior, which is to say the best you’ll find in a German car. The style itself is quite conventional, but the execution is exquisite down to the last thoughtful detail. Unlike so many interiors these days, nothing seems trendy for the sake of being trendy or to have suffered from a lack of time, budget, or interest on the part of the development team. The materials all look and feel first rate.

The standard trim in the Audi S4 is gray-stained birch. I like the look, but know that many people do not. Textured aluminum trim is optional.

The S4 continues to be available in a limited range of colors, none of which I’m crazy about. Aside from white, black, silver, and gray the choices are your primary colors, red, yellow, and blue. With the exception of one very dark blue, probably my choice, the primary colors are very bright non-metallics, which lend the car a toy-like appearance. Why no medium metallic shades of red, blue, and green?

Inside choices are even more limited, unusual for an Audi. The full leather seats are available in only dark gray (“ebony”) and light gray (“silver”). Even with the latter the non-upholstered parts of the interior are black. The optional leather/alcantara (suede) seats are available in black with silver center panels or, with the black and blue exteriors, black with blue center panels. I’m still waiting to see a blue interior that works for me. But if you want some color in your S4 interior, that’s your only choice.

I’d like to see the convertible’s red interior available in the Audi S4. The red is limited to the upholstered bits, and looks striking in a black, gray, or silver car. Tan would be a nice option with a medium red, green, or blue exterior, but then those aren’t available either.

Accommodations

From the driver’s seat, the current Audi S4 feels like a much more massive car than the previous Audi S4. Credit the higher cowl and beltline (base of the windows) that came with the A6 styling. Forward visibility is more than adequate, but I’d personally like a bit more glass. More glass would lend the interior any airier feel, which I find helps me connect with the road. But most premium car buyers seem to desire a more closed-in, cosseted, secluded feeling. At least that’s what nearly all premium cars provide. Visibility to the rear quarters is severely limited by the rear headrests and roof pillars. Adjust your mirrors wide, though, and this shouldn’t be too much of an issue except when backing up.

The Audi S4 may feel massive, but this is not to say it feels roomy. The small Audi remains quite compact inside, in both the front and rear seats. In the front seat this is a good thing, as it enhances the sporty feeling of the car. Even in the high horsepower versions of the A6 I have trouble thinking of that car as sporty because there is so much air between my shoulder and the door. No such problem here.

I’ve never been a big fan of Audi’s front seats, but the S4’s are supplied by Recaro, and they are fantastic. (The rear seats also have "Recaro" embossed on them. I remarked to the salesman, "I didn't know Recaro also made rear seats." He didn't get the joke.) Four-way power lumbar and a manually extendable thigh supports contribute to faultless all-around comfort. The latter feature eliminates a shortcoming of the standard A4 seats. The Recaro seats are firm, but the shape is so spot-on that this does not detract from their comfort level. The seats’ side bolsters are much more prominent than those on the regular A4, which I found lacking in this area. This both eliminates the feeling of sitting on rather than in the seat and provides excellent support in aggressive driving. No need to hang onto the wheel to avoid contact with your passenger and/or the B-pillar.

The compact interior can be a problem in the rear seat. A medium-sized man like myself fits adequately, but larger people will come into contact with the ceiling and front seatbacks. Even for me, the rear cushion is too low to the floor to provide decent thigh support—the norm for this class of car. A comfortable rear seat for adults—that’s what the A6 is for.

The Audi S4's trunk is decently sized and usefully shaped. For more cargo space, the standard rear seat folds down in two sections. BMW and Cadillac charge about $500 for this useful feature. Infiniti and Acura don’t offer it at all. A passthrough for skis and such is also included. Other storage is at best adequate. The glove compartment is roomy, but the center console compartment is small.

On the Road

The previous generation Audi S4 was powered by a 250 horsepower twin-turbocharged, V6. But there’s a horsepower war on, so this time around the S4 is fitted with a 340-horsepower 4.2-liter V8. I’ve sampled this engine twice before, in the A6 and VW Touareg. In those applications performance was good but short of thrilling. This left me wondering how much fun the S4 would be, as it weighs just a couple hundred pounds less than the 4021-pound A6 4.2 in sedan form, and just a hundred pounds less in Avant form.

Well, being able to shift for yourself always helps. The V8 is a joy to exercise in the S4. It still lacks the low-end grunt of the CTSv’s Corvette-sourced powerplant, or even BMW’s and Lexus’ similarly powerful V8s...but what am I saying, it trumps just about anything else in this area, including the six in the BMW M3. At any rate, once into the midrange (with peak torque at 3500) it screams. Though the car is no rocket on par with, say, a Corvette or Mustang Cobra, it’s still very fast. Audi claims a zero-to-sixty in the low 5s. I suspect that time involves a clutch drop at high RPM—enabled by the standard all-wheel-drive—but even if sixty requires a sixth second…

About that scream, make that a very refined scream. Though hardly hushed, the Audi S4’s engine is quieter than those in the Cadillac and BMW. The snarls and burbles that issue forth never sound raw, much less raucous. This engine was clearly designed first and foremost for luxury sedan applications. There are no doubt some better sounding engines out there, but for all-around use there aren't many. The M3's six's voice is much more raw and mechanical (though considerably more refined than its 240-horsepower predecessor). While this might get the blood pumping better on the track I'd prefer the Audi's soundtrack in daily use. The engine in the Volvo S60R—well, it’s a five-cylinder, and those never sound good. Both at part and full throttle the engine manages to sound enticingly sporty without ever sounding uncouth or obnoxious.

This brings us to another traditional Audi shortcoming—the shifter. Thankfully the S4 gets its own shifter. The brochure claims “super-crisp shifts and short throws.” Compared to other Audis those statements certainly apply; the S4 is much more enjoyable to shift than the A4. But I’ve driven short-throw shifters. I put one in my own car, and have enjoyed the best shifter in the world in a few Honda S2000s. Compared to those, the S4’s shifter is not quite what I’d call a short throw. But short enough? Perhaps. Effort is moderately low without feeling floppy and detects are reasonably precise without even a hint of notchiness. Overall, it’s about as good as a BMW shifter and far superior to those in the Cadillac and Volvo.

As in other Audis the clutch travels a bit further than I’d like, ending much closer to the floor than the brake. As a result, I position the driver’s seat further forward than I would in an automatic S4. Once underway I had no issue with this. Effort is thankfully light, unlike that in the M3.

The S4’s armrest is adjustable for height, but as the pivot is at the rear lowering it also angles it downward. With the armrest level, it is far too high to use with the manual shifter. Lower it, and the downward slope feels a bit strange.

Fuel economy is not good, to say the least. Although the automatic Audi S4 earns EPA ratings of 18/24, the manual’s ratings are 15/21, low enough to incur a $1,700 gas guzzler tax. I suspect real world mileage doesn’t not differ much between the two transmissions: either way it’s probably in the mid-teens. A dubious achievement for a compact. The Cadillac and BMW earn slightly higher ratings, but still increase gas guzzler taxes. The Volvo is the best of the bunch in this area.

Nothing affects my judgment of a car more than its steering. My initial impression was that the S4’s steering feels better than the A4’s, but re-reading my review of the latter it seems they don’t differ much. At parking lot speeds the S4’s steering is very light, such that I feared it would take all of the fun out of driving the car. But once above highway speeds effort increases significantly, such that even as low as 40 MPH effort is on the high side, higher than every other car I’ve driven recently. The steering has a substantial, luxurious feel to it, which is consistent with the character of the powertrain. Another plus: the steering is intuitive and accurate, such that placing the car in turns quickly becomes second nature.

However, weightiness is not the same as road feel, and accuracy is not the same as sharpness. The S4's steering provides more feedback than the A4’s, if memory serves, but I’d still like to see quite a bit more. Though turn-in feels decidedly quicker than in the A4, it still feels more fluid than sharp. More than anything, this steering lacks the "alive" quality I personally desire in a performance sedan. I want a car to do more than stick to the road—I want it to speak to me.

Though the Audi A4’s faults in the steering department largely carried over to the S4, I didn’t mind them nearly so much this time around. Part of the reason might be the S4’s stiffer suspension and even lower profile tires, but I suspect the major reason is the engine. As torque increases my expectations for razor sharp steering diminish. With the engine lending urgency the steering has less need to.

This is especially the case with all-wheel-drive cars like the A4 and S4. All-wheel-drive can easily make the chassis so balanced that handling becomes dull in normal to moderately aggressive driving. Getting on and off the gas affects the speed of the car, but has little effect on the attitude of the chassis. This is especially the case in the S4, as lean in turns is minimal, further reducing the amount of reaction to driver inputs. The solution? Once again, a larger engine. With enough power all-wheel-drive enables rather than kills the joy.

All-wheel-drive isn’t entirely necessary to manage the 3.0’s power. It is necessary with the 4.2. Without it torque steer would no doubt be atrocious and dipping into the accelerator while turning a tricky endeavor. With all-wheel-drive hitting the gas mid-turn is easier done than said. This car rockets out of turns without drama. Unlike in the similarly driven Volvo, there’s no boost lag to tend with, either. Just mash the pedal and go. Throttle response is very good.

It’s possible that mashing the throttle in a hard turn would unseat the rear end, but I didn’t attempt this. Generally this is an extremely balanced car that requires much less skill than a powerful rear-driver like the Cadillac.

Overall, the S4’s handling is not agile—can any nearly two-ton car approach my low-rent Protege5 in this area?—but it is still a joy to drive. As with the engine, the handling is certainly worthy of the high-performance label, but in a mature way. No raw edges here.

How does the Audi S4's handling compare to the BMW M3s? The M3 weighs about a quarter-ton less, has a more balanced weight distribution, and is rear-wheel-drive, so I expected it to be a much more agile, much more lively car. So imagine my surprise when this is far from the case. Instead, its steering feels heavy in a way the Audi's despite its low level of assist does not. I sensed much less urgency on its part to turn-in. Rather, it would have been perfectly happy to keep to the straight and narrow. No doubt the BMW is a joy to drive on a track. But on public roads the Audi is much more fun to drive.

I am unable to fully evaluate ride quality, as most of my driving was on smooth roads with just one section of tar strips and no serious potholes. That said, when I drove an A4 with the sport package across tar strips the tires reacted loudly. The S4 despite even lower profile rubber and a very taut feel performed much better in this area. Also, many cars I’ve driven lately, including both the CTSv and M3, had jiggly rides on even fairly smooth roads. I detected no such busyness in the S4. Within the limits of my test drive the ride seemed much better than I expected. The S4 rivals BMW's sedans in its combination of very tight control over body motions and good ride quality.

An extremely solid body structure helps. Even more than the A4 on which it is based, the S4 has a very expensive, very luxurious feel to it. At highway speeds wind noise was over luxury car levels, but still moderate.

All in all, the Audi S4 comes across as the most refined ultra-high-performance car I have driven. The CTSv is raw in comparison, and I suspect the M3 falls somewhere between the two. The Volvo feels cushier, but also clunkier.

Audi S4 Price Comparisons and Pricing

The Audi S4, BMW M3, and Cadillac CTS-V are all priced in the low 50s, about ten grand more than their mainstream siblings. Their prices are similar enough that the ultimate choice will be based on something else. The S60R is at least ten grand less, but it’s not playing in the same league. So if you want the S4’s level of performance, and you want something more luxurious than a Neon SRT-4 or Mitsubishi Evo, then you’re going to be spending the big bucks.

That said, I do have some issues with the car's pricing. As on other European brands, metallic paint costs extra. Why? More of a concern, Audi has begun packaging its options. If you want a sunroof, then you're getting fancy mirrors and memory for the seats, for a total of $1,650. If you want the Bose sound system, then you're also getting On-Star and satellite radio, for a total of $1,700. I'd probably pass on the latter because I feel no need for On-Star.

Last words

I was much more impressed with the Audi S4 than the A4. The larger engine, improved shifter, and better-bolstered seats transform the car, greatly increasing driving enjoyment. I've long said that as refinement increases, it takes more and more power to have the same amount of fun. The A4 was so refined that, especially with all-wheel-drive, it was dull to drive with the six. To entertain this car needs the eight.

Notably, the S4's extra driving enjoyment does not come at the expense of luxury or refinement. Unlike most similar cars, it is perfectly suited for the daily commute. Especially if this commute includes twisty mountain roads.

Because of this breadth of capability I feel the S4 is a better car for most people than the M3 or CTSv. The M3 is only available as a coupe or convertible, limiting its practicality. Add horsepower and torque peaks at 7900 and 4900, respectively (compared to 7000 and 3500 in the Audi) and it’s clearly a less practical car. And then there's the minor matter that the Audi is both more comfortable and (to my great surprise) more fun.

The CTSv is also a sedan, and one with a much roomier rear seat to boot. If you want adults to be comfortable in back, then it’s the one to get. Or spend the truly big bucks for an RS6, M5, etc. The problem with the Cadillac is an engine whose classic American V8 burble and roar do not suit the international character of the rest of the car. An awful shifter with long throws and sloppy feel doesn’t help matters.

If you do want a wagon, then the Volvo is the Audi’s closest competitor. But while it feels cushier, it doesn’t feel as tightly constructed, as taut, or as sporty. Additional negatives include boost lag and that five-cylinder sound.

All in all, if I was spending roughly $50,000 on an ultra-high-performance car the Audi S4 would be the one. I’m more likely to save a good chunk of that by opting for a G35 or TL, but those are by no means equivalent cars. They might be just as much fun on all but the most challenging roads, but they lack the Audi's level of dynamic balance and refinement. Spending the same amount would get you a larger rear seat in a 530, but you’d better really need a larger rear seat.

Update July 2004: I've now driven the Legacy GT, and while not at fine a car as the S4 it's much closer than it has any right to be--and about $20,000 less. I'd rather have it than the Volvo S60 R--it's that good. I've provided a link below.

A Note on Audi S4 Reliability

I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've started collecting my own data. Results, once they are available, will be posted to my site, www.truedelta.com, with updates every three months.

Unlike other sources, TrueDelta will clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy an S4 rather than another vehicle by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats (among others). You will be able to specify the number of years, annual miles, and types of repairs to include in Audi S4 reliability comparisons.

Before I can report results, I need reliability data on all cars--not just the S4--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. Non-participants will have to pay an access fee.

For the details, and to sign up, visit www.truedelta.com.

A link to this website and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.

Some of my reviews of related vehicles:
Audi A4 review (3.0)
Audi S4 review (previous generation)
BMW M3 review
Cadillac CTS-V review (v material follows main review)
Subaru Legacy GT review (seriously)
Volvo S60 R review
Amount Paid (US$): 52,290
Model and Options: info package, premium package, gas tax