2008 Audi A4 2.0T Cabriolet quattro with Tiptronic

Pros

Interior and Exterior Design (Classy AND Sporty), Bose Premium Sound System

Cons

Engine a bit weak, and whiny, with obvious lag; ride can be harsh

What an awesome vehicle! I've had my Audi A4 2.0T Quattro Convertible since April of 2008 and I have to say it's just amazing. While I still sometimes prefer the stiffness and speed of my 2004 BMW 330Xi, or cargo-capabilities of my 2004 BMW X3, the A4 is a sure-footed competitor. The car is perfect for cruising along city streets or shore-line drives, and is equally capable on the highway (though only once at speed). The biggest problems to note are that the engine is quite whiny and the turbo lag is just a liiiiiiiittle annoying. I suppose this is typical of a four-cylinder, however, and since the engine was given the title of "Engine of the Year," I guess it's gotta be pretty good. My other dislike about the car is, naturally, the cargo capacity, but again that comes standard with any car of this size (notably, however, I was able to cram a massive beach chair into the backseat just yesterday). The DVD Navigation system is horrendous. It hardly ever works, and the settings are so confusing that its actually caused me to miss exits on the highway several times, not alerting me of the mistake and not re-routing me back either. The good stuff, however, is where it gets really good... the fabric convertible top, while a tad slow, is very nice and complements the body shape perfectly, making the car look sporty, nimble, and classy with the top up or down. It also does a very good job of blocking out noise (and I don't even have the optional Acoustic Noise Blocking roof). The interior design is superb and quite elegant, albeit cozy. The Bose Premium sound system is fantastic, with my friends commenting that it's better, even with the top down, the the Harman Kardon systems in my Beamers. Speaking of noise with the top down..... there is none, especially with the optional wind breaker!

All in all, this a car to be beat. I'm just waiting for winter to really test out the Quattro system... then we'll really see what value this baby has!...read morehide

Pros

Good Looks, quiet cabin, luxurious feel

Cons

2.0 is weak, rear visibility is bad

I have a '07 2.0T Quattro. After driving it for almost years, here are my comments on the car.
First and foremost, I should have paid extra for the 6 cyl. The 2.0T is lacking when you ask for it. (Although my wife is happy with it...)
Do consider the Quattro, I've pulle out of spots where some Ford Explorers couldn't get out!
The interior is well appointed, the Navigation takes a while to get used to, once you do, it's still a pain to program using the dial.
The Toyota/Lexus (Touch sensitive screen) is much easier and user-friendly.

I found the following features helpfull:
- Electric folding exterior mirrors
- Heated front seats
- One touch electric folding convertible top
- Manu-shift transmission (BTW, this is the only way I would drive the car)

On the flip side, the following features I didn't like:
- No park-tronics or rear-camera (my wife already had 2 "bumper-benders" which cost me over $1,000 to repair) Only offered on the 6 cyl, not on the 4.
- Front and rear visibility. The nose is long, needed to get used to stopping a foot sooner than I was used to.
- Trunk storage is minimal with top down. There should be a separate cabin for the folded top like my '97 Chrysler Sebring.
- Tire pressure monitor - very accurate, but the system doesn't tell you which tire is low, you need to check all 4. (The VW system is much better, it tells you the specific tire that is low.)

For anyone considering this car... These are my final words of wisdom.. I love the car... would recommend it if you can overook the little annoyances....read morehide