Audi hasn't blazed new trails for interior design in recent years, but the consistency of its quality is still an industry benchmark. From the door panels to the center console, cabin materials have an attractive, low-gloss finish. My longstanding complaints are nitpicks — Audi could throw more padding atop the doors or engineer heftier window switches. Overall, I'm still a fan.

Space is not an A4 strength. The backseat is tight, with a large floor hump stealing footwell space. Trunk volume, at just 12.4 cubic feet, matches the Mercedes-Benz C-Class but trails the G (13.5 cubic feet) and 3 Series sedans (13.0).