The all-new Audi A4 is a class leader in refinement and comfort

THE A4 design is sleeker, tighter, with more dynamic lines, folds and creases.

Being in the Far East, we tend to get cars quite late. On an extreme example, it took Nissan nine years to launch the R35 GTR in the Philippines. On a less extreme case, Audi’s much lauded and highly anticipated A4 finally broke cover in Manila, almost 10 months since it went on sale in Europe, and roughly over a year since it was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motorshow last year.

So what exactly have we been waiting for? Refinement. Understated, evolutionary styling. Comfort. These are some of the key ideas and thoughts one gets when trying out Audi’s latest A4 sedan.

A bit of history then. The A4 was first launched in 1995, codenamed “B5.” It was intended to be a continuation of the Audi 80 line, thus the designation of the first A4, internally codenamed “B5” platform, signified the fifth generation B-segment luxury sedan in Europe and the United States.

AUDI’S award-winning Virtual Cockpit technology

This means that the A4 and its predecessors are the longest-produced  model lineup in Audi’s history spanning all the way back as early as 1963.

Nine generations later, the B5-designated A4 is here. It’s slightly wider and longer, but crucially much roomier inside with a wheelbase that’s longer than the previous B8 A4.

Yet, despite the increase in size, weight has come down by as much as 120 kilograms (depending on the variant and options).

The aluminum-intensive chassis alone is 45 kg lighter than its predecessor.

The A4 looks much bigger than it actually is. It’s a modest evolutionary design from its predecessor, but with sleeker, tighter, more dynamic lines, folds and creases, and a bolder Audi horseshoe radiator grill.

Full LED headlights equipped with DRLs plus dynamic LED signal lights and tail lights along with a slew of alloy wheel designs mark out the visual changes.

Add a little extra and you can also get the stylish S-Line bodykit.

A revamped engine lineup consisting of a 2.0-liter TFSI gasoline and 2.0-TDI diesel engine are the first set of available engines for the A4.

The Philippine market gets the diesels exclusively for the launch. Power is a smooth and easy 150PS, matched with 320 Newton meters of torque.

It transfers forward motion to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual clutch S-tronic gearbox, which Audi engineers have tuned to deliver a feel very similar to a traditional torque-converter equipped automatic transmission.

The engine, Audi engineers say, is devoid of lag and is instantaneous in its response while delivering lower exhaust emissions, and of course, better economy.

The weight loss, coupled with a very low 0.27 coefficient of drag, means fuel efficiency has improved tremendously especially in highway driving. The weight loss has also improved the handling characteristics of the A4.

Yes, despite Audi preaching about the A4’s class-leading space (it’s the roomiest in its class, particularly the rear seat which is almost comparable to a current model A6, the A4’s big brother), comfort, refinement and silence at speed, the A4 is a very good dynamic performer on winding roads.

It is also one of the most quiet cars around. At 63 decibels measured at just over 110 km/h on independent tests abroad, the new A4 is much more quiet than full-size luxury sedans costing two to three times more. At 160 km/h, the increase in noise is minimal.

For OEM applications in this segment, the local A4s come with massive 19-inch wheels, the biggest in its class, helping the A4 look much more handsome, stately, and aggressive.

Yet according to Paulo Brambilla, Audi Philippines’ general sales manager, despite the massive wheels and licorice-thin summer-performance tires, thanks to Audi Drive Select, the suspension setting and comfort, steering effort, transmission sensitivity, and engine mapping can be tuned from comfort, normal and dynamic modes which allows the A4 to be a jack-of-all-trades depending on your mood and the driving conditions ahead.

The new A4 also now comes with Audi’s 12.3-inch LCD Audi Virtual Cockpit, a multidisplay system first seen on the Audi Q7 and making its way into all Volkswagen-Audi Group Cars.

The Audi Virtual Cockpit has the ability to display everything from a traditional speedometer/tachometer combination, to GPS/satellite navigation, to multimedia settings and more.

Soft-touch buttons help clean up the handsome dash architecture. Yes, you read that right, local A4 units finally have SatNav/GPS mapping for the Philippines, a feature first seen on the Audi Q7 and Audi TT.

For the first time, you can also scribble on the top of the Audi MMI’s rotary dial like a touchpad when searching through your connected mobile media device.

Both Apple Carplay and Android Auto are installed in the A4’s latest iteration of the MMI. Just plug in your mobile media device or smartphone and the Audi MMI quickly configures itself to your phone.

The Audi MMI also comes with quick access keys and buttons for a variety of functions. It remains the simplest and most intuitive multimedia system to date, now made even better.

The rest of the interior is covered in rich, soft and supple leather, and a sporty three-spoke steering wheel with reach and rake adjustment, plus auxiliary controls for the Audi MMI and cruise control, along with paddle shifters for the S-tronic gearbox.

LED mood lights feature throughout the interior, which turns what could have been a dull cabin into a stylish and sophisticated lounge.

And when you’re stuck in traffic late at night, the fine tunes from the audio system, cosseting leather seats, and mood lights really ease your pain on the long drive home.

Aluminum inlay accents also help provide a more stylish and sophisticated contrast to the interior.

Of course Audi’s A4 is very safe: five star rating for the Euro New Car Assessment Program or NCAP, six airbags, ABS-EBD brakes, and traction/stability control are all standard.

While everybody is trying to get into the sporty sedan bandwagon, Audi is brave enough to go a different direction, focusing on its virtues of refinement, comfort and luxurious space.

Audi succeeded in its goal, and this brave new direction focusing on refinement, comfort and luxury helps it stand out further in a sea of compact executive sedans trying to outdo each other with the same sports-sedan formula.

It’s quite pricey, but you essentially get the accoutrements (and interior space) found on a bigger luxury sedan than in the Audi A4.