2016 Audi A4

Audi A4

Audi’s A4 has always leaned into a certain kind of executive appeal, the sort that lets you park at Melrose Arch or Sandton City and feel like you belong, without dumping half a million rand out the gate. It’s in that tight little club with the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, but while those two chase the keen drivers, the A4, on paper at least, is the one that builds its case around comfort and subtlety. Right now, if you’re shopping second-hand, you’ve got exactly four options in South Africa — prices running from R179,900 up to R399,900, with a median around R321,725. Every one runs a petrol turbo (either the 1.4T FSI or the 2.0T FSI), served up with Audi’s S tronic dual-clutch box. That’s not a lot of choice, so if you spot a good one, don’t dawdle. What’s clear from the numbers is that you’re likely looking at high-mileage cars — average odometer reading is 142,606 km, which in this segment, puts the spotlight squarely on service records and honest inspection. The entry-level 1.4T FSI Design S tronic at R179,900 is tempting if you pack smart and aren’t fussed about outright pace, but most buyers will want the extra muscle and refinement of the 2.0T FSI S tronic, even if it means spending up to R399,900. The so-called 35 TFSI Advanced (R383,500) is just Audi playing badge games — it’s the same engine as the 1.4T, just with a newer name. South Africans keep coming back to the A4 for its interior: the B9-generation dashboard and trim are still a cut above, with tactile controls and real materials that age better than most. That matters, because the A4 is what it should have been from the start — a comfortable, understated way into German luxury.