2022 Audi A4 S Line First Test: A Fast, Flawed Sport Sedan
Pros
- Feels powerful and quick
- Functional and understated interior design
- Killer audio system
Cons
- Firm ride
- Glitchy and inconsistent tech
- Lesser mild hybrid setup
An exceptional sport sedan can be your everything. Everyday commuter, long-haul road tripper, airport taxi, canyon carver. The latest-generation Audi A4 was introduced for 2017 and got a midcycle refresh for 2020; as it sits this year, the German automaker's podium-ranked sport sedan is quite good but not exceptional. We tested a 2022 Audi A4 S Line to break it all down.
Not Your Average Audi
Audis are known as the subtle, under-the-radar choice in the luxury compact segment, compared to more ostentatious options like an extravagantly styled Alfa Romeo Giulia or a tail-happy BMW 3 Series. Our test car was not the dark gray, black interior, fade-to-the-background Audi that usually comes to mind.
Instead of a grayscale bankermobile, the 2022 Audi A4 S Line that arrived in our test fleet was ticket-me Tango Red Metallic and featured a Black Optic Plus package. The latter decked out the badging, side mirrors, grille, rocker panel detail, and front and rear bumper trim in high-gloss black. The package also adds red brake calipers, unique interior trim, and a knockout set of 19-inch five-spoke wheels that look straight off a previous-generation Audi S4. If you want a luxury car that blends in, this version of the A4 isn't it.
Don't worry about the styling being too over the top; there's enough go to match all the show. Our Audi A4 S Line test example was fitted with the more powerful of the A4's 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 options (badged A4 45 TFSI), producing 261 hp (more on that later) and 273 lb-ft of torque delivered to all four wheels with help from a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and Quattro all-wheel drive.
Opting for the more powerful engine buys the Audi S Line package, similar to what BMW would supply with its M Sport offerings. In the A4, it means a 0.9-inch-lower sport suspension, ventilated disc brakes with larger rotors, larger and wider wheels, and illuminated aluminum door sills. Think of the A4 S-Line as a would-be four-cylinder S4.
How Quick Is an Audi A4?
For a sport sedan lacking M, RS, or AMG badges, the 2022 Audi A4 S Line is legitimately quick. In our testing, the A4 S-Line reached 60 mph in 5.2 seconds on its way to a 14.0-second quarter mile at 98.8 mph.
Based on the test figures and our on-road driving impressions, we wager this engine makes more than its claimed 261 hp. Two direct competitors, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti and Cadillac CT4-V, squirted to 60 mph in 5.2 and 5.1 seconds, but those cars produced 280 and 325 hp, respectively. They both weigh within 100 pounds of the A4 S Line.
This Audi is a clear outlier, but that said, our test drivers said the A4's engine didn't feel as gutsy as the 300-hp four-cylinder found in the Volkswagen Arteon we tested on the same day.
However, the test car did not drive like a standard A4. The S Line's larger ventilated brake rotors and the summer tires that came with the optional 19-inch wheels paid off, too, keeping the chassis stable under hard braking and capable of stopping from 60 mph in 111 feet—surprisingly good for a non-S4.
The transmission was reluctant to downshift around our figure-eight course, even using the paddle shifters mounted to the steering wheel, which dulled the car's thrust response significantly. Brakes were easy to modulate and turn-in was solid; the steering was notably precise, if slightly numb.
As for the numbers, the A4 S Line completed its figure-eight lap in 25.9 seconds at 0.70 average g. Those figures slightly trail the Alfa's 25.7-second lap at 0.71 average g, but the A4 took a narrow victory on the skidpad at 0.92 g compared to the Giulia's 0.91.
Living With the Audi A4
Treating the 2022 Audi A4 S Line the way an owner might, the car has notable strengths and room for improvements. First, the interior. This cabin is outstanding and full of tech, minimalist but not barren, and a showcase of the build quality Audi is famous for.
Among our favorite details is the shifter, a beefy thing that fills your palm just right. We also have praise for the controls' layout. Where higher-end Audis utilize a secondary touchscreen for climate controls, the A4 offers elegant physical buttons and switches that are easy to operate while keeping your eyes on the road. Little details like a frameless rearview mirror elevate the A4 above range-topping trims from sub-luxury brands.
A special shout-out to the volume knob just to the right of the shifter; more recently redesigned Audis swapped this setup for a quarter-sized touchpad you must approach like a DJ scratching a tiny record. We'll take a physical rotating knob any day, especially if it controls the A4's outstanding 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio. The system is every bit as rich and powerful as buyers fantasize about when they debate shelling out for an optional premium setup. Lower frequencies at high volumes excited a light rattle from the driver's side door panel, but we chalk that up more to the wattage sent to those speakers than the A4's otherwise seemingly stellar build quality.
The back seat isn't so bad, either. Sitting behind my own driving position at 6-foot-1, I still had a couple inches between my knees and the seat back, though my head was firmly against the headliner. There is zero downgrade in material quality, though, which is to say the leather upholstery is fitting of a luxury sedan. The cupholder design in the fold-down center armrest is clever but will struggle to accommodate American-sized soft drinks.
The 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system is the same unit you see in a six-figure Audi S8, and although the layout is intuitive and the display quick to respond, this is one area where the A4 could use work. There's no anchor point for your thumb to aid more accurate touch inputs, but that was the least of our issues.
Numerous times upon starting, the screen would pop up mostly blank as if it had been tripped up loading an asset. Tapping one of the menu icons to the left returned the system to its normal operations. We also had issues with Bluetooth and wireless Apple CarPlay pairing; each took multiple attempts. Especially compared to the multimedia systems in the Tesla Model 3 and new Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the A4 infotainment doesn't look as impressive, either.
Driving the 2022 Audi A4 S Line was less frustrating. This powertrain is more than capable of scooting the A4 around with alacrity, and as we mentioned, we wouldn't be surprised to find it makes an extra 50 hp or so. The steering has purposeful weight, if little feel, and though the brakes are a little grabby, after an adjustment period by the driver they're easy to modulate and trustworthy in an emergency.
Two other notes. First, this is an older version of Audi's 2.0-liter turbo-four, and although it gained a mild hybrid system for the 2021 model year, it's a 12-volt system rather than the 48-volt setup in newer Audis. (Remember, the most recent A4 redesign occurred for the 2017 model year.) If the new system is jalapeno, the A4's is bell pepper.
The most notable consequence here relates to low-speed behavior. Audi's auto stop-start system is imperceptible in the new-for-2022 Audi A3 but sends a rumble reverberating through the A4's body. And the A4's dual-clutch gearbox can fumble while creeping along in traffic, which isn't an issue when a more powerful hybrid system can ease you along.
Second, in S Line trim with our test car's sweet-looking 19-inch wheels, the A4 rides firmly and exhibits major road noise over anything but perfect pavement. The suspension pays off in body control—the 0.9-inch drop and wider rolling stock contribute more stability in corners—but detracts from the A4's aspirations as a do-everything sport sedan. Don't expect to experience a cosseting ride home from the airport, in other words.
Flawed, Still Fantastic
The 2022 Audi A4 S Line can't be your everything. It's too stiff and noisy to pass as a pure luxury car, the transmission can be clumsy for performance driving, and the tech isn't quite there for 2022. Rather, the A4 S Line is for buyers who put style and sportiness first but who will happily trade the extra power of an S4 or M340i for better fuel economy and more feature content at a similar price point.
Looks good! More details?2022 Audi A4 Quattro S-Line Specifications BASE PRICE $43,095 PRICE AS TESTED $55,665 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 2.0L turbo direct-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4 POWER (SAE NET) 261 hp @ 5,250 rpm TORQUE (SAE NET) 273 lb-ft @ 1,600 rpm TRANSMISSION 7-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 3,712 lb (56/44%) WHEELBASE 111.0 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 187.5 x 72.7 x 55.3 in 0-60 MPH 5.2 sec QUARTER MILE 14.0 sec @ 98.8 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 111 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.92 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 25.9 sec @ 0.70 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 24/31/27 mpg EPA RANGE, COMB 408 miles ON SALE Now Show AllYou may also like
chevrolet silverado-1500 Full OverviewProsPowerful V-8New interiorSuper Cruise ConsSome questionable exterior styling decisionsDoor-mounted mirrorsRough rideIt happened not once but twice, and it's the only time we recall it ever happening. As if SiriusXM satellite radio knew how to mitigate the uneasiness we felt by the fact our test truck—a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country pickup—was driving us courtesy of its Super Cruise system, we couldn't help but sing heartily along to Bob Seger's "Like a Rock." If you're of a certain age, you know this song backed Chevrolet's epic pickup ad campaign of the 1990s. And in this moment as we drove the Silverado 1500 High Country, it magically and nostalgically bridged the gap between the Silverado of the past and the Silverado of the present. Yes, the Chevy Silverado 1500 has come a long way since its "Like a Rock" days, but it's still a Chevy truck through and through.By the StickerHere's a quick rundown of the Monroney label—otherwise known as the window sticker—for the 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country 4x4. The High Country is the Silverado lineup's top trim alongside the off-road-oriented Silverado ZR2. We'll leave it to you to decide whether you love or hate the idea of a street-oriented luxury Chevy with 22-inch painted aluminum wheels featuring chrome inserts. One opinion is that the wheel's complexity could render well in an even larger 24-inch (or more) diameter.Chevrolet delivered the Dark Ash Metallic (a new color for 2022) Silverado High Country to us equipped with a bounty of add-ons: High Country Premium package (power sunroof, all-weather floor liners, 22-inch wheels), Super Cruise, Technology package (rear camera mirror, head-up display, adaptive cruise control, enhanced automatic emergency braking), power-retractable assist steps, adaptive ride control suspension, wheel locks, and Multiflex tailgate.0-60 MPH: Trailing the Twin-Turbo V-6s, Leading Other V-8sThe 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country is powered by Chevy's 6.2-liter EcoTec3 V-8 gasoline engine. It's good for 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque, backed by a 10-speed automatic transmission. This is the largest-displacement, most powerful naturally aspirated V-8 in the segment. Bigger doesn't always mean better, though: While GM continues to smash this stout V-8 under the hood, many of its competitors offer smaller-displacement twin-turbo V-6 variants.To the point, how does the 5,578-pound Silverado High Country stack up against the new 2022 Toyota Tundra Platinum? The latter is a prime example of a truck that ditched its V-8 in favor of a 3.4-liter twin-turbo six-cylinder that makes 389 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. (There's also a stronger hybrid version.) According to our previous test numbers, the Tundra—532 pounds heavier (woof) while lacking 31 hp but gaining 19 lb-ft compared to the Chevy—accelerates from 0 to 60 mph a mere 0.1 second slower than the Silverado's 6.0 seconds. Sure, there are a bunch of additional variables at play here—we didn't test the two trucks at the same time, and they feature different gearing, transmission tuning, and so on—but the lighter, higher-horsepower 6.2-liter V-8 Silverado didn't run away from the turbo-V-6-powered Tundra.As for Ford's EcoBoost V-6? The 2021 Ford F-150 4x4 Lariat FX4 twin-turbo EcoBoost 3.5-liter V-6 (400 hp, 500 lb-ft, and 238 pounds lighter than the Silverado) hit 60 mph in 5.3 seconds. The 2021 Ford Raptor (with the high-output 450-hp, 510-lb-ft EcoBoost and 391 pounds heavier) needed 5.6 seconds, followed by the High Country 0.4 second behind. Ultimately, the Silverado's 6.2-liter V-8 is unsurprisingly better suited for heavy towing up grades than it is for track sprints against turbocharged V-6 trucks. Interestingly, the 6.2-liter Silverado RST—158 pounds lighter than the High Country—put down a 5.5-second 0-60 time, which spanks the High Country by half a second and lands it between the two EcoBoost Fords.How does the 6.2-liter 2022 Chevrolet Silverado High Country fare against other V-8 trucks in its class? The 2021 Ford F-150 4x4 King Ranch, packing a 400-hp, 410-lb-ft 5.0-liter V-8 and carrying an additional 109 pounds, hit 60 mph in 6.2 seconds. The 2019 Ram 1500 Limited 4X4 eTorque featuring a 395-hp and 410-lb-ft 5.7-liter V-8 Hemi (and 298 pounds heavier) did so in 6.5 seconds. So the 6.2-liter Silverado is no slouch against the other naturally aspirated V-8s in its segment.Finally, on paper and in certain conditions, GM's 6.2-liter V-8 certainly outperforms the 355-hp, 383-lb-ft 5.3-liter V-8, another engine option for the High Country, as is a 3.0-liter diesel. For daily trundling, though, it would be hard to discern a 5.3-liter from the 6.2. Worth noting: The 6.2 is available only with four-wheel drive.Track Attitude: Getting Aggressive in a Luxury TruckGranted, not many folks will ever drive their 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country like a sports car. But if you overheat its brakes, the truck tells you so via a dashboard message. A 45-mph speed limit kicks in at that point for a short period while the brakes cool down.As for the High Country's performance on the MT figure-eight course, which tests handling characteristics, tester Chris Walton was surprised by how sporty the upscale Silverado was in auto four-wheel-drive mode. "The firm brake pedal is quite effective, so long as you stay out of the ABS," he said. "Do it right, and you can bleed the brakes into the skidpad almost like a sport sedan. The truck doesn't roll much on the skidpad and stays quite neutral with a mild bit of understeer. The throttle mapping, however, is a bit off. The throttle is sensitive and makes it difficult to maintain a constant speed on the skidpad. Overall, it comes off as quite sporty for a luxury pickup truck."(Not) Driving With Super CruiseOne of the big deals about the 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 High Country is that it has available Super Cruise, a $2,200 option. Yes, GM's semi-autonomous hands-free-driving system has trickled down to Chevy trucks. We found some compatible freeways and gave it a try; despite some inherent trust issues, it worked, but we have a few stories.On one occasion, a car was merging onto the freeway at a substantially slower rate than we were traveling. We could see it was going to merge in front of us, but when it seemed like the truck "missed" seeing the car and did not lift, we took control and initiated braking. It's likely the Silverado would have seen the other vehicle by the time it was fully in our lane, but it might have left "unsmart" cars behind us braking too hard for comfort.On another occasion, Super Cruise deemed there was room for a lane change, but traffic in our new lane slowed substantially as the truck made its move. The High Country, still wanting to leave a rather big gap between itself and the car in front, also slowed substantially. We saw the driver behind us needed to unexpectedly brake hard—and our maneuver came across as a "brake check." Super Cruise was just doing what it computed was best for the situation, but we received an angry middle finger in return.A Cockpit Worth Talking AboutThe 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country's new interior is one of its other big deals. Good news: it's not offensive anymore. It feels and looks like it belongs in 2022, and it's competitive with other pickups on the market. It's natural and contemporary, more horizontally oriented than upright. The 13.4-inch color touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, and 15.0-inch head-up display contribute to its modern feel.Did you notice the shifter on the center console? That's different for a Chevy truck. It took a split second to figure out how to work it, but we never looked back once we did. Also, the location of the wireless charging pad cubby is perfect and out of the way—and not inherently serving double duty as a crap pad. You know that spot where fast food trash, banana peels, and loose change resides. Don't worry, Chevy left some removable rubberized pads around three sides of the shifter for miscellaneous things.In terms of interior colors, our tester was labeled as Jet Black and Nightshift Blue. In true Chevrolet fashion, there's an uncountable number of available colors—variants of chrome, piano black, blue, gray, tan, brown, silver—in a cornucopia of materials including smooth plastic, textured plastic, open-pore wood, and leather. All in all, the touch points are soft, the seats are comfortable, charge ports are accessible, and it's all palatable and impressive.Indeed, this 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country is "like a rock," but one that's unrecognizable compared to what it used to be. Consider it a big win for Chevy.2022 Chevrolet Silverado High Country Specifications BASE PRICE $64,945 PRICE AS TESTED $75,820 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door truck ENGINE 6.2L direct-injected OHV 16-valve 90-degree V-8 POWER (SAE NET) 420 hp @ 5,600 rpm TORQUE (SAE NET) 460 lb-ft @ 4,100 rpm TRANSMISSION 10-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 5,578 lb (57/43%) WHEELBASE 147.4 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 231.9 x 81.2 x 75.5 in 0-60 MPH 6.0 sec QUARTER MILE 14.4 sec @ 96.8 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 133 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.75 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 28.1 sec @ 0.60 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 15/20/17 mpg EPA RANGE, COMB 408 miles ON SALE Now Show All Looks good! More details?
ProsSix-speed manual is pure joyLight, tactile handlingIncredible value proposition ConsBrakes need more staying powerHigh and vague clutch engagement pointRevs can hangFor the as-tested price of the Lamborghini Huracán STO, you could buy 15-and-a-half Si-badged Honda Civics, the lowest-priced, least powerful, and third-lightest contender vying for our PVOTY calipers. Did a humble, sub-$30K, front-wheel-drive economy sedan making only 200 horsepower have a chance against all the Black Series/Wings, M's, V's, GTs and GT3s?Abso-friggin-lutely. In fact, many of the supposed shortcomings of the 2022 Honda Civic Si made it stand out in our field of monstrously powered beasts. Subtracting brute force and head-snapping thrust—and much of the associated sound and fury—sharpened our judges' perception of other attributes. "There's something really tactile and raw about the Civic Si that gets me going," director of editorial operations Mike Floyd said. "Its four-cylinder at full chat just sounds so lean and mean."The Civic Si makes a strong value and fuel economy statement, and the Si's mini-Accord styling adds maturity missing from the previous-generation Civic. Engineering excellence is everywhere you look and touch; every judge called out the light, communicative steering and the "delightful" feel and "super-precise" throws of the Si's six-speed manual transmission, as they extracted all 192 lb-ft from the 1.5-liter turbo inline-four."More low-end torque and a longer horsepower peak are exactly what this engine needed," features editor Scott Evans said. "The torque makes it nicer to drive at every speed, and the power no longer falls off at the top end."To be clear, at nearly 15 pounds per horsepower (more than double the load of some other competitors), the Si is slow, but "Who cares?" was the prevailing sentiment. "It's just so stable and confident in a corner," Evans said. "You just want to drive it faster and faster because it's so rewarding. It's still a momentum car, and that's great because it really makes you work on your driving to get the most out of it."Amid the pages of notes on all our competitors, the adjectives "authentic," "approachable," and "attainable" were reserved for the Si. It was the performance vehicle everyone could quietly appreciate. "There is something appealing about seeing myself in an Si that makes me like it even more in this competition, which is loaded with vehicles I could never hope to actually own in my lifetime," deputy editor Alex Stoklosa said.So why wasn't it even a finalist? For one thing, the only other front-driver in the mix, the Hyundai Veloster N, delivered an even more intriguing and irresistible combination of turbo-boosted fun. And there were some blemishes on the Civic Si's otherwise smooth 'n' sporty driving experience. Squishy at first dab, the Si's brakes faded for some judges by the end of the handling course. Although that's a non-factor on the street, it did not bode well for the at-the-limit track sessions the finalists would encounter. Judges also called out the clutch's light pedal and its high and vague engagement point. The engine's tendency to hang onto revs also drew criticism.For some, the Si just wasn't a big enough step up from the already sublime 11th-generation Civic. Other judges were tantalized but left thirsty for the sharper edge and much-needed power boost promised by the coming Civic Type R. So we shall wait for next year. 2022 Honda Civic Si Specifications Base Price/As tested $28,315/$28,515 Power (SAE net) 200 hp @ 6,000 rpm Torque (SAE net) 192 lb-ft @ 1,800 rpm Accel, 0-60 mph 7.1 sec Quarter-mile 15.3 sec @ 92.8 mph Braking, 60-0 mph 110 ft Lateral Acceleration 0.93 g (avg) MT Figure Eight 26.3 sec @ 0.67 g (avg) EPA City/Hwy/Comb 27/37/31 mpg Vehicle Layout Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan Engine, Transmission 1.5L Turbo direct-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4, 6-speed manual Curb Weight (F/R DIST) 2,981 lb (59/41%) Wheelbase 107.7 in Length x Width x Height 184.0 x 70.9 x 55.7 in On Sale Now Show All
Genesis is no amateur at creating vehicles as tailored for being driven as being chauffeured in. The Genesis G90 is as comfortable as flagship sedans get, but the automaker is expanding its first-class rear-seat horizons—this time with its flagship SUV. Enter the 2022 Genesis GV80 Prestige Signature, a four-passenger, two-row-only version of the luxury crossover that will serve as the pinnacle of the GV80 lineup.The GV80 Prestige Signature builds on the 3.5T Prestige trim, adding a wireless charger and captain's chairs in the second row and five-spoke dark finish wheels. Customers will only be able to pick between two exterior matte colors (Melbourne Gray and Matterhorn White), and two interior choices (Black with Olive Ash and Ultra Marine Blue/Dune with Olive Ash). Genesis also added a matte chrome trim to distinguish the fancy models from other GV80s.While Genesis hasn't revealed any pictures of this specific model's rear seats, we presume that area will look very similar to the Prestige Signature model sold overseas and pictured above. (The global version has a third row.) A center console between the two seats will allow backseat passengers to control the infotainment, and they'll have their own climate-control system. Although the model sold elsewhere has a rear-seat entertainment package, it doesn't look like we'll get that here. Besides enjoying a more comfortable seating position, those traveling in the rear will have access to Relax Mode, which reclines the seat to your preferred position.Under the hood, the Prestige Signature will be powered by the 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 engine found across the lineup and which makes 375 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission sends power to all four wheels via standard all-wheel drive.A total of just 600 GV80 Prestige Signature models will be sold in the U.S., each one carrying a $78,295 price tag. That's a $4,500 increase from the Prestige model. The 2022 Genesis GV80 Prestige Signature is starting to arrive to dealerships now, and we hope to drive it—or be chauffeured in it—in the coming weeks.
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