2005 Audi A4 Review
2005 Audi A4 Review





+77
Audi A4 model years
Audi A4 types
- Sedan
- Convertible
- Wagon
See Edmunds pricing data
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Classy, well-constructed interiors, sharp handling, precise steering, available all-wheel drive, generous maintenance program.
Cons
- Engines short on low-end torque, sport package makes for a choppy ride.
What’s new
A4 sedans and wagons get new bi-xenon headlamps along with a new satellite/navigation/AM and FM radio antenna. Satellite radio (XM or Sirius) is now optional on the A4 Cabriolet. OnStar is no longer an available option. A substantially refreshed A4 debuts as a midyear release, and boasts new engines, an upgraded chassis and revised styling.
Edmunds says
The A4 is luxurious, sporty, winterproof and a few grand cheaper than BMW's 3 Series. As such, it's one of our favorite entry-luxury cars.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2005 Audi A4.
5 star(76%)
4 star(14%)
3 star(6%)
2 star(3%)
1 star(1%)
157 reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
3 out of 5 stars
Welp..
nightseeker, 06/26/2013
2005 Audi A4 1.8T quattro AWD 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5A)
I purchase an early 05 B6 1.8 about six months ago with about 110k on it. I have put about 4K miles, $4K into it so far. As soon as I replace one thing it throws two new codes, pretty frustrating to say the least.
I Love/Hate this car. Don't buy one of these unless you can afford to fix it, or fix it yourself. At this point it should be good til 200K but I'm not convinced.
-Brake … switch
-ECU- Coolant migrated through wiring into my computer and fried it.
-Fan Module
-Turbo - was bad, upgraded to K04& remapped software.
-MAF sensor
-Ignition Coils
-Oil Level/Temp sensor
-Thermostat
-Engine speed sensor
-Shift lock Solenoid is out now but will still shift out of park if you know the trick.
4.63 out of 5 stars
All Around Package
stepheng, 10/24/2004
2005 Audi A4 1.8T Avant quattro AWD 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
My objective was to balance these
factors with my car purchase: taxi the
kids to/from school, soccer, etc., good
fuel economy, ability to transport bike
inside, carry dogs, reasonable price,
and last but not least, FUN. This car
so far meets all these criteria. Like
most reviews, I too want a bit more hp,
but I plan to upgrade the ECU...should
do the trick.
This … is one of the most intelligently
engineered cars I've seen, and coming
from 3 years of my Volvo s60, that's
saying alot. Electronically, Audi has
put so much thought into providing
features that make the car more useful
in every day driving.
Ride is ridiculous...very tight and
controlled yet comfy. 6 speed manual
is great
3.75 out of 5 stars
Looks good, but...
ky_j, 11/13/2009
2005 Audi A4 1.8T quattro AWD 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5A)
When I initially purchased the car in Jan 09 I was excited. Now, Nov 09 I'm kicking myself for selling my Toyota. Since I've owned it I've replaced ALL four ignition coils. Two in one day once! The passenger window regulator needs to be replaced and the A/C compressor is failing and leaking. The gas mileage is dismal for a 4-cylinder engine. I mostly commute on the freeway and only … get about 22mpg on premium fuel. The Quattro system is noisy as well.
4 out of 5 stars
Awesome Car!!!
David J, 02/20/2016
2005 Audi A4 New 3.2 quattro AWD 4dr Sedan (3.1L 6cyl 6A)
Over all its a great car before buying one make sure you do your homework on the car. make sure the car was maintained well . I had a 98 Audi a very long time ago and had nothing but bad luck with it and it was the first Audi I ever owned. I never thought I would buy another one. But I found a 2005.5 Audi A4 Quattro 3.2 that caught my eye. It had all the service records with it since it … was bought new and it ended up being a one owner car and all repairs was done at the Original Audi dealership that it came from. I lucked out there. The car handles so great it hugs the road and still looked like new. So I couldn't pass it up . It was the best car purchase ive made in a long time . Only one thing I had to repair these cars are known for glovebox hinge to break. Which was a easy fix .
2005 A4 Highlights
Sedan
1.8T Special Edition
- Combined MPG
- 23 MPG
- Cost to Drive
- $206/month
- Seating
- 5 seats
- Drivetrain
- front wheel drive
- Engine Type
- Gas
- Warranty
- 4 years / 50,000 miles
Safety
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver4 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriver5 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRolloverNot RatedDynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Side Impact TestGood
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintMarginal
- IIHS Small Overlap Front TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front TestGood
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More about the 2005 Audi A4
More About This Model
We don't usually expect much from a midcycle refresh, but the newly restyled Audi A4 far exceeded expectations. For while they showed us the attendant new sheet metal (and its controversial new grille) along with some swiveling headlamps, there was incredible depth to the changes for 2005 that really make the '05 a whole new car rather than a mere mid-model reskin.
For one thing, the suspension has been upgraded substantially. The 2005 Audi A4 boasts a front end that's been revised with numerous components — including the track rods — from the high-performance Audi S4. The rear comes in for even more revision with links and wheel carriers from the S4 and shock absorbers from the Audi A6. But the really, really big news lies under the hood with Audi releasing not just one, but two new direct-injection gasoline engines.
The first replaces the venerable 1.8T as the new base engine in the Audi A4. Already one of the best engines in the lineup, the new four grows to 2.0 liters and is equipped with a direct injection system. The result, says Audi, is 200 horsepower (up from 170) and 207 pound-feet of torque (up from 166) over an amazingly broad rev range that stretches from 1,800 rpm to 5,000.
And it is that flexibility that impresses more than the gain of 30 hp. The 1.8T was already known for performing a fair impression of a V6, but the new 2.0T FSI (as in Fuel Straight Injection) is all but indistinguishable from a raft of supposedly more sophisticated sixes. Part of the credit goes to Audi's FSI technology, which sees the injectors squirt fuel directly into the combustion chamber rather than into the intake manifold. Because there is less tendency toward detonation (that nasty pinging noise you get when you put cheap gas into a high-performance engine), the 2.0T FSI works with an abnormally high compression ratio of 10.5 to 1. The result, as any hot-rodder knows, is better low-end torque which the 2.0T has in spades. For the record, Audi claims the 2.0T hustles the A4 to 60 miles per hour in just 7.1 seconds (0.7 second quicker than the 1.8T).
The other change that Audi made, along with the boost in displacement, was to add twin balance shafts that spin at twice the engine speed. The result is that what little vibration there was on the old engine has virtually been eradicated. Also gone is the typical four-cylinder thrashiness at high revs. The 1.8T has long been our favorite Volkswagen/Audi engine. The revisions to the new four-banger just reinforce that feeling. You really don't need more engine than this but Audi didn't stop there.
The larger 3.2-liter V6 also makes great gains. Long the weak point in Audi's lineup, the company's previous mid-displacement V6s have lacked for torque and had only middling horsepower. Because it's also gained from the FSI technology (developed by Audi, by the way, for its Le Mans-winning RS8 racers), the naturally aspirated, four-valve 3.2-liter 90-degree V6 gets a phenomenally high 12.5-to-1 compression ratio. That's good enough to squeeze 255 hp (an increase of 35 over the outgoing 3.0L) from the 3.2L, and more importantly, 243 lb-ft of torque (up from 221).
Both these numbers are less of an upgrade than the boost in the four-banger. Ditto for the acceleration times which are now 6.5 seconds for the 3.2L versus 6.9 for the outgoing 3.0L. Nonetheless, the new V6 feels like it has quite a bit more torque than the old engine, no longer needing revs above 3,500 to make significant progress. It still loves to rev; it just doesn't need to.
It may even prove a little overeager for some. Perhaps, it's the direct fuel injection, or maybe it's Audi engineers tuning the drive-by-wire throttle for enthusiastic response, but the V6's response to minute inputs can be a trifle abrupt. Sometimes, when you just want a smidgen of acceleration, the 3.2 will throw in an extra dollop, free of charge. It's never truly disconcerting but it certainly does require a little recalibration of your right foot. Nonetheless, the new 3.2L is an improvement of some margin over the outgoing V6.
Both engines are now hooked up to six-speeds, both manual and automatic. Because all 3.2-liter A4s coming to the United States are quattros, there will be no Multitronic CVT option on that model, as Audi has only engineered that transmission for its front-wheel-drive cars. However, the DSG paddle-shift tranny that was first shown in the TT is currently being developed for the A4 3.2. The only way to get the CVT will be on the 2.0-liter, front drive models. Additionally, a manual tranny will be available on the 2.0 in both front drive and quattro form in the U.S. As for which tranny is best for the A4, the automatic seemed better suited to the new engines in our opinion. It lessens the impression of what little turbo lag the 2.0T has and smoothes out the 3.2L V6 a little as well. Besides, if you want to shift manually, there's always the Tiptronic alternative.
Depending on the road, the 2005 Audi A4 comes off as either superlative or merely very good. We were lucky enough to test the A4 over a variety of changing road surfaces. Under such conditions, the A4 is marvelous. Its long-travel feels relatively soft (compared to a Bimmer or Merc), soaking up midcorner bumps that would leave lesser cars flouncing and bouncing. On flatter stretches, though, that same suspension tuning limits cornering. Not as flat through high-speed esses as a 3 Series, the Audi A4 also pushes the front end more than the rear-drive BMW.
Inside, there's less change. Audi brags about a new steering wheel and a new navigation system, but there's nothing remarkable about either. Regarding the relative lack of interior improvement, Audi's materials have been the best in the luxury segment for some years now, so the same-ol', same-ol' is actually plenty good enough.
Which means that the Audi A4 is going to be better competition for BMW, certainly at least until the new 3 Series shows up (and if BMW's design chief, Chris Bangle, has his way perhaps for some time after). That's helped out by Audi's contention that the new A4's pricing won't increase more than 0.5 percent over the current model which ranges from $25,800 for the 1.8T to a starting point for the V6 of $31,500.
Used 2005 Audi A4 Overview
The Used 2005 Audi A4 is offered in the following submodels: A4 Sedan, A4 Convertible, A4 Wagon. Available styles include 1.8T quattro AWD 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5A), 1.8T quattro AWD 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6M), 3.0 quattro AWD 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5A), 1.8T Avant quattro AWD 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5A), 3.0 Avant quattro AWD 4dr Wagon (3.0L 6cyl 5A), 1.8T Fwd 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M), 1.8T Special Ed. Fwd 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M), 1.8T Fwd 2dr Cabriolet (1.8L 4cyl Turbo CVT), 1.8T quattro Special Ed. AWD 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5A), 3.0 quattro AWD 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 6M), 3.0 quattro Special Ed. AWD 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5A), 1.8T Avant quattro Special Ed. AWD 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5A), 3.0 Fwd 2dr Cabriolet (3.0L 6cyl CVT), 3.0 Fwd 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl CVT), 1.8T Avant quattro AWD 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6M), 3.0 quattro AWD 2dr Cabriolet (3.0L 6cyl 5A), 3.0 Special Ed. Fwd 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl CVT), 3.0 Avant quattro AWD 4dr Wagon (3.0L 6cyl 6M), 1.8T Special Ed. Fwd 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl Turbo CVT), 1.8T quattro Special Ed. AWD 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6M), 3.0 quattro Special Ed. AWD 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 6M), 1.8T Avant quattro Special Ed. AWD 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6M), 3.0 Avant quattro Special Ed. AWD 4dr Wagon (3.0L 6cyl 6M), 3.0 Avant quattro Special Ed. AWD 4dr Wagon (3.0L 6cyl 5A), 1.8T Fwd 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl Turbo CVT), New 3.2 quattro AWD 4dr Sedan (3.1L 6cyl 6A), New 3.2 Avant quattro AWD 4dr Wagon (3.1L 6cyl 6A), New 2.0T quattro AWD 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M), New 2.0T Fwd 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo CVT), New 2.0T Fwd 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M), New 2.0T Avant quattro AWD 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A), New 2.0T quattro AWD 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A), and New 2.0T Avant quattro AWD 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M). Pre-owned Audi A4 models are available with a 1.8 L-liter gas engine or a 3.0 L-liter gas engine, with output up to 220 hp, depending on engine type. The Used 2005 Audi A4 comes with all wheel drive. Available transmissions include: 5-speed shiftable automatic, 6-speed manual.
What's a good price on a Used 2005 Audi A4?
Price comparisons for Used 2005 Audi A4 trim styles:
- The Used 2005 Audi A4 2.0T quattro is priced between $10,995 and$10,995 with odometer readings between 36141 and36141 miles.
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Which used 2005 Audi A4S are available in my area?
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Should I lease or buy a 2005 Audi A4?
Is it better to lease or buy a car? Ask most people and they'll probably tell you that car buying is the way to go. And from a financial perspective, it's true, provided you're willing to make higher monthly payments, pay off the loan in full and keep the car for a few years. Leasing, on the other hand, can be a less expensive option on a month-to-month basis. It's also good if you're someone who likes to drive a new car every three years or so.
Check out Audi lease specials
Check out Audi A4 lease specials
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