2020 Audi S4 Review

The Audi S4 is a sportier version of Audi's A4 small luxury sedan. It offers increased performance compared to the A4 but not to the level of Audi's considerably more expensive RS models.

In place of the A4's turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the S4 comes with a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 (349 horsepower, 369 lb-ft of torque) that sends power to the wheels through a quick-shifting eight-speed automatic and a version of Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system.

For 2020, the S4 gets revised styling front and rear. The most noticeable difference is the honeycomb-style grille, which replaces the previous slat-like grille. Additionally, the interior gets a mild refresh, with a new touchscreen-based infotainment system the most notable addition.

Power builds quickly and effortlessly, accompanied by one of the best exhaust notes you'll find from a V6. Audi says the S4 will hit 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds. That's about a second quicker than the 248-hp version of the A4. 

The eight-speed automatic snaps off rapid shifts when you put your foot down and settles down when you're just cruising around town. The steering wheel-mounted shift paddles work well, but most of the time the transmission is smart enough when left to its own devices, at least in the sporty Dynamic drive mode. In Comfort or Auto, the throttle responsiveness can feel lazy and the transmission too eager to upshift to improve fuel economy. The engine stop-start system can feel abrupt on restart, too.

The car we tested came with the S Sport package that improves performance further thanks to sport-tuned adaptive suspension dampers and a sport-tuned rear differential. You also get some bright red brake calipers, though the brakes themselves remain unchanged. Based on our initial testing, this package's rear differential seems to help the S4 make best use of the traction provided by the car's all-wheel-drive system and summer tires. The brakes have a firm pedal that is easy to modulate on curving mountain roads and in heavy traffic.

The variable assist steering is light in Comfort mode and firms up in Dynamic model. It's quick and provides a good bit of feedback from the road, allowing you to easily maneuver on switchbacks and through hairpin turns with precision. The S4's suspension strikes a balance between sport and comfort, though it's worth noting that we haven't had a chance to sample a car without the adaptive dampers.

Mostly unchanged. Save for the new 10.1-inch touchscreen and some small revisions to the center console, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the new S4 and last year's model. That's completely fine since the S4 still has one of the most handsome and well-appointed interiors on the market. It's clean and open, with high-quality materials on every touch point. There's a nice heft and click to all the knobs and buttons.

The design itself is clean and handsome, with a low center console and shallow dash that help make the interior feel open and airy. Aluminum trim is standard, though glossy carbon-fiber trim is available as well. Most controls are easy to find and reach, including the knobs for the climate control and full-color head-up display.

Our S4 test car had the optional 12-way adjustable sport front seats. They're supportive and comfortable and offer a good amount of adjustment range. You can even adjust the side bolsters, which is helpful for drivers who want more or less lateral support. The steering wheel telescopes enough to suit both short and tall drivers.

Our main concern centers on the new infotainment screen. While we mostly like the system itself, and are pleased that Audi ditched the previous knob controller in favor of a touchscreen, the display looks tacked on to the dash in the worst possible way. There's no getting around it either since the new system is standard on all three S4 trim levels.

This is one of the S4's weakest spots. The trunk, while spacious, lacks the overall capacity of class leaders such as the BMW 3 Series. That said, it does offer more trunk space than the Mercedes-Benz C-Class or Cadillac CT4. The interior lacks storage for small items, too, though there's now a small bin in place of the infotainment control knob and touchpad used on last year's car. The cupholders are on the smaller side, and taller bottles or drinks completely block the climate control knobs and switches.

The S4's phone box feature is neat and genuinely useful. It's in the center console, right in front of the USB ports. It boosts your cell signal by increasing the signal strength. We found that it made a noticeable improvement in connectivity during our initial test when we were driving in less populated areas. It also doubles as a wireless phone charger.