The 2009 Audi A4 is comfortable, exciting to drive and a work of art in its own right.

Honora Press

The 2009 Audi A4 is the culmination of a 30-year strategy by VW’s luxury brand, and it was worth the wait.

Audi’s march to parity with BMW and Cadillac as makers of the world’s finest sport sedans began with a commitment to technology and style that dates to the ground-breaking 1980 Quattro coupe, which introduced buyers to the idea of full-time all-wheel drive as a performance aid, not just for extra traction on slippery surfaces.

It’s a tribute to corporate vision or German stubbornness — maybe both — that Audi persevered through missteps and mishaps. Problems along the way included rusty bodies in the 1970s, damaging reports of sudden acceleration in the 1980s and the slow and ungainly A2 breadbox of recent years, to name just three.

Pigheadedness in the pursuit of building a great car is no vice, however. Audi has turned it into a great virtue.

Prices for the 2009 A4 sedan start at $30,700 for a front-wheel drive model powered by a brawny turbocharged, direct-injection 2.0-liter four-cylinder that produces 211 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Front-drive A4’s come with a continuously variable transmission; all-wheel drive A4’s get a smooth and precise six-speed automatic.

The least-expensive all-wheel drive model features the 2.0-liter turbo engine and a $32,700 base price.

A4 sedans equipped with a 265-horsepower direct-injection 3.2-liter engine start at $40,000. Audi also builds an A4 station wagon equipped with all-wheel drive and the four-cylinder engine. Prices for the elegant A4 wagon start at $34,500.

I tested a well-equipped A4 2.0T Quattro sedan that stickered at $40,000. All prices exclude destination charges.

The A4 competes with the BMW 3-series, Cadillac CTS, Infiniti G37, Lexus IS and Mercedes-Benz C-class. Those cars all offer base models with more responsive rear-drive layouts than the front-drive A4.

The A4 2.0T Quattro all-wheel drive sedan matches them dynamically, however, and costs less than all but the smaller and less-powerful Lexus IS250.

The A4 also leads the pack in fuel economy. The front-wheel drive model scored 23 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway in EPA tests. The sportier and more satisfying 2.0T Quattro I tested rated 21 mpg city and 27 mpg highway. That beats all the six-cylinder competitors above except the Lexus IS 250 by at least 2 mpg.

The A4’s roomy and attractive interior offers more passenger space than the Lexus IS or Mercedes C-class. The 12.4 cubic foot trunk is among the smaller in the segment, but a low lift-over and regular contours still make it very suitcase-friendly.

None of this would matter if the A4 were not beautiful, comfortable and exciting to drive. It’s all of those, and more.

The 2009 A4 rides on a sporty new chassis and is 4.6 inches longer and 2.1 inches wider than the car it replaces. Audi’s engineers developed the chassis so the engine, transmission and steering box are lower and farther rear than in previous models, which had the nose-heavy weight distribution common to front-drive models.

The A4 2.0T Quattro sedan’s weight distribution of 58 percent front and 42 percent rear is still a far cry from perfectly balanced cars like the 3-series’ 50/50 split, but Audi offset that disadvantage by tuning the all-wheel drive system to send 60 percent of torque to the rear wheels.

Combined with precise speed-sensitive steering and a supple suspension, the result is the best-handling Audi sedan ever, and the first Audi that can compete with the 3-series and CTS.

Road noise is higher than in some competitors, however, and can become obtrusive on some surfaces. Wind noise is minimal.

Audi’s direct-injection turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline engine puts the future of the sports car under your hood, as other automakers prepare to follow Audi’s lead and use small-displacement DI turbos to provide excellent power and fuel economy.

The only drawback to the smooth and powerful engine is its requirement for premium fuel.

Some automakers — including Ford in its upcoming Ecoboost engines — have managed to tune the system to run on regular gasoline.

The roomy and comfortable interior is trimmed with Audi’s usual attention to detail. The materials uniformly look and feel good, and the fits between pieces are excellent.

The new A4’s design beautifully expands the brand’s new design theme from the little R8 sports car to encompass a roomy sedan.

The low hood flows into sweeping lines that draw the eye along the beltline. Scalloped stampings along the doors’ lower edges emphasize the long wheelbase and the impression of a spacious and substantial car.

In an industry that’s often criticized for planning from quarter-to-quarter, the A4 is the payoff for more than a quarter of a century of planning.

Like sipping an aged whiskey, one taste will convince you every moment was well spent.2009 AUDI A4 2.0T QUATTRO

All-wheel drive five-passenger sport sedan

Rating: 4 out of 4 stars

Reasons to buy: Value, performance, style

Shortcomings: Premium fuel required, road noise

Vehicle type: All-wheel drive five-passenger sport sedan

Base price: $32,700 excluding destination charges

As tested: $40,000

Standard equipment: Antilock brakes; electronic stability control; automatic brake-disc drying; front-seat side air bags; curtain air bags; power, heated side view mirrors; power locks; keyless entry and pushbutton start; automatic climate control; one-touch power windows with pinch protection; cruise control; power adjustable front seats with lumbar support; leather-wrapped steering wheel with multifunction controls; 60/40 split folding rear seat; leather seats.

Options: 18-inch five-spoke alloy wheels; Bang & Olufsen sound system with AM/FM/Sirius satellite radio, six-disc in-dash CD changer; SD memory card slot and auxiliary input; blind-spot alert; ultrasonic rear parking assist; twilight-sensing xenon headlights; LED daytime running lights; Bluetooth hands-free phone compatible; three-zone automatic climate control; heated front seats; auto dimming mirrors with compass; memory for driver seat and exterior mirrors; rain-sensing windshield wipers; driver information center with trip computer; Homelink universal garage door opener.

•Specifications as tested

Engine: 2.0-liter turbocharged, direct-injection DOHC variable-timing 16-valve four-cylinder

Power: 211 horsepower at 5,300-6,000 rpm; 258 pound-feet of torque at 1,500-4,200 rpm

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Fuel economy: 21 mpg city/27 mpg highway

Wheelbase: 110.6 inches

Length: 185.2 inches

Width: 71.9 inches

Height: 56.2 inches

Curb weight: 3,715 pounds

Where assembled: Neckarsulm, Germany

•Comparative base prices

Automatic transmission models, not including destination charges

BMW 328i: $34,725

Cadillac CTS: $37,355

Lexus IS 250: $32,325

Mercedes-Benz C 300 Sport: $34,360