Used 2020 Audi S4 Premium Plus for sale 

Just as its more subdued sibling, the A4, the S4 is totally packed to the brim with the segment-leading features. It’s practical, lots of space on the inside, has a massive boot at the back and goes like a sports car. At a price of $50,200, the Audi S4 seems like a total bargain. 

What do we recommend?

Upgrade from premium to premium plus opens the door for some handy features like MMI digital display, charging pad and some safety features too like blind-spot monitoring system and the likes. The premium plus hits the sweet spot with cost, features, performance and thus is our pick of the lot. 

Under the hood, the S4 is powered by the same old 3.0L V6 powerhouse that gives a lot of character to the midsize sedan. It makes use of a twin-scroll turbocharger for heightened response and minimal lag. Furthermore, the turbo is nestled between the “V” for an immediate sense of power. It does help to keep the turbo lag to a bare minimum which makes the engine feel peppy and easy to drive in the city as well.

With this kind of performance, one expects an angry and soulful exhaust note but this is not the case with the S4. The engine is loud but feels a bit restricted when coupled with the stock exhaust system. A sporty setup might bring the best of the engine on the table. 

Mercedes AMG C43 overpowers its competitors with the most amount of punch available under the hood. The gearbox too seems to be more responsive and delivers quicker shifts when compared to Audi. 

What’s the transmission like?

The potent V6 motor under the hood of the Audi S4 is mated to an 8-speed conventional automatic gearbox and not the insanely quick-shifting dual-clutch gearbox found in the RS models. The torque convertor unit is one of the best traditional automatics in the business and delivers quick and seamless shifts. As it’s not a dual-clutch system, it’s better suited for the city traffic as it is not prone to overheating and usual clutch wear and tear. 

How fast is it?

Audi S4 might not be the most powerful performance sedan out there but that Quattro system assists the sedan to hook to the tarmac like its superglued to it and launches the car ahead without any drama. In just shy of four seconds, S4 hits the ton mark and the speedo keeps climbing until it reaches its electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.

The Quattro AWD systems prove to be the most efficient and better calibrated than other systems in the segment and this is reflected in the way the Audi S4 lunges and stays ahead of its competitors till the end even though the Mercedes is more powerful. 

What is it like on the road?

The 2020 Audi S4 has a dual personality out on the road. For the S model, the suspension is beefed up to minimize body roll. The suspension has an underlying firm edge to it and is sometimes felt on some of the rough patches on the street. That being said, putting the chassis in comfort mode helps the cause to some degree. The steering in true Audi fashion is precise but lacks feel. It’s accurate and fast and reacts to the slightest of the inputs which makes it easier to place the nose of the car precisely where you want it to. 

The Quattro system starts to fall apart in swooping corners and it introduces understeer which ruins the experience and restricts to put down power. To help maintain the line, the S4 gets an option of sporty differential which distributes the power according to the grip and maintains the grip at all times. 

What about the braking performance?

Brakes received a generous upgrade as well in order to handle all that excessive speed and power. Brakes are big and strong and give plenty of feedback and shrug speed in a jiffy. Under heavy braking, there is a limited amount of nose dive and the car maintains its composure and inspires confidence to the driver. 

The braking performance in this segment is usually quite similar in the segment. Be it in terms of dimensions or the way the cars slow down and the distance required for the car to slow down when the anchors are dropped. That being said, the Audi S4 performed pretty well and outclassed it’s the closest and biggest competitor, the Mercedes AMG C43.

The Audi S4 should return around 21 mpg in the city and the figure should bump up to 30 mpg on the highway. The real-world performance might differ. Fuel economy figures are not very impressive but considering the amount of firepower there is under the hood, 27 mpg seems to be a good number for a big six-cylinder engine. 

Audi cars are the epitome of luxury and premiumness. S4 follows the trend as well. The interiors on the S4 are covered in rich materials like perforated leather and Alcantara. Plastics are soft to touch and every panel feels solidly put together. A lot of attention to detail has been given design and the quality of materials used. 

Being a sports model the S4 gets the sporty S-line flat-bottom steering wheel lined with perforated leather. It feels nice to hold and has the right amount of thickness. 

As it is basically a souped-up A4, it’s high on seating comfort and practicality. That being said, in front, we have new sport seats with increased bolstering to hold the driver and its occupants in place when going hard around the bends. Seats are super supportive and comfy and are equipped with massage feature as well. 

All of the said sedans can carry up to 5 passengers at a time and are quite similarly sized and as well. That being said, the Mercedes on paper has the most amount of front headroom among its competitors. In the rear, the headroom seems to be ample on paper in the Mercedes but the way the roof is designed, the shoulder room gets affected and is only good for two passengers at a time and this is where Infiniti Q50 shines the brightest. 

How good is the infotainment system?

Audi S4 gets a 10.1-inch central infotainment display which comes standard with Apple Carplay and Android Auto. The display is crisp and the visibility is great too. The system is responsive to inputs and displays all the vital information which is easy to read as well. Along with the central screen, S4 comes equipped with Audi’s Virtual cockpit which is super configurable and makes drivers life easier. 

How much cargo can the Audi S4 carry?

The boot in the back of the Audi S4 is quite generous from sedan standards. Its big enough and can carry your weekend worth of luggage with ease and then some more. The seats fold down flat to increase the cargo carrying capacity but it’s still not as practical as a hatchback. 

On the inside, the designers have been generous enough to provide enough cubby spaces which uplifts the practicality even further. 

Audi S4 has a cavernous boot and not just on paper but it’s designed in such a way that the loading is easier and it’s opening is square-ish as well. On the other hand, the Mercedes AMG C43 has a similar size boot but it has an awkward design which makes loading cargo in and out a bit of a task. 

The Audi S4 might just be the ultimate sleeper. The design language of Audi is a bit understated and upgrades and changes on the S model over regular models are subtle. The front end gets a reworked bumper with big air intakes to feed in more air to the air intake and the radiators, which look aggressive. The side profile remains the same except for the sporty S line wheels and a lowered ride height which gives it a sporty stance.

At the rear, a subtle lip spoiler breaks the monotony coupled with beefy quad exhaust tips. 

Genesis G70 feels light on its feet and that’s down to its lower curb weight. Coupled with that, the Genesis is packing the longest wheelbase which translates to a roomier cabin. The Audi S4 tips the scale at almost 3900lbs and is even heavier than the Mercedes AMG C43. This excess weight helps the car to remain stable at high speeds.

Exterior Features

Some of the prominent exterior features of the Audi S4 are: 

• Rear lip spoiler
• Metal-look rear bumper insert
• Chrome tip exhaust
• Coloured w/chrome surround grille
• Heated door mirrors

The 2020 Audi S4 has not been crash-tested by the NHTSA. The sports saloon comes standard with a host of safety features which makes the S4 a safe and secure car. The build quality and the sheet metal used on the S4 seems strong and doesn’t flex that easily. 

• Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
• ABS And Driveline Traction Control
• Side Impact Beams
• Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Seat-Mounted Side Airbags
• Audi connect CARE Emergency SOS
• Parking System Plus Front And Rear Parking Sensors
• Audi Side Assist Blind Spot Sensor
• Audi pre sense basic and Audi pre sense rear
• Low Tire Pressure Warning
• Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Front Airbags
• SIDE GUARD Curtain 1st And 2nd Row Airbags
• Airbag Occupancy Sensor
• Driver And Passenger Knee Airbag
• Rear Child Safety Locks
• Outboard Front Lap And Shoulder Safety Belts
• Back-Up Camera

Audi S4 vs Mercedes Benz AMG C43 

The Mercedes AMG C43 is far from being a big, fat and hairy AMG muscle car but for this segment, it comes forward as quite a capable sports sedan. Under the hood, the AMG 3.0L twin-turbo V6 makes the most amount of power in the segment and feels refined as well.

The infotainment system works well but it is not the slick MBUX system. On the inside, it’s super comfy but loses out on the practicality and outright roominess to the Audi S4. 

Audi S4 vs Genesis G70

The Genesis G70 is not the most popular or an obvious buy in this segment. Brands like Genesis and Infiniti are overshadowed by their German rivals. The G70 is a strong contender and stands neck to neck with the Audi S4 in terms of performance as well as practicality and ease of living.

On the inside, the G70 feels upmarket and expensive. When on the move, the G70 covers the ground with confidence and has a sporty edge to it which makes it quite a fun car to drive and throw around the corners. 

Audi S4 vs Infiniti Q50 

The Infiniti Q50 has the least amount of grunt on paper and flat out, it does lag behind the Audi S4. The engine lacks the initial pull but the power delivery is nice and smooth. On the inside, the story remains the same. The plastics used and the overall fit and finish feel premium but the design is starting to show its age and lacks the flair when compared to the likes of Audi S4 and the Mercedes Benz AMG C43.

That being said, it’s cheaper by quite some margin which makes it quite a value for money sporty sedan. 

Audi S4 is an all-round package. It’s got a powerful engine under the hood powering all of the four wheels which makes the performance all the more usable. It’s the best car for someone who loves to fly under the radar and loves the luxury and occasional enthusiastic drives on the weekend. It is easy to live with, can be used for everyday shopping errands and feels at home out on a racetrack or a curvy canyon road.