Manual transmission is super sporty and fun compared to the automatic. No maintenence issues at all. Excellent in the snow. No issues getting up steep driveway all winter. MPGs in mid 20's around town and upper 20's to low 30's on highway.

There are not enough superlatives to accurately describe this car. Fit and finish are fantastic. It offers superior comfort (Im 65), handles like a champ, provides surprising power from its strong 2.0 turbo and provides over 30+ highway MPG! This is a very special automobile.

I liked the overall looks and the layout of the instrumentation. I liked the fact that the vehicle is all wheel drive. The vehicle had great power and felt very secure on the highway. Good greenhouse; no blind spots. Great!

Compact good car to drive in city! Very nimble and responsive handling, acceleration is impressive, especially in sport mode! Solid machine with great road feel. Quattro is the best AWD available in snow, rain and where-ever with low road noise, highest interior quality, with good fuel enonomy for a 3.2L. Absolutely a blast to drive and yields respect for having good taste in owning a well made, attractive sport car. Lastly, Audi service is one of the best and consumer friendliest I've expirienced!

In the summer of 2008, gas prices shot up to over $4.00/gallon for regular. When the transmission on the family's 1995 Audi A6 started to fail, my dad took this as an opportunity to decrease our family's gas bills by getting him out of our 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Hemi, and into something that gets better mileage. The man drives 20,000+ miles a year, so the car had to be comfortable. Our steep driveway as well our yearly and numerous trips to VT dictated that the car be 4WD. My dad was also looking to get back into a stick shift, no doubt steered by his enthusiast son. My dad had one brand in mind - BMW. BMW is a brand that signifies that you've arrived. Luxury, superb driving experience, and a good resale value make any BMW a good investment over time. My dad had also seen what a fantastic job my friend Gareth had done with his 2000 E39 BMW 528i that he started to consider a 3-series with xDrive AWD. Early searches led him to mostly 328xi models with automatics. The dealer then found an off-lease 2006 330xi with 8k miles and a 6-speed manual. I told my dad to wait on that deal. The BMW was bit too pricey at $34k, and Gareth and I had just been out cruising in Danbury when we stopped by the Audi dealer. I liked the improved B7 A4 styling (c. 2005) but was unaware that Audi had released the B7 Special Edition. It had a subtle-but-stylish body kit, sexy 17-inch wheels, just enough options to keep it from being a complete stripper, and best of all, the 2.0 liter turbocharged and direct-injected 4-cylinder. I told him he had to go check it out. The car pictured here is black on black and had no additional options other than the Special Edition Pkg, which came with 1-year free Sirius satellite radio, heated leather seats, 6-speed manual, 17-in Pirelli P6 all-seasons, and a sunroof. What made the deal sweeter was that the dealer wanted just over $30,000 for the whole thing. And my mom, who balked at the purchase of a "badge car," loved her old Audi and preferred the new Audi to the BMW. That just about sealed the deal. So (finally), what is it like to drive. Well, I never got to test drive the 330xi, as I was out of town that weekend, but my friends 528i is a slightly more engaging drive, despite being automatic. But the Audi is no slouch. It is very light on its feet, coupled with light clutch and shifter actions, and sharp steering. It also has a better ride, fuel economy (30+ mpg on the highway!) and the bad-weather traction of quattro AWD. The black interior accented with aluminum has a very austere German feel, much different than the warm beige w/ wood in the 1998 A4, but works very well I think. And with 9800 miles logged from June '08 - December '08, it has yet to put a foot wrong and my father has nary a complaint - only that my mom has abandoned her Mini Cooper S for the A4 as her winter vehicle of choice! Overall, it is a very competent car with enough space for 4 adults to travel in comfort. Audi's confident style, excellent build quality, and smooth dynamics make this car a perfect fit in the family.