2013 Audi A4

2013 Audi A4

2013 Audi A4

2013 Audi A4

2013 Audi A4

The 2013 A4 Allroad Quattro will arrive in mid-2012 at the same time as this revamped A4, and having driven the thing, we can now say that all the mid-cycle touches have been nicely presented. While we were already big fans of the eighth-gen A4, the model's reworked nose is handsome. Specifically, we note the more pronounced curvature to the hood, as well as a more planted stance. That's a bit of visual trickery, not a wider track – Audi stylists have emphasized the design's horizontal lines up front, and they've added new head- and fog-light fixtures, along with larger air intakes down low. It appears that Audi has deliberately "nastied up" the sensible A4 a little to better prepare it for the new RS4 range-topper we expect next year. (That is if the rumors of there being no RS4 this time around are just rumors.)

A4 2.0 TFSI sedan available for testing carried the standard six-speed manual and was gifted with Quattro all-wheel drive. The on-road behavior of this most popular North American A4 engine trim frankly hasn't changed a whole lot, but that's not a criticism. There is still 208 horsepower on tap and torque stands at an eminently usable 258 pound-feet between 1,500 and 4,200 rpm. Bear in mind that's for a car that weighs in at 3,550 pounds as tested (we're estimating it'll ring up at 3,640 pounds with the U.S.' optional eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox). That's a net weight loss of over 50 pounds if we are to believe 2011 and 2012 spec sheets from both sides of the pond placed side-by-side.

Leading the tally of changes is a revamped thermal management system that heats everything more quickly at start-up in order to avoid wasting energy, a modification that Audi says aids in increasing fuel efficiency by around 10 percent. Helping this newfound fuel saving along is reduced friction between the moving parts through re-engineering of various tolerances. All the same, the smoothness and efficiency that comes with it, along with the turbocharging and high-pressure direct injection, is translated into a slightly slicker powertrain. Having said that, the factory's 6.3-second acceleration number to 60 miles per hour remains, as does the A4's 130-mph limited top speed. EPA fuel economy figures for the pre-facelift 2012 A4 Quattro automatic came in at 21 miles per gallon in the city and 29 on the freeway using premium fuel, but revised figures for the 2013 model haven't been released yet.