Review
Deciding between the G3 and Japanese brands for a respectable sedan has been pretty tough. Infiniti is long gone from the mainstream luxury market. BMW's new 3 series, although now VES neutral, remains at the same price point. Mercedes Benz C180 is still of South African make. Effectively leaving the German A4 to take on the Japanese IS300.

The IS300 was clearly a winner. New design, honed at Shimoyama (the Japanese Nurburghring so to say), an output about 50hp higher than the A4 advanced, rear-wheel drive, Apple Carplay - overall a very solid proposition.

What I liked about the A4 was that it doesn't scream luxury - nor even attempts to be luxurious. It simply focused on engineering, technology and being well put together. Great fit, finish and was a lot more spacious than expected. The online configurator also provided plenty more options to consider vs C180. Luxury to Audi, it seems, is about having the freedom to choose.

Quietness on the A4 was top notch - even a tad better than the C180, which i expected to top the segment. Combined with the optional 3D 19sp Bang & Olufsen audio, it felt way more opulent than the standard 10 speaker systems in the other makes. Sadly, nobody really reviews how good the audio is - and I must say, this is probably the best in segment.

Surprisingly, the A4 felt a lot more punchier and faster than the more powerful RWD IS300. Something was v.Wrong here, unless Lexus had purposely made it relaxed for luxury reasons - turns out the 0-100 figures were almost the same.

The final verdict came not from under the hood or the interiors, but the boot. The A4 was decent enough to come with an electric tailgate while the IS300 screamed "Get a Camry". I could forgive the lack of electric tailgate if only the IS300 was less well behaved and punchier. Otherwise, a Camry Hybrid has all the Japanese luxury you'll ever need.

Does the A4 handle better than the evergreen 318i? Maybe not. Is it more comfy than the C180 - most definitely.

Overall, the cheaper starting price on the A4 also meant I could opt for higher specs and be comparable to an entry 318i. Otherwise, 318i vs A4 advanced - Tough choice indeed.

What I like
Truly Made in Germany - Quality Fit & Finish
Ambient Lighting
The whole Audi cockpit experience - Audi Connect, digital display, maps
Electric Tailgate (it is 2021)
B&O 19 Speaker 3D Sound

What I do not like
Could have had a cheaper quattro variant
FWD