Car reviews

When a BMW 3-Series seems too brash and a Mercedes C-Class a tad too expensive, buyers of used compact executive saloons turn to the 1995-01 generation Audi A4. Developed alongside the 1997-01 Volkswagen Passat, the A4 shares many of its virtues. Like Passat, there are saloon or estate bodies, a wide choice of petrol and diesel engines, and four-wheel-drive on top models. But unlike Passat, A4 is capable of taking on BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus thanks to its high status image.