Front seats adjust to accommodate people in the six-foot, five-inch range. The seats are comfortable and supportive in nearly all circumstances. Yet a sedan this good should have buckets with more side bolstering to keep occupants firmly in the center. A thick, grippy, leather-covered steering wheel and shift lever are standard, with a choice of fabric or leatherette (vinyl) upholstery. The driver's view is nearly unobstructed in every direction. The small, sculpted side mirrors are stylish and aerodynamic, but from the driver's seat they offer a limited viewing range. We would sacrifice the look for wider coverage.

Switches could be larger, yet those most frequently adjusted, including stereo volume, are large enough. After a bit of familiarization, everything in the A4 is easy to find with minimal distraction, and nearly all temperature, ventilation and stereo adjustments can be completed with buttons on the steering wheel hub. Audi's red and white gauge lighting, its warning lights and LEDs, are among the sharpest, most readable going. Its radial sunroof switch is the best; turn it a quarter, half or full turn and the roof opens a corresponding distance. Flow-control switches on each dash vent are illuminated. Wipers make a final sweep several seconds after the washer button is released, cleaning droplets blown back up the windshield. We love the lock buttons with the little red LED to signal when the doors are locked. Power central locking is executed well, with a central switch to lock all doors. Dealers can program the doors to lock automatically at 8 mph. Turn the key in the driver's door and hold it there and you can raise or lower all windows and sunroof at once. The remote fob is designed to operate at up to 150 feet away.

Rear passengers should find adequate legroom, as the A4's design makes great use of the floor space. There's room in back for three, with three-point harnesses at all positions, but average-size adults will feel much more comfortable with only two.

Trunk space in the A4 sedan is among the largest in the class (13.4 cubic feet, compared to just 10.7 in the BMW 3 Series and 12.2 in the Mercedes C-Class). Moreover, the lid swings high and back for easy access. Four tie-down hooks in the carpeted floor and a removable grocery net are designed to keep things in place. The Cold Weather Package includes a nylon ski sack that allows snow skis to slide through the trunk and into the cabin without leaving a damp mess.

Avant holds twice as much cargo as the sedan with the seats in place (27.8 cu. ft.), providing a nice, flat cargo area. It comes with a retractable luggage cover and a partition net. Fold down the rear seats The rear seats fold to reveal 60.6 cu. ft. of cargo capacity.

Cabriolet offers just 10.2 cu. ft. of cargo space. It does, however, come with a padded convertible top that's triple-layered and features a heated glass rear window with electric defrost. Audi says its engineers used a special process to seal the top's three layers for precise fit and finish. Horizontal crossbars keep the top stiff to preventing ballooning at speed and there's a distinct absense of tent ridges. Press a button and the fully automatic top drops in just 24 seconds, and a cover closes over it for a flush fit.