2008 Audi RS 4 - Quality Review

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Aside from some minor quibbles regarding backseat space, the 2008 Audi RS4 swaddles its occupants with comfort and high-quality materials definitely befitting the four-ring badge on the grille.

Both versions of the 2008 Audi RS4 have seatbelts for five, but Cars.com remarks that even the sedan, with its four doors, isn’t “ideal for carrying four or five adults in comfort.” They say that “while it’d be possible to do in a pinch, the backseat is rather small overall and there’s not a lot of legroom.” It's a common complaint in reviews read by TheCarConnection.com, and Edmunds adds that “although the rear seat is fine for small children, adults seated back there will likely complain about a shortage of legroom.” Up front is a different story, however, and ForbesAutos loves that “the seats hold you tightly in corners, but not with a death grip that doesn’t let go.” MyRide.com reviewers also mention the “well-bolstered sport seats,” although Cars.com criticizes the Audi RS4 because “lower back support is only decent, and that’s after adjusting the four-way lumbar support.”

The Audi 2008 RS4 isn’t designed to offer the greatest cargo capacity, but reviews read by TheCarConnection.com appreciate the little touches that Audi’s engineers have bestowed on the Audi RS4. Inside the 2008 Audi RS4, Mother Proof is disappointed to find “there’s very little storage up front for the essentials, and clearly the vanity mirror was not exactly a priority” for Audi’s designers. Cars.com, however, is impressed that the 2008 Audi RS4’s “trunk measures 13.4 cubic feet, and a 60/40-split folding rear seat is standard,” and they say “other automakers ditch this practical feature when engineering high-performance models, so it’s nice to see Audi retain it from the A4.” While trunk space is respectable on the sedan, the Audi RS4 Cabriolet’s is understandably more limited when the top is folded into the trunk.

If there’s one thing that Audi and its high-end German competitors are known for, it's near-infallible build and materials quality. The Audi 2008 RS4 extends Audi's tradition of top-notch interiors, thanks to materials ForbesAutos considers “as polished as James Bond and exquisitely crafted.” Edmunds reviewers agree and praise the “superb materials” and “excellent fit and finish,” while Cars.com raves about the “real aluminum and carbon fiber trim” that pervades the interior of the 2008 Audi RS4. Even the fabric top on the 2008 Audi RS4 Cabriolet features a “triple-layer” design that MyRide.com says is “designed to limit noise intrusion.”

Speaking of noise intrusion, overall the Audi RS4 lineup does an impressive job of limiting outside sounds. For the most part, all you’ll hear inside the 2008 Audi RS4 is the exhaust note, which “gets even louder” if you “push the ‘S’ button on the dashboard,” according to Popular Mechanics.