Audi A3: Anything But Your Typical Wagon

Audi delayed releasing the A3, which they to this day avoid describing as a wagon, for 10 years here in the US afraid of disdain for hatchback wagons in the States. It debuted in 2006. And for once the marketing of a vehicle stays true to the reality that the Audi A3 "is the first four-door car with the sportiness of the TT Coupe".

It's reasonably priced too starting at $26K. And for the money, you get a refined interior and with sporty suspension and great maneuverability. And in reality, the design is low-slung and camouflages any bulky wagon qualities you might expect. The bonus is you get the practicality of wagon, although it's a bit small in back, without any concessions that would dull the A3's slick performance. Be wary of option packages that can drive the reasonable starting price up though.

It's hard finding competitors that deliver this caliber of luxury and performance without costing more. One option is the Volkswagen Passat Wagon which also has more cargo space. It's a touch less luxurious though. Another alternative is the Subaru Outback Sport which has leather seats and AWD.

The Audi TT Returns Sleeker, But Not Yet Sensational

After a year off, the Audi TT coupe and roadster are back with an all-new design. Updates include more room, a new 4-cylinder engine and a new exterior design that wisely keeps the strong attributes of the older design in the mix. While its handling, performance, space and looks have improved, the BuyingAdvice Team thinks the re-designed Audi TT still has some other changes to make before it surpasses some lower-priced competitors.

The Audi TT's main selling point is style. With this newest generation, driving performance has certainly progressed. But there are more powerful, sportier options out there. All the safety options you could want come standard, but many comfort-oriented options will cost you extra. Also in spite of the impressive-looking interior design, there are certain practical drawbacks inside. For example, the ipod input jack is hard to reach, the navigation system is CD-driven, so you can't use the system and play a CD at the same time, and there aren't built in cup or coin holders. Those sorts of oversights make the $34K starting price a little less justified.

Some more powerful and lower-priced competitors worth looking at would be the Infiniti G35 Coupe and the BMW 3 Series 328i Coupe.

Top-rated Values for 2007

A recent article identified a short list of vehicles that offer the most value this year. By evaluating multiple sources and results such as value ratings, customer service satisfaction, reliability history, depreciation rates and consumer perception of brands, Forbes has arrived at a list of the "Most Value-Packed Cars".

Because a lot of higher-end models with customized services made the list, the BuyingAdvice Team suspects that customer ratings on the sales experience may have been given too much weight when determining some of this year's best values. But, the list has a lot of useful information for the value-inclined. Here are some of the highlights:

Mini Cooper	Pros: Strong reliability, personalized sales approach, 6 yrs of value awards
Acura TSX	Pros: Near-Luxury sedan for about $29K, reliability, high resale value
Lincoln MKX	Pros: Brand new model, top safety pick, versatile crossover, exceptional sales process
Lexus IS	Pros: A sports sedan with nice features and price, outstanding reliability
Saturn Aura	Pros: No haggle experience, attractive ride, strong ongoing service
BMW 3-Series Coupe	Pros: Low depreciation rate, practical qualities plus a notable ride, low price for BMW
Honda Civic	Pros: Reliable, safe and fuel efficient, high resale value
Audi A3	Pros: Lowest priced Audi, versatile hatchback, efficient fuel use for the power

It's worth noting that BMW, Lexus and Honda had the most number of models that made the highest value list. To read the full article and rankings, go to Forbes.

The Audi A4 - Compact Luxury

The Audi A4 gives us many reasons to admire it. Top of the line German construction, luxury interior appointments and an abundance of safety features all add up to a solid entry-level luxury car. The BuyingAdvice Team gives the 2008 Audi A4 a hearty thumbs up.

We especially like the options available – convertible, sedan or wagon – the A4 has them all. The A4 is Audi's best selling model, and for good reason. It's well equipped with comfort, safety and convenience features and is available with a supercharged 2.0 liter, 4 cylinder engine as well as with a 3.0 liter, 6 cylinder engine.

As far compact luxury cars go, we feel the Audi A4 is a good buy. Why not test drive one yourself or check out the average sale price in your town.

The Audi A4 Quattro - Driving An All-Weather Wonder

Driving the 2007 Audi A4 2.0T Quattro is the most fun you can have with your clothes on. Everything about our Audi of Albuquerque A4 2.0T Quattro test car exuded quality, high euro style and first rate engineering. The Turbo charged engine provided smooth power and the car begged to be flung into corners. Even though it was 95 outside during our test run, I was hoping to hit an icy patch at speed so I could slam on the brakes to experience Audi's famed Quattro AWD system in action. Quattro's are legendary for racing by SUVs in the snow and being almost impossible to spin out on ice. This does not mean that the A4 is an impractical hot rod. Indeed, the A4 with the 2.0 turbo should be considered a "green" car; owners in internet blogs claim to get 30 mpg and better on the road. It's also quite practical with the 60/40 fold down back seat. And front seat riders will enjoy being enclosed in an ergonomic cabin with dual zone climate control and first class audio system.

The 2007 Audi A4 is available as a four door sedan, a two door convertible and a five door wagon. We drove the 2.0T Quattro sedan with a 2.0 liter turbo engine. The base price of the well equipped A4 is $31,540. Options and upgrades can push the MSRP well beyond $35,000. This time of year with the 2007 model year on its last legs availability is scarce, yet buyers are still paying below the MSRP in some areas. The 2008 model is expected to basically be the same as the 2007; however, a major redesign is rumored for 2009.

Other comparable cars to consider are the 2007 Volkswagen Passat which is available with the same 2.0 turbo and is roomier; the smaller  Volkswagen Jetta is also available with the 2.0 turbo, minus the AWD, for less money.  Also check out the AWD Volvo S40, the Ford Fusion (AWD. If you have deep pockets look at AWD models from BMW, Lexus, and the all new 2008 AWD Mercedes C Class. But if you want to spend well below $40K, love to drive in all four seasons and want a car that will keep a smile on your face on a cruise to the Coast in July, or a run up to Taos in January, the Audi A4 Quattro is worth taking for a test drive. I envy you when you do.

Diesels Are Reappearing in the U.S.

In this age of high-priced gasoline, diesel engine cars are looking pretty good.  That is why automakers such as Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagon and Jeep have all included them in their line-ups.  Not only do the diesel engines get better gas mileage, the diesel gasoline costs less too.

These diesels are not the same ones you remember, loud, foul-smelling and polluting the air, the new diesel engines are designed to not only meet strict federal clean air requirements but also to be as quiet and odor-free as gasoline engines, increase fuel economy by 25 to 40 percent and provide enough torque to please even the fussiest American drivers.

In 2010, GM is planning diesel passenger cars for their Cadillac and Saturn line-ups.  GM will be joining diesel front-runners such as DaimlerChrysler AG, Volkswagen AG, as well as diesel creator, Mercedes-Benz.  Audi is also in the game with the world's first twelve-cylinder diesel engine which gains the title of being the most powerful diesel engine for a production series.  This engine, which sprints from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds, is available on the 2007 Audi Q7 V12 TDi.  If gas mileage is important to you, consider going diesel!

NHTSA Makes Stability Control Mandatory

Electronic Stability Control, know these words…you'll be hearing them a lot in the coming years. Recently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced it is requiring all future passenger vehicles to have standard electronic stability control by 2012. Although not a new feature, electronic stability control has been around since the nineties, it has been credited by the NHTSA for saving many, many lives. Several automakers have already made stability control standard on all their cars or are moving up their plans to do so.

Buyers of luxury Mercedes-Benz vehicles have been experiencing electronic stability control since 1995, when the German automaker started installing it on some of their vehicles, making it standard on all models by 1999. In addition, BMW, Cadillac and Audi are also good examples of automakers that added stability control early as a standard feature. Other manufacturers offer electronic stability control as vehicle options. In four short years, the 2012 models will debut with this important feature standard. You may want to make sure you have it now on your new car or truck.

Arriving Late, Can Audi Break into the SUV Market?

When most auto makers are backing away from the full-size SUV market, Audi is just breaking into it with an elegant, full-size crossover that can accommodate up to seven.  Up until now, Audi was a car company.  This market, is one Audi has never attempted before, however, it plans to make a splashy entrance with a 4.2-L, 350-hp V8 engine and Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system.  Safety features such as head protection curtain air bags that extend to protect all three rows, Electronic Stability Program with roll-over detection and a brake-wipe feature that automatically removes water from brake discs come standard.  The Q7 earned perfect five-star NHTSA ratings in government crash tests and is available with a V6 engine that provides competitive fuel economy to others in its class, such as the BMW X3 and the Acura MDX.

Although sluggish SUV sales don't bode well for the late-arriving Q7, Audi has taken the saying, "arrive late, dress well" to heart.  The Audi Q7 has an understated elegance both inside and out.  Audi is currently offering a 36-month lease special on the 2007 Q7 3.6 Premium of $549 per month with a down payment of $2999.99.  Check out our new car reviews to learn more about the Audi Q7.

Saab Adds $3,000 Bonus to 9-3 Sedan

In a bid to lure buyers away from its Japanese and German rivals, the Saab 9-3 sports sedan now comes with a $3,000 cash rebate this month. A little more conservative in looks than rivals from BMW, Audi and Acura, the 9-3 has never held the cache of its rivals, but this offer now increases its ability to deliver similar performance at a much lower price. Before you spend thousands more on that new BMW or Audi, we suggest you check out the 9-3.

2008 Audi TT Pricing Revealed

After taking a break for the 2007 model year, the redesigned Audi TT is set to make a comeback for 2008 as both a coupe and a roadster.

The coupe will start at $35,520, only about 2 percent more than its 2006 price of $34,710.  The roadster will start at $37,520.

Expect the coupe to hit dealerships in April, with the roadster to debut the following month.

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