My Audi S4 (B9) - The GOOD and the BAD ! [Incl. LAUNCH CONTROL !] 

I have owned a focus tdci for 8 years. Treaded my self to a b9. .... I bloody love everything about am so happy :)

Best looking S4 b9 I've seen. sold my black edition b8.5 S4 in misano red a few months back, but have started to get some love for the b9 since watching your video

Great review. It sums up my views of my RS4. Said I would never buy a car with an after thought central screen! The menu button I keep forgetting about. The LED Matrix headlights however are the single best option I have. They are absolutely incredible. Keep up the good work with the reviews👍

Excellent video as always - keep up the great work Sir!!

Hi Ped Great Part 2 to the S4. You have the knack of providing comments that I like to hear. Have to agree that central screen is a major design flaw. Surely lack of keyless entry improves security and is a price worth paying, I could live with the minor inconvenience. As an Audi fan great video.

What a stunning looking car, especially in that colour. Good choice Ped 👍👍👍

Great review Pete, beautifully edited. Agree with you on that screen, I'm really surprised you can't lower it into the dash. Enjoy what is a great car

Great episode (more than just a video) totally agree with the insane screen on the dash! Beautifully. Designed lines and the a giant coaster ‘stuck’ on it! Such a great car though so easy to forgive it! Keep it up :)

Great review! For the silly screen, I typically black it out with power button under the AC buttons when driving - gives it a smooth look, check it out.

Good honest review. I do have the keyless entry which as you have experienced, would miss if I didn’t! The matrix headlights are amazing and glad I spec’d on mine. Other cool touches that you didn’t mention are the LED ambient lighting which looks so cool at night and also the touch sensitive switches, another cool addition. I do have the pano sunroof and is a must for an Avant and lets that much needed light into the cabin. I like the grey seats in yours, I’ve got the magma red and probably the best option I chose, compliments the grey exterior and dark cabin especially with the carbon trim....yes I couldn’t stop myself with ticking the option boxes on this! 😊.....Enjoy the motor and a great 4.4 secs 0-60 👍🏻

Another brilliant video. Really enjoyed watching.

Great honest video. Congratulations on your success.

Great content again mate. Well done

Totally agree about the iPad and the ride height! If it were me though, I’d pine for an RS4! Great videos though. Look forward to the next

thank you for your honest review there are no perfect cars but your S4 comes pretty close amazing performance, traction, sound and it looks great.

The saying, ‘if she ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ in terms of suspension. If a fault developed, by all means consider the ‘coilies’, if not, still happy days. It’s as you say, a beautiful car. Big time.

I’ve been following you for some time Pete, but after the logo change. I found this when searching how to launch my own B9 S4, that I picked up just today.

Ohh no that fixed screen looks naff Pete! Those seats look beautiful 😍 That’s better with the 0-60 time mate.I have to do it that way too 😆

Great video, well put together. Picking mine up tomorrow 😁

Pt 2,again,great vid,horrible after thought screen slapped on the dash tho Keep them coming 👍

Hi Peter, really enjoying your reviews so far. I have a B9 S4 saloon in Manhattan Grey with red leather. I also had a B8.5 S4 in Sepang Blue. I agree with your comments, especially the "iPad" not sure why it doesn't fold down (when you can switch it off!!). I specc'd mine from new and included the Bang and Olufsen sound system, black optics pack but most importantly the sports diff. Compared to the B8.5 it's like night and day, no understeer just grip everywhere! I have also installed the DTUK tuning box, this totally transforms the car and if you get the chance, buy one. The fuel economy is excellent returning mid to high 30's on long runs and low 30's most of the time. Looking forward to more reviews, keep up the good work. Lee

Another very fair review Peter. I had my E Pace ceramic coated 2 weeks ago and boy what a difference. I can now wash the car without having to mop it , the muck just runs off. I was a little bit sceptical initially but now I will have every new car I buy done. I'm now looking at buying my girlfriend her own E Pace because she keeps driving it leaving me with her dreary BMW and having her birthday in March I can kill two birds . Keep up the good work Peter

Really enjoyed your vid ped and the launch control. Have had my s4 as you know for a year now and not done it but will be in the morning 😁. Your final comment re the option of lowered springs was interesting as that's exactly what I've done. Have fitted eibachs on OEM struts after discussing with my local dealer. Looks super cool after the 25mm drop so I highly recommend it.

I like your honesty about your video! But i must say that i totally disagree with everything you said about the negatives of the interior. I LOVE that the gear shifter is placed before the controller, because then your hand has a relaxingpoint when not using the controller. Further more i really like my screen in the middle and how it’s made, however i agree that it could have been nice if it could come up and close down with the close/turn on screen buttom. I love my Audi and they have done a magnificent impressive job in my opinion! :)

Brilliant vid, production first class

Great review and a good summary of the pros and compromises of the S4. My B9 S4 is my first Audi after a string of BMWs and I’m a convert. It’s a fantastic everyday driver and the best all rounder I’ve owned. Do I still pine for an M2? Yes. Will I regret switching back? Probably, but that demonstrates the trade off between a more dynamic drive vs a great all rounder.

Glad you are enjoying it great car and colour

Excellent video and what a totally stunning car. I love Audi's and their interiors are absolutely fantastic, however I agree that the dashboard screen looks ridiculous, it looks like an afterthought and that someone has just stuck it on there. It takes a bit of the shine off the amazing aesthetics of the dashboard. This doesn't detract from what is a very very lovely car. Well done.

I've got the S3 and absolutely love it, the buttons around the idrive look at bit better on the 3, imo. Also the adjustable suspension is a must anyone optioning a new car I would advise to get it, it just takes the harshness out of general driving and gives you the best of both! Get the comfort pack and tech pack and the suspension, tic those options first and see what budget you have left lol.

Congratulations on 30k subs

Totally agree with you Pete about the screen. But it seems to be the trend at the moment in interior design.

Just found your channel recently, really liking your videos! I’m looking into getting a 2012-2014 S4 avant similar to your previous one. I’m planning on keeping it a long time so wondered how many miles you ended up doing in it? And are there any issues to be aware of? Cheers!

I agree regarding ipad on the dash, looks like an afterthought. However, when it breaks in 5 years time maybe it will be easier and cheaper to replace ?

Nice review, see you have Pirelli p zeros fitted ,me too, I got my car S4 B9 new and 6800 miles later need 4 new tyres, £800 of tyres gone, works out at £1 for every 8.5 miles driven! The sticky up info panel pales in to insignificance!( I dont mind it at all!) You have to get your Audi connect sorted, the google maps, car tracking, ability to lock car remotely and check its status, like if alarm has been activated,amount of fuel/oil left, windows closed etc is invaluable. Went to a concert and couldn't remember if i locked my car and was able to lock my car 2 miles away! Haven't used launch control but now I have seen your video will give it a try. Great work, looking forward to the next post!.....good luck with them tyres, will be interested to see what mileage you get....

Same sort of opinions as mine I'll have to find you on Facebook to show you mine. I'm also gutted with the no keyless entry as my focus st has it. I'm sure theres a way we can add it. Cracking video

Spot on , good review, one question, no audi connect? Cheers mate Regards Rob

You don’t need to hold traction down. Holding down turns it off fully. You just need to press it once to enable the sport traction setting. Also need to make sure the steering wheel is straight, car in dynamic and gearbox in S.

very nice review!

After inspiration by you (and the BMW EGR recall that my 335d has been involved in) - I am test driving an S4 next week.

The Audi virtual cockpit is a thing of wonder:)

Great review, appreciate the honesty, I still need the RS4. I think your S4 has the same engine as my 2018 SQ5. It's a lot of fun but I miss the lower seat position. All the things you mentioned that you didn't like, I totally agree. Oh well, next car will be better again. Just wondering what Audi are planning for the new RS4 when ever that gets released.

Hey Peter, great videos and been waiting for this S4 update with the launch control in anticipation. Would love to hear your thoughts on the Mercedes C43 Estate. Looking at this and S4 Avant though your videos and more recently I'm swaying a little to the S4. While you maybe a little bias to the S4 have you ever done a comparative video. Keen to hear your thoughts! Many thanks!

Noice!!! And with the dropping budd, just needs a couple of wheel spacers aswell then 👌

I love the fact that you point out the pro’s and cons of your vehicles. That is an awesome attribute to hold.

For the matrix LED. I rarely find it active since I travel a lot in city with the road light. I find the bumper is quite low and the the front lip is quite low, I need to be extremely careful when I drive out the runway or going thru the bump. Other than that this car is good for daily.

Hi Pete just come across your video great information. Just a question regarding common issues on these did it ever cause any problems?

Great vid! I've been looking at these for a while and love the look of the B9 model. I've heard that the earlier cars (pre 2017) don't have a particulate filter and consequently sound a little better. Do you know if there's any truth in this? Many thanks and thank you for the vids!

I have a high spec version of this body, unfortunately only the 3 litre 6 cyl. diesel, and love it to bits and that's even the 'ipad'. By the way the driver door does - sometimes- seem to unlock with the key in my pocket but my biggest problem is the rear tailgate. If the key is in my pocket it very often activates it without me knowing. Perhaps I wear my trousers too tight for the buttons ;0) I'm glad you mentioned the Matrix headlights which are fantastic during the winter months and my wife enjoys head up display. It means she is more happy driving home after I have had a drink or two which has to be worth the extra. Some how she feels more comfortable having the speed straight in front of her. Keep up the good work Peter, a great view twice a week.

Great vid. I have to agree, the blue / black is simply stunning. The interior - I agree with the screen being a plonk-on but thats the way things are these days.I have the built in screen in my b8.5 and the only thing I haven’t worked out is how to turn it off permanently; it’s a nonsense. If someone can tell me I would be very pleased! If you’re lucky enough to be able to spec yourself - well it’s a double-edged sword. The original owner of mine parted with a smidge over £50k for the privilege of self-spec’ing - three years and 30k miles later; I paid just over half that so I can live with the omissions. Would I pay £50k for it new? Nah, if I had that to spend - I’d be looking at a £50k three-year old car instead and again, I’d live with the missing bits and bobs. Personally, a Ghost is mandatory if you have the auto key system, probably mandatory anyway these days. I also have a false key off eBay in case of a car-jacking. Yours is a stunning example even with the minor omissions; should be a lot of fun for many years to come.

nice camera / editing Pete

Honestly, I like the screen. I drove a 2021 audi s4, fully loaded, and it had a giant screen right there in the middle, at first I got in and of course looked at it and thought "well, that is kind of strange" but after driving for a few minutes I realized it didn't bother me, I actually liked it. And my passenger LOVED it, compared to the smaller wider screen in the BMW we also drove.

Car goals

Great video.

Yes Pete I agree that Monitor is pain sticking out the dash especially at night time , I drove the BMW 540i this morning , amazing car BUT Sticking out the dash what looks like a smart TV that's blinding you. So me i just turn it off with all the ambient lighting that adds to my distractions driving at night .

Very good video....👍👍 need abit of advice I am a recent audi S4 owner myself I am due new front disc and pads do you know of any good seller/ companies where I could buy from?

The gear lever and the MMI controls on my S3 are swapped, and it makes controlling things from the center arm rest very comfortable. I have a 2018 S4 on the way right now, and I was worried it would be kind of a pain. Unfortunately it seems like it's going to be annoying.

Hi, have you tried the AUTO HEAD LAMPS? I think instead of pulling the headlamp lever towards you push it back and then the AUTO HEADLAMPS come on, its so great, and so accurate, knowing when a car is coming, even round an approaching bend, or on dual carriage ways, when a car is approaching on the opposite side.. this is something I didn't work out until a year of ownership.. it does say 'auto' on the cockpit just above the blue headlamp light... thumbs up for another great review

You know my feelings already regarding the screen and how I agree with you. However, what I would say is once you live with the vehicle for enough time for the MMI control to become second nature you'll get to like the position. Being able to rest your wrist on the gear stick and flick around the system does work well. One last thing, it is possible to retrofit the keyless entry, the kit is about €549 from Kufatec but it does take about 5-6 hours to install!

Hi Pete. Great video. Standard👍. Interesting you think the gear stick and MMI wheel should be reversed. I have had my b9 for 18m and I think it works great as it is as it acts as a wrist rest as you select options. Be interested to know your mpg? When i first had it the mpg was not great. Now my short trips are 28mpg (10 miles to work) 12k and average is 28....I have had 40 mpg on a trip too. Dynamic mode not so much 😉

I’m 100% jealous... Audi does NOT sell the S4 or any other sport versions in the Avant trim in North American market... BOOOOOOOOO!!! Beautiful car mate! It’s almost like the B9 version of your B8.5. I love that!

Hey Petrol Ped, your first issue with the car with the key is actually not an issue, how do you know you have locked it when you walk away??? I love unlocking my car (6 series) as the wing mirrors pop out etc!! Audi and Merc both have the ipad looking thing, I still like the 8 series one!!! Still keep the great vids coming love them!!

Totally agree about the iPad stuck on the dash, same problem in my Mercedes GLC 😏 But apart from that, love your S4 👍

Hi Peter...another great video. Im pretty biased when you do anything about the S4 but who cares. Im in agreement with most of what you mentioned but...1 Memory Seats are a must (i dont have those) 2 Matrix Lights are fabulous (no i dont either) 3 You didnt mention the puddle lights which is just a nice touch 4 The option of the ambient Lighting which changes colour...However, to get a totally spec'd version would be the thick end of an extra £20k...would it drive much better...probably not. You have a great package there enjoy every mile down the road in it...

Totally agree with you on the display just being stuck onto the dashboard. And the New S Class Mercedes has basically 2 screens the same. Why is it that manufacturers are doing this and not integrating the screens. Its doing my head in

Very elegant car mr petrol ped. I currently live in brisbane but im coming home to England at somepoint. I would love for you to have a drive and review of my vtec mini if you would ever be interested!

lovely motor mate but i think the interior of the 8v a3 (2013 onwards) makes a lot more sense, the screen is a pop up one not fixed like this and the mmi/gear lever are swapped around. but mine doesn't have the virtual cockpit or the sweeping indicators :(

Most owners are turning the auto key entry off due to security issues.. as many have said..

Hi Peter, it’s a fabulous car mate just look at it absolutely stunning Audi do design cars very well. I’m still a bit jealous your have a V6 S4 and I have Ford Focus S Line 1.0L with a turbo can you see why I’m just a tab jealous. Great video Peter as always Take Care Mr Soppy 😂😂

I agree about not necessarily needing an expensive hifi in the car. I have an expensive analogue system and I listen to music for pleasure. In the car it's just background so no need to spend big bucks in car hifi and most consumers don't even use a high quality source like FLAC they use mp3s.

Firstly great video mate :) The S4 is definitely the best car Audi makes imho . Spot on about the info screen. It’s just daft ! My Golf GTI has a 9 inch optional touch screen integrated in to the Center console and looks so much better. Odd seeing as Audi is meant to be more premium! Love the sound of the V6 engine and they do cover ground at a ridiculous rate if there’s no traffic. No one would ever know by looking at the car though! Subtle but purposeful. Great Q car

That's a fun car , I usually go for boring silver or metallic grey .... but that blue is really nice looking. Looking out my window at 5 foot snow banks here in Colorado mountains , I am jealous of your grass and "no snow" surroundings. Everybody has been railing against that "stuck on dash" stupid screen design for years ....not just Audi, so many other manufacturers as well. Good news is they are all on the way out in coming years. chers

I agree with the screen. Shame this hasn’t got the new touch screen tech from the new Audi models which looks stunning and futuristic. Apart from that though the rest of the interior in this S4 is top notch.

Sup Ped I got almost same car as u do but with almost fully options on. I personally don’t think the remote unlock is an issue then. Here Australia we do have it as standard. Is it an option? For the central screen it looks a bit cheap for me in terms of the resolution which is bit low and it could be bigger. The nozzle on control pennel is habit thing. Thus It doesn’t have to be an negative thing but the armrest is a bit short tbh.

Know exactly what you are saying on the central console, the thing is it isn't just Audi guilty of this as the likes of Mercedes have got the same issue across multiple cars. It looks as if as an afterthought a tablet has just been glued to the dash. With the amount of cash that it is invested into design these days there is just no excuse so please someone tell me why these manufacturers think this is a good look. Have got to admit that I went car shopping with my father in law this weekend and even though we saw some lovely Mercs and Beemers we basically ruled out any of them with these naff glued on displays. Any ways loving your videos and also the Petrol Pups and look forward to the next 👍

I think the ignition key thing is good. The old system meant owners having to put keys in a faraday cage to stop the car being stolen in secounds.

Hi Pete. Don't waste your money getting it ceramic coated. Just make sure it's waxed every few months and keep it topped up with a detail spray every time you wash it. I personally use dodo juice purple haze wax, and the detail spray is koch chemie finish spray exterior. Had the resonator removed of my 2.0 tfsi a3 the other day.. and my god does she growl a bit now. My question to you is. Would you consider the exhaust loud enough on your car?

I have to agree that Audi are producing some of the best styling on the market. However, due to past experience with VW Toureg and Audi A3 TDI with emissions scandal I personally can't buy one again. Both were fantastic to drive but for me too many problems. I'm glad you love it and wish you many happy miles. I am driving a Mini S right now and am very curious where you go from your Mini.

Totally agree with you on the screen. Audi moved the screens to the top of the dash on the last gen cars to make it safer for nav systems so you don’t look down. For B9 cars they removed the option for retracting the screen, claiming customer feedback suggested the feature wasn’t used. However, that was pre virtual cockpit, which now makes the middle screen redundant. Annoyingly, even tho the B9 is still relatively new, the next gen interiors (A3,6,7,8 etc) have moved the screen BACK down to middle of the dash from the top because of VC option. Now the B9 is stuck in time. My Q5 is the same, beautiful interior but that screen! 🤦🏻‍♂️

I completely agree with you regarding the trend of sticking iPADS on the dash. It's not elegant. Even though you get used to it, it's like the car manufacturer got away a bit easy in the design process! BR SaabCars

Lovely car. Trying to work out the colour, is it a purple blue ?. I agree with you about the screen. It should either be integrated or have the ability to lower away out of sight.

All in all Peter there’s more + than - then. Have to agree with most of them too, it’s certainly a beautiful looker in that colour & ceramic coat will definitely protect the paint. Had my GP2 done & well worth the price. Perhaps Audi will take note of your “dislikes” & come up with some better ideas. Nice numbers with the launch control, 0 - 60 = 4.4 seconds 👍🏻. See you next time. Cheers Geof

i like your audi videos ;)

Gotta love an Audi

Enjoyed as ever. not my cup o tea Audi but very entertaining cheers

I tried the A4 an A6 and preferred the A6 interior and layout, so I bought the A6. A4 felt a bit cramped. Love the S4 because of the seats and engine/performance.

Great detailed video. That screen 📺 is rubbish. Car is mint though in general and I can’t wait to own one.

You’re so right about the infotainment screen. My folks looked at the new a4 wagon as were so pleased with their last one, as well as looking at an sq3. They hated the ghastly tacky iPad stuck on top of the dash. To the point they looked at the opposition. The merc is even worse. I went in one with digital dashboard and infotainment - it has 2 lips with an elongated iPad slid into it. Why?

As EVERYONE has said, but just to add one more voice - keyless is an option that’s being left unticked by anyone that likes to come out their door in the morning and see their car still on the drive :) We currently keep our golf R key in a small metal tea box in the kitchen. Absolute PITA.

I’m in love with my S4…I’m in love with pretty much any S4 I see lol…just a great car especially if you got a tune on your car it becomes even more incredible. One thing I will say tho is I agree about the infotainment screen…should be integrated into the dash like the other models it would look cleaner. Also I hate how the older ones are non touch screen and the new ones are only touch screen. Should be touchscreen but keep the little mousepad in case u don’t want to keep touching the screen.

I agree the I pad screen should have the option of hiding it when not driving . That puts me off . Did you get one of them tracker systems in it ? As it’s a high value car

“Dump my foot on the clutch” - eh?

Hi ped what’s your average mpg.

we have a 2015 A6 and that has the gear stick and the controls for the screen the way you wanted it to be, the gear stick at the top and the controls at the bottom. maybe Audi have gone backwards! its a shame it hasn't got keyless operation though. overall nice car you've got there.

Now you have had the car for a while how are you finding the auto box? I've had my B9 S4 for 18 months and I have to say the auto box really lets it down and in my opinion is the weak point of the car. Driving using the paddles is great with fast shifts but leave the box in D and it cannot decide what gear to be in and feels like its always trying to change down. Interestingly I've just got an Audi A5 4o tdi as a loan car with the 7 speed gear box and it behaves much better. When you press the accelerator it doesn't always want to kick down not sure if that's the box or the tDi engine but it just works better.

Nice car 🚙 Peter Can’t wait to her the mini update👍🏁🏁

I had the same chat about the infotainment screen with Audi, and they told me its some bollocks to do with dashboard alignment and placement, and if they integrated it they would have had to shit the dash etc etc etc

Im all about having the screen tacked onto the dash how they did it. Looks perfect to me, im just weird.

Standard kit on these is a bit odd. I have an S5 sportback and massage seats being standard but memory being a several hundred quid option is just plain odd. Otherwise the standard spec is great. I only added virtual cockpit, hold assist and the interior illumination pack. Enjoy the car!

As Giovanni says keyless entry is a headache - nice in use but a pain. You have to remember to keep the keys in a tin - the time you forget will be the time the car is gone. On the rs3 you can disable the keyless entry for one cycle only by holding the lock button and touching the handle - strange. A permanent change requires VCDS coding. The ESC should be in sport for a launch - one short press on mine. Audi cockpits are so heavily designed for left hand drive models it does throw up interior problems especially on the centre console - not easy to write on the pressure pad with the left hand for example (unless you are a leftie). I know you are not keen on the mods but it might be worth looking into the exhaust mod with PCW - if you like the noise then you are going to be 20% happier! The downside of Audi ownership however is the dealer service network - I will never take a car there again to be serviced by them. Just had my first service (9 months & 9,000 miles - fell a bit short of the Audi 18,000 mile interval!) and took it to a very reputable VAG Indie. No cheaper in this instance but far better quality - 0W-30 Helix Ultra rather than the 5W-40 stock oil Audi would pour into it for example.

You soooo right.