Audi A4 and A5: Which Should You Buy, 2020 or 2021?

Most significant changes: Four-cylinder models (40 TFSI and 45 TFSI) gain a 12-volt mild-hybrid system and 13 additional horsepower;. A4 40 TFSI models gain standard Quattro all-wheel drive; A5 Sportback gains a 40 TFSI Quattro model

Price change: Up to $1,700 on A4 variants; $400 to $1,100 increase on A5 variants except Sportback TFSI 45 ($1,100 decrease)

On sale: Second half of 2020

Which should you buy, 2020 or 2021? For the A4 and S4, a 2021 is the better bet if 2020 prices remain the same at dealerships. The added standard features in the A5 and S5 also make the price increases seem modest and worthwhile, and there’s a new more affordable Sportback option.

Audi’s 2021 A4, A4 Allroad, S4, A5 and S5 gain some interesting powertrain updates, a new base model for the A5 Sportback and some reconfigured features depending on trim level.

Related: Audi A6: Which Should You Buy, 2020 or 2021?

Electrification

The most significant change to this family of vehicles is that the two available four-cylinder engines, which Audi labels as the 40 TFSI and the more-powerful 45 TFSI in its unhelpful shorthand, gain a 12-volt mild-hybrid system and a 13-hp increase in power. The A4 40 TFSI also gains standard Quattro all-wheel drive, which explains why it is the only one of the A4 sedans to experience any price increase, jumping up $1,700 in price to $40,095 (including $995 destination fee).

New Base Model

The A5 Sportback adds a new base model, driven by the less powerful 40 TFSI four-cylinder engine. It’s priced from $42,795, which is a decrease of $1,100 from the lowest-priced 2020 A5 Sportback (which was also powered by the more-powerful 45 TFSI four-cylinder).

New Features, Standard and Optional

New standard equipment across both model families includes wireless Apple CarPlay, lane departure warning and an integrated toll module. The optional Convenience Package now includes both a heated steering wheel and front and rear parking sensors. The mid-level Premium Plus trim level adds standard features including adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, a top-down camera view and a steering wheel capable of detecting whether the driver’s hands are on the wheel. Prestige trim level models of the A4, S4, and A5 and S5 Sportback models — those with four doors, essentially — gain standard heated rear seats.

New Exterior Look, Too

For 2021, A4 and A5 45 TFSI models in the Premium Plus and Prestige trim levels can now be equipped with an optional Black Optic appearance package that adds black exterior accents and, for the A4, either unique 18-inch wheels with all-season tires or 19-inch wheels with summer tires; A5 models get unique 19-inch wheels with summer tires as part of the package. Also new for 2021, A5 and S5 coupe models with this appearance package can wear an optional black roof.

More From Cars.com:

• 2020 Audi E-Tron Sportback Priced From $78,395
• How Do You Pronounce Audi Properly?
• 2021 Audi A3: Everything We Know Ahead of Small Sedan’s U.S. Arrival
• 2020 Audi Q7: Everything You Need to Know
• 2021 Audi RS 6 Avant Price and Specs: Go-Fast Grocery Getter Goes for $110K

Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.