Audi A4 (B9) review: the last of its name, and still a smart used buy in Bahrain
4/5motorssouq Editorial Team
Buy a well-documented, quattro-equipped 45 TFSI if you can find one, and a facelift (2019 on) car regardless of engine. The B9 A4 drives with more polish than most rivals from this era, the cabin has aged well, and because Audi has already moved the nameplate on to the A5, there is no newer A4 to chase the price down further. Budget for German-brand servicing costs and buy from a seller with full service history.
Pros
- Strong, flexible 2.0 TFSI engine in both states of tune
- Cabin quality and driving position age well
- Nameplate retirement means the price has already bottomed out
- Facelift (2019+) brought useful ride and tech updates
Cons
- Rear seat space is adequate rather than generous
- Timing chain/tensioner history needs checking on higher-mileage cars
- Quattro grades command a real price premium
- No newer A4 exists, so buyers cannot wait out further depreciation on this badge
Audi's decision to rename its combustion-engined compact executive sedan from A4 to A5 for the next generation closed the book on this badge, which makes the outgoing B9 an easier used purchase to reason about: what you see is what will exist. The 2.0 TFSI four, in either the 190 hp front-wheel-drive 40 TFSI or the quattro-equipped 45 TFSI, is a genuinely strong engine — flexible enough in daily driving that the extra power of the 45 rarely feels necessary outside of overtaking on the causeway.
What the facelift changed
The 2019 update brought a sharper front fascia, a bigger MMI touchscreen and, more usefully for Bahrain, revised suspension tuning that softened the ride slightly without losing the composed, planted feel the A4 built its reputation on. A facelifted car is worth paying a premium for over an early 2016-2018 example for this reason alone.
The cabin is where the B9 still beats most contemporaries: physical switchgear that has not been swallowed by a touchscreen, tight panel gaps, and a driving position that suits taller Gulf drivers better than a BMW 3 Series of the same era. Rear seat space is adequate rather than generous, which is the one genuine practicality complaint against it.
Buying used in Bahrain
Because Audi has already moved on to the A5 nameplate, there is no depreciation pressure from a newer A4 undercutting resale — the B9 has found its price floor and largely stayed there. Quattro cars hold value better than the front-wheel-drive 40 TFSI, and are the ones worth waiting for. Check the timing chain and tensioner service history on higher-mileage 2.0 TFSI examples; it is the one recurring mechanical issue worth a pre-purchase inspection specifically flagging.