USED Audi A4 Cabriolet (05 - 09)

Audi's convertibles have always possessed an understated elegance, and the A4 Cabriolet is no different. Conservative styling and good build quality make it a great used buy.

The A4 is one of the most refined convertibles available, with little wind-, road- or engine noise (with the roof up). There’s decent space in the front for passengers, and all but the very tallest should be comfortable in the back. The boot is small, however, at just 246-litres, and there’s a general shortage of storage space throughout the cabin.

There’s decent grip with both front- and four-wheel-drive models, and the steering is informative. The ride is on the firm side, though.

The 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol model produces 161bhp, but it's no more efficient than the 197bhp 2.0 TFSI engine. The more powerful engine gives the A4 a good turn of speed – taking it from 0-60mph in 8.1 seconds. The 252bhp 3.2 V6 comes in four-wheel-drive form as standard, while the 4.2 V8 S4 is incredibly fast, but extremely thirsty.

Diesel fans should choose the 138bhp 2.0 TDI, which copes well with the weight of the car. The 230bhp 3.0TDI is significantly faster, but also significantly more expensive to run.

All A4 Cabs get plenty of kit, including an electrically powered hood, climate control, foglights, alloys and a CD player. Sport trim comes with firmer suspension, upgraded alloys and a leather-trimmed steering wheel. The high-end S Line comes with 18-inch alloys, leather upholstery, extra body and cabin trim, plus an upgraded stereo.

The CVT automatic option is reasonable, but the six-speed manual gearbox is more satisfying to use – and will help get more miles to the gallon.

Avoid non-metallic paint colours, because they’re worth noticeably less on the used market, but try to find a car with the upgraded BOSE stereo system.

Keeping an A4 Cab on the road is not something that can be done on a tight budget. The two smaller petrol models have an official average of 34mpg, while the 3.2-litre falls to 29.4mpg and the 4.2-litre a meagre 20.5mpg. The diesels manage 44.1mpg and 35.8mpg.

CO2 emissions are high, with the petrol models ranging from 199g/km to 331g/km. The diesels emit 173g/km to 209g/km.

Servicing costs are only average for this type of car, but you could try an independent specialist once a car’s out of warranty to save some money.

As with the previous A4 Cabriolet it’s based on, this generation of car is generally reliable, but there are some things to be aware of.

The electrics and ventilation systems are the most vulnerable, so make sure all switches and controls work correctly, and that the climate control blows cold as well as hot air.

You need to make sure that the roof is in good condition, because repairs can prove costly. Make sure there are no tears in the fabric, and look for signs of water leaks with the roof up and down. Older fabric hoods will require cleaning and re-waterproofing to stay at their best.