Pretty soon, winter 2021 will be here. Because of that, I thought now was a great time to bring the 2018 Audi S4 to your attention. It’s a fantastically fast AWD luxury sedan that’ll be nothing short of perfect for the upcoming winter months. Plus, with a sub-$50,000 price point for used models, it’s a sports sedan bargain. As long as it’s reliable.

Is the 2018 Audi S4 reliable?

Obviously, your biggest question regarding used German cars should concern reliability. However, it’s not like they break right and left. Rather, german cars (luxury sedans in particular) get a bad rap because when they do break, it’s often pretty expensive to get them back on the road. Thankfully, all you need to do is be diligent about the maintenance.

Of course, the 2018 Audi S4 is new enough that as long as you’ve got some decent maintenance history, things won’t be too difficult for you. Frankly, your biggest upfront cost here is going to be buying some winter tires ahead of winter 2021. AWD aside, you’ll definitely need them if you live in a snowy climate. It’s not an SUV, and that means no low-range to get you and those crappy all-seasons out of a snowbank.

Just how good is the Audi S4?

But how does the 2018 Audi S4 drive? Well, Edmunds liked the German luxury sedan plenty, as evidenced by the video above. Frankly, my biggest issue with the S4 is twofold. First, 2017 models and up no longer get a manual transmission. However, Audi has just about perfected their dual-clutch unit. Second, the S4 is definitely more luxury car than sports sedan. You’ll have to step up to the Audi RS4 if you want more.

That said, 354 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque make more than enough grunt to get the 2018 Audi S4 moving. While competitors like the BMW M3 offer a more “pure” RWD experience, you can’t beat the sure-footedness of Quattro AWD, especially come winter. In many ways, the Audi S4 is the thinking man’s sports car, and it has been for the better part of 20 years.

The S4 is the perfect luxury sedan for winter 2021

In conclusion, the 2018 Audi S4 is a bargain. Of course, I say bargain with some perspective. $45,000-$50,000 is a lot of money to spend, and not everyone can swing it. However, at that price point, you’ll struggle to find a better luxury sedan. We’re talking Toyota Supra money here, after all. It’ll get you through winter with no problems, and as long as you stay up on maintenance, this will be a car you can own and drive for years to come.