As the SUV market continues unabated the once-popular sedan has found itself on the back foot. However, to paraphrase the words of the legendary rap group Cypress Hill, they ain’t going out like that.

Rather than bow to the current sales kings, the humble four-door car has been doubling its efforts to appeal to buyers.

Cue the Audi A4: Once a staple of the executive sedan segment, it has had to play second fiddle to its stablemate, the Q5. For 2023 the A4 35 TFSI has come out with its gloves off, fighting back the SUV wave with the promise to deliver everything it can, just as well, and in some cases better than a sport utility vehicle.

That promise begins with appearance. A sedan these days is enough to stand out in the average parking lot.

The A4 doesn’t need much to impart its own visual impact on passers-by. From its inception it’s been a handsome saloon and the latest A4 shows renewed elegance with classic tight lines and Audi’s latest exterior lighting technologies.

Approach the car and one is greeted with animated LED lights, with lit door handles and door sills for that welcoming premium feel. Doors open with that reassuring Germanic weight and close with a confident thud.

From any of the front seats, ergonomics remain future flawless and material quality is high. The classy styling on the exterior is copied into the interior for further statement of intent — luxury. Soft touch materials grace key contact points as the physical switchgear operates in a gentlemanly manner. For example, why flip some noisy switch when you can gently tap the roof light to set in motion, as it gradually grows brighter, illuminating the cabin.

Why even bother touching anything when most major automotive controls can be set to automatic function while a major concerto flows effortlessly from the speakers from the wonderful sound system.

For those wanting space and practicality, the A4 holds four full-sized adults and their accompanying cargo with ease and in the promised luxury. The cabin has more than enough storage solutions and the trunk is a figurative black hole. And while it doesn’t have the perceived commanding high driving position SUV buyers flock to, the A4’s comfortable power-operated front seats have no problem fitting a wide variety of seating options.

And this is where the sedan veers off from modern demands. On a purely subjective level the A4 is able to meet the needs of SUV aficionados. It’s just as comfortable, luxurious, spacious, and practical as any of its lifted rivals. Those individuals would point out the lack of ride height and front-wheel drive layout of the A4 as demerits. Not so. Those two elements differentiate its driving experience and, in some cases, elevate it.

The A4 drives as smooth as any sport utility vehicle, its natural ride height offering a more dynamic ride for those willing to take its reins. It can do the school run, shuttle business partners across the island, and yet excite when called for.

The compliant suspension never disrupts the chassis at any speed, and the front-wheels allow corner carving to the degree that drivers may wonder if all-wheel drive Quattro has been fitted.

The engine and transmission work in utmost harmony no matter what mode the A4 is in, containing the ability to disappear into the background, yet make itself known during bursts of spirited pace.