Originally Posted by X5audi

What problems? I have the 4.2 in my S4, it's been absolutely trouble-free. Apparently, the 2.7T engine in my outgoing A6 was a well-documented lemon, but I never faced any reliability issues with that either. I have never heard of any problems with the V8, though.

I stand by my statement that the A5 would be a smarter choice. I also agree with whoever mentioned the X3. Those two should probably be your top choices; they're both quick, easy to drive, stylish, well-built and generally reliable.