I just recently purchased a 2006 A4 and now that more of the new honda civics are on the road my fuc*ing a4 looks just like the civics from the back. I hope audi redesign's the rear so I can trade mine in for a less honda civic looking model.

Yes except for in the middle of your trunk lid there are 4 rings instead of a lit up riced out honda badge ;)

and it was civic that stole audi's design, not the other way around.

Alot of cars look the same from the back now.... function follows form.

And Honda copied the design from the Nuvaroli. And no Audi is not going to change as all of their vehicles are using various design elements from the Nuvaroli on all their cars now.

There's one parked next to me at work, the backend still says Honda all over it because of the overall shape unlike the A4's that is smoothly shaped. Even the guys at work say the A4's backend is better than the Civic (and these are guys that aren't Audi enthusiasts and drives Hondas and domestic cars).

I, too, was disappointed to see Honda come out with a similar rear end. But when I looked at past Civic's, the lights are a more natural progression for them.

Look at the previous model Civic lights. The placement of brake lights, reverse, and blinker is exactly like the 2006 Civic.
<img src="http://fp.images.autos.msn.com/merismus/gallery/c450455a.jpg">

<img src="http://fp.images.autos.msn.com/merismus/evox/stills/gallery/524_44.jpg">

Similar layout with 2006
<img src="http://fp.images.autos.msn.com/merismus/evox/stills/gallery/3016_44.jpg">

Now look at Audi.
The B6 and B7 lights are not an evolution of design. They're completely different.
<img src="http://fp.images.autos.msn.com/merismus/evox/stills/gallery/1137_44.jpg">

<img src="http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/AudiA4/Images2005/Rear.jpg">

The placement of the lights, brake, reverse, and blinker, are not evolutionary and that's where the B7 falls in line with what Honda had been doing for years.

Overall, though, Audi does it better. The car still looks better than a civic. There's no comparison there.

Let's not even talk about the B5...

<img src="http://www.audiworld.com/news/00/geneva/a4_1.jpg">

<img src="http://images.autotrader.com/images/2006/3/3/197/886/130799900.197886225.IM1.03.565x421_A.562x421.jpg">

While we are talking about the new Civic, I think it's a nicely styled little car for the money. But getting back to their new tail lights, they are just too big and flamboyant to look decent. If you look at the thickness(height from top to bottom) of these lights and compare em to the thickness of the rear bumper, you'll notice the lights are thicker than the bumper itself.... a bad design. The bumper should take presidence, not the lights. Personally, I like the rear end of the current A8 the most. It's somewhat conservative like the original B5, which avoids the overstyling of so many recent vehicles. Plus you gotta love the LED's.

The b7 pictures drew me into the dealership ('05 january'. When they came in to the lot, i said "Ew, the rear looks like a civic. Do you have any of the B6s' in stock?"

So I got a B6 =] ...

Everybody's copying one another nowadays.

Let me geuss, you also said "What's this, more horsepower too..? That's it, I'm going with the B6.
Yeah, that sounds about right...

The dealership must have been really trying to get rid of their remaining B6's.

no, actually, i was the one who wanted the b6 over b7 after seeing it in person. I do agree the 2.0T is much better than the 1.8t but looks wise, i think the b6 a4 is better. Just my opinion.