Driving the A4 to Washington DC the other day decided to go through PA, a little longer of a route but it is a fun drive. Gaslight comes on I pull into a gas station open the door and all hell breaks loose it is about 20 degrees outside felt like I was walking into a meat locker! What does this have to do with a cup holder? I decide to get a cup of tea for the duration of the trip walk into the store pay for the gas grab a cup of hot tea. Get to the pump starting pumping gas put the tea on the gas pump the lid flies away so I am running around the gas station like an IDIOT chasing the lid. Ultimately have to go back in and grab another lid FINE. I get back into the car to begin my drive and realize this is my only car that doesn’t have a cup holder WELL THAT’S JUST DANDY! Fast forward about 10 min. I am driving, shifting and drinking tea all at once I loose another lid the tea goes flying onto my pants. “Awesome” I think I pull over to wipe down the seat I open the door and discover a cheap way to cryogenically freeze my pelvis. I remember having BMWs and a couple MBs when I was a kid but the cup holder or the lack of wasn't such a intrigue part of the driving experience.

So two questions….

1) Do we all agree the inventor of the cup holder should win the noble peace prize?

2) What is the best aftermarket cup holder, and how aesthetically pleasing is it?

 

I remember reading about a cupholder for an older passat working, it attaches somewhere to the side of the transmission tunnel by the passenger footwell. That's probably the only non-OEM option.

There's cupholders under the centre console storage thing, but they're useless for anything bigger than a pop can or small tea/coffee.

 

I know those "cup holders" to the left of the e-brake are stupid they are good for shot glasses wait a min. I think I got an idea:-)

 

You have a B5 and you don't have the 2 tiny BS cupholders under your middle armrest?

 

Pre-facelift B5 A4 has only two cheesy "cupholders" next to the E-brake. Facelift has the two decent cupholders under the armrest and many also have the pop-out cupholder from the dash.

OP: is your A4 a 96-99 model? If so, you should be able to use this:
Audi B5 A4 Quattro 1.8T Interior Center Console Cup Holder - 8D0862533E6DP - Dual Cup Holder - Onyx - ES#431147
It fits in the rectangular space under the armrest.

 

Even the facelift ones suck IMO, I've resorted to shoving drinks into the door pocket or between the seat and door depending on size.

 

They are still better than the pre-facelift "cupholders". I actually like the facelift in-dash cupholder but don't regularly have drinks with me in the car... when I do they have proper lids anyways.

 

I mostly drive alone so I didnt bother swaping out anything. I just went to target and got a seat organizer. It just sits on my passenger seat and it doesnt move at all.
http://m.target.com/p/seat-organizers-rubbermaid/-/A-15023620

 

That sucks. i have the 2 under the armrest, but my "daily cup" doesn't fit in them, so I just pop the cup holders/assembly out and put my (larger) cup in there and replace the stock holders as necessary.

I think the two bottom cup holders were made for small cappuccinos and Red Bulls only - and the "above the entire electronics area" cup holder was made strictly as an engineering inside joke.

 

Are the pop-out ones in the dash as poor as the shotglassholders in centre console? I've been thinking to install one in dash. I only have 4 working buttons, leaving 4 that I can remove and throw in a pop-out cupholder. But only if it's worth it.