Yup,
Virtually all Audi's from B5 to current use an iteration of the 4-link front suspension. Mind you, materials, dimensions ect. have changed, but the idea is the same.
The B5's "suspension problems" as you put it are not really a problem. You can get a full arm kit for $250. The problem is when you have 1 arm that is worse than the rest and someone decides " ill just replace that one arm". Not realizing the labor for 1 arm is 90% of the labor for all the arms.
The passat 1.8t was one of the worst offenders with oil sludge problems, along with the A4 1.8T. The longitudinally mounted 1.8t's sludge issues were a LOT worse than the transverse ones. The issue again, itself is 99.9% lack of human intervention. Audi spec 10K oil changes which for some, meant 15K oil changes on a turbo motor with dino oil.
If you can find a 1.8T that has had oil change every 3-5K miles, even with dino oil, it will have no sludge issues.