Quote:
Originally Posted by Kafkaesque328
Friend of mine just leased a new A4 with prestige etc. He loves the car. He's a serial lease guy and has leased just about everything in the realm of these cars i.e. previous gen A4, a 328, lexus is350, etc. and he says the A4 is the best of the lot thus far. We are supposed to meet for lunch at some point and I can drive it but it hasn't happened yet. For me it comes down to 2 factors - exterior look and lease deals. I lease these cars and Audi leases don't come close to BMW, at least they didn't the last 2 cars I have leased, because I looked at Audis and the lease deals blow in comparison. I highly doubt the Audi drives that much better. What is funny is how all the car mags claim the new A4 is the best now but several reviews talk about numb steering and my friend says the steering in his Audi is numb as well. Isn't that supposedly the main gripe with the F30? The steering?
As for look, I think the new A4 is kind of plain. I have the M Sport trim with the LED headlights and I prefer the look of my car vs. the new A4. The interior, the Audi has it hands down. Doesn't take a 'car guy' to see that. Unless you get into a well optioned 5 series or an X5 or something, BMW 3 series interiors never touch Audi. This is why a $25k VW Golf will have a nicer interior than a 3 series - Audi family.
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Yeah, I test drive an A4 when the new ones just came out, and I thought the steering was crap below 35-40mph in any mode. Past that speed, and in sport mode (or whatever they call it), it firms up and feels somewhat lively, although not very playful. But in Bay Area traffic and some of the suburban roads I’m on, 25-35mph steering matters. And at those speeds it is loose, vague, and way too light, in any mode. Don’t know if they’ve made minor improvements, but right after I drove the A4, I went across town and tried out a base 330i, and the steering honestly felt better. Not any more feelsome, but appropriately weighty and precise.
As for the reviews, besides the whole journalist flavor of the month thing, at higher speeds, the steering and the chassis do work quite well together. It’s a different kind of car, though. The C and the 3 both feel tighter at all speeds to me.