1994-2002 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Disclaimer: I own a 2003 A4 3.0 Quattro, having cross-shopped the 9-3, the 330i, the x-type and the c-class. I test drove all of the above several times before deciding. (had the 9-3 been available in arc, it would have competed better)
just to point out, one should compare a A4 CVT to the 9-3, not the quattro version... any 2wd car will be "lighter on its feet" than the awd version. (that said, having quattro lets me slalom through curvy roads at 80mph+, which is quite a lot of fun, if still not the safest thing in the world to do)
The A4 steering is more sensitive than the 9-3, meaning that the wheel needs be turned less to effect the same direction. I'm not saying this is better or worse, but it does mean as one rotates a4 steering wheels less, the driivng experience will be more "restrained" and less "exciting".
the 9-3's lower weight is a plus, but the solidity of the a4 is something any potential buyers should experience. The selling point of the a4 isn't its straight-line speed, but rather that it is fairly sport while being more luxurious than the 330i or the 9-3... (the c-class provides the most anemic ride I have ever driven... a honda accord would do better)
I'm not trying to bash the 9-3, it has several benefits that could be reasons to choose it over the a4:
1) cheaper at same equipment level (if only just)
2) much "better" nav system (objectively better in dvd vs cd, the map screen vs dash view is a debatable point, even if I prefer the 9-3 nav system)
3) while Audi dealers are pretty nice, saab dealers seem ever more friendly / accomodating... (mind you, I've experience Audi service depts, not saab ones, and dealer experiences don't reflect service ones, but still)
4) incomprehensibly, Audi deleted the steering-wheel tiptronic controls for 2003 on the a4s... Saab is making them available later on in this model year (on vectors only? on arcs as well?) This feature is nice, and very addictive.
Audi has some benefits
1) quattro is amazing... Its addictive... I've wanted a BMW since i was 14, (I'm 22) and I turned the 330i down, and will prob continue to until the "xi" versions can hold a candle to quattro... Its hard to drive a fwd or rwd car after you get used to it. (my previous car was a 2002 Passat that had "4motion" or rebranded quattro, so I got hooked prior to this purchase.)
2) the interior appointments _are_ better, though again, Arc may change this evaluation.
3) the A4 has more power, this is offset by its weight, and again, Arc may change this
4) there _is_ something to be said about the over-engineering that German marques commit to their vehicles, but perhaps I've bought into pointless propaganda ;-)
posted by 68.48.109...
, Sun, 27 Oct 2002 15:34:52
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