Having {driven|pushed} {the current|the present} A6, the {previous|earlier} {generation|era|technology} A4 (B7 {series|collection|sequence}) {as well as|in addition to} {the earlier|the sooner} ones too, I {have to|must|need to|should} say that {massive|huge|large} understeer is {the preferred|the popular} {way|approach|manner|means|method} for these {front|entrance} wheel drive Audis to {corner|nook}. Now this brings us to {the current|the present} B8 Audi A4 1.{8|Eight} TFSI launched {around|round} two years {ago|in the past}. The {car|automobile|automotive} I tried is owned by a {friend|buddy|good friend|pal} of mine and {it is a|it's a} {car|automobile|automotive} that {is very|could be very|may be very} {familiar|acquainted} to me. His {ride|experience|journey|trip} pictured above is the 1.8TFSI 160bhp spec that comes with the {larger|bigger} 18inch tires and rims. It {looks|appears|appears to be like|seems|seems to be} so {much better|a lot better|significantly better} than the {stock|inventory} 17inch rims that {the standard|the usual} {car|automobile|automotive} is specced with. I suppose it was {because of|due to} {nearly|almost|practically} {universal|common} criticism of mega understeer that Audi had {finally|lastly} {decided|determined} to re-engineer the engine and gearbox placement of the A4. The wheels {are now|are actually|at the moment are} {at least|a minimum of|at the least|at the very least|no less than|not less than} 8cm {forward|ahead} {compared to|in comparison with} {the earlier|the sooner} setup and this equates {to better|to higher|to raised} {handling|dealing with} as {well|effectively|nicely|properly} steering {feel|really feel}. The {car|automobile|automotive} {does not|doesn't} drive {like you|such as you} {were|had been|have been} sitting {just|simply} {slightly|barely} behind an arrow's head in flight. You {actually have|even have} a {car|automobile|automotive} {in which|by which|during which|through which|wherein} {does not|doesn't} {fight|battle|combat|struggle} the {laws|legal guidelines} of physics {all the time|on a regular basis} {unlike|in contrast to|not like} {the earlier|the sooner} {versions|variations}.
This time it {feels like|appears like|looks like|seems like} {you're|you are} driving a {front|entrance} wheel drive {car|automobile|automotive} with {a normal|a standard|a traditional} transverse engine {instead|as a substitute|as an alternative} of a longitudinally {placed|positioned} one ({even though|although|despite the fact that|regardless that|though} it {is still|continues to be|remains to be} longitudinally {placed|positioned}). Imagine driving a {slightly|barely} {larger|bigger} Honda Civic ({in terms of|by way of|when it comes to} nippiness). {This is|That is} {the first|the primary} {4|four} door {front|entrance} wheel drive Audi ever that behaves decently {well|effectively|nicely|properly}. {There is|There may be|There's} {very little|little or no} {sign|signal} of it being {nose|nostril} heavy like its predecessors. The {ride|experience|journey|trip} and {handling|dealing with} is sorted {unlike|in contrast to|not like} {previous|earlier} A4s I had {driven|pushed} or been in. The {handling|dealing with} of this {car|automobile|automotive} is {just right|excellent|good} {for most|for many} drivers. This one has the switchable dynamic, {automatic|automated|computerized} and {comfort|consolation} damping. The modes {also|additionally} {adjust|alter|modify|regulate} throttle mapping and steering {feel|really feel} too. I {prefer|choose|desire|favor|want} dynamic (the {slightly|barely} firmer setup) over {comfort|consolation} and even {automatic|automated|computerized} as {this is|that is} {just|simply} {totally|completely} {fun|enjoyable} to be in {most of the time|more often than not}. {Of course|After all|In fact} the '{comfort|consolation}' setting will please {a lot of|a number of|a variety of|a whole lot of|loads of|lots of|numerous|plenty of|quite a lot of} older drivers {out there|on the market} and {those that|people who|those who} {just|simply} {want|need} this A4 to be transport and nothing {more|extra}. The damping on all settings are so {much better|a lot better|significantly better} than {the earlier|the sooner} ones which {seems to be|appears to be} undamped or oversprung.
The older B7 Audis have a choppy {ride|experience|journey|trip} {due to the|as a result of|because of the} over aggressive rebound shock absorber {rates|charges}. This 1.8liter A4 comes with a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) with {8|eight} programmed shift {points|factors} that has hardly any CVT yo-yo rubber band-like feeling like {normal|regular} CVTs do and which I {don't like|do not like|don't love} {too much|a lot|an excessive amount of}. It feels {much like|very like|very similar to} {a normal|a standard|a traditional} autobox {that would|that may|that might|that will} {move|transfer} {through|by|by means of|by way of|via} the gears {without|with out} the revs seeming {to hold|to carry} at {high|excessive} rpms on {normal|regular} CVTs. It feels punchy and {because of|due to} this the A4 {seemed to be|appeared to be|gave the impression to be} in {the correct|the proper|the right} gear {during|throughout} a kickdown or {when you|if you|once you|whenever you|while you} downshift manually with the flappy pedals behind the steering wheel. Anytime you stomped on the throttle the CVT would go {down to|all the way down to|right down to} {at least|a minimum of|at the least|at the very least|no less than|not less than} 2 {to 3|to three} of its programmed gear ratios {without any|with none} hesitation, {especially|particularly} if {you're|you are} in dynamic mode. {This is|That is} by far {the best|one of the best|the most effective|the perfect|the very best} CVT setup I've tried {to date|so far|thus far|to this point|up to now}.
{We have|Now we have|We have now|We now have|We've|We've got} {found out|came upon|discovered} that the 160ps and 250Nm that the 1.8liter direct injection and turbocharged engine pumped out was {more than|greater than} {adequate|ample|enough|satisfactory|sufficient} to take on most 2.0liter {cars|automobiles|vehicles} out {in the market|available in the market|out there} {right|proper} now. {You have to|It's a must to|It's important to|You must|You need to} {trust|belief} me on this {as it|because it} has been {done|accomplished|achieved|carried out|completed|executed|finished|performed}. Even on a damp {road|highway|street} the ESP will blink like {crazy|loopy} if {you're|you are} wringing the A4 in {those|these} {conditions|circumstances|situations}. It does {things|issues} very {well|effectively|nicely|properly}, {but|however} driving the A4 was a {slightly|barely} clinical {experience|expertise} {as it|because it} felt {a little|a bit|a bit of|a little bit|just a little|slightly|somewhat} polished. It does {things|issues} {efficiently|effectively} and {maybe|perhaps|possibly} too {efficiently|effectively} in a {way|approach|manner|means|method}. As for the {interior|inside}, the {car|automobile|automotive} is {larger|bigger} than the {previous|earlier} {model|mannequin} and has {better|higher} rear legroom. {I have|I've} {only one|just one} complaint is that in {right|proper} hand drive {form|kind|type} in that the pedals {may be|could also be} tight {fit|match} for {those|these} with {big|huge|large|massive} {feet|ft|toes}. On the exterior of the {car|automobile|automotive} I'd {have to|must|need to|should} say that {it is a|it's a} {successful|profitable} albeit {slightly|barely} fussy interpretation of the Audi {school|college|faculty} of design.
