cars news 10: 2017 Audi A4 2.0T Quattro Long-Term Update 4: Comments from an Actual 2017 A4 Owner

I come from a nonenthusiast family. I grew up with a mix of Camrys, Accords, and an Odyssey, but as my mother’s working life came to an end, I pushed her a little bit to splurge on a luxury-branded sedan. She finally caved.

Like most people, my mother feels that driving is only a means to get from point A to point B—more of a chore than something to do for fun. Adaptive cruise control was a necessity, and the A4’s “Traffic Jam Assist” won her over. Although not quite as good as Tesla’s Autopilot, Audi offered the best system under the $50,000 limit she’d set. Getting the $1,800 Driver Assistance package with that tech required upgrading to the Prestige trim, which itself is an $8,600 option that included almost every creature comfort we wanted and still allowed us to keep costs in our target range.

We ordered the car with high hopes, and we were not let down. From taking delivery of the car through the first few thousand miles, the new car bliss was noticeable. About three months into ownership however, the shine wore off, and I saw what we were left with. The ride comfort was too harsh for my mom, who I noticed kept asking to drive my car, an Accord. Eventually, we permanently swapped cars.

So, there I was, left with a front-drive, Ibis White A4 with black leather. The car says “fuel economy,” but in a much sexier language than my Accord. Motor Trend’s new 2017 A4 long-termer was like my car but with all-wheel drive and the $1,000 Comfort Adaptive Damping Suspension. That suspension option has been discontinued for the 2018 model year after the option on the 2017 model had a low take-rate. A sport-tuned adaptive suspension is still available, but only on manual-transmission models with a Sport Plus package. When I spoke to senior production editor Zach Gale, the A4’s assigned chaperone, he asked if the long-termer’s all-wheel drive and eliminated-for-2018 Comfort Adaptive Damping Suspension were worth it compared to my A4 — here are my thoughts.

So, what does Quattro all-wheel drive and the adaptive damping suspension do to the A4? A heck of a lot. The upgraded suspension allows the A4 to glide over the roughest of roads like a Rolls-Royce compared to my A4, which lacks the feature. It wasn’t until I drove the long-term A4 that I noticed myself bracing for a noticeable bump I often drive over on my way home. I instinctually tensed up, ready for the thud, but the long-term A4’s suspension, even in Dynamic mode, soaked it up with no complaints. This would have solved my mom’s issue with the harsh ride quality, and I wouldn’t be in the A4 if we had added this option.

That said, when pushing the car, I found that the suspension hindered its abilities. A few weeks prior to driving the long-term A4, I was at the track with testing director Kim Reynolds, who was disappointed in an all-wheel-drive A4’s understeer. My experience with the A4 has been understeery but not to the extent I was witnessing on the track. On top of that, Reynolds had driven me around the figure-eight course in a similarly specced all-wheel-drive A4 during our Car Of The Year competition, where he was decently satisfied with its performance. Driving the long-term A4 for less than a minute, it clicked. The difference was the adaptive damping suspension option that was available on the 2017 model. Adaptive damping is great if you just want a calm and relaxing drive (especially in areas with poorly maintained roads), but if you’re looking at a 2017 model that has the feature, it’s not a smart option to tick if you want a more engaging drive.

As for Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system, it’s well worth the upgrade, especially now that front-drive models are only offered in 190-hp Ultra form and AWD models get the 252-hp engine. All-wheel drive allows for more confidence and a much smoother launch, even when driving casually. Of course, the all-wheel-drive A4 is much better around the twisting canyons of Malibu, too. Unlike the 2017 A4’s adaptive damping suspension, I find no downsides to upgrading other than lower fuel economy (as long as you can afford the $4,500 premium on 2018 A4s from FWD to AWD—Ed). It’s a worthwhile option, and I recommend it to anyone buying an A4.

2017 Audi A4 2.0T Quattro Long-Term Update 4: Comments from an Actual 2017 A4 Owner

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