Consumer Reports' take on the B8
08-07-2008, 06:48 AM
#1
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Consumer Reports' take on the B8
The latest Consumer Reports new car annual describes the 2.0T engine in the 2009 A4 as <b>"noisy"</b> and <b>"coarse"</b> when teamed up the automatic transmission and quattro.
I find this disappointing because that's the combination I'm leaning towards, seeing as the price of the V6 might be out of my reach.
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I find this disappointing because that's the combination I'm leaning towards, seeing as the price of the V6 might be out of my reach.
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08-07-2008, 06:57 AM
#2
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I take CRs subjective evaluations with a grain of salt...
It's still one (or a handful) writer's opinion and CR does not play to the typical enthusiast crowd. The reliability data mining is much more useful.
08-07-2008, 07:25 AM
#5
Can't yet say from personal experience, but. . . .
We owned three TT's 1 180HP 1.8T quattro and 2, 225HP 1.8T quattros.
The new 2.0TFSI engine is, I know, NOT the same. I have, however, been loaned 2.0T's (but not of course a 2009) A4's when my A6 has been in for service.
My conclusions:
The 225HP 1.8T engines did not sound coarse and were not rough running. Their sound was certainly not the same as a 4.2V8, but in the TT's the "sound tuning" was not at all unpleasant -- and, to repeat, it was not rough.
With 225HP and 207 pound feet, the thing was hardly a hot rod, but in the TT, it was MORE than adquate.
The 200HP 2.0T's in the LOANER A4's usually had less than 5,000 miles on them but they were "adequately powered" when connected to the 6 speed tiptronic. Better power to weight and better pull than my wife's last 3.0 BMW X3 stick shift (a 2005).
The package that the A4 2.0T's came equipped with seemed to effect their sound. Yet, even the total strippies did not feel coarse, rough and have a cheap-*** sound. They were muted and obviously not tuned for a sporting demeanor, sound wise.
All the current reports pertaining to the A4 for 2009 claim the car is "very very quiet." I would, therefore, not expect the 2.0TFSI to be any less than even more sound isolated from the interior than ever before.
Unless the engine somehow has been designed to be rough (or better said, underengineered to be smooth) and coarse, I can only expect Audi's typical attention to the move into the Lux category to be unabated.
Conclusion: what in the wide wide world of sports is CR talking about? They actually meant the 2009 A4 quattro 2.0TFSI? Not the 2008 A4 quattro 2.0TFSI?
Really?
Bovine Scatology.
The new 2.0TFSI engine is, I know, NOT the same. I have, however, been loaned 2.0T's (but not of course a 2009) A4's when my A6 has been in for service.
My conclusions:
The 225HP 1.8T engines did not sound coarse and were not rough running. Their sound was certainly not the same as a 4.2V8, but in the TT's the "sound tuning" was not at all unpleasant -- and, to repeat, it was not rough.
With 225HP and 207 pound feet, the thing was hardly a hot rod, but in the TT, it was MORE than adquate.
The 200HP 2.0T's in the LOANER A4's usually had less than 5,000 miles on them but they were "adequately powered" when connected to the 6 speed tiptronic. Better power to weight and better pull than my wife's last 3.0 BMW X3 stick shift (a 2005).
The package that the A4 2.0T's came equipped with seemed to effect their sound. Yet, even the total strippies did not feel coarse, rough and have a cheap-*** sound. They were muted and obviously not tuned for a sporting demeanor, sound wise.
All the current reports pertaining to the A4 for 2009 claim the car is "very very quiet." I would, therefore, not expect the 2.0TFSI to be any less than even more sound isolated from the interior than ever before.
Unless the engine somehow has been designed to be rough (or better said, underengineered to be smooth) and coarse, I can only expect Audi's typical attention to the move into the Lux category to be unabated.
Conclusion: what in the wide wide world of sports is CR talking about? They actually meant the 2009 A4 quattro 2.0TFSI? Not the 2008 A4 quattro 2.0TFSI?
Really?
Bovine Scatology.
08-07-2008, 08:02 AM
#7
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the FSI motor does make a bit of a "diesel" noise at idle, and there's a little vibration
at idle with the auto trans... At least, that's the way it is on the B7. I don't mind it, still a lot of fun and very efficient.
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08-07-2008, 10:20 AM
#9
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All relative I suppose.
I've never driven a 2.0T/Quattro/Tip combo, on any platform. That said, I drove a 2.0T/Quattro/6MT, daily, for 3 years and was never bothered by the tractorish note of the engine, nor did I perceive any undue 'coarseness' in its operation. I would assume that any tendencies the B7/2.0T had in these directions would be [at very least] lessened in the B8/2.0T...but that's nothing more than an assumption.
Over the years, I've read plenty of comments from B7/2.0T/Tip drivers who thought the combination was either A) completely acceptable or B) an unacceptable rattle trap that sounded more like a John Deere than a sports sedan. Go figure?
I think this is where the 'relative' bit comes in. While I was never disappointed with my 2.0T [quite the opposite, actually], I'll also allow that it wasn't as smooth as the 3.0 I6 in my '08 328xi. That said, with gas as +$4/gallon, I miss my 2.0T every time I fill up.
Over the years, I've read plenty of comments from B7/2.0T/Tip drivers who thought the combination was either A) completely acceptable or B) an unacceptable rattle trap that sounded more like a John Deere than a sports sedan. Go figure?
I think this is where the 'relative' bit comes in. While I was never disappointed with my 2.0T [quite the opposite, actually], I'll also allow that it wasn't as smooth as the 3.0 I6 in my '08 328xi. That said, with gas as +$4/gallon, I miss my 2.0T every time I fill up.
08-07-2008, 11:05 AM
#10
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Haven't picked up a Consumer Reports in over 10 years, but in the past ..
...the magazine seemed to be blatantly anti-VAG and complete A$$ kissers toward the Japanese makes.