Please help me decide Audi A6 Avant or VOlvo XC90 2,5T manual
08-22-2003, 02:43 AM
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Please help me decide Audi A6 Avant or VOlvo XC90 2,5T manual
Hi,
I'm looking to change my Passat V6 Wagon (excellent car, by the way) into something larger (3rd child on it's way). What I need is 4 wheel drive (snowy up here sometimes), wide back-seat for 3 child-seats and enough luggage-capacity for 2 grown-ups and three children. I dont really need 7 seats (although I would get them if I choose the XC90).
My 2 alternatives are:
* the Volvo 2.5T XC90 7 seats, manual gear-box (probably chip the engine later on)
* The Audi A6 Avant with the 2.7 liter turbo engine and manual gear-box (available here in Finland)
I liked the XC90 immediately when I saw it, but I'm not sure I want to wait an obsene 14 months to get one. Also; my wife dis-likes it and says it looks like a farm-tractor (which it does resemble a bit). On the other hand the current A6 Avant's days are numberd and it is starting to be a bit antiquated (although admittedly not in how it is to drive).
My question is : Is the A6 worthnot having the extra space for the same money (they're almost equal in price over here with the specs I want)
It seems that I am completely unable to make this decission myself, and so I humbly ask for Your (and the guys over at Swedespeed's help)
best wishes, Staffan
I'm looking to change my Passat V6 Wagon (excellent car, by the way) into something larger (3rd child on it's way). What I need is 4 wheel drive (snowy up here sometimes), wide back-seat for 3 child-seats and enough luggage-capacity for 2 grown-ups and three children. I dont really need 7 seats (although I would get them if I choose the XC90).
My 2 alternatives are:
* the Volvo 2.5T XC90 7 seats, manual gear-box (probably chip the engine later on)
* The Audi A6 Avant with the 2.7 liter turbo engine and manual gear-box (available here in Finland)
I liked the XC90 immediately when I saw it, but I'm not sure I want to wait an obsene 14 months to get one. Also; my wife dis-likes it and says it looks like a farm-tractor (which it does resemble a bit). On the other hand the current A6 Avant's days are numberd and it is starting to be a bit antiquated (although admittedly not in how it is to drive).
My question is : Is the A6 worthnot having the extra space for the same money (they're almost equal in price over here with the specs I want)
It seems that I am completely unable to make this decission myself, and so I humbly ask for Your (and the guys over at Swedespeed's help)
best wishes, Staffan
08-22-2003, 03:48 AM
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Do you need a SUV; towing, etc.? If not, I would always choose the Avant form
because even the safest SUV is not going to be as as safe as an avant with a lower center of gravity and less mass. Why not a V70 v A6 Avant comparo?
The quality of materials and the fit and finish of an Audi are worlds above Volvo. I offer you what I did yesterday as evidence. Yesterday I removed my V1 radar detector from my V70 R AWD and put it in the new RS. No problem removing the wire that snakes along the top of the windshield and the A-pillar on the Volvo bec. there is a large gap and the plastics are kind of cheap and flimsy; i.e., you can just bend it out of your way. Now time to route the same wire on the Audi. Windshield headliner junction, tight but I'm able to push the wire in--Stoney's popsicle stick trick. Now, the A-pillar, FOGATABOTIT, the fit of the Alcantara material and the windshield is so tight and the material so stiff, I spent an hour trying to fish this little 1/8" wire. Even when "done", near the top of the A-pillar the wire is not fully behind the Alcantara liner (oh yeah, it was like 2000 degrees F here in Chicago yesterday and about 4000 deg. in my fuggin garage!) So the Audis have tighter tolerances and an overall more luxurious feel to them. That being said, I love Volvo seats, I think their inline blocks are indestructible and are more utilitarian in nature.
I also consider the XC90 2.5T woefully underpowered. Looks? That's your call--but everyone here will tell you it looks like *ss. You see, all we do here is have meaningless, endless discussions on subjective things like aesthetics.
The quality of materials and the fit and finish of an Audi are worlds above Volvo. I offer you what I did yesterday as evidence. Yesterday I removed my V1 radar detector from my V70 R AWD and put it in the new RS. No problem removing the wire that snakes along the top of the windshield and the A-pillar on the Volvo bec. there is a large gap and the plastics are kind of cheap and flimsy; i.e., you can just bend it out of your way. Now time to route the same wire on the Audi. Windshield headliner junction, tight but I'm able to push the wire in--Stoney's popsicle stick trick. Now, the A-pillar, FOGATABOTIT, the fit of the Alcantara material and the windshield is so tight and the material so stiff, I spent an hour trying to fish this little 1/8" wire. Even when "done", near the top of the A-pillar the wire is not fully behind the Alcantara liner (oh yeah, it was like 2000 degrees F here in Chicago yesterday and about 4000 deg. in my fuggin garage!) So the Audis have tighter tolerances and an overall more luxurious feel to them. That being said, I love Volvo seats, I think their inline blocks are indestructible and are more utilitarian in nature.
I also consider the XC90 2.5T woefully underpowered. Looks? That's your call--but everyone here will tell you it looks like *ss. You see, all we do here is have meaningless, endless discussions on subjective things like aesthetics.
08-22-2003, 03:52 AM
#3
Two very different vehicles, size-wise.
The question is, do you want to carry around all that extra size, all the time?
I bought a Thule rack set and ski carrier that I used for extra luggage space on trips (never carried a ski in it, just liked the aerodynamics and ergonomics better than using a luggage carrier). That worked great for the times I needed lots of space.
The Avant will be a *much* sportier car, which is why you're probably considering it vs. the XC90. And I'm with your wife on the XC90 styling; I especially dislike those wraparound taillights. The next iteration of that design will have the taillights meeting the headlights over the front seats.
I bought a Thule rack set and ski carrier that I used for extra luggage space on trips (never carried a ski in it, just liked the aerodynamics and ergonomics better than using a luggage carrier). That worked great for the times I needed lots of space.
The Avant will be a *much* sportier car, which is why you're probably considering it vs. the XC90. And I'm with your wife on the XC90 styling; I especially dislike those wraparound taillights. The next iteration of that design will have the taillights meeting the headlights over the front seats.
08-22-2003, 04:12 AM
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Same situation here - Volvo back seat too small
I was considering the same cars (Volvo vs. Audi). Try to put an adult in the back seat with the child seat and you will see that the Volvo is a bad choice.
08-22-2003, 04:38 AM
#5
I vote Avant, and not because this is an Audi board. I was shopping for...
... a family car and the final 2 were the XC90 and the Acura MDX (not sold in Finland I suspect). I found the 5 cylinder engine to be surprisingly weak, and coarse when pushed. Second seat is probably no better than the Avant's second seat. Of course, the XC90 has a viable third seat (for kids) that the Avant does not have.
08-22-2003, 06:21 AM
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current Audi A6 Avant stying is the world's most beautiful wagon (!)...
but is it much bigger than the Passat? I too got a cargo box for the roof, which is a great travel companion, even with a wagon... the back storage in the Avant is not that big...
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08-22-2003, 08:19 AM
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Re: Do you need a SUV; towing, etc.? If not, I would always choose the Avant form
Many thanks for Your advice guys,
I'll test-drive the XC90 (again) tomorrow. But I am starting maybe to lean towards the A6 (even though it's only marginally bigger than the Passat exept for back-seat leg-room. Where does the half foot extra lenght and width dis-appear?
So, when's the new A6 Avant coming if the sedan will be available next year?
bw, Staffan
I'll test-drive the XC90 (again) tomorrow. But I am starting maybe to lean towards the A6 (even though it's only marginally bigger than the Passat exept for back-seat leg-room. Where does the half foot extra lenght and width dis-appear?
So, when's the new A6 Avant coming if the sedan will be available next year?
bw, Staffan
08-22-2003, 09:22 AM
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Hmm ... I have an A6 sedan and an XC70, text drove an XC90, so I'll throw in my general OPO's.
My wife and I test drove the allroad and the XC70, I have also driven several XC90's. However, I haven't driven the manual tranny XC90.
The XC90 exceeds the 6000 pound capacity limit (GPWR???), so you can get huge tax right offs if you are planning on buying the thing for a business. Edit - Woops!!! You are in Finland, the tax write off only applies to the States.
I love the XC90, and our XC70. The XC90 has tons of room. Unfortunately for my needs, I am convinced the "breakaway" tail gate would indeed break complete off if I was moving one of my pinball machines around (hobby restoration business). So, right off the bat, true utility was in question.
But let me reiterate, the XC90 has tons of room.
Driving wise, the XC70 and XC90 are great cars if you are driving 5/10's, horrible beyond that. They both feel like what they are, front wheel drive cars made into AWD.
The Audi variants are far superior driving machines, hands down.
The allroad, in my opinion, simply does not have enough usable space, which is difficult to quantify because the allroad should be identical to an XC70 from a standpoint of external dimensions. I would say the same applies for an Avant, an XC90 will be superior.
The XC90 exceeds the 6000 pound capacity limit (GPWR???), so you can get huge tax right offs if you are planning on buying the thing for a business. Edit - Woops!!! You are in Finland, the tax write off only applies to the States.
I love the XC90, and our XC70. The XC90 has tons of room. Unfortunately for my needs, I am convinced the "breakaway" tail gate would indeed break complete off if I was moving one of my pinball machines around (hobby restoration business). So, right off the bat, true utility was in question.
But let me reiterate, the XC90 has tons of room.
Driving wise, the XC70 and XC90 are great cars if you are driving 5/10's, horrible beyond that. They both feel like what they are, front wheel drive cars made into AWD.
The Audi variants are far superior driving machines, hands down.
The allroad, in my opinion, simply does not have enough usable space, which is difficult to quantify because the allroad should be identical to an XC70 from a standpoint of external dimensions. I would say the same applies for an Avant, an XC90 will be superior.