Our "own" car reviews

Audi A4 2013 1.8T 170BHP

I got no pics but we all know what an A4 looks like :p

Had a week with this car, figured it might help some people.

So, the Audi A4. In general it's a decent car, but it's really not worth the money with some of the other products on the market these days. Here's why:

I'll start with the interior. It's very well built no doubt and the materials are very good, everything feels sturdy and very well put together. The buttons and levers all give the feeling of German build quality and really I can't complain about anything here. My only complaint is that the "InfoTainment" system on the car that controls pretty much everything is a bit daft and could be much more user friendly. I managed it just fine but I imagine an older person with no regular access to these things might get confused.
The seats in the front are very good, comfy and supportive even in long drives. The back could do with more room. I'm 1.83M tall and I had no leg room and my head occasionally hit the ceiling... 3 people in the back is too much as well, this car handles 2 adults in the back at most and some of it's rivals have a much more inviting back seat.

The engine is very nice and provides enough oomph when it's necessary and is very quiet otherwise, it's a bit of a gas guzzler though as I averaged around 8km/l (and this includes a lot of freeways...) and I easily manage 10 km/l with my chipped 2006 Golf GTI. This could be due to the engine only having 1000 km on it though. All in all I liked the engine a lot.

The gearbox is terrible in any kind of way, unless you're driving very very calmly this gearbox is just a party pooper all the time, you put your foot down and the relentless drone coming from the engine bay can drive you mad. You reach a hill? Be sure to accelerate earlier just to keep that drone as low as possible, it helps but you'll still reach the top of the hill with a headache and a wish to god that you were in another car. Honestly, what possessed Audi to give their cars a continuous gearbox?? They've always been and always will be shit, unless you're a 90 year old.

The suspension is completely unacceptable. I've heard new German cars tend to be on the firm side and that's fine in a BMW that's aimed at a certain demographic but in an Audi mostly bought by "normal" people? Gimme a break... My GTI manages a much better ride in town and on the freeway. The A4 is OK on the freeway, it manages to crest most bumps but occasionally the suspension will meet a bump it can't handle and shut completely making a very distinct noise, this is again unacceptable, it made me lose all confidence in the car. I should state this happened to me twice, both times the car was full with 4 people in it.
In town it's much worse, no matter how slowly you hit a speed bump it's very uncomfortable and pot holes are a sure recipe for back aches. I'll make this short, in town this car is simply uncomfortable. And I'm being gentle here.(the price for the handling I suppose).

The handling is pretty good, loads and loads of grip with very controllable and predictable under steer if you go over board. You can get through a back road very quickly and the suspension plays along very nicely here. The steering wheel is quite numb but very accurate and it gets good weight when things get interesting. The gearbox is a thorn in your backside here as well as it doesn't allow for anything other than very calm reactions from the engine and making the backside dance is next to impossible when combining this with the high grip. All in all it's a good companion on a back road. It's no BMW, but it's much better than most cars on the road.

Conclusion:

I was quite crossed when I climbed out of this car. I was expecting German quality with high comfort, a car that is a comfortable pillow to put your head on at the end of a tiring day. I didn't get that. It's much too firm in the city and the gearbox is just awful in every way. I found my self barely touching the gas peddle to keep the noise down and to keep the fuel consumption down. It was tiring and annoying and I didn't like it.

The Audi did not live up to some cars that are much cheaper. A recent drive in a Ford Mondeo (Titanium trim level) showed me just how much. The Ford is more comfortable, much more spacious in the back, better equipped, costs less and just as good if not better because of the gearbox on the back roads. The Skoda Superb is also very good and costs less and I'm struggling to understand why anyone buys an A4... S4s and RS4s are fine but the A4? It's just not good enough.
 
The Problem with the M6 is (IMHO, never having driven one) simply that it is based on the 6 series. The 6 series is a big cruiser for wealthy older people. The changes they make to turn this into an M6 are still too little in order to make this a sportscar. This car just cannot deny its roots. But looking like it does, you expect (or wish for) more than straigh-line speed, do you? And having an M6 over a 650i? The M6 despite having 110hp more than the 650i, it only loses 0.4 of a second of the 650i?s 0- 100 time ... and gains 35000? on it?s base price.

0-100 time is pretty irrelevant in most cases, and even more when talking about these. The party time is the 100 - 200km/h, that leaves you breathless. And also without driving license. That's why I like the idea of AMGs. Most of them are not trying to be serious and sharp driver's tools, but a hot rods which you drive with a huge grin on your face. Monster engines barking and rear tires don't even try to cope with all the power. Like you said, the base cars are too heavy for sharp sportcar like special versions. And AMG has realized that. They're pretty much the same on paper than M6, but as far as I can say from one shotgun ride in C63 Coup?, they have totally different approach. Less serious, more just enjoying the hot rod experience. I like that.


I've recently read a review of the M5 sister with a similar conclusion, the car seems to be most at home on the autobahn. But if you want an autobahn express train and not a sportscar, you might as well get a 640d, which costs EUR 45k less and you won't have to stop every 500km to fill up the empty 80l tank.


This. Even 640d has a mighty performance on daily driving, and even if beyond 200km/h the M6 would leave it, for most of us it doesn't matter. I actually should've brought this point up in the review. The problem with big diesels has often been pretty muted aural experience and linear power delivery. So what's the difference then to an M6? It too has tame sounding engine and once the turbos spool pretty linear delivery. Yes, it might accelerate like a bavarian castle dropped from a cliff. Insane but still pretty linear. That's why I yearned for more character than actual performance, to get the daily driving experience feel more special compared to 650i or indeed the 640d.
 
0-100 time is pretty irrelevant in most cases, and even more when talking about these. The party time is the 100 - 200km/h, that leaves you breathless. And also without driving license. That's why I like the idea of AMGs. Most of them are not trying to be serious and sharp driver's tools, but a hot rods which you drive with a huge grin on your face. Monster engines barking and rear tires don't even try to cope with all the power. Like you said, the base cars are too heavy for sharp sportcar like special versions. And AMG has realized that. They're pretty much the same on paper than M6, but as far as I can say from one shotgun ride in C63 Coup?, they have totally different approach. Less serious, more just enjoying the hot rod experience. I like that.

THIS! I agree!
 
It seems to me that anyone can make a really really fast car these days. Like Top Gear said in the first ep: acceleration and top speed is meaningless, it's all about the track time. Well, 11 years later, and it's seems to me that we're past that too. Technical ability to excel in any situation is the norm. I hope we're reaching the saturation point and manufacturers will have to work in a different direction (like 86/BRZ).
 
Totally true.

If I would categorize fun/speed ratio of cars, it would be something like this:

MX-5: Fun, you can probably talk yourself out of trouble.
GT86/BRZ: Even more fun, you probably manage with minimum fine (110 euros in Finland).
Boxster S (981): Surprisingly great fun even at modest speeds, but probably comes alive in speeds where ticket is already serious.
M6/RS4 etc: No way to push those in corners. Drifting out of corners and straights provide the adrenaline. You will laugh, but you are not going to have a license very long.

I respect other road users and I really don't want to endanger them. That's why the GT-86 is still my favorite new car I've ever driven and jumping back to MX-5 after the M6 didn't feel bad.

Car manufacturers should modify the famous quote from Colin Chapman: Add fun.
 
Car manufacturers should modify the famous quote from Colin Chapman: Add fun.

"Adding power makes you faster on the straights. Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."

I suppose "add fun" encapsulates all that. :p Nice review!
 
***circumcised snip***
Great review, and I'm jealous you got to drive this car.

I want to love it, madly. It's beautiful, the interior looks like a place to live in, and it has enough power to corrupt a FIFA match, but...

Every single review I've read of this car (including yours) all come back to the same thing: its sterility. Shame.

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Car manufacturers should modify the famous quote from Colin Chapman: Add fun.
Couldn't agree with you more. Because "fun" isn't something you can necessarily quantify, but it's certainly "there" (or isn't.) Problem is, 99.99% of the car-buying population couldn't care less. The less well off want basic transportation that does everything for them, and the more well off want something to show off. An M6 is a mighty weapon for any dick-swinging contest, and unfortunately, that appears to be its best attribute.

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"Adding power makes you faster on the straights. Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."

I suppose "add fun" encapsulates all that. :p Nice review!
I think fun is much like beauty; i.e. in the eye of the beholder. For me, it's tongue out nuttiness (see: AMG 6.2L-powered cars). For others it might be delicate balance.
 
I've recently read a review of the M5 sister with a similar conclusion, the car seems to be most at home on the autobahn. But if you want an autobahn express train and not a sportscar, you might as well get a 640d, which costs EUR 45k less and you won't have to stop every 500km to fill up the empty 80l tank.

Oh, didn't notice your post. I'm glad someone else feels this way as well. "It's an autobahn-car" just isn't a proper explanation for the F12 M6.

I think fun is much like beauty; i.e. in the eye of the beholder. For me, it's tongue out nuttiness (see: AMG 6.2L-powered cars). For others it might be delicate balance.

Curious that you mention AMG cars. The handful of AMG-cars I've driven, I've never had a moment of boredom. It's like a theatre filled with muscle car and engineering perfection when an AMG rolls by. It seems Merc has had the courage (ability?) to engineer their AMG-line to appeal to the target demographic of individuals who appreciate a bit of tone and zest in their cars, and perhaps drive away their more .. reserved customers. And why not? The people looking for finesse and sterility have a huge range of diesel cars to choose from. I don't see why the M-cars or AMG-cars couldn't be a bit rowdy, a bit in-your-face.
 
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2013 New Beetle TFSI DSG

Had a quick go in a New Beetle. Not sure which of the TFSI engines it had, didn't have that much time. Quick summary:

The good:

+ Looks. Retro done right. Looks good, inside and outside
+ Fender Soundsystem. That was properly good!
+ Handling. Four wheels, one on each corner, wide track, wide tires. That thing grips. Sporty suspension. Entertaining drive allthough I wanted to hate it.
+ Room: I could fit in back! And suprisingly massive room in front!

The bad:

- visibility. NONE
- black ceiling carpet + tiny windows = darkness inside
- Fuel consumption. Hooning it was expensive!


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2013 Vauxhall Ass-tra 1.6 Petrol

Had this for one day from SEVENT until the navigation system suicided and I got a replacement (see below)

The good:

+ I like the looks!
+ Good driving position & seats
+ Gearbox pretty direct
+ Good handling

The bad:

- Engine. Powerless, emotionless
- Navigation System: Looks like from 2004, formatted SD card WHILE PARKED.
- The engine, again. So slow.
- Massive blindspot thanks to big A Pillar!

2013 Skoda Octavia 1.6 TDI DSG

Got this one as a replacement for the dead Ass-tra after being positively angry German towards SEVENT. Drove it 1200 miles through Wales (checked numberplate, it was built 10 days before I got it and did 200 miles), twisty roads, highways. My feedback: This is a properly good car!

The good:

+ Interior. Skoda, cheap? Think again. This looked, felt really nice! Leather seats were very comfy, steering wheel good to grip, dash clear, navigation very good, music streaming via Bluetooth worked flawlessly. AC worked as expected, so did cruise control, automatic stuff....why is this so good?
+ Engine. I honestly thought it was a 2.0TDI. It pulled quite strongly, I had a blast on motorways (silly limits in UK) and even more on B-roads, chasing it up and down mountains. After 1200 miles we had an average consumption of 5.3l/100km....and I was honestly kicking that car!
+ DSG. It is finally grown up. Yes, the sport mode is silly fun but stupid with the 1.6 Diesel, the Eco mode was suprisingly good (coasting a lot) but normal mode was silky smooth and fine. I....liked...an automatic gearbox and thought about having one in a daily driver as long as I still have a toy....right? right?
+ Space. Trunk and interior good size.


The bad
- Looks. I think it still looks a bit boring...and it really needs to be a touring, sorry.
- Erm...? Shit...


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The Audi did not live up to some cars that are much cheaper. A recent drive in a Ford Mondeo (Titanium trim level) showed me just how much. The Ford is more comfortable, much more spacious in the back, better equipped, costs less and just as good if not better because of the gearbox on the back roads. The Skoda Superb is also very good and costs less and I'm struggling to understand why anyone buys an A4... S4s and RS4s are fine but the A4? It's just not good enough.

Ford have nothing on Audi when it comes to interiors tho, which I think is important to many people.
 
Ford have nothing on Audi when it comes to interiors tho, which I think is important to many people.
The thing about Ford: The Mondeo has a much, much better interior than the smaller models. With Audi, it's not only the top models that are nice inside...
 
Ford have nothing on Audi when it comes to interiors tho, which I think is important to many people.

True, but do have a sit in a Mondeo with Titanium trim level. I promise you will be very surprised.

The thing about Ford: The Mondeo has a much, much better interior than the smaller models. With Audi, it's not only the top models that are nice inside...

Also true, The A1's interior is in a whole different league to the Fiesta.
 
I like Fords and the way they feel, when they're driving. But the interior was really never a highlight, not even in a Mondeo. It was okay to compete with other mainstream brands, especially Opel and all the cars from Asia, but the premium cars are still ahead in terms of "felt quality".

Also I wouldn't make a final judgement of a car, when you only drove it for an hour or so. It usually takes a few days to make your mind and body adjust to it - if that doesn't sound too esoteric.

Especially when you own a car that you like, it needs some time to let go of it mentally and really get into the other car. The real moment of truth comes, when after a couple of days you go back to your own car.

When it suddenly feels kinda awkward and somehow inferior, you have your answer.
 
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- Looks. I think it still looks a bit boring...and it really needs to be a touring, sorry.

?kodas are supposed to look boring. :p

I keep hearing good things about the third generation. I guess that's where I'm heading in a few years time. I'm really satisfied with my mk2 except for a few little things, coming from owning bigger and (when new) more expensive cars. I would like the cabin to be a bit wider, for instance. The interior could do with being a bit less boring too, but it works. Bluetooth integration etc works flawlessly as well.

And yes, Skoda has managed to make every hatchback octavia look wrong. The estate is where it's at.
 
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Thing about Skodas is, that in brandnew condition they can match or even overtake their internal competitors from VW. However, if you look into the surveys of ADAC and T?V about car reliability, they usually are quite on the bottom of the lists.

So while I would always give a new Skoda a thumb's up, my worries are still what happens, when they become older...?
 
I would like the cabin to be a bit wider, for instance.

The new one is 45mm wider... I haven't had a craving for more width yet though :dunno:

Thing about Skodas is, that in brandnew condition they can match or even overtake their internal competitors from VW. However, if you look into the surveys of ADAC and T?V about car reliability, they usually are quite on the bottom of the lists.

So while I would always give a new Skoda a thumb's up, my worries are still what happens, when they become older...?

They're in a VW sandwich at the ADAC :dunno: http://www.adac.de/infotestrat/unfa...statistik/suchergebnis.aspx?pklid=9&pstatid=5

Not at the bottom at the T?V either :dunno: http://www.tuev-sued.de/auto-fahrze...ev-report-2013/maengelriesen-und-fehlerzwerge
 
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Neither can I. Most current cars above Golf class can't, I think. But no one cares.

In NRW they are changing to 2.1m width restriction on the left lane in Autobahn construction zones where possible.
 
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