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A very good drive

Posted 09/12/2013 by Terje Bjørnstad

Can an SUV built in Barcelona, based on Volkswagen's 4-wheel drive (Haldex 5) and the A6's drivetrain, be suitable in winter Norway? It's a thumbs up, especially in winter.

Look and feel

The Q3 has a look you can either love or hate. Either way, it looks expensive – more expensive than its identical twin, the Volkswagen Tiguan. You don't sit down in this car, but straight in. With Audi's sports seats in leather/alcantara, aluminum inserts in the interior, Bose system, extended interior lighting and navigation, the impression falls towards premium and luxury. This SUV has a couple of feminine features in the interior, namely a steering wheel that seems rather small, and a tiny, oval interior mirror. It is probably adapted to the small visibility you have out of the rear window.

On the operating side, there are a couple of minuses to draw. The buttons for the defroster and rear window heater are placed far too far down. After all, these are buttons that are used a lot in Norway. I could also imagine that the control wheel for the infotainment system and navigation was located between the seats instead of up on the dashboard.

audi q3 177-2 — I think the Q3's interior is rather feminine.

Driving pleasure

The drivetrain is ideal for this car: Common rail TDI with 177 horses and Audi's S-tronic 7-speed gearbox. There is also an engine installation that can also be found in the new A6. An excellent package!

When you drive the Q3, you are reminded that you are sitting high. The car rolls quite easily, without it feeling unsafe. You just have to hold on tight. But even if you sit in sports seats, it doesn't feel sporty. It is actually more fun to drive the car actively in the city than on a winding country road. As mentioned, you sit high in the Q3. Higher than in the competitor BMW X1. The height, however, makes the car easy to maneuver in tight spaces, and together with the automatic transmission, it is very easy to drive. In winter conditions and on bad roads, the car feels perfect. Perfect.

One small thing that drags it down is the Start & Stop system. This works perfectly on cars with a manual transmission where you activate the engine by pressing the clutch. In this car, the engine is activated by releasing the brake. The problem is that the sensor starts when the pressure on the brake pedal is released, long before the car rolls. This means that you inadvertently start the car many times at traffic lights. The function can - and must - be switched off with a separate button.

Comfort

On the tested car, the emphasis is on comfort - not sportiness. It is possible to choose a very comfortable sitting position in the front. The car's undercarriage takes away large and small bumps, even when we roll on 18 inch rims. There is little noise in the cabin. Seating comfort is also good in the back seat.

Place

The Q3 is based on the body shape of the A3 sportsback. It is not a large car, but it is not noticeable in the cabin. There is good legroom everywhere, even when I sit with my 1,88 behind me and the driver's seat at the lowest height. Where there may be a lack of space is in the boot, because the rear window slopes so that it is difficult to transport a normal suitcase standing up. The trunk makes the Q3 best suited for small families who do not need to transport a pram.

Although it steals space, I like the sloping rear window. It brings back memories of early Avants.

Safety

You feel very safe when you drive this car. With fat SUV tires the brakes work well. With 4-wheel drive, you are guaranteed stability and progress on bad roads. On the whole, the active safety is very good. For the record, I mention that the Q3 does not use Audi's permanent Quatro system, even though it has a Quatro badge in the grill. The 4-wheel drive is based on Haldex 5, which is the latest version of a system that engages the rear wheels when needed, - or, we can say, just before the wheels are about to let go of the roof. This is also the same solution that Volkswagen and Skoda use, and it works brilliantly.

You sit high above smaller cars. In addition, of course, Audi has built in all modern safety features. The Q3 can be ordered with adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and blind spot warning. This was not installed in the test car.

Economy

If you are going to buy a Q3, you have to shell out a lot of money. Forget the entry-level model without 4-wheel drive. If you want to save the supplement for 4-wheel drive, you should consider the Volkswagen Tiguan instead. In addition, you must expect to leave NOK 50-100 for necessary extra equipment. You must expect a relatively high loss in value in the first few years.

One positive thing to mention about Audi/Volkswagen's 2.0 TDIs is that engine power does not affect diesel consumption. The 177 horses are reasonably priced, so to speak.

positive1

Fantastic drivetrain
Very easy to drive and clear
High active safety

Start & Stop does not work well with automatic transmission

PHOTOS

Spatial conditions as in its group brothers. Cars without four-wheel drive get approx. 20 liters more luggage space. But I would never order a Q3/Tiguan or Ateca without four-wheel drive.

See

Glossy lacquer repels water and road salt.

Audi.no

A4 with the smallest TDI

Posted 08/12/2013 by Terje Bjørnstad

In the Audi A4, the requirements for space have not prevailed. It is a very beautiful car that is low and wide. It sits very well on the road and helps the driver in all situations, but don't have too high expectations for the drivetrain with the 120 horsepower TDI!

Look and feel

The immediate feeling you get from the Audi A4 is sober and solid quality without frills and frills. Low and wide with side spoilers (standard on cars delivered in Norway) and fancy Xenon lights give signals of sportiness. Seats in leather/alcantara, also covered on the inside of the doors, Audi's infotainment system with large and small color screen, navigation, control wheel on the center console and buttons on the steering wheel give signals that you are in an expensive car. The seats are not particularly soft. With extendable thigh supports and adjustable lumbar support, you understand that the emphasis is on the sporty and not the comfortable. But the car scores highly on the look-and-feel factor.

If we are to put our finger on something, it must be that everything that gives a premium feel is an extra. This equipment mustn't you have in your A4! Another detail that detracts a little from the premium impression is the simple sheet metal that surrounds the upper part of the instrument panel. This is not of the same quality as the elegant aluminum inserts used elsewhere, such as in the center console and in the doors. This seems to be improved in the facelifted model from 2013.

Driving pleasure

The tested car has a common rail TDI engine with 120 horsepower. The question is whether this is enough to provide driving pleasure. Basically, you don't need more horsepower, and the car satisfies in most situations. At one point, however, I felt that the car failed my expectations: Accelerations from 80-100 km/h, - i.e. overtaking on the country road. Here there is almost no help to be had from any of the six gears. It simply seems as if the gearbox is not adapted to the TDI with 120 horses. The weak overtaking properties put a damper on driving pleasure.

Road driving on motorways and country roads otherwise works well. The car is very stable and well on the road, even in poor winter conditions. The braking properties are phenomenal.

Comfort

Even with the factory lowered chassis of 2 cm and sports seats, the car feels comfortable. In comparison, an A4 with S-line has its undercarriage lowered by 3 cm and is stiffer. The test car's sporting characteristics do not go beyond comfort. Up front, you sit royally, with two-zone air conditioning, extendable thigh supports, adjustable lumbar support and armrests. You don't sit as well in the back seat. The seat cushion is too short and low for adults. Although there is sufficient legroom, the seating position is uncomfortable. In addition, there are no air conditioning ducts for the rear seat. This must be ordered as additional equipment (3-zone climate control).

The car is normally well soundproofed from the engine, chassis and road surface.

Place

The A4 is 10 cm shorter than a VW Passat. This is noticeable in the back seat and in the boot. In terms of size, the A4 offers sufficient space for a 5-seater. The trunk in the sedan and Avant is not particularly large, but is large enough for a small family. I like cars that don't unilaterally focus on space.

Safety

All relevant safety equipment is in place, and in models from 2013 you can order safety equipment such as adaptive cruise control, active lane assist (lane change warning) and side assist (notify traffic in dead zones in the side mirror) under "driver assistance". It is also worth mentioning the A4's very safe driving characteristics which help the driver to keep the car on the road.

Economy

Audi advertises with a relatively low entry price for the Audi A4. Such prices are not correct, because you have to expect to order extra equipment for between NOK 50-100. The loss in value is high - not because the A000 depreciates more than other cars, but because the purchase price is high. Relatively many A4s are sold as company cars, which means that there are quite a few newer used Audis on the market. There is thus much to gain from buying your A4 used.

Operating expenses will be somewhat higher than Volkswagen because the original parts are more expensive for Audi than for Volkswagen.

The new TDI common rail engines use very little diesel.

positive1

Successful appearance
The infotainment system with navigation

The 6-speed gearbox does not quite harmonize well with the 120 horsepower

The most comfortable in the class?

Posted 04/08/2013 by Terje Bjørnstad

There is not much that distinguishes the Citroën C4 from its competitors in this class. With the PSA group's superb e-HDI powertrain, high level of equipment and level of safety, the C4 belongs in the top group of the class. The C4 is experienced as a comfortable car – perhaps the most comfortable in its class?

Look and feel

I have always liked the design of the new C4. The previous model was a good car, but it had some design quirks. Here in the new C4, everything is as standard as a Volkswagen. If you come straight from a Golf or Passat, you will find a surprising number of similarities. Same feeling of quality. Same electronic handbrake solution. Blue light in the dashboard - which Volkswagen has otherwise done away with... The seats look like Volkswagen, but the bright partial leather seats in the Exclusive version feel a little more comfortable.

Inside the car, I notice large window areas, apart from the visibility to the rear which is as bad as all cars of this type.

I got to test drive a version with GPS. The choice of materials in the dashboard and panels, as well as the large screen, contribute to a good feeling of quality.

Minus for strong glare in the instruments. The main instrument with speedometer is completely unreadable on a bright summer day with lots of sun.

Driving pleasure

The C4's engine/driveline is based on the latest version of the PSA group's HDI initiative. An e-HDI of 90 horsepower is more than enough to drive effortlessly everywhere. The gearbox's five steps cover the Norwegian speed ranges well so that the engine can run at favorable revs everywhere. The engine pulls very well at low revs. When driving long distances on foreign highways, I felt no need for a sixth gear.

The car's chassis is more comfortable than sporty. But it still feels like the car is fully capable of handling all extreme situations if needed. The gearbox is precise but not click-clack, and does not invite sporty driving. Nor does the steering invite sporty driving. This is a car for road cruising.

Comfort

The seats in the Exclusive version are comfortable. They are slightly softer than many competitors, but still provide sufficient lateral support. The chassis is thought to be comfortably set up, but not so much that it affects the driving characteristics. You actually get a bit of a big car feeling when the car is at speed.

Low noise level in all speed ranges contributes to the good feeling of comfort. Likewise, the equipment level with two-zone automatic air conditioning, automatic lighting, rain sensor, retractable mirrors - to name a few.

Place

In the back seat I get the feeling of sitting a little high, but it could also be that the large side windows are deceiving me. Legroom in the back seat is good, even when I'm sitting behind a driver's seat adjusted for a 1,88 meter person.

The trunk is easy to use and feels more spacious than it actually is.

Safety

Passive safety is at the top level. Blind spot warning in the side mirrors and seat belt warning for the rear seat are also standard on the Exclusive version. Distance detectors at the front and rear are connected to the large screen and provide visual notification of the parking distances around the car.

You can also order your C4 with high-tech adaptive lights and the AFIL system, which wakes you up if the car changes lanes without using indicators.

Economy

Very low operating costs. Low fuel consumption. You can order a service package that gives a full overview of the maintenance costs. Purchase price in the 250-300 price range is nothing to complain about as these are very well equipped cars. Citroën does not have a tradition of keeping trade-in prices high, but since the C000 shares a powertrain with Peugeot, Volvo and Ford among others, I think trade-in prices will remain at an acceptable level. C4 deserves a five here!

Comfortable seats and suspension
Low noise level

Strong glare in dashboard clocks

PHOTOS

See

citroen.no