Inyoury

That sucks the US models don't have the advanced key as standard option. We have it standard on all models here in South Korea. But then again we pay a lot more... Premium plus gives you: innovative package, sports package, heads up display, cold weather package and many other things but it will run just over 70k after taxes and registration fees. Prestige will cost you just over 90k, but not including B&O speakers. That option isn't available in any Audi here. 20k difference was too much for me. I also had to consider the annual engine displacement tax which would have cost me 1k more each year and the increase fuel cost for the bigger engine. Filling up my car cost just over $150.

As for the indented button on the handles, those are the lock buttons. All four doors can be locked by touching that part and unlocked when you put your fingers inside to open. They used to be made of black rubber buttons and the lower packages would have the indented buttons on the rear door handles but not functional. Love how the indented buttons blend in into the handles.

danglero

That is crazy that it doesn't come standard, at this point in the game. I have an 09' q5 and mine is on the fritz. What sucks is not knowing what to expect when you get in and out of the vehicle. Do I pull my keys out, or leave them in my pocket, what if my hands are full because it's been working and I let my guard down, now I have to put everything down to get my keys out.... It's a whole thing. 1st World Problems!!

snagitseven

What's missing are the sensors under the squares and the door handles and the electronics and mechanicals that activate the door locks.
It's less expensive for Audi to manufacture one handle than two different ones.

It's all a matter of mostly cost and some marketing. Audi reserves features for each trim as you go up the line. Decisions are made as to which features are eliminated in lower trims by the engineers and accountants back in Ingolstadt. The marketing side is obviously designed to up sell customers to a Prem+ and Prestige from a base model.

irenesbob

The availability of a lot of these special features on many significantly lower priced cars for MY 2015 and 2016 (Hyundai, Kia for example) indicates to me that they are really not that expensive. I suspect Audi feels that if these were all on standard the Premium model they’d sell a lot fewer Premium + and Prestige models that I am sure provide the corporation with more profit.

snagitseven

Maybe not expensive but take all of these smaller features and multiply it by tens of thousands of units. The dollars add up fast. It also has to do with Audi's engineering priorities and product/market philosophy. They have always put their focus on engineering performance and quality of design while targeting each price point. Other lesser brands might focus on how many doodads they can cram into the car for a price while minimizing the other things that Audi considers more important.