will13k7

If you plan to get coilovers at some point, ADS will be a waste. If not, I had an ADS S4 as a loaner once, I liked the dynamic setting on a ADS S4 compared to my ADS-lite S4 when it had a stock suspension. I like my modded suspension more than ADS though.

limsilas

Thanks for all the input, all. I do not plan on modding my suspension at any point, so this would be it for me. Of course, aside from the occasional spirited city driving, I likely may not have much need for this, as I don't really plan to hit the twisties...

That being said, I've already done some reading around, but could someone please provide a concise explanation of what exactly adaptive damping suspension is, and how it makes the Comfort setting more comfortable and the Dynamic setting more dynamic? (The wife would appreciate the extra Comfort, which may help me convince her if I ultimately decide I want it!)

Also, I would love to hear from more individuals that have had direct comparison with both ADS S4s and non-ADS S4s. Thanks!!

HDCS4

ADS adjusts the damping rates which do affect ride quality. The S4 uses an older system with variable valving which is far slower to respond and less effective than the magnetorheological systems you find on a corvette, Ferrari, or even an S3. As such its contribution to ride/handling is not as significant as one might think which is probably why the majority of S4s don't have this option. You should definitely try it to see what you think. Some people here seem to like it but I was pretty unimpressed.

Perhaps I just prefer for my car to have one consistently tuned suspension that doesn't need adjustment. Again based on my test drives the 18" wheel/tire combo on the standard suspension resulted in a more comfortable ride than the ADS car with 19s I drove...so tire/wheel choice makes a big difference.

Cheers,
HDCS4

Cobalt03

Take advantage of your opportunity to test drive and don't be afraid to open the car up a bit, hit some corners hard to see what you think. In the end, I opted not to go for the ADS. I like a spirited drive now and then (well, honestly, more often than not), but for my area there aren't lots of 'twisties' available. As others have said, you will notice a much bigger difference in ride quality if you switch between a car with 18" and 19" wheels. In the end, I went with the 19" wheels and standard suspension and haven't regretted it for a moment. I still find plenty of reasons to take the 'long way home.'

Either way, you are really going to enjoy the car!

limsilas

Thanks all! I will definitely test-drive both models this weekend...

...but, just to give some context and a frame of reference: I will be coming from a 2001 Jetta 1.8T (which is all I've been driving since 2002), so I'm pretty sure I'll be happy with non-ADS!!

glenner

limsilas! Maybe this is a bit of a stale question... but I'm actively pondering the same issue on a 2018 B9 S4... what did you settle on? ADS or non-ADS?

limsilas

I couldn't find any S4s with ADS to purchase right away, let alone to test drive, so I went without it. So, even though I have nothing to compare against, I love driving this!