Test drove a RS5 SB (former owner of a S5 SB)
06-09-2019, 05:37 AM
#11
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
You have to be more specific. How was it configured? The RS5 can be had with two different suspensions. The standard suspension is a fixed suspension, meaning it doesn't change between the modes. The optional Dynamic Ride Control suspension, which is part of the Dynamic package, can be adjust from Comfort to Auto to Dynamic, so the question is what suspension did you test drive and if it had the DRC, what mode did you drive in? On top of all this is the tire pressure, which unfortunately can be all over the place. Incorrect tire pressure will mess up the ride and in my experience, dealerships are not great at inflating the tires properly. I can tell you this, I took an RS5 Coupe on one of my favorite 200+ miles canyon loop and yes in Dynamic mode, the DRC suspension is pretty harsh and bouncy on less than perfect roads, but in Comfort mode for a performance car it's quite comfortable. I have no experience with the fixed suspension in the B9 RS5, but I suspect it's somewhere between Comfort and Dynamic of the DRC suspension. But expect the ride of cars at this level to be on the firm side of comfortable.
06-09-2019, 05:39 AM
#12
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
The main goal for the suspension of a sporty car is chassis control. Specifically reducing body roll, squat and dive. The expectation for a sporty car is that it stays somewhat flat around corners, doesn't try to dig the nose into the pavement when braking hard and doesn't point the nose at the sky under hard acceleration like you are trying to leave earth. This is primarily achieved by stiffening the springs, sway bars and the damping, but that goes completely against what's needed for more comfort. Stiffer sway bars for example ensure the car stays flat, but they restrict independent suspension travel at each corner, so if one wheel hits a bump, the stiffer the sway bar more of that impact is transferred to the wheel on the other side and the less comfortable the impact is. Comfort and dynamic handling are at complete opposite ends of the suspension design spectrum. Adaptive suspensions try to give you both, by relaxing some of the components when in comfort mode for a less stiff setup and tighten it up in the sport settings for better chassis control, but there's only so much that can be done. Most of these suspensions only control one aspect, and most often that's the damping. The springs and sway bars stay fixed, so they need to be somewhat of a compromise to provide comfort as well as dynamic handling and the suspension electronics can help by changing the compression and rebound characteristics of the dampers, but comfort mode is always relative to how stiff you want it in the most sporty setting. The stiffer the most sporty setting is, the stiffer comfort mode is also. Comfort mode on those suspensions doesn't mean it can go from F1 car stiff to Buick comfortable by simply pressing a button.
Air suspensions on the other hand change the spring rate and the damping rate, so they are capable of a wider range between the comfort and most sporty settings, and then there is the suspension that McLaren puts in their higher end series, which doesn't have a sway bar and instead has active components at each corner that control body roll, squat and dive and can make the ride super comfortable in comfort mode. They are the most comfortable riding sports cars that you can currently get for when you are not trying to channel Nico Rosberg, but it's all a matter of complexity and cost.
Air suspensions on the other hand change the spring rate and the damping rate, so they are capable of a wider range between the comfort and most sporty settings, and then there is the suspension that McLaren puts in their higher end series, which doesn't have a sway bar and instead has active components at each corner that control body roll, squat and dive and can make the ride super comfortable in comfort mode. They are the most comfortable riding sports cars that you can currently get for when you are not trying to channel Nico Rosberg, but it's all a matter of complexity and cost.
06-09-2019, 09:12 AM
#13
AudiWorld Super User
This was a fully loaded (including carbon fiber package dealer showcase model. I tried all driving modes. I agree the variations in driving choices with various settings makes a difference. I just found like for like it seemed more harsh then the s5 but that would also make sense with a higher performance engine,.
Yeah, steel spring suspensions will always be harsher than an air suspension. Porsche does air suspensions well. Audi's air suspensions tend to be on the floaty side, even in dynamic mode. The RS7 for example can be had with air suspension or the DRC suspension, and there is a significant difference in handling between the two. If you want the better handling RS7 you need to get the DRC, but if you want the more comfortable RS7 and are willing to compromise handling, then the air suspension is the way to go. The RS5 however doesn't have an air suspension option.
06-09-2019, 04:09 PM
#14
How do you like the macan gts vs the RS5? currently have a 911T and a Macan GTS, was tempted to trade the macan towards an RS3 or RS5. Already have a minivan so doesn't need to be super practical
06-10-2019, 05:15 AM
#15
Curious if others who have either purchased or test driven an RS5 SB found the drive to be a bit harsh. Please don't think I am knocking on the vehicle. It is gorgeous in every way but I was surprised the drive felt harsh. What are your honest thoughts, any buyer's remorse? Are you happy with the drive? I truly welcome your feedback.
The RS's "dynamic" suspension option feels totally different than the S's "sport" package settings -- and, even in comfort, the RS did seem, overall, more capable. Here's the thing I noticed (and my test-drive was the RS first over a familiar route followed immediately by taking the same route in my S4), as a practical matter -- on public streets, roads, and highways -- the RS is better (can do everything at a bit higher speed within the "feeling" of control) but not sufficiently so to justify a $20,000+ bump in price. One of the models on my dealer's showroom was north of $95,000 -- which seemed like a fairy tale.
Yet, the RS is absolutely worth more than even a maxed out S. And, I suspect if you do plan to use your RS not ONLY on the public asphalt and concrete, well it probably is worth it. For those of us who drive to and from work Monday - Friday and take what is best described as weekend "grand tours," the RS's talents will rarely come into play.
I would love to have an RS, but if Audi would come up with an S4+ or S5+ -- for a $10,000 premium over a Prestige S, well, that would be where I would put my money. My primary "complaint" about my S4 is that it needs a bit more power. My guess is a factory tune of an S could be done for $5,000, then with some "+" model specific upgrades another $5,000 could be "within reach."
I like what I think Volvo is doing with the "Polestar" additions/upgrades and just wish Audi would come up with something similar and not require the customer to go full-on "RS."
06-10-2019, 05:43 AM
#16
Curious if others who have either purchased or test driven a RS5 SB found the drive to be a bit harsh. Please don't think I am knocking on the vehicle. It is gorgeous in every way but I was surprised the drive felt harsh. What are your honest thoughts, any buyer's remorse. Are you happy with the drive. I truly welcome your feedback.
I currently drive 14 A6 TDI, had it since new and have put 160k (km) on.
It was time for an upgrade, so I test drove A5, S5, and RS5. Thought about thr RS3, but they sold the demo the day before the test drive.
My S5 SB is on order and should be here end of August.
i found the ride comfort of the RS5 too harsh for my wants - both in comfort and dynamic mode. Dynamic was just silly. Probably the stiffest stock car I ever drove. I felt like I was 19 again riding in my civic, bouncing up and down like a ding dong. Not to knock on anyone, some people might like that but this is not for me.
the power of the RS5 is a bit silly too. I mean, it rips like crazy. On a highway pull, I could not look down at the speedo because things were happening so quickly. This power needs your full attention. Maybe with time I could have gotten used to the power
the S5 SB i test drove had steel springs and 20” rims - which was fine for me. It is IMO a perfectly balanced car for daily driving/family.
The car I ordered will have DRC and 19” rims. I’m curious to know what the difference in ride quality will be between comfort DRC and steel S5 SB springs on 20s.
either way, can’t wait for the car to get here.
06-10-2019, 05:57 AM
#17
AudiWorld Senior Member
Worth noting that like all Audis, tire pressure is enormously important and is always set too high at the dealership. The pressures listed in the door jamb are about +10psi than the ones you'll find in the owner's manual and that is not what you are supposed to be running on a daily basis (unless of course you have 4 people + their luggage in the car on a daily basis).
So a significant part of your detected harshness could be attributed to (grossly) over-inflated tires.
So a significant part of your detected harshness could be attributed to (grossly) over-inflated tires.
06-10-2019, 06:21 AM
#18
AudiWorld Senior Member
Coming from a B8 A4, right now for me the S4 feels as fast as a street car would reasonably be, and there are few circumstances where I can actually use all the power. With North American city and highway speed limits, the car just goes from normal speed to highly illegal so quickly that I just don't see how more power can be usable. I think it strikes a good balance between daily fuel economy and maxing out usable power. When I drove a B9 S5 loaner I felt like that was a reasonably-powered car for everyday driving. It was very quick and I'm sure it can achieve better fuel economy without trying as hard. I never felt like I needed more power in the city. In the S5 it is fun to pass cars quickly while on road trips on single lane country roads, but again, the speed limit on highway here is 80 km/h and to actually *need* extra passing power on top of what an A5 SB delivers you would have to be going from an illegal speed to a very highly illegal speed (50 km/h over the speed limit here gets your car and license taken away).
Realistically, with the S4 you're just getting a car that sounds great and gives you that power when you want it, not when you really need it. An RS is just more of that "want" for people who have more money. Most of the people who have more money are getting old and are getting sick of a harsh ride, so they have to reach that younger rich person/older enthusiast demographic.
Realistically, with the S4 you're just getting a car that sounds great and gives you that power when you want it, not when you really need it. An RS is just more of that "want" for people who have more money. Most of the people who have more money are getting old and are getting sick of a harsh ride, so they have to reach that younger rich person/older enthusiast demographic.
06-10-2019, 10:35 AM
#19
It is also a marketing/sales strategy to have models like the RS. It is easier for a consumer to justify buying a S when the RS is the top of the line vs. justifying buying an S when *it* is the top of the line.
i.e. Having an RS model sells more S models.
i.e. Having an RS model sells more S models.
06-10-2019, 11:10 AM
#20
AudiWorld Super User
the S5 SB i test drove had steel springs and 20” rims - which was fine for me. It is IMO a perfectly balanced car for daily driving/family.
The car I ordered will have DRC and 19” rims. I’m curious to know what the difference in ride quality will be between comfort DRC and steel S5 SB springs on 20s.
The car I ordered will have DRC and 19” rims. I’m curious to know what the difference in ride quality will be between comfort DRC and steel S5 SB springs on 20s.