pfgray2008

Has anyone driven SQ5 with Dynamic Steering vs. Standard version? Did anyone notice an improvement in low speed maneuvers and turn radius?

Dynamic steering
Audi dynamic steering alters the steering ratio depending on the vehicle speed and simultaneously adjusts the steering torque to match the ratio.

At high motorway speeds, Audi dynamic steering adopts a more indirect steering ratio, eliminating nervousness in the steering and improving straight-line directional stability.

If the vehicle is being driven at low to medium speeds on twisting roads, a more direct ratio is used to increase steering precision and speed up steering response.

During parking the steering has a direct ratio to make maneuvering easier for the driver. Audi dynamic steering is only available in conjunction with Audi drive select.

Mrclopec

We have the Q5 TDI with Dynamic Steering and we really like it. It's a feature that is very much so invisible and in the background. If you drove a car not knowing it had it, you would probably just notice how seamless the car handles on the freeway and on twisty roads and not much beyond that. I would expect people to either like it or find it a waste of money as it's got a hefty price tag in the Driver Assist Pkg. We chose the Package to get the Adaptive Cruise Control. The Dynamic steering was just an added bonus that came with it.

superswiss

Not on a Q5, but my RS5 has dynamic steering. Like the poster above, I got the driver assist pkg for the adaptive cruise control, but after owning the car for two years I can w/o a doubt say the best part about the package is the dynamic steering. Everytime I drive another car now I feel like I'm driving a bus.

Some people including some journalists that gave it bad press feel uneasy about the thought of a changing steering ratio, but the ratio changes so seamlessly that it can't be felt. It just feels right in every driving situation. If you constantly fiddle with drive select, which is what most do during a test drive, then the experience is a little jarring and possibly off-putting as each mode has very distinctive dynamics as opposed to the standard steering that just changes the weight of the steering, but doesn't actually give you better feedback etc. in dynamic mode vs comfort mode.

The system is best left alone in auto mode for most of your driving, where it adjust from a very direct light steering for easy maneuvering in parking lots etc. to a very indirect and tight steering at highway speeds for excellent straight line stability. Change down to comfort mode for long highway trips to reduce the effort it takes to steer, but still maintain the excellent straight line stability. Change up to dynamic mode for some fun on the twisties.

In dynamic mode, the steering ratio actually stays fixed at 14.3:1 for a predictable steering response in situations where the speed of the car changes rapidly such as on a spirited drive on your favorite mountain road or a day on the track. Compare that to the fixed 15.9:1 ratio in every mode of the standard steering and you'll notice that the dynamic steering is a more direct steering. In comfort and auto mode, the ratio adjusts from as low as 9:1 to as high as 18:1. The upper end gives you much better straight line stability than the standard steering and the lower end makes it much easier to park the car.

Mrclopec

Yeah. What he said...

superswiss

BTW, the Audi Technology Portal has some more information about it. There are aspects about the dynamic steering I didn't mention in the post above. In particular the integration with the ESP and how it can countersteer and stabilize the car long before the brakes have a chance to do the same.

Dynamic steering ? Audi Technology Portal

ciernett

I have dynamic steering on my Q5 3.0 and use it exclusively. I love how it provides some resistance and more of a feel for the road. It definitely make the car more fun to drive. My wife however does not like it, she likes for her steering to be completely effortless.

superswiss

You are confusing dynamic mode with dynamic steering. The steering always has comfort, auto and dynamic modes, but the dynamic steering is something else. It's physically different steering rack hardware and you need to have a prestige trim with the optional driver assist package to get it.