markcincinnati

I have had my 2018 S4 for 6 days. I am still in my learning curve period. Here, however, are some impressive features.

On my iPhone I now have an app that allows me to check the status of my S4-- I can see if the doors are locked and if not, I can enter my password and lock the car.

I can see how much gas (miles to empty) is in the car.

I can see its location.

I can (I've not tried this) see where someone drove the car and also how fast they drove -- I BELIEVE I can set the maximum speed the car can be driven when I turn it over to a valet, etc. I also haven't tried this, but there is a geofencing feature -- not sure if that means I can set geographic limits for where the car goes, or at least I would be warned if my valet decided to pull a Ferris Bueller..

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If you engage Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keeping (late activation with the vibration turned off) and Automatic Headlights with auto high beam control, it is almost eerie and the car actually drives itself with only a touch of the steering wheel about every 30 seconds.

I DO NOT advocate -- at this level of "autonomy" -- using the above Driver Assistance features "as if" the car is able to self-drive. However, I do want to underscore how this option package can -- especially in traffic (traffic jam assistant is there too) -- make a move in the direction of self driving.

I DO advocate -- at this level of "autonomy" -- using the above Driver Assistance features as a HELPFUL assistant, perhaps especially under certain conditions where the car can have quicker reaction times, perhaps as much as half a second quicker (which at 60MPH is 44 feet of real estate covered).

I use the ACC perhaps 50% of the time now; I was using it about 75% of the time the first few days, now about half the time does seem to me to be a feature that may reduce stress and increase my margin of safety.

In short, learn and USE the Driver Assistance package -- find its benefits and use it when you may employ those benefits to greatest advantage, I have not, yet, found anything "intrusive," but I must say it is (at first) unnerving when the steering wheel moves on its own to keep you inside YOUR lane and not drift.

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At 400+ miles, I have noticed the droning sound from the exhaust, while still there, is "muffled" perhaps by about 40-50%, if it continues to slowly "drone less," my #1 issue with the car will be, essentially, mitigated.

I have kept Audi Drive Select:

Engine/Transmission: Dynamic
Steering: Auto
Exhaust Sound: Comfort
Adaptive Cruise Control: Auto

Interior color Scheme: Individual - Red upper line, White lower line, Blue glow elsewhere.

ALWAYS keeping the transmission in S

Despite the Exhaust sound being set to Comfort, the fart sound is heard just like my outgoing 2014 S4 during upshift with some depth of travel of the accelerator pedal. During slowing down, the engine and transmission work together to blip the throttle to rev match as the transmission finds lower gears.

The car is a Prestige configuration which means dual pane glass, but it is very quiet -- perhaps the quietest car I have ever been in and absolutely the quietest Audi I've ever been in, including an A8 and S6 (which had been, until now, the quietest Audi ever.) Yet, when I "punch it" (not floored, yet, due to break in period) the exhaust sound is very sweet.

If driven in D mode there is a drone that is loud and rarely subsides since the engine lugs due to the fact that the transmission when kept in D mode is perpetually one, sometimes two gears too high (all in the name of economy.)

In S mode, the transmission will, at the appropriate time, go all the way to 8th gear. The paddle shifters are fun and, just like in the DSG, are instantaneous in action.

Holy Cow, Batman -- there is a SUB-woofer. The sound system while still not having a super nice bottom end, has a WONDERFUL mid-range and excellent highs. It can play very loud without apparent distortion (Sat Radio channels -- not all of them -- are heavily compressed to limit the dynamic range, so don't think I am willing to accept Sat Radio as being "hi-fi," although it is better than AM and most FM (which is also compressed).)

The audio system's 3D effect is a hoot, it makes the sound on extreme stereo recordings appear as if it is outside the doors.

The massage function gets an A-, maybe a B+, and this is only because I sampled the massage function in an A8, which actually does a whole bunch more. Nevertheless, using the massage function does ease even the hint of fatigue on a 100 mile (one way) trip from Cincinnati to Columbus.

The auto deflate of the side bolsters upon egress is also welcome -- and I'm sure folks of larger, er, girth than I will REALLY appreciate this feature especially since seat wear will be "decellerated."

I've figured out how, for me, to enjoy my iPhone 6S without using the dreadful "CAR PLAY".

I plugged the phone in and went to the MMI and deactivated the phone's CAR PLAY interface -- I can use the MMI to make calls, play music and audio books, AND to send text messages hands free eyes free. If Audi can design the handwriting software to read my scribbles, there should be no reason NOT to have the permanently mounted (fake) iPad screen allow commands via touches, swipes and pinches. I was, however, told that Audi deliberately decided NOT to make the screen touch sensitive to keep the driver focused and only use the features in a hands free eyes free fashion.

The brakes are very smooth and powerful -- I have NOT engaged ABS or brake assist, thus far. However, the brake function appears ample.

The tires are Y rated and have a tread-wear number of 260 -- dealer thinks I'll be fortunate to get 15,000 miles out of them, my bet would be they're good for a little more than 10,000 miles -- but, hey, they are incredibly sticky (i.e., soft).

I have no way to tell if the brake based torque vectoring (light, as in light weight torque vectoring) has engaged -- traffic on my route has been heavier than usual and has very few curves.

The virtual cockpit is High Def -- the back up/top view camera is like watching ultra high-def TV. Speaking of top view -- it should be mandatory on all cars, period -- it is just THAT good.

95 miles per hour is very easy to attain -- and it feels in no way anywhere near its limit at that speed. Unfortunately traffic has been so heavy these type of speeds are typically only possible for a short time.

Turn in is sharp and immediate -- the "quattro crab" at low speeds with the wheel turned to full lock, has been (apparently) quashed.

Why are the paddle shifters plastic?

The suspension EATS up bumps and other undulations with aplomb and the cornering surely appears to be pretty much drama free (I'll get back to you on this one.)

Back seat (I have sat in it) feels marginally larger than the 2014 S4 -- which is a good thing, but it is hardly "ample." Having said this, the S4 is the perfect size for Cincinnati (and probably most US cities); I would think an A6 or A8 would feel like a barge especially downtown. Daytona Gray Pearl is beautiful, but black, gray, silver and white cars are so common it's sickening -- thank god the red interior saves the car from looking like another "me too" vehicle. Audi and all car makers should at least offer another half dozen colors. Small nit to pick, overall however.

The glove box is, uh, pretty small -- it will, however, hold gloves.

Whattya want, egg in your beer?

I love this car.

h2olgd

Thanks for the write-up, Mark. I'm still waiting for my S4, so I'll have to live vicariously through yours and others' extended reviews of the car. I'm curious, the iPhone app and metrics... is that just for those vehicles with the Driver Assistance package?

markcincinnati

No. Car Play, Apple Play, Audi Car Play -- whatever, is for the P+'s too and for Prestige versions without Driver Assistance (and of course the analogy with Android phones is also there). My dealer rep -- a die-hard Android phone fan, replaced his Android with an iPhone, he said the Apple interface is the better of the two awful systems (I added the word awful, I can't, yet, see any reason to hobble the MMI by turning on the Car Play system.)

Dealer says the Car Play functionality is used by the [few] customers who don't get the Tech (or Prestige) package, hence don't have the "full" MMI system.

After having a 2014 P+ S4 and a 2014 Prestige SQ5 and now a 2018 S4 Prestige with Driver Assistance, I think if I didn't get the Prestige for some reason, I would order an A4 Prestige -- with all the sport options -- and have a "mild" APR upgrade performed on the thing. The top view camera, the tech, the driver assistance IN MY OPINION (your mileage may differ) transform the car. Without these features, I could've kept my perfectly fine 2014 S4 (which I did upgrade with the Nav, B&O and Side assist, etc.)

The top view + the dual pane glass and so on and on in this level of car make the car "so much more."

I really didn't enter into this transaction thinking this would be the case -- I just wanted the top-view and the heads-up display. And, not offered on the P+, well I had to order Prestige. Likewise the dual pane glass seemed perhaps, "unnecessary" -- I was wrong.

The Prestige version without the pricey seats (leather coverings) and without the pricey paint and without the 19" wheels could be considered virtually a bargain and ought to make folks say "no thanks" to the P+.

Here's another reason I say this -- after speaking with my obviously biased sales rep.

"We don't order virtually any car without navigation. If you're going to order cars with navigation -- well at this price point, you've kind of ordered an "almost" Prestige, but without the top view camera, without the head's up display and without the dual pane glass. Drive them back to back. Of course, your Prestige at $60,400 is really on the low end, since we typically "load up" the Prestige versions for stock. However, you could, order a Prestige version without the $575 paint and minus the $1,250 leather seat covers and add the driver assistance and keep the summer only tire option and you would have a "bargain basement" S4 Prestige for $58,575, pretty much about what most of our P+'s come in at."

I splurged for the $575 paint. I don't regret it, but I also just wish the pricing supported any of the colors that are "standard" colors without that upcharge. It "feels" like being nickeled and dimed to death kind of thing. The leather, however, seems fair.

It just seems to me if you buy the car it comes with a steering wheel -- it isn't free, but the price of it is built in. We bought an Infiniti and an Acura (I know, what were we thinking) and any color was no extra charge. I ordered white pearl for my TL -- ta da, no charge.

Of course, with respect to the Acura, it was their attempt at an S4 -- and, for the money, it was "ok" but, it was also "one and done."

In any case, if you have NOT ordered yet, or even if you have, there is a window of time when the order can be changed and they're always happy to have several "sold" cars incoming, so you could order a Prestige.

I stood on the showroom floor with my Audi Rings Shirt, my Audi wristwatch and my Audi jacket on and someone came up to me and asked if I worked there. They had just been peeking inside my car -- I said nope, just bought that one. He asked how much, I told him I got 6.5% off + a loyalty bonus and that the thing started out at $60,400, he said "what's on it?"

I told him and he said, how come the ones on the lot are close to $5000 more? I said, "option choices" made by the dealer -- since some folks will take MORE than they want, but not many will take LESS than they want (and be happy about it after the first month or so.)

He said, "how do you get exactly what you want?"

I told him they LOVE custom orders and have more flexibility in pricing with a sold car. Then came the killer question, "how long does it take to get one when you order it?" I said, it is safe to plan for 100 days, then if it is only 80 or 90 days you don't feel so bad.

The concept of buying a car and not getting it was so foreign, his head exploded.

"Clean up in aisle four."

Some people are like my dog -- he could "have an accident on the kitchen floor" but instead it's always on the carpet. That guy could've gone outside and then had his head explode.

How wude.

carys4

Damnit - there goes my emergency burrito warmer/storage idea.

Talbot

I would bet that the person at Audi who came up with that answer regarding the (lack of) touchscreen was the same one who said, "we're taking away the DSG because, uh... too... much... torque."

Tatge

I wonder if the soundaktor thingy-ma-bob is contributing to the drone. It would be nice to figure out how to disable the soundaktor, eventually someone will!

dbuxton13

I for one am grateful they aren't using touch screens. The smeared up nasty screen look just isn't for me. Plus they did such a great job with the interface using natural hand positions, and is safer than trying to jab at a screen while cruising at freeway speeds.

bbbobbb

What app is this?

As always I appreciate and enjoy your write-ups! Keep 'em coming as my S5 is on a boat almost to the Panama Canal. :-)

carys4

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mmi-...570608111?mt=8

jlarke

Mark, you said the drone was loud but the car was quiet, which makes it hard for me to imagine exactly what you're describing. Is it just that the car is so quiet that the engine drone jumps out at you?