Tailwagger

Well, modern BMWs these day are not a paragon of virtue in this regard either, so unless you're coming from an E46 or earlier, I wouldn't worry about it too much. To amplify my observations a little, the biggest issue to my mind is feel on center, not so much when the wheel is cranked. Everyday on the way home, if the off ramp is clear, its taken at speed. Under those circumstances, when the snow tires can be faintly be heard to complain, I'm not. Complaining that is; its not perfect, but for an electric rack, it'll do.

So why then does feel on center matter to me? As I still possess a couple of cars with hydraulic and manual steering, I do notice the lack of it which does bother me a bit. Not having that connection with my fingertips that I've otherwise grown to expect, at least in a car with sporting aspirations, makes me a little sad. Hence my previous comment. But I'll also offer up as I think about it now, that some of what I may have perceived as feel on the 20s, may have been in retrospect about being in dynamic where you do get a some jiggle vibration from the shocks that makes its way through the steering wheel. So 18's, 19s, 20s might not change anything.

Regardless for most folks, certainly 98% of the time, it should neither be upsetting nor problematic. Pretty much why although the efficiency gain is slight (my guess is that real reason ERs are the default these days is more about cost and packaging than fuel economy), we're all shackled with electric racks to begin with, as no one, other than curmudgeons like me, actually complains about them.

But there is that few % of the time where on center feel matters, or at least should matter, to everyone. When is that? Well, its any time you're trying to gauge through your hands just how much traction you have to play with as you hurtle in straight line down a very wet or snowy or heaven help you, icy highway. If you can't feel any of the subtle signals that the fronts are sliding or aquaplaning ever so slightly, you simply can't judge how much traction you really have to play with. And this is what truly bugs me, (and its not just a TT or Audi problem) given that over the past couple of mornings, here in New England we've been experiencing rain right with the temp right around the freezing point. The consequences of misjudging on the high side can be... well, I think we all get that part.

parkingticket

I just got a 2018 TTS at a bargain. It was on the lot for over 333 days! So you could say it was a rescue car. I had wanted the TTS with the stock rims as I thought they looked better (I know weird … im in the minority on this one), but it came with the 20" wheels coming with the Black Optics package. Now that I have the Black Optics rims, I am concerned about the lack of all-weather tires. Sales guys said you dont need them in the Washington DC area. I'm not sure about that. I actually like the bone rattling stiff rid of the 20" but when looking for tires, its very limited. All I see are summer only tires.

BlackOptic

Huey52

parkingticket, I lived in Quantico for a couple years, with a number of Winter DC visits over the years, and although milder than New England winters there's still some snow and ice and cold temps. Keep in mind that AS & Winter tires are as much about cold weather rubber pliancy as they are about more aggressive tread.

Oh, and I prefer 19" to 20" on the TT.

Great buy and Enjoy!

Gbob

I once tried to drive using my summer tires on a day with slush.
I would never do it again.
As Julia Child used to say, 'You can do it any way you like...- but you'll be sorry'.

parkingticket

I came from a muscle car. I bought a Mustang GT in 2015 with the performance pack and all the bells and whistles. I toughed it out that winter in summer tires. I will never do that again. I had some close calls. The Mustang isn't known to be gentle in ice and snow even with all weather tires.

So the sales guy told me I would be fine. But one glance at the tread of these tires told me "no way!". I just needed affirmation. I wasn't sure how much Quattro would do for me. I figured it might make up for the summer tires up a hill but on turns, It could be dangerous.

Yes BlackOptics, that was the car out in Hampton. It was sitting around for 333 days the dealership here told me. They took 3k off MSRP. Ill look into those tires.

ourlee