Photo: Auto Motor und Sport
Now in its last years of production, the Audi A4 was pitted against its much newer BMW 3 Series counterpart in auto motor und sport’s latest comparison test.
However, since it’s cold out and snow seems to never stop pouring down in Germany these days, both of them were tested with their all-wheel-drive systems on board, to see which is better.
The quattro system from Audi is mechanical and uses a center differential that distributes torque to the front and rear wheels. It’s been the same recipe for over 30 years and they’re still going with it.
Much newer is the xDrive system in the 3 Series that now reaches its 3rd generation. This one uses a multi-plate clutch to distribute power and can send up to 100 percent of it to one axle alone and 95% to only one wheel.
On the road, the two are dangerously close in comparison. Thanks to a more powerful engine, the 328i pull ahead of the A4 2.0 TFSI both on snow and on clear roads but only by so much. In heavy snow, the ground clearance will be decisive, BMW winning once again.
The only place where the Audi might win is the interior that looks newer than on the 3 Series, despite the Bimmer being newer. It’s cabin is more traditional. Not the same could be said about the HUD and iDrive though, that are the best in the business.
As for fuel consumption, the Audi takes up a little less on average but it’s also down on power with only 225 HP compared to the 245 of the 3er.
Bottom line, there’s few in between the two cars to set them apart. The xDrive, for once, seems to handle snow better than quattro but that might be exactly due to this particular configuration so don’t think that the same will apply for all models.
Full test at auto motor und sport
The quattro system from Audi is mechanical and uses a center differential that distributes torque to the front and rear wheels. It’s been the same recipe for over 30 years and they’re still going with it.
Much newer is the xDrive system in the 3 Series that now reaches its 3rd generation. This one uses a multi-plate clutch to distribute power and can send up to 100 percent of it to one axle alone and 95% to only one wheel.
On the road, the two are dangerously close in comparison. Thanks to a more powerful engine, the 328i pull ahead of the A4 2.0 TFSI both on snow and on clear roads but only by so much. In heavy snow, the ground clearance will be decisive, BMW winning once again.
The only place where the Audi might win is the interior that looks newer than on the 3 Series, despite the Bimmer being newer. It’s cabin is more traditional. Not the same could be said about the HUD and iDrive though, that are the best in the business.
As for fuel consumption, the Audi takes up a little less on average but it’s also down on power with only 225 HP compared to the 245 of the 3er.
Bottom line, there’s few in between the two cars to set them apart. The xDrive, for once, seems to handle snow better than quattro but that might be exactly due to this particular configuration so don’t think that the same will apply for all models.
Full test at auto motor und sport
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