imdakine1

I was looking at the 2014 allroad premium plus package with sport interior but my wife felt the ride was a bit to rough / firm. I'm assuming it is due to the low profile set up and sporty ride? My wife has a neck issues and a bad lower back... We tested the Q5 with sports interior and she liked the ride a lot more
Do you think the allroad is a stiffer or rougher ride?

Anyway to change wheels to a less of a low profile ride / setup?

Shaka

Any vehicle that has off-road capabilities, even an SUV, is going to tend to have a firmer suspension than a sedan. If your goal is something that is extremely comfortable, you would probably want to look at a base A6. Those are going to have the least sporty ride same as that of a BMW 5-series or similar. Or even a Volkswagen Passat, those are comfy.

However, most good German cars have sportier characteristics-- that is what the buyers want. There is a chance for certain that the Allroad rides stiffer than the Q5, but some of that is going to be at the subjective feeling of the rider. It is worth noting that the Sport package in the Allroad you drive has Drive Select-- did you put the car in comfort mode? It has a comfort-vs-dynamic option, and that might have helped.

You would be able to go to 16" wheels with more tire if you wanted, as those will clear the factory brakes. To get a "comfy" set of 16" wheels/tires would probably run you $1000-2000 depending on the brand/quality of wheels/tires you selected. Check out sites like TireRack.com --- but you'll actually have to call to be able to configure a "down size"-- they usually dont allow going down in size except for winter.

IMO you should buy the car, in stock form, that satisfies your wife's needs if the car is for her. To buy a car that immediately needs things changed or isn't already perfect seems silly. I'm sure with a little time and due diligence you can find a car, perhaps not an Audi, but a vehicle that will please everyone it needs to. Good luck!

cjv-baires

I have a Progressiv Trim w/o Drive Select. I second the question above as far Drive Select setting when you test drove the car. It's also possible it was on 19" wheels. I found 18" to be a more comfortable ride than 19". Try test driving with those things in mind. Good luck!

Huey52

18" rims with Michelin's best tires make a big difference, as does the 'comfort' suspension setting of course as others have mentioned. From a comfort perspective I used to look forward to my winter changeover from 19" rims and Pirelli performance tires to 18" and relatively soft Michelin snow tires.

I would echo Shaka tho'. Get the most comfortable car rather than trying to tweak a sportier car. Having said that my Allroad is far more comfortable than my wife's Caddy ATS, but then the ATS has a BMW 3 series-competing suspension and similar run flat tires. Tires are where the suspension "rubber meets the road" - literally of course.