180 Quattro road tested earlier tonight - review

Car driven: 180 BHP TT Quattro - Blue/Blue

OK so here goes. I suggest you don’t read this if you are over sensitive about TT’s and have a habit of immediately jumping onto the defensive. These are my comments and opinions and you are entitled to yours. Please feel free to discuss POLITELY.

For a bit of background my daily driver is currently (and has been for the past 5 years) a VW Corrado VR6 (V6 2.9 litre, 190 BHP FWD if you didn’t know) and this is the basis for my comparison.

Arrived at the dealers at 6.00pm and a Blue 180 Quattro is ready for me. Jump in to the car and adjust seat etc, all is well. Fire up the engine and notice it sounds much larger than a 1.8 and is a little lumpy at idle. The first thing I notice is how short the throw is on the gearlever, and how direct it feels. This is much more like a RWD gearbox feeling - direct, as though the lever is straight into the ‘box. Reverse the car gingerly out of the parking space and I feel as if EVERYONE is looking at me (which is weird, because usually I like to be inconspicuous. Guess I’ll have to get used to it.) Go for the brakes at the junction and stop very abruptly - forgot about those Audi brakes being soooo sharp. Tootle off up the road through Carlisle and out into open country. I notice that selecting gears is a bit "stiff" for want of a better word, but this car has only covered 140 miles and I guess this will ease with use.

Low speed driving is fine, with none of this "jerkiness" to the throttle that I have read about, and I suddenly realise that the accelerator pedal doesn’t feel weird at all. It’s strange to think that there’s no mechanical linkage yet it feels like there is! There is little sensation of speed and 60 mph on minor roads feels like a walking pace. Ride is very good and comfortable - very similar to my Corrado but with a little more pitching due to the shorter wheelbase. Very little body roll at normal speeds - Top Gear magazine wrote about the Car as if it was a boat. I never noticed the transmission redirecting the power anywhere, even through fast uphill and downhill bends. The car just felt rock solid all the time and never in danger of doing anything unexpected. If I didn’t know I would have said the car was normally aspirated - no sign of turbo lag, whistle, anything.

Pedal spacing is a bit odd and will take some getting used to. Heel and toeing on down changes was tricky, but I think if I change my technique a bit it will be OK.

So far so good. Now for the disappointment. The 180 engine is too dull for my liking. The exhaust note doesn’t really exist in any form other than a bit of a roar, and I will miss that V6 shriek as the revs rise. The 180 Quattro really is under powered - period. I appreciate that some of this is due to the car being brand new, and there is a lessened sense of acceleration due to the flat torque curve, but for me the car really needs the 225 engine. This is a real bummer in the UK because we don’t have the choice of the FWD version which I suspect would be quicker without the extra weight and drag on the transmission.

One interesting point - in the UK a 180 Quattro to the same spec as a 225 Quattro is only 1200 GBP cheaper. Something to bear in mind.

Hope this has been informative and sparks off a bit of lively debate!
Paul.

Thanks for the review. I went from a 993 to a 1.8t A4 so I really noticed the power change. But w/ time I came to enjoy having to wring out the A4 to make it go fast. I'm awaiting my own test drive in a 180 quattro...the one I have on order is due here (California) in late August. I could have bought the 2.8 A4 and had the same horsepower advantage that the 225 will have over the 180...but I liked the balance of the smaller engined and lighter A4...and I'm hoping I'll feel the same in the TT...but if not, one can always trade up. You can't really feel the Quattro unless you do a side by side comparison w/ the FWD version of Audis. I'm glad you found the throttle control to your liking...I found the electronic throttle on the FWD TTs to be a little rough and awkward. Oh well...the end of August will be here before I know it. Thanks again.

Paul,

Thanks for sharing your comments on the TT 180Q. However, could you please share with us how the TT corners ie understeers etc. How was the traction on the slippery stuff ? Did you notice the 4 wheel system engage ? If so how did it perform ? Did it feel limiting ? Also did your Quattro come with a 6 speed transmission or 5 speed?

Thanks

Hi Greg,

The car had the 5 speed transmission and as the weather was unusually warm, dry and sunny there was little scope to try out the car's handling on the slippy stuff. It really didn't move much at all - no understeer or oversteer. Even on tight corners with maximum power. Very little drama.

Paul.

Paul,

Thanks for the great review.

I can concur with your impressions of driving a 1.8T TT after driving a VR6 Corrado for a long time. Indeed, the TT feels underpowered. I also miss the "shriek" as the VR6 revs. The 1.8T is very unspectacular. In addition, I also missed the extreme low end torque the VR6 generates. Accelerating from rock bottom (~ 1000 rpm) in second in the Corrado is a very pleasing experience. Not so in the TT - you have to wait until around 2000 rpm for the soft turbo boost to kick in.

However, having told you all the above, I would still choose the TT over the VR6 Corrado any day. The Corrado feels like a boy racer, avery lifely one I might add, but the TT's refinement (including exhaust note and gentle onset of power) is stunning. Do the sprint from 50 to 70 mph on the freeway and you will know what I mean.

And in terms of performance figures, I think the VR6 Corrado may be slightly quicker in the sprint 0-60mph, but the TT is at least as driveable under real world conditions with its tiny engine as is the bigger VR6.

If you are looking for style, refinement and rock solid handling get the TT. If you are looking for a more nimble car with a better (louder and more volumous) exhaust note the Corrado pleases.

The Boxster feels like the more nimble modern day Corrado, but it will set you back another $10k. And I won't touch the style subject.

Ralph

Greetings, and thanks very much for the great review.

I have what might be a stupid question, but I need frame of reference. I have a 180Q on order, the 180 I drove in May felt well balanced in terms of power. The stupid question is this: can anyone put perspective on the 180Q power drain by comparing it to the drain associated with running the air conditioning? In other words, how much power is lost with the Q, and does anyone know the power drain associated with running the a/c compressor? In short, I avoid a/c because of the loss of kick, and I'm wondering how that compares to the loss of kick due to Q, or for that matter, the loss of kick associated with not waiting for the 225...

Comments anyone?

Greetings, and thanks very much for the great review.

I have what might be a stupid question, but I need frame of reference. I have a 180Q on order, the 180 I drove in May felt well balanced in terms of power. The stupid question is this: can anyone put perspective on the 180Q power drain by comparing it to the drain associated with running the air conditioning? In other words, how much power is lost with the Q, and does anyone know the power drain associated with running the a/c compressor? In short, I avoid a/c because of the loss of kick, and I'm wondering how that compares to the loss of kick due to Q, or for that matter, the loss of kick associated with not waiting for the 225...

Comments anyone?

Have you driven the 180 FWD. How would you compare that to the Quattro. I just switched my September delivery TT to Quattro based on some reviews referenced from this forum. I'm switching from a 98 30 valve A4. My understanding is that the Quattro 0-60 is the same as the FWD due to gearing changes. By the way what do you lose with these gearing changes (mileage, passing speed, RPM's ???)

Great question...I haven't driven mine without the AC on since I got it! That's life in Houston! Guess it will be like a different car, come fall!?

Hi Marc,

Haven't driven the FWD as we don't get them here in the UK (only Quattro's) so I can't comment - sorry.

Regards,
Paul