2009 Audi A4 Avant: Finally, AWD Makes Sense in LA

You really do not need AWD in LA. I live in Long Beach and drive the LA freeways in the rain. I have no problem in my FWD VW TDI.

I hydroplaned on a Florida highway in an A4 Quattro just trying to make it to the off ramp. I counter steered, fed it throttle (yes I know that’s against the rules, but that wasn’t working) and at least the AWD system kept me in a constant direction until it snapped into traction and I corrected accordingly.

BUT essentially I was out of control and luckily I was headed to an empty lane with a shallow ditch (filled with delineator posts).

Did AWD save me? Not really. Was I stupid for trying to keep the speed limit in a Florida downpour? Kind of, but I'd rather stay out of a mass of cars doing 30 in a 65.

AWD and empty dirt roads are indeed fun though, addicted2sp33d.

While its true that AWD falls into the nice-to-have-but-not-necessary category for most of the US, it is, indeed, nice to have. Someone who understands AWD will realize that it helps you to go but doesn't help you to stop (beyond engine braking using all wheels) and only somewhat helps you to steer. As long as you realize this, AWD can be used to an advantage.

What I like about it is that I can take off from a standstill with reasonable throttle in almost any road conditions and simply go. I don't have to moderate throttle to avoid wheel spin. I don't have to correct for a small patch of ice. I can just go.

With some of the snow around here I've watched the AWD display in my Outlander's DIC and have seen where it's been applying AWD to different wheels to counter slippage.

"Too bad they can't all enjoy the confidence that comes with driving our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant with quattro. Other than the hissing road noise and the water on the windshield I can't even tell it's raining when I drive this car."

Karl Brauer, So I suppose you CAN tell it's raining when you are driving a 2WD car, because the 2WD car is all over the road?

Give me a break. If you're talking about snowy roads, okay, fine. But this nonsense about "the AWD car noticeably feels better on rainy roads"...come on, did Audi pay you to say that?! It's in your head man!

-Rod

I think proper tires are more important than AWD. It's amazing how many folks out there never even pay attention to their tires. Sometimes, I can walk through a parking lot and notice a ton of cars with bald to near bald tires. Most folks I'm acquainted with know squat about tires. They simply by the cheapest tires available.

People forget, tires are the only part of the car that touches the road.

*sigh*

I don't think AWD is necessary for normal driving, even in the Northeast. I drove through our recent blizzard just fine in my FWD car with all-season tires, and I've never had any qualms about driving in the rain.

In the end it doesn't matter what wheels are driving the car if you're not respectful of the road's condition. Moreover, all cars have All-Wheel-Braking, so it doesn't help you to stop more effectively.

Disclaimer, I live in SoCal, drive an '05 1.8T Avant 6M Q
During your typical run of the mill sub-speed-limit highway drive in the rain, AWD will not help. It won't prevent you from hydroplaning either. Hydroplaning is a factor of the type of tire, remaining tread on the tire, and the weight over the wheels. Essentially in static, constant driving conditions, AWD won't really do anything.

But as soon as shifting weight balance comes into play, as soon as the road gets twisty in low traction conditions, oh you bet AWD rocks. You might say that you don't notice it....well, of course you won't, as quattro reacts to wheel slippage within a quarter turn of the driveshaft (Torsen's are awesome). With a good set of tires, quattro really does an amazing job. On dry roads, the car's limit of grip are raised to astonishing levels, and in wet weather you can drive at a normal pace.

And if you're like me and hit the ski slopes, it doesn't take long for that extra $1750 for quattro to pay itself off. (Not that I had a choice, all Avants come with quattro standard in the states). Absolutely well worth the cost.

I drove FWD before my Audi. It's my first AWD car. I think all my daily drivers will have AWD from now on. And it's comfy, quick, has the room of a small SUV and gets 30mpg high way. I love quattro, I love Audi, I love my Avant.

Whatta bunch of party poopers. AWD rocks, and is excellent on wet roadways. There is no false sense of security, but rather much more traction, from all four wheels. My 2003 4Runner has AWD, and I love it.

Wet traction is substantially less than dry traction.
If you need to accelerate onto an on-ramp or through an intersection, FWD or RWD can easily lead to spinning tires and loss of control.
Full time AWD does make a difference in these situations. Your car will usually move forward rather than spin its wheels.
AWD won't help much with wet braking or steering control, though.

Unfortunately, AWD won't protect you from idiots taking pictures in their cars while driving 65 in the rain.

Complete stupidity.

@thebeses: I didn't want to be the first one to say something...

"Moreover, all cars have All-Wheel-Braking, so it doesn't help you to stop more effectively."

Exactly. From the number of slid-off and rolled over SUVs I see during snowstorms around here, this point appears to be lost on a good portion of drivers. And I wish people in large trucks would slow it down, that light back end kicks out awfully easy, regardless of 4wd and the enormity of the vehicle. The only vehicles I saw having problems with directional stability in today's storm were large pickups being driven poorly.

I got a fun ride in a STI one time with a friend who thought AWD was infallible. As we pirouetted across the 5 freeway I think it occurred to him that the lake in the slow lane was not a good place to try out his new STI as a boat (Or maybe he was thinking rally car with an epic splash). It is now the new SWB STI sitting at a local junkyard.

I'm with SirTodd. Tires mean more than AWD. I bought my Forester in Feb 2007 right before a snow storm hit Chicago. AWD or not I slid all over the place on the crappy M+S tires that came standard. I replaced the tires before the next winter even though they only had 11k miles on them.

I get this sensation in my '10 Maxima. Even the stock all-seasons seem impervious to rain. AWD is hardly a benefit, especially when I can fall back on stability control.

"Unfortunately, AWD won't protect you from idiots taking pictures in their cars while driving 65 in the rain."

REALLY? Dang ... I was so going to get an Audi/Volvo/Hummer so that I can ride people's ass an inch away, in rain/snow, doing 90 mph while texting ... Wait, what if it feels so stable and confidence-inspiring?

AWD just lets you wood the throttle and actually accelerate more quickly than FWD/RWD in slippery conditions -- which is a bad thing because those doing that should not be on the roads.

Why do people keep thinking AWD/4WD provides traction?? It's your tires. That's why it won't save you if you need to stop or turn (nobody got into an accident because they could not accelerate).

Ok, so for the record I currently drive an MS3, a true 2wd since it has an LSD as opposed to an open differential.

I had the opportunity to test my 98 land rover discovery in 2wd (awd is standard) when I broke the front driveshaft. Thanks to a standard center locking diff I was able to drive home after taking off the shaft. The difference was night and day even on dry roads in the middle of summer. I ended up parking it and borrowing a car until the parts came in.

Tires are more important than AWD. My friend has an MDX with SH-AWD, which I think is the best system available today IMO, and when the tires were new the VSA working indicator never came on. The SH-AWD could constantly transfer power to the wheels with the most grip without the VSA system intervening regardless of weather conditions. Now that the tires have about 40,000 miles on them certain conditions (pooled water on highways for instance) causes none of the tires have enough grip to transfer power to so hydroplaning starts and the VSA/traction control has to kick in frequently now. AWD can cause overconfidence and accidents. No technology can overcome the laws of physics. SH-AWD, VSA, and ABS combined mean nothing if tires can't grip the road surface. The only thing between you and the road are your tires.

I have a 2010 Audi A5 with Quattro (I think they all have it.) As Editor Karl suggests, it really is a godsend in the wet. It felt incredibly surefooted during our recent storms. While I wouldn't want AWD on a track/sports car, it's brilliant on our slick SoCal roads in the winter rains.

I an Audi TT fwd prior, and it was hard NOT to spin the wheels...