Slow or Refined?

[kevspi]

I can't decide after 12,000 miles of driving my B8 2.0tdi 143 s-line whether its just plain slow or extremely refined so your sense of speed is altered due to insulation etc. I had a 2.0se petrol B6 before and i'm sure this was quicker esp at higher speeds. The offical 0-60 time is something like 9.4secs, but i've noticed in a car mag that their actual time was 10.4secs to 60 which seems more likely.

What do others think? Anyone come from a 2.0tdi in a b7 to this and found this new engine slower?

Only gripe after 12,000 miles is rattles around gearstick area and lack of storage for money etc. I've found s-line ride fine, no back problems at all.

[dcran4]

I can't decide after 12,000 miles of driving my B8 2.0tdi 143 s-line whether its just plain slow or extremely refined so your sense of speed is altered due to insulation etc. I had a 2.0se petrol B6 before and i'm sure this was quicker esp at higher speeds. The offical 0-60 time is something like 9.4secs, but i've noticed in a car mag that their actual time was 10.4secs to 60 which seems more likely.

What do others think? Anyone come from a 2.0tdi in a b7 to this and found this new engine slower?

Only gripe after 12,000 miles is rattles around gearstick area and lack of storage for money etc. I've found s-line ride fine, no back problems at all.

I've got the same model and I find that it is very nice on the motorway, quiet and refined. Only done 1100 miles and as yet no rattles or undue noises. Acceleration wise from zero I can't really comment at the moment, but overtaking seems to be effortless and smooth without having to rev the engine.

[aled_31]

I came from an 2.0 TDI 140 S Line avant into a B8 143 s line avant. I've only covered 900 or so miles but my first impression is that the 143 does feel slower than the 140 B7.

The B7 seemed to pull really hard from 1800 - 3000 RPM and then power tailed off, whereas the 143 in the B8 seems to have less low down punch, yet it seems to rev higher and for longer.

Here's hoping that the car will loosen up a bit after 10k, but 1st impressions are a little disapointing.

[awtaylor]

I came from a B7 2.0TDI S-line saloon and now my B8 is run in I conclude that it is not slower just far more refined. It is the more linear delivery of torque that gives the impression that it is slower. The old unit provided a big but brief surge of torque which was fun but a pain in the neck for passengers. After a test drive in a B8, getting back in my B7 was like stepping from a limo into a tractor!

[kodkod.84]

Different type of diesel engine- now common rail layout instead don't know how much this effects the power delivery but it is a more refined engine.

Should have heard my 1.9 TDI B7 on a cold morning for tractor impressions

[2.7 S-line]

my take on it (after doing 3000 miles in one and previously owning an A3 with the 138bhp 2.0) was its probably roughly the same in terms of speed

- but feels a lot slower as you need to rev it to get the performance which kinda looses the point for me

- to get the new 2.0 moving you need to use a higher rev range - which kills the fuel economy

-i'm no boy racer but i do drive "briskly" at times found the 60 mile commute to work would average 49 mpg in old car and about 40 in new one , the route is mostly fast a roads with little traffic

- interestingly i get better milage from my current 2.7 (usually between 42-44)

- i found the new engine way way better in terms of smoothness , really very petrol like even on cold mornings - but found my self thinking with the lack of mid range grunt , need to rev it to get moving quickly and the gear changing every 200 feet - the ok its good but lets face it its still not as good as a petrol smoothness - the worse every day economy ........ why don't i get a petrol ???

then i drove the 2.7 and thought thats better - smooth , grunt ... well everywhere - the band of revs overwhich you get max torque and bhp is enormous, felt like a real brut of an engine rather than a diesil trying to be a petrol - and a last i could accelerate without the rapid gear changes that make it look like your trying too hard

[blackcurrent]

I think if you select a 2.0 engine type then its really a selection of car to offer class, refinement and smooth driving rather than speed and power.

Well that was my decision and thinking behind my selection anyway

[scottishbud]

I currently have a B7 2.0tdi sline & B8 2.0tdi sline in the drive at the moment. I have put 1000 miles on the new car and have similar thoughts as above. B7 is far more responsive at lower revs and fun to drive, however not a patch on the new car. The speed in the new car is very deceiving! Smoother ride, quieter and not as bouncy. 1st gear in the B7 is frustrating unless you boot it!!

[ntho9640]

Took delivery of my A4 (B8) 2.0 Avant tdci SE in October, have now covered 3203 miles and the car is definitely more refined than quick. My diesel Mondeo 130 5dr was much quicker and more frugal by far, however it was as rough as a badgers A**e.

I am not sure which I prefer to be honest, especially considering I cant get comfy in the A4. I might take it back to the dealer for a check up as it is guzzling fuel big time at 42-44mpg and I am driving like a nun on tranquilzers. Doing the exact same run as the Ford which would return 53-55mpg measured, not read of the useless computers.

NTHO9640

[A1287210]

Agree, I had a range of hire cars including passats and mondeos, even the 2.2 diesel in the mondeo was giving me nearly 50 mpg, the A4 is only giving 44-45 on the motorway.

I seem to remember reading somewhere, maybe whatcar, that the tank had a range of 700 miles ?! I filled it up the other day and the computer told be 530 miles range

I too am driving like a nun on tranquilizers, maybe I need to start considering powering down the A/C and the MMI....a bit dissapointing. I hope that when I get to 1500 miles the engine will loosen a bit. and the mpg's will increase