Audi: FWD CVT vs Quattro
 

I'm looking for a B8 A4 2.0T for the wife... and the question, which I'm sure comes up every day on Audi forums has come up for us: Should we go for the Quattro, or is FWD alright?

The car-guy in me says, well, of course I have to get the Quattro, or else i'd have to hand over my man card. It will handle better, no one buys an Audi without Quattro.., it can handle more power if I chip the car or swap the turbo, etc.

However, since this will be my wife's car, none of those things really matter at all.. Being open to FWD CVT cars mean that there are a lot of much better deals to be had (since everyone wants a quattro).

Does anyone have any input on the two systems? Is the Audi CVT really as fragile and prone to breaking as people say? Are there any truly practical reasons why the FWD is that much worse than Quattro?

I have a b7 A4 2.0T CVT, it's fine besides the usual maintenance stuff. I have over 210k on the car, still runs without any issue. If she's driving it, shouldn't you get her to drive both then decide?

We have a 2008 Patriot, which IIRC uses an Audi powertrain, including the CVT. It's been running great the whole time.

Only thing with a CVT is that it feels really different than a regular automatic, and yeah, you might want to let her test drive it first to make sure it's not gonna be too weird for her, or you'll never hear the end of it.

FCA's CVT is made by Jatco (Japanese) vs Audi is by Luk.. so it is not the same.

Audi is also phasing out CVT.. so might want to be aware of that if you do decide to keep the car for a while.

AWD cars, be it Quattro from Audi, 4matic by Merc, Symmetrical AWD by Subaru, etc... are usually $2,500 to $3,000 more.

That is the cost plus a slight markup for the manufacturer to sell to consumers.

So, the question is whether the extra $2,500 to $3,000 is worth it.

Vancouver rains, a lot.

The AWD system will help you during slippery conditions, and not just for snow.

IMHO, I would say you should go for the AWD cars.

For me, the AWD in the Audi's I've previously owned saved me from quite a few "slippery" situations that could have turned into my car hitting concrete barriers (no joke).

It's a good time to go for a B8 A4 because the B9 A4 will show up late this year or early next year in Vancouver, so the price for a B8 will be that much more negotiable.

+1 for the AWD. Maybe you'll decide to tune it later; better to keep your options open IMO.

Quattro is a very advanced AWD system and I'll rip my Audi hard in all sorts of weather and have much more traction and control than I ever have in a FWD or especially RWD car. Sure, your wife may not need this but she is your wife and you care for her. Should it snow or even rain, wouldn't you want that extra sense of security in knowing she's a bit safer on the roads? My BMW is almost uncontrollable in the rain but I can't recall a single instance in the Audi where I lost traction except in the snow with traction control off. AWD doesn't make anyone invincible but it certainly does help.

Quattro is the way to go.

Quattro is the beast!
Best driving experiences, So Comfy, Soft on speed bumps because you got full control.

Owns 2012 A4 2.0 Quat here!

Quattro or NOTHING. jking aside, my family owns a A6 2.0 CVT in asia, and i don't like it.

Quattro, unless you plan to get winter tires

I thought it was:
Quattro > Tiptronic Auto FWD > CVT FWD

If you're not buying a quattro (lower case, there was only ever one Quattro model), why spend the money for the Audi badge?

Volkswagen interior can be just as nice, and you'll save money not spending it on four rings.

I agree with Dave. Audi is known for its quattro. I've test drove the Audi A4 and A5 and the handling and grip feels great. The interiors of Audis are questionable compared to BMW and Mercedes (new A4 interior is nice, but anything 2015 and older are dated). Might as well get a Volkswagen.

The B9s and most of the current-gen Audi models have, arguably, better interiors in terms of quality and the design.

The 2015 and older gens (I'm generalizing here, it depends on the model) are still good, but not as good as the current gen BMWs and Mercedez Benz ones.