Automobile Magazine: S4 vs TL

[Twowheelsgood]

Have you seen the latest Automobile? They ran a comparo of the S4 vs the new Acura TL (aka Batmobile). I was expecting a walkover but they seemed to find the TL torque vectoring better and they complained about inconsistent steering boost on the S4. I saw that complaint in some other magazine tests but I really haven't noticed in my car. The S4 did post better numbers, but the lap time at BeaveRun was only 0.4 sec faster. One demerit for the TL was its tiny brakes. Price differential $11,000.

I owned a 2004 TL 6MT that was not a bad looking car, had a silky motor, horrible torque steer, numb steering (way worse than the S4) and the overall feeling that there was only a thin veneer of luxury coating a sound but bland Honda unit body. I find the new TL amazingly awful looking but I guess the SH-AWD really does make for some sort of reasonably "super" handling.

[L0U]

19s and 255 rubber would have helped the s4 in braking and track times/cornering gs.

[envious]

TL's drive like tanks and are super sloppy through corners. i dont really know what they were thinking in this article

[HyperM3]

I find the new TL amazingly awful looking but I guess the SH-AWD really does make for some sort of reasonably "super" handling.

As double-bag ugly as the TL is, it handled very well on my test drives. The steering was very light but at least it never felt wobbly like on the Audi(its an Audi thing). Especially over rough pavement the steering on the S4 always feels like the Struts are loose. The TL was very sharp around on/off ramps and you could hold speed very well. Of course there are a lot of negatives on the car but all in all for the money its a great car. Unfortunately its uglier than hatchet face.

[wwhan]

Why did the Acura TL have 19" wheels and the Audi S4 had 18" wheels (more narrow tires) in the test? The test is so close, but then it gets
biased in strange ways.

Also the Audi S4 gets better gas mileage and accelerates better than the Acura TL, even though the weight and HP numbers are close.

[xtrema]

TL is a very capable car. But it's so ugly, Acura is changing its grill half a year early.

[sf_loft]

Do you have a link to the review. I saw a shootout between the TL, M37, 335i, and S4, but haven't seen the TL vs S4 one. I couldn't find it on their site.

[zerinA4]

Publications are at the mercy of what the manufacturers provide them. If that particular S4 was all that was in the fleet then they had to make do with that. When I get press fleet cars, I've noticed that many of them are optioned out somewhat strange. Fully loaded Benzes with halogen headlights, BMWs with many common options missing. It's just what Audi provided them with.

Why did the Acura TL have 19" wheels and the Audi S4 had 18" wheels (more narrow tires) in the test? The test is so close, but then it gets
biased in strange ways.

Also the Audi S4 gets better gas mileage and accelerates better than the Acura TL, even though the weight and HP numbers are close.

[Kandiru]

TL's drive like tanks and are super sloppy through corners. i dont really know what they were thinking in this article

Same thoughts here, test drove the TL, total letdown compared to my Turbo X.

For us breeders with families (hence need sedan) who in their right mind would put non-folding rear seats in a sedan, then add these humps in the cargo compartment:



Lucky if you can fit 2 large pizza boxes.

[Deep Sea S4]

They also tend to like to compare cars that are closer in price. Was this a base S4. If so they more than likely asked for it so that it would seem reasonable that a person would cross shop these two cars. The TL is a decent car but it is not in the same class as the S4. I see Acura as a near luxury brand. Not in the same class as BMW, MB, Audi etc....... solid reliable cars but nothing more than dressed up Hondas

[NWS4Guy]

Holy shitty trunks Batman! I had briefly considered the Acura but never got to drive once after I sat in the S4. Trunk would have been a deal breaker for me.

[L0U]

http://www.fastestlaps.com/compariso...udi_S4_B8.html

[marty was here]

Same thoughts here, test drove the TL, total letdown compared to my Turbo X.

For us breeders with families (hence need sedan) who in their right mind would put non-folding rear seats in a sedan, then add these humps in the cargo compartment:



Lucky if you can fit 2 large pizza boxes.

thats not a trunk, thats a large glove box

[vinny.dtw]

Publications are at the mercy of what the manufacturers provide them. If that particular S4 was all that was in the fleet then they had to make do with that. When I get press fleet cars, I've noticed that many of them are optioned out somewhat strange. Fully loaded Benzes with halogen headlights, BMWs with many common options missing. It's just what Audi provided them with.

Interesting, when I worked for car and driver back in the day, they don't seem to be awkwardly optioned. If anything majority of the time they either loaded, or completely not loaded. I have a friend with the new TL, although I think that thing looks sinfully ugly, the handling was great, and the interior of the car was pretty nice. Not Audi "nice", but for a 10k plus difference, what would you expect?

[ahcow]

It's really ugly...

[Twowheelsgood]

TL's drive like tanks and are super sloppy through corners. i dont really know what they were thinking in this article

The really surprising thing was that they recorded faster mid-corner speeds with the TL than the S4 at BeaveRun. I guess the different tire widths and aspect ratios had something to do with it, but it's hard to believe that could make up for the TL's greater front weight bias. Indeed, one of the magazine (C&D?) ran a comparison of the same cars with different wheel/tire setups and found that wider and lower profile does not always equate with faster/better grip when dealing with street cars.

I posted this because the results were such a surprise. I consider the $11,000 premium for the S4 well worth it!

[cory_can]

I would never take much stock in magazine reviews.....they're heavily swayed by too many factors. TL's may perform decent but gosh they're fugly....I would gladly pay the 10K more for an S4, even if everything else was equal......now if Audi would just bring S4 Avants to NA I would trade in my B8 A4 Avant in short order......the sedan style just doesn't do it for me but the S4 engine is fabulous

[Drizz]

The really surprising thing was that they recorded faster mid-corner speeds with the TL than the S4 at BeaveRun. I guess the different tire widths and aspect ratios had something to do with it, but it's hard to believe that could make up for the TL's greater front weight bias. Indeed, one of the magazine (C&D?) ran a comparison of the same cars with different wheel/tire setups and found that wider and lower profile does not always equate with faster/better grip when dealing with street cars.

I posted this because the results were such a surprise. I consider the $11,000 premium for the S4 well worth it!

Actually the article lists the specs of both cars and they're both running on 245-40 tires, even though the TL has 19s.

[L0U]

the 18s are all seasons I think. Summer only ps2's make a fair bit of difference.

[gdsm3]

the 18s are all seasons I think. Summer only ps2's make a fair bit of difference.

not according to Audi. Check on audiusa.com. The 18s are also summer tires.

True the TL does have VERY polarizing looks (ugly), but Honda/Acura has one of the best torque vectoring systems available right now so it doesn't surprise me that the TL did pretty well against the S4 on the track. When I test drove the Acura TL I thought it was a pretty good handler. It is a little surprising that the TL held its own as well as it did though.

[fitzisboss]

thats not a trunk, thats a large glove box

lmao, agreed. So pointless

[02rubya4]

Holy shitty trunks Batman! I had briefly considered the Acura but never got to drive once after I sat in the S4.

the opposite happened with my dad, he sat in an RDX before a Q5. The only reason he got the RDX was because the price was to good to pass up. I'm not fond of it, but gotta do what ya gotta do i suppose

[shaang]

http://www.fastestlaps.com/compariso...udi_S4_B8.html

If you click on the Acura TL, you'll see that this was a 2009 automatic with a 5 speed transmission that posted these times on Willow Springs. The 6 speed manual was only available starting in 2010.

[wbwynn]

S4 no comparison-wrong league, not even close, nuff said.