Dynamic or not?. From a 'car guy' perspective.

Is a Dynamic really better for you if you are a into sportscars?. Here are my thoughts.

Back when I was shopping for my car, I really wanted a Dynamic because I always owned sportscars. But i couldn't really find one available with an interior color both my wife and I liked so I had to go with a Prestige and compromise.

Since my car broke down, I've had a 2014 dynamic loaner for about a week so I can now really compare both of them.

First of all, the ride on the Dynamic is harsher even with Magneride off. This maybe is because the wheels are a little bigger (20 vs 19 inches). I was really hoping the ride would be like the Prestige, and turn harsh when dynamic mode was on, but it doesnt' seem to be the case.

Magneride is great when it's on. It really stiffens up the car and there's little body roll fun on the twisties, but there's two things i have issues with.

When the mode is on, the car goes into 4WD mode and stays there even if you are going on a straight line, Affecting fuel economy for no good reason. It most definitely should still switch between 2WD/4WD and 4WD only should be active on S mode only, and for all cars not just dynamic.

The lights on the car including the dash turn red, and there's no way to change it. It's very annoying and kind of childish.

These 2 points are a big deal breaker to me, if i had a dynamic i would want to have that mode on all the time in the city, but not at the expense of fuel economy for no good reason and an annoying dash color that should belong in a honda civic Si.

Finally, the stock tires are soooooooo INCREDIBLY bad, there's so little grip in them it's really honestly pointless to have them on the car. What good is a car that has little body roll when it's tires give in at ridiculously slow speeds?. And listen, it's almost kind of dangerous, the car gives you the impression it will stick to the road, and in the middle of the turn it just starts sliding, you don't get the telltale of body roll before slide.

So, would I buy a USA Dynamic or a USA Prestige?. I'd go for a prestige, it handles just as well as the Dynamic (because both tires are terrible), the ride is better and you get Ventilated seats. Also if you plan going off road, the dynamic bumpers give you less clearance.

PS: Both my wife and I think our Prestige has more steering feel, but this is totally just our feeling not factual.

What tyres do you have, mine don't give way when cornering hard, I don't have the 2WD/4WD option for mine so makes no difference, Yes the red lights should be de-selectable, it is a tiny bit crass, although makes it clear you are in Dynamic mode. 20" make a small amount of difference, but have just switched from 20" to my 19" rims and hardly think about it in normal driving, and I find the Non-dynamic mode just as great and really only use Dynamic when flying round twisty country lanes.

Don't forget Magnaride is active in Dynamic and non-Dynamic (Special modes Off) mode.

Not to mention I much prefer the look of the Dynamic, hence buying one!

Really?, magnaride is always on?.

I thought it stiffens the suspension only when it's on dynamic mode on.

http://babyrr.com/forum/Thread-Adaptive-Dynamics

Should answer all your questions.

Basically AD works all the time regardless of the Dynamic setting on the TR selector, I find that it doesn't give a harsh ride at all and the car corners much flatter than a non AD equipped car. Press the AD switch on the TR and the reaction time of the Magneride system is reprogrammed to to give a more rapid response and a slightly harsher ride, it also remaps the electronic power steering system to give sharper steering reactions.
Whenever I have been in a non AD equipped Evoque at an LRE day then I find it hard to feel any difference to being in a car with AD but without the Dynamic mode activated until a fast corner is encountered - then the non AD car rolls and pitches more than the AD equipped car.

Then the harshness is just the 20 inch wheels i suppose.

The point of my post is that before i purchased my non dynamic, to me buying a car with magnaride was a must. Now that i've tried both i'd say it's not such a big deal.

Sure if i could equip my prestige with it i probably would, but really it isn't that big of a deal to me.

(11-12-2014 08:24am)XFullFatTim Wrote:  Basically AD works all the time regardless of the Dynamic setting on the TR selector, I find that it doesn't give a harsh ride at all and the car corners much flatter than a non AD equipped car. Press the AD switch on the TR and the reaction time of the Magneride system is reprogrammed to to give a more rapid response and a slightly harsher ride, it also remaps the electronic power steering system to give sharper steering reactions.
Whenever I have been in a non AD equipped Evoque at an LRE day then I find it hard to feel any difference to being in a car with AD but without the Dynamic mode activated until a fast corner is encountered - then the non AD car rolls and pitches more than the AD equipped car.

Tim, I am certainly not aware of any remapping of the steering?

It is reputed to sharpen it up but like you I am pushed to tell any difference!

From what I have encountered it doesn't sharpen up, it stiffens up.

(14-12-2014 11:34pm)Evo-king Wrote:  From what I have encountered it doesn't sharpen up, it stiffens up.

..........just a natural by product of the stiffer damping rather than any active change to the steering itself in my view.