TD4 test drive

I've just had my 2h test drive with a TD4 Prestige, manual gearbox, no Adaptive Dynamics.
In short: a bloody great car.

In detail:
- Suspension is very good, you don't get the impression that you're driving an SUV, but...
- ... when breaking, the car dives to the front, more than I expected. This is easy to notice while breaking in a high-speed turn as well: it makes the car dive into one corner. It never felt akward though, and I've never properly driven an SUV before so I guess it's natural behaviour more than a specific downside of the Evoque.
- the gearbox travel is short and the whole is very direct and slightly stiff. Love it.
- Satnav screen is big and crisp. Instructions are good.
- Bluetooth connection was quick and easy to set up. In general all multimedia feature seem to work well.
- The sound of the standard 380W sound system is great. My dealer suggested to compare with the 825W system in another vehicle, but I didn't even need to hear it. I currently have a Mark Levinson system in my Lexus, and the fidelity of this standard system is just as good, if not better (although it doesn't do proper Dolby surround). Here in Belgium the Premium system has a high price tag so I didn't want to be tempted, I'm more than happy with what I've heard.
- DVD video was nice. I can confirm that it's possible even without dual view. I didn't manage to play video from a USB stick though, but it might have been a formatting issue (I only had iPod MOV files to test)
- I think it's stupid that the sound of the radio fades almost completely whenever the satnav is giving instructions. My Lexus sends the satnav sound to the left front speaker while leaving the music on the other speakers. That's a better solution. In the Evoque I saw a possibility to change the relative volumes of different sources, maybe it can be corrected with that.
- A Belgian magazine wrote that it's always too hot in the cabin, but I was impressed by the climate system. It gets really cold if you want.
- Rear view is actually better than I feared.
- I heard quite some wind noise around my left mirror. Rather annoying but luckily only at high speeds (140 km/h and more).
- The little wires in the heated windscreen are something I will need to get used to, but as soon as the winter kicks in, I'll be glad I ticked that box.
- I think 150 bhp is more than enough in day-to-day use. It would have been nice if the 0-60 were a little quicker, but I don't feel the need to get the SD4.

Now stop fooling around and give me a production date I cannot believe I ordered in January and I don't even get a production date! I switched from eD4 to TD4 because it would speed up delivery, now my dealer is offering me the eD4 again as I won't probably have it this year so it won't make a difference after all. Come on

Thanks for the write up, going for a TD4 Dynamic, most reviews are the SD4, but dealer told me performance was not noticeably different, cost saving meant i could go for a dynamic over the pure.

(27-09-2011 12:43pm)vision*R Wrote:  I've just had my 2h test drive with a TD4 Prestige, manual gearbox, no Adaptive Dynamics.
In short: a bloody great car.

In detail:
- Suspension is very good, you don't get the impression that you're driving an SUV, but...
- ... when breaking, the car dives to the front, more than I expected. This is easy to notice while breaking in a high-speed turn as well: it makes the car dive into one corner. It never felt akward though, and I've never properly driven an SUV before so I guess it's natural behaviour more than a specific downside of the Evoque.
- the gearbox travel is short and the whole is very direct and slightly stiff. Love it.
- Satnav screen is big and crisp. Instructions are good.
- Bluetooth connection was quick and easy to set up. In general all multimedia feature seem to work well.
- The sound of the standard 380W sound system is great. My dealer suggested to compare with the 825W system in another vehicle, but I didn't even need to hear it. I currently have a Mark Levinson system in my Lexus, and the fidelity of this standard system is just as good, if not better (although it doesn't do proper Dolby surround). Here in Belgium the Premium system has a high price tag so I didn't want to be tempted, I'm more than happy with what I've heard.
- DVD video was nice. I can confirm that it's possible even without dual view. I didn't manage to play video from a USB stick though, but it might have been a formatting issue (I only had iPod MOV files to test)
- I think it's stupid that the sound of the radio fades almost completely whenever the satnav is giving instructions. My Lexus sends the satnav sound to the left front speaker while leaving the music on the other speakers. That's a better solution. In the Evoque I saw a possibility to change the relative volumes of different sources, maybe it can be corrected with that.
- A Belgian magazine wrote that it's always too hot in the cabin, but I was impressed by the climate system. It gets really cold if you want.
- Rear view is actually better than I feared.
- I heard quite some wind noise around my left mirror. Rather annoying but luckily only at high speeds (140 km/h and more).
- The little wires in the heated windscreen are something I will need to get used to, but as soon as the winter kicks in, I'll be glad I ticked that box.
- I think 150 bhp is more than enough in day-to-day use. It would have been nice if the 0-60 were a little quicker, but I don't feel the need to get the SD4.

Now stop fooling around and give me a production date. I cannot believe I ordered in January and I don't even have a production date! I switched from eD4 to TD4 because it would speed up delivery, now my dealer is offering me the eD4 again as I won't probably have it this year so it won't make a difference after all. Come on

nice write up vision...

do you think with AD the "excessive diving" whilst braking would be resolved.. ??

if anyone could confirm this I'd be interested to hear a comparision

RE standard suspension v AD see thread titled 'Adaptive Dynamics' for your answer.

No doubt the AD will stiffen it up and will probably take away most or all of the diving. But I'm afraid it will also make it a tad harder when you're just cruising, and I thought the standard suspension was absolutely perfect under normal conditions. Don't forget that in our market it's a € 1250 extra (even on a Dynamic) AND I would need to switch to SD4 (+ € 2800 and € 1240 extra taxes). It can't be worth € 5300!

(27-09-2011 01:57pm)vision*R Wrote:  No doubt the AD will stiffen it up and will probably take away most or all of the diving. But I'm afraid it will also make it a tad harder when you're just cruising, and I thought the standard suspension was absolutely perfect under normal conditions. Don't forget that in our market it's a € 1250 extra (even on a Dynamic) AND I would need to switch to SD4 (+ € 2800 and € 1240 extra taxes). It can't be worth € 5300!

aint that the truth.. plus the etra BIV one has to pay on the SD4..... !!!!!

well I did read a report last week that Belgians are in the top 8 richest people in the world....lol

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(27-09-2011 01:18pm)Spiderman Wrote:  RE standard suspension v AD see thread titled 'Adaptive Dynamics' for your answer.

thanks spiderman..i'll go have a read.. !!!!!!

Wind noise? Vision was the car you drove a coupe or a 5 Door. I think there is a problem with the hinges not able to take the weight of the coupe's doors as my wind rustle has re-appeared this morning, only get it over 50mph but it is definitely back again

I drove a 5-door. It was a chirpy sound, like someone (softly) scratching glass with his nails. First I thought it was a rattle, but it fades / increases with the speed so I'm pretty sure it was wind noise. I didn't have a passenger so I don't know whether the right wing mirror made the same noise, I couldn't hear it anyway.

I don't care too much, I think of it as an indicator for excessive speed...

Tim, perhaps you should start a wind noise thread coupe v 5 dr, mine is A1 so far BTW.

used to be a common problem on the peugeot 106, the welding of the hinge wasn't strong enough as they only went along the top and down one side, rather than do the whole hinge.

Mind you the risk on the 106 was the door falling of as you pelted down the motorway at 70mph