Suspension height between standard sport and optional comfort

[jeremyw78]

Just about to sign on the dotted line for A5 Sportback S Line with 19" x 8.5j 'multi-spoke' alloys.

Can anyone tell me what the ride height difference between the standard sport suspension and the optional (no cost option) comfort suspension?

I believe standard sport suspension lowers car by 20mm. Would switching to comfort suspension therefore increase the height by 20mm? Do not wish to have gaping gap between tyre wall and arch if I opt for the comfort suspension but do not wish to sacrifice ride.

Having read several review regarding comfort levels (see below) I've very reluctant to opt for the standard sport suspension particularly as I spend 5 hours plus in my car every day covering 30K miles each year.

Responses greatly received.

Cheers

As with the A5 Coupe, this Sportback version is deliberately firmer than the equivalent A4 saloon in order to give it a sportier feel. So far we’ve tested the car on 19-inch wheels and S-line suspension, which proved far too firm, and 17-inch wheels and lowered Sport suspension, which was better but still not perfect at ironing out bumps in the road.

 

[Buck]

I've got 19s on my A5 Sportback and yes at time the ride can be described as firm but not in a crashy sense. I'm more than happy with it - it certainly rides better than my Golf GTD which was in 18s but had rock hard suspension.

I looked at factory ordering the comfort suspensions the A5 to give me the best of both worlds but was put off by the raised height/wheel arch gap.

If you're doing lots of motorway miles then the A5 is a fantastic cruiser as well.

The only answer is to find one with the comfort suspension and drive it as well as ensure you're happy with the aesthetics.

 

[jeremyw78]

I've got 19s on my A5 Sportback and yes at time the ride can be described as firm but not in a crashy sense. I'm more than happy with it - it certainly rides better than my Golf GTD which was in 18s but had rock hard suspension.

I looked at factory ordering the comfort suspensions the A5 to give me the best of both worlds but was put off by the raised height/wheel arch gap.

If you're doing lots of motorway miles then the A5 is a fantastic cruiser as well.

The only answer is to find one with the comfort suspension and drive it as well as ensure you're happy with the aesthetics.

I've got 19s on my A5 Sportback and yes at time the ride can be described as firm but not in a crashy sense. I'm more than happy with it - it certainly rides better than my Golf GTD which was in 18s but had rock hard suspension.

I looked at factory ordering the comfort suspensions the A5 to give me the best of both worlds but was put off by the raised height/wheel arch gap.

If you're doing lots of motorway miles then the A5 is a fantastic cruiser as well.

The only answer is to find one with the comfort suspension and drive it as well as ensure you're happy with the aesthetics.

Hi Buck

Thanks for the reply. That's re-assuring to know. I had a A3 S Line about 10 years back on the ride was bone crunching so certainly do not wish to repeat that mistake! My local dealer doesn't have an A5 with 19" to take out for test drive so I may look further afield. Was the wheel arch gap that noticeable? Are the any pics which show the difference?

 

[beemerboy9]

Why don't you opt for adaptive comfort suspension, which drops ride height by 10mm.

 

[jeremyw78]

Why don't you opt for adaptive comfort suspension, which drops ride height by 10mm.

Hi John, I've already spec'd the car to the hilt but I have been considering this. I may see how much it bumps up the monthly cost...

 

[jeremyw78]

Just came across a post on another forum which suggests that the A5 suspension height remains the same regardless of which option you choose. Having scrutinised both brochures & price lists of the A4 and the A5 I believe this info to be correct. Text at several intervals within the A4 brochure clearly states 'Sport suspension - lowered by 20mm'. However, in the A5 brochure no mention is made of lowered suspension, not once!

Here's the post from the other forum -

Some of your assumptions are wrong.

Audi have differentiated the A5 from the A4 in more than just looks. The A5 has a lower, and firmer, suspension than the A4.

The suspension heights in the A4 are not additive, so the sport suspension is 23mm lower than the base suspension, whilst the adaptive suspension is 10mm lower than the base suspension. However, none of this applies to the A5. With the A5, all the suspension versions are the same height.

Ideally, given your concerns, you should drive the different versions. It seems the A5 Sportback has now started to arrive at US dealers starting late last week. I don't know what your current benchmark is for too soft/just right/too harsh. But the new chassis and suspension design of the B9 models is a big improvement in both ride and handling over the B8 platform. And compares very favourably in my experience vs equivalent models from BMW or Mercedes.

But the adaptive suspension (ADS=Audi Drive Select, EDC=Electronic Damper Control in Audi acronyms) is going to offer the greatest potential to alleviate your concerns about a rough ride.

These have been covered in great depth in earlier threads on the B9 S4 forum. But 2 key points to note, which seem to get continually overlooked:

• Whether in Comfort or Dynamic state, the dampers remain continuously adaptive, and adjust several times a second to road conditions, cornering forces, etc. It is not simply a binary state change when you adjust the EDC mode via ADS
  
• These are the latest generation from ZF Sachs, and are controlled by the new chassis ECU used in the B9 platform. They should not be confused with earlier versions such as those used in the B8 platform, as they are dramatically better.

Yes, 18" wheels do have some impact: a slightly softer ride but with slightly less handling precision. But these difference are much less obvious than with the B8 platform, and the type and make of tyre probably make as much difference as the sidewall height. As heisnut noted, the 19" wheel/adaptive suspension combination works very well. Note that the difference in sidewall height between the 18 and 19" wheels is only 9mm, as Audi use a wider 255mm tyre on the 19' wheel, and the side profile (40 vs 35) is a ratio of width.

 

[cuke2u]

The suspensions on all a4 audi's have changed radically and the sports setup is far more compliant than the previous model was. I don't doubt it is the same for the a5..