F31 x-drive vs RWD suspension comfort

[smiffy555]

I know I’m going to get a good lambasting for this question but bear with me please.

I currently drive an Audi A4 Allroad (b9 - current shape). It’s a 3.0tdi with 272ps. It’s an amazing car with effortless performance and the ability to deal with poor road surfaces that surround us.

I’ve owned it 4yrs and done 70k miles in it. We lived in a very remote part of the uk and so the Quattro and the added 2” ride height has proved to be a must.

I’m looking to change it, only due to its age and its mileage. There are no A4 Allroads about 2nd hand, other than the awful 2.0 diesel ones and the very uneconomical petrol ones sooooooo, I’m looking at a 2019 F31 335d with x-drive of course.

I know the x-drive runs a higher suspension set up compared to an F31 RWD 330d.

My question, what is the ride quality like comparing the M-Sport suspension of say a 330d and a 335d x-drive.

I’m not a tarmac warrior and so I love the pothole absorbing suspension of my Allroad…..would the 335d x-drive offer the same amount of pothole absorbing finesse as my Allroad.

[Deefor62]

smiffy555 said:

I know I’m going to get a good lambasting for this question but bear with me please.

I currently drive an Audi A4 Allroad (b9 - current shape). It’s a 3.0tdi with 272ps. It’s an amazing car with effortless performance and the ability to deal with poor road surfaces that surround us.

I’ve owned it 4yrs and done 70k miles in it. We lived in a very remote part of the uk and so the Quattro and the added 2” ride height has proved to be a must.

I’m looking to change it, only due to its age and its mileage. There are no A4 Allroads about 2nd hand, other than the awful 2.0 diesel ones and the very uneconomical petrol ones sooooooo, I’m looking at a 2019 F31 335d with x-drive of course.

I know the x-drive runs a higher suspension set up compared to an F31 RWD 330d.

My question, what is the ride quality like comparing the M-Sport suspension of say a 330d and a 335d x-drive.

I’m not a tarmac warrior and so I love the pothole absorbing suspension of my Allroad…..would the 335d x-drive offer the same amount of pothole absorbing finesse as my Allroad.

I've previously owned a 320i M Sport, and currently have a 335d M Sport. As you say, the ride height on the X-Drive is higher than the 2wd M Sport, and is supposedly the same as a normal SE suspension. It's certainly higher than the 2wd M-Sport, but I don't think it's as high as an Allroad. Ours has the 19" rims, which on runflats was quite crashy, whilst also being a bit "rolly". Changing the tyres to Michelin Cross Climates has made a big difference to the comfort of the car, and has made is a lot more sure footed in colder/wetter weather.
I would imagine that if ours had the 18" rims with Cross Climates that it would be even more of a comfortable drive.

Hope this helps.

[smiffy555]

Thank for the reply.

[stevemcs]

Try the 330d, I found it a much nicer car than the 335d, its not quite as quick but the power delivery is smoother and its less gruff sounding

[smashy]

stevemcs said:

Try the 330d, I found it a much nicer car than the 335d, its not quite as quick but the power delivery is smoother and its less gruff sounding

That is just not congruent to my experience.I had a 2014 F30 330d bought new drove for 7 years 140k miles on it.I now have had a 2018 F30 335d for 8 months. I think the engine is amazing ,the 330d was nothing then all turbo the 335d is just relentless power with no turbo lag at all. just seems so much more powerful like another engine entirely and every comment I have ever seen says the same maybe your 335d was duff? That is my experience.

[smiffy555]

smashy said:

stevemcs said:

Try the 330d, I found it a much nicer car than the 335d, its not quite as quick but the power delivery is smoother and its less gruff sounding

That is just not congruent to my experience.I had a 2014 F30 330d bought new drove for 7 years 140k miles on it.I now have had a 2018 F30 335d for 8 months. I think the engine is amazing ,the 330d was nothing then all turbo the 335d is just relentless power with no turbo lag at all. just seems so much more powerful like another engine entirely and every comment I have ever seen says the same maybe your 335d was duff? That is my experience.

As you have had a chance to drive both the 330d and 335d would you be willing to write a quick pro’s and con’s of both variants, and if you could mentioned any issues you’ve had with both that’d be much appreciated.

[McGee_22]

We have a 2015 435d x-drive cab and for us both the most noticeable difference was the rim size - almost every cab we tried had 19" rims which were very harsh from the front seats and teeth-shattering from the back - we stumbled across an example with 18" wheels and the difference was huge- firm but comfortable in front and still comfortable in the back seats - we bought that car.

[Court_S]

I thought the x drive cars that I’d driven rode well in terms of comforting 19’s, certainly better than my E90 330 on 18’s with run flats.

Personally I really disliked the soft x drive suspension. It was a bit wobbly for my tastes and the 35d made it more noticeable, particularly when accelerating and the car rocked back so much. Shame, because the 35d engine was mighty in terms of power delivery (not that the 30d is slow either).

[stevemcs]

smashy said:

stevemcs said:

Try the 330d, I found it a much nicer car than the 335d, its not quite as quick but the power delivery is smoother and its less gruff sounding

That is just not congruent to my experience.I had a 2014 F30 330d bought new drove for 7 years 140k miles on it.I now have had a 2018 F30 335d for 8 months. I think the engine is amazing ,the 330d was nothing then all turbo the 335d is just relentless power with no turbo lag at all. just seems so much more powerful like another engine entirely and every comment I have ever seen says the same maybe your 335d was duff? That is my experience.

I never owned one, just worked for a dealer and got to drive many different examples of 3/4/5/6 series (buy private often coven 100-200 miles in each car), i just found day to day the 30d a much nicer car to drive.

[Pica-Pica]

stevemcs said:

smashy said:

stevemcs said:

Try the 330d, I found it a much nicer car than the 335d, its not quite as quick but the power delivery is smoother and its less gruff sounding

That is just not congruent to my experience.I had a 2014 F30 330d bought new drove for 7 years 140k miles on it.I now have had a 2018 F30 335d for 8 months. I think the engine is amazing ,the 330d was nothing then all turbo the 335d is just relentless power with no turbo lag at all. just seems so much more powerful like another engine entirely and every comment I have ever seen says the same maybe your 335d was duff? That is my experience.

I never owned one, just worked for a dealer and got to drive many different examples of 3/4/5/6 series (buy private often coven 100-200 miles in each car), i just found day to day the 30d a much nicer car to drive.

My experience is also that the 335d delivers plenty enough torque from way down, and the throttle response is tuned just right for whichever mode you select, Eco, Comfort, or Sport.

[Pica-Pica]

McGee_22 said:

We have a 2015 435d x-drive cab and for us both the most noticeable difference was the rim size - almost every cab we tried had 19" rims which were very harsh from the front seats and teeth-shattering from the back - we stumbled across an example with 18" wheels and the difference was huge- firm but comfortable in front and still comfortable in the back seats - we bought that car.

I agree, I went from 19” to 18”, with Goodyear EfficientGrips. I find that getting best tyre pressure is crucial, but the rim/tyre seal is good at holding the pressure for a long time.

[smashy]

smiffy555 said:

As you have had a chance to drive both the 330d and 335d would you be willing to write a quick pro’s and con’s of both variants, and if you could mentioned any issues you’ve had with both that’d be much appreciated.

Smiffy in 140k of miles in my 330d from new the only problem I had was the green light on the auto gear stick,nothing else whatsoever. Regarding the F30 335d do not buy the non LCI the LCI came in I think in 2016 pre 2016 it was a floating blancmange horrendous like a sailing ship.They changed every suspension component for the LCI and I really like it. But honestly the 335d engine is different gravy ,I reckon it is 10% less fuel efficient than my 330d but still got 51mpg recently on a 260 mile M40 M42 M6 trip.

[Pica-Pica]

smashy said:

smiffy555 said:

As you have had a chance to drive both the 330d and 335d would you be willing to write a quick pro’s and con’s of both variants, and if you could mentioned any issues you’ve had with both that’d be much appreciated.

Smiffy in 140k of miles in my 330d from new the only problem I had was the green light on the auto gear stick,nothing else whatsoever. Regarding the F30 335d do not buy the non LCI the LCI came in I think in 2016 pre 2016 it was a floating blancmange horrendous like a sailing ship.They changed every suspension component for the LCI and I really like it. But honestly the 335d engine is different gravy ,I reckon it is 10% less fuel efficient than my 330d but still got 51mpg recently on a 260 mile M40 M42 M6 trip.

Yeah. Concur all that.

[smiffy555]

Thanks for all the replies, all appreciated.

Trying to pin a deal on a 2019 335d M Sport Shadow line. 21k miles with quite a few options.

Really surprised that electric seats aren’t spec’d on a lot of models….gotta get used to ‘pumping’ again

Thanks again. 👍🏻