7-car COMPARISON! AWD SporTS SEDAnS

7-Car Comparison! AWD Sports Sedans
ELECTRONICALLY REPRINTED
FROM MARCH 2006
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Audi A4 Quattro • BMW 325xi • Infiniti G35x • Lexus IS 250 AWD • Mazdaspeed6 • Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT • Volvo S40 T5 AWD
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All-Wheel- Drive
Does more grip equal less fun?
BY MIKE MONTICELLO
Au
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» PHOTOS BY GUY SPANGENBERG AND MARC URBano
BM
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3
ix
25
vs .
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AW D
vs . M
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vs . S u
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2 .5 GT s p e
c. B vs. Vo lvo S 4 0 T
5 AW D
It seems there are more all-wheel-drive sports sedans on the market than we can
ever remember. But what happens to the sporty driving dynamics when you
change a rear- or front-drive car to all-wheel, especially considering the unfortunate
added weight that comes with it? Sure, awd helps with traction in snowy areas, but
what about those parts of the country that don’t get snow? Or what about the seven
months out of the year that the Snowbelt states have clear roads? You want allwheel drive for traction, but you also want your sports sedan to be, well…sporting.
The reasons for going the awd route are not the same for all the cars here. No
doubt BMW, Infiniti and Lexus were of the mind to make the 3 Series, G35 and
IS 250 rear-drivers more viable alternatives for those residing in snowy climes. But
make no mistake; Mazda didn’t make the Mazdaspeed6 an all-wheel driver for going over the river and through the woods (in a foot of snow) to Grandmother’s house.
Their goal was to contain 280 lb.-ft. of torque, which would have been a disaster if
harnessed solely to the front wheels. The Volvo and Audi are front-drive-based awd
cars that benefit from the added traction in winter, but also the rest of the year, as
front-drive has certain dynamic limitations. And the Subaru? It comes only one way.
Our goal: to find out which of these all-wheel-drive wonders keeps the
“sport” in sports sedan.
»
InMyOpinion…
Mike Monticello, Feature Editor
»It’s rare that one car possesses everything in a comparison test. But in this case the choice was easy: the only one
of the seven that combines real power, corner-carving handling, a manual transmission and good looks to boot is
the Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT spec.B. The fact it can do 4-wheel power-on drifts…yeah, that’s important too.
2nd
SUBARU LEGACY 2.5 GT
376.2 POINTS
The Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT spec.B may
very well be the ultimate “sleeper” car. It
would take a real Subaru aficionado to pick
one out by its special silver paint or 18-in.
10-spoke alloy wheels. The only spec.B
badge is found inside on the center console,
where a plaque lists the build number (ours
read 002/500, signifying the 500 limited to
the U.S. for 2006).
The main asset the spec.B brings is better suspension. It includes stiffer Bilstein
shock absorbers while the front suspension
gets replaced with an inverted-strut setup
similar to the STI’s (including aluminum
lower control arms). Aluminum bits replace
cast-iron pieces on the multilink rear. Add
to that the previously mentioned wheels
shod with Bridgestone Potenza RE050A
tires, size 215/45R-18.
Otherwise, the car is a Legacy 2.5 GT,
meaning it’s powered by a turbocharged
2.5-liter flat-4 producing 250 bhp and 250
lb.-ft. of torque, fed through a smooth-shifting “antiquated” 5-speed manual gearbox.
This surprisingly buttery engine is a pure
delight, with just a hint of turbo lag followed by a ferocious, neck-wrenching midrange punch from 3000–6000 rpm. R&T
Specials Editor Andy Bornhop said, “It’s
got a great motor with a plateau of torque
that makes shifting sometimes unnecessary.” All that power finds its way to the
road via Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel
drive with a 50/50 front/rear torque split,
transferred accordingly back and forth to
the front and rear axles as wheels slip.
Add the “specs” up, plus the lightest curb
weight of the group, and you have one awesome-performing awd sports sedan. It completely demolished the other six in every
outright speed contest, scampering to 60
mph in just 5.1 sec. (beating the secondfastest cars, the G35x and Mazdaspeed6,
by 0.8 sec.) and covering the quarter in 13.7
sec. at 99.2 mph, topping the G35x by 0.7
sec. Wolfkill noted, “The engine pulls willingly from almost anywhere on the tach,
producing a satisfying rush of acceleration
that feels like a less frenetic STI. In fact, the
whole car feels like an STI for grown-ups.”
It can find its way around a track, too,
despite moderate body roll and what feels
like the least-stiff structure. The spec.B
won the autocross outright, finished second in the slalom while it tied for fourth
around the skidpad. The Subaru shows initial, rather early understeer, but because the
car is so light and the chassis so responsive,
this can be cured by drop-throttle, or even
some brake if necessary. The spec.B has
no onboard yaw or traction control, but the
Subie is a very forgiving car; it’s easy to get
in and immediately drive quickly.
It seems like Subaru’s interiors improve
with every new car, and Legacy owners need
no longer be embarrassed by cheap-looking,
cheap-feeling innards. Controls are logical,
simple to use and give off a sense of quality,
though still on the low end in this group.
While we admit the spec.B is a bit of a
“cheater car” since production is so limited,
the suspension changes don’t dramatically
affect the car; we think Subaru should have
been more aggressive with its tuning, actually. Point being that a regular (cheaper) 2.5
GT could easily be made into a better-handling spec.B by hitting the aftermarket, and
would still end up thousands less than most
of the cars in this test.
True, the spec.B won only two subjective
categories (the Audi won five), but it performed well in every test. And we deemed
it to have the most driving excitement of
the group, which says volumes about its
character and what it’s like out on the open
road—preferably a twisty one.
InMyOpinion…
Jonathan Elfalan, Road Test Assistant
»The Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT spec.B wins me over with its combination of utility and sheer driving excitement.
While I feel its relatively dull looks do not add anything to the face value, the looks on people’s faces as you blow by
them in this thing are priceless.
InMyOpinion…
Shaun Bailey, Assistant Road Test Editor
»The Subaru Legacy spec.B is exceptional. It may not have the luxurious interior of the Audi or the VDIM system
of the Lexus, but it makes up for that with great torque and predictable suspension. Driving it makes me look forward
to snowstorms. The touch-screen and cool gauges help too.
»
The Legacy was the outright performance king of the test, with ferocious straight-line speed and tossable handling. The interior is improved,
but lags in quality compared with others; seats lack lateral support.
AUTOCROSS:
Cone-Crunching Mayhem!
To properly pit these seven all-wheel drivers against one another
in a safe environment, we set up a near-1-minute autocross course.
Because these cars deliver better traction than a comparable 2-wheeldrive car (see sidebar on rear- vs. all-wheel drive, p. 75), we decided to
Kink;
trail-braking
from speed;
predictability?
High-speed esses;
stability in
transitions?
Open sweeper;
heaviest g-load; push?
or loose? tossable into
decreasing radius?
➜
Tight gate;
possible
downshift
if you’re
really serious.
include a timed wet session after our morning dry running. Best-laid
plans sometimes go awry. We quickly found out that the water truck
couldn’t drop enough wet stuff to achieve standing water, compounded by the extremely abrasive surface of our former Marine Corps
landing strip—picture gritty sandpaper. The grippy surface, combined
with learning the track more and more as the day went on, resulted
in faster times in the wet than in the dry. Maybe we’re just unusually
gifted rain drivers.… Regardless, the autocross proved an excellent
way to find the nuances of each car’s handling habits. Stability systems were turned off.
Two-lap runs with running start/finish
Autocross Results
Slalom; transient
handling; agility,
grip and balance?
➊ Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT spec.B
➋ Audi A4 2.0 T Quattro S-Line
➌ BMW 325xi
➍ Infiniti G35x
➎ Volvo S40 T5 AWD
➏ Mazda Mazdaspeed6
➐ Lexus IS 250 AWD
Tight gate;
heavy trail-braking;
invoke abs? turn-in?
54.9 sec.
55.2 sec.
56.0 sec.
56.2 sec.
56.3 sec.
56.7 sec.
56.8 sec.
Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT spec.B
»
The Subaru proved to be just about every editor’s fastest
way around the course, ahead of the second-place Audi A4
by 0.3 sec. When watching the Subie round the cones, we
were struck by how much dive, squat and roll the car exhibited. But that translated into a forgiving nature, important
since it doesn’t have yaw or traction control. Its extremely
potent engine provides tire-shredding thrust out of corners.
And, if really provoked, the spec.B can rotate with drop
throttle—not a usual trait for an awd’er. A few of us found
that if we got the car to oversteer under braking heading into
the big sweeper (see track map), it could be 4-wheel drifted
under power all the way through. Fun stuff!
Audi A4 2.0 T Quattro S-Line
»
The Audi A4—like the Subaru and the Mazdaspeed6—had the advantage of summer tires, and in the Audi’s case they were also the widest
of the group. What’s interesting here is the completely different manner
in which the Audi goes about its business than, say, the Subaru. The
A4’s sport suspension feels composed no matter what type of transition situation you put it in, but the car also has absolutely no inclination
to oversteer. It simply claws and scratches for traction at all times, the
counterpoint being that low-speed entry understeer is harder to alleviate than in the Subaru and Infiniti. Because of this nature, it’s not as
“entertaining” as the Legacy or the G35x. But it sure gets the job done.
A4 2.0 T Quattro
I97B;0'&?D$(+*cc:?L?I?EDI
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Audi of America, Inc., 3800 Hamlin Rd.,
Auburn Hills, Mich. 48326; www.audiusa.com
BMW
I97B;0'&?D$(+*cc:?L?I?EDI
:H7M?D=8O0J?C87HA;H
325xi
BMW of North America, P.O. Box 1227,
Westwood, N.J. 07675-1227; www.bmwusa.com
2 0 0 6
2 0 0 6
2 0 0 6
Audi
Infiniti
G35x
Infiniti Division, Nissan North America Inc., P.O. Box 191,
Gardena, Calif. 90248; www.infiniti.com
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G35x
Lexus
IS250 awd
Mazda
Mazdaspeed6
Subaru
Volvo
Legacy 2.5 GT spec.B S40 T5 AWD
$29,740
$40,785
Price as tested incl std
equip. (ABS, front, side
airbags, yaw & traction
control, awd, AM/FM/CD),
S-Line pkg (sport suspension, 18-in. wheels
& tires,) $3000, Audi
Navigation Plus ($1950),
premium pkg (auto. lights,
heated & power seats)
$1850, technology pkg
(bi-xenon headlights,
memory seats) $1775,
sunroof pkg (sunroof,
leather) $1400,
XM radio ($350),
dest charge ($720).
3690 lb
3880 lb
$32,800
$40,665
Price as tested incl std
equip. (ABS, front, side
airbags, yaw & traction
control, awd, AM/FM/
CD) , premium package
(leather, auto. lights,
pwr seats w/memory)
$2900, sport package
(17-in. wheels and tires,
front sports seats with
side bolsters) $1200,
premium audio ($1200),
xenon headlights ($800),
satellite radio ($595),
metallic paint ($475),
dest charge ($695).
$33,100
$37,250
Price as tested incl std
equip. (ABS, front, side
airbags, yaw & traction
control, awd, AM/FM/
CD), premium package
C (Bose audio, sunroof,
auto. headlights, reclining
rear seatbacks, memory
seats) $3500, dest
charge ($650).
$34,285
$42,343
Price as tested incl std
equip. (ABS, front, side
airbags, yaw & traction
control, awd, AM/FM/
CD) , navigation system
w/Mark Levinson premium audio (300-watt
DVD/CD) $3990, Lexus
Pre-Collision System/
dynamic radar cruise
control ($2850), park
assist ($500), trunk mat
($69), cargo net ($59),
dest charge ($590).
$29,925
$33,425
Price as tested incl std
equip. (ABS, front,
side airbags, yaw &
traction control, awd,
AM/FM/CD), navigation
system ($2000), sunroof ($700), California
emissions ($100), alarm
shock sensor upgrade
($60), wheel locks
($40), cargo net ($40),
dest charge ($560).
$33,995
$34,620
Price as tested incl std
equip. (ABS, front, side
airbags, awd, AM/FM/
CD, navigation, climate
control, heated & power
seats, leather, 18-in.
wheels, sport suspension,
power moonroof, cruise
control), dest charge
($625).
$28,390
$33,720
Price as tested incl std
equip. (ABS, front,
side airbags, awd, AM/
FM/CD), dynamic trim
package (spoilers, side
moldings & valance, 17in. alloy wheels) $1895,
premium audio w/CD
($895), yaw & traction
control ($695), climate
package (heated front
seats, rain sensor) $675,
metallic paint ($475),
dest charge ($695).
3600 lb
3780 lb
3710 lb
3890 lb
3700 lb
3890 lb
3590 lb
3780 lb
3390 lb
3580 lb
3480 lb
3660 lb
57/43
104.3 in.
59.9 in./59.9 in.
180.6 in.
69.8 in.
56.2 in.
52/48
108.7 in.
59.1 in./59.6 in.
178.2 in.
71.5 in.
55.9 in.
54/46
112.2 in.
59.3 in./59.3 in.
186.5 in.
69.0 in.
57.7 in.
54/46
107.5 in.
60.4 in./60.4 in.
180.1 in.
70.9 in.
56.7 in.
59/41
105.3 in.
60.6 in./60.6 in.
186.8 in.
70.1 in.
56.3 in.
57/43
105.1 in.
58.9 in./58.5 in.
186.2 in.
68.1 in.
56.5 in.
59/41
103.9 in.
60.4 in./60.3 in.
175.9 in.
69.7 in.
57.2 in.
dohc 4-valve/cyl I-4 turbo
2260 cc
87.4 x 94.0 mm
9.5:1
274 bhp @ 5500 rpm
280 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm
6700 rpm
elect. sequential direct
premium unleaded
dohc 4-valve/cyl F-4 turbo
2457 cc
99.5 x 79.0 mm
8.2:1
250 bhp @ 6000 rpm
250 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm
6500 rpm
elect. sequential port
premium unleaded
dohc 4-valve/cyl I-5 turbo
2521 cc
83.0 x 93.2 mm
9.0:1
218 bhp @ 5000 rpm
236 lb-ft @ 1500-4800 rpm
6500 rpm
elect. sequential port
premium unleaded
front engine/awd
unit steel
12.6-in. vented discs/
1-piston sliding calipers
12.4-in. discs/
1-piston sliding calipers;
vac assist, ABS
cast alloy, 18 x 7JJ
Bridgestone Potenza
RE050A, 215/45R-18 93Y
rack & pinion,
vari power assist
14.8:1
2.6
upper and lower A-arms,
coil springs, tube shocks,
anti-roll bar/multilink,
coil springs, tube shocks,
anti-roll bar
front engine/awd
unit steel
12.3-in. vented discs/
2-piston sliding calipers
11.3-in. vented discs/
1-piston sliding calipers;
vac assist, ABS
cast alloy, 18 x 7JJ
Bridgestone Potenza
RE050A, 215/45R-18 89Y
rack & pinion,
vari power assist
15.2:1
2.6
MacPherson struts, lower
L-arms, coil springs, tube
shocks, anti-roll bar/
multilink, coil springs,
tube shocks, anti-roll bar
front engine/awd
unit steel
11.8-in. vented discs/
2-piston sliding calipers
11.0-in. discs/
1-piston sliding calipers;
vac assist, ABS
cast alloy, 17 x 7
Michelin Pilot HX MXM4
XSE M+S, 205/50ZR-17 93V
rack & pinion,
vari power assist
15.4:1
2.9
MacPherson struts, coil
springs, tube shocks,
anti-roll bar/multilink,
coil springs, tube shocks,
anti-roll bar
5
38.5 in./35.0 in.
43.0 in.
24.0 in.
12.4 cu ft
5
37.0 in./34.3 in.
43.0 in.
25.8 in.
11.4 cu ft
5
39.5 in./34.5 in.
43.0 in.
24.5 in.
12.6 cu ft
G e n e ra l Data
List price
Price as tested
Curb weight
Test weight
Weight dist (w/ 180-lb
driver), f/r, %
Wheelbase
Track, f/r
Length
Width
Height
E ngi n e
Type
Displacement
Bore x stroke
Compression ratio
Horsepower (SAE)
Torque
Redline
Fuel injection
Rec fuel
dohc 4-valve/cyl I-4 turbo dohc 4-valve/cyl I-6
1984 cc
2996 cc
82.5 x 92.8 mm
85.0 x 88.0 mm
10.5:1
10.7:1
200 bhp @ 5100-6000 rpm 215 bhp @ 6250 rpm
207 lb-ft @ 1800-5000 rpm 185 lb-ft @ 2750 rpm
6800 rpm
7000 rpm
elect. sequential direct
elect. sequential port
premium unleaded
premium unleaded
dohc 4-valve/cyl V-6
3498 cc
95.5 x 81.4 mm
10.3:1
280 bhp @ 6200 rpm
270 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm
6700 rpm
elect. sequential port
premium unleaded
Layout
Body/frame
Brakes Front:
front engine/awd
unit steel
12.6-in. vented discs/
1-piston sliding calipers
11.3-in. discs/
1-piston sliding calipers;
vac assist, ABS
cast alloy, 18 x 8J
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx,
235/40ZR-18 95Y
rack & pinion,
electric power assist
14.8:1
2.8
upper & lower A-arms,
coil springs, tube shocks,
anti-roll bar/multilink,
coil springs, tube shocks,
anti-roll bar
front engine/awd
unit steel
11.8-in. vented discs/
1-piston sliding calipers
11.8-in. vented discs/
1-piston sliding calipers;
vac assist, ABS
cast alloy, 17 x 8
Bridgestone Turanza EL42
RFT, 225/45R-17 91H
rack & pinion,
vari power assist
18.9:1
3.3
MacPherson struts,
double-pivot lower arms,
coil springs, tube shocks,
anti-roll bar/multilink,
coil springs, tube shocks,
anti-roll bar
front engine/awd
unit steel
12.6-in. vented discs/
1-piston sliding calipers
12.1-in. vented discs/
1-piston sliding calipers;
vac assist, ABS
cast alloy, 17 x 7JJ
Bridgestone Turanza
EL42, P215/55R-17 93V
rack & pinion,
power assist
14.8:1
2.7
multilink, coil springs,
tube shocks, anti-roll bar/
multilink, coil springs,
tube shocks, anti-roll bar
5
37.5 in./34.5 in.
45.3 in.
22.0 in.
13.4 cu ft
5
38.0 in./35.3 in.
44.3 in.
24.0 in.
12.0 cu ft
5
37.8 in./35.3 in.
43.3 in.
26.0 in.
14.8 cu ft
dohc 4-valve/cyl V-6
2499 cc
83.1 x 77.0 mm
12.0:1
204 bhp @ 6400 rpm
185 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm
6600 rpm
elect. sequential direct
premium unleaded
c h ass i s & b ody
Rear:
Wheels
Tires
Steering
Steering ratio
Turns lock to lock
Suspension, f/r
front engine/awd
unit steel
11.7-in. vented discs/
1-piston sliding calipers
11.5-in. discs/
1-piston sliding calipers;
vac assist, ABS
cast alloy, 17 x 8
Bridgestone Potenza
RE92, 225/45R-17 91V
rack & pinion,
electric power assist
15.4:1
3.0
upper and lower A-arms,
coil springs, tube shocks,
anti-roll bar/multilink,
coil springs, tube shocks,
anti-roll bar
acco m m odat i o n s
Seating capacity
Head room, f/r
Front-seat leg room
Rear-seat knee room
Trunk space
5
37.0 in./35.0 in.
44.5 in.
21.3 in.
13.0 cu ft
© Hachette FilipaccHi Media U.S., INC./Road & Track • drawings by tim BArker
s p e c i f i cat i o n s
)SSUE!5'534
$ATE/UT
Mazdaspeed6
Mazda North American Operations, 7755 Irvine Center Dr.,
Irvine, Calif.,%853)3
92618; www.mazdausa.com
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Audi
A4 2.0 T Quattro
BMW
325xi
Infiniti
G35x
Subaru
I97B;0'&?D$(+*cc:?L?I?EDI
:H7M?D=8O0J?C87HA;H
Legacy 2.5 GT spec.B
Subaru of America, Inc., Subaru Plaza Drive,
P.O. Box
6000, Cherry Hill, N.J. 08034; www.subaru.com
-AZDA3PEED!7$452"/
2 0 0 6
Mazda
2 0 0 6
Lexus, Division of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. 19001 S.
Western Ave., Torrance, Calif. 90509; www.lexus.com
2 0 0 6
IS 250 AWD
Volvo
V40 T5 AWD
Volvo Cars of North America, Inc., One Premier Place,
Irvine, Calif. 92618; www.volvousa.com
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Mazda
Mazdaspeed6
Subaru
Volvo
Legacy 2.5 GT spec.B S40 T5 AWD
14.8 @ 86.4 mph
13.7 @ 99.2 mph
acc e l e rat i o n
Time to distance, seconds
0–1320 ft (¼ mile) 15.0 @ 93.3 mph
15.0 @ 91.4 mph
14.4 @ 96.5 mph
15.5 @ 89.2 mph
Time to speed
Audi
A4 2.0 T
BMW
325xi
infiniti
G35x
Lexus
Mazda
Subaru
Volvo
IS 250 awd Mazdaspeed6 Legacy 2.5 GT S40 T5 AWD
'(&
0­–120 mph
na
na
na
na
''&
0­–110 mph
na
na
'&&
0­–100 mph
18.0
/&
0­–90 mph
.&
^
^
^
^
19.4
na
na
17.2
21.6
18.0
15.6
19.6
24.6
14.0
17.7
13.9
14.4
12.2
15.8
16.7
11.0
13.8
0­–80 mph
11.2
11.2
9.8
12.2
11.9
8.8
11.1
-&
0­–70 mph
8.9
8.9
7.7
9.7
8.3
6.9
8.9
,&
0­–60 mph
6.5
6.5
5.9
7.4
5.9
5.1
6.5
+&
0­–50 mph
4.9
4.9
4.4
5.3
4.1
3.7
4.9
*&
0­–40 mph
3.6
3.5
3.2
3.8
3.0
2.8
3.4
)&
0­–30 mph
2.1
1.9
2.1
2.4
1.5
1.5
1.9
(&
0­–20 mph
1.2
1.0
1.2
1.3
0.7
0.7
0.9
'&
0­–10 mph
0.2
0.2
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.2
')&
DG?
p e r f or m a n c e
2 0 0 6
Lexus
&J<: +
'&
'+
(&
^
^
^
na
21.1
na
denotes quarter mile
(&&,7kZ_7*($&JgkWjjheI#b_d['%*c_b[0'+$&6/)$)cf^
(&&,8CM)(+n_'%*c_b[0'+$&6/'$*cf^
Minimum stopping distance
(&&,?d\_d_j_=)+n'%*c_b[0'*$*6/,$+cf^
From 60 (&&,B[nki?I(+&WmZ'%*c_b[0'+$+6./$(cf^
mph
122 ft
123 ft
From 80 (&&,CWpZWCWpZWif[[Z,'%*c_b[0'*$.6.,$*cf^
mph
210 ft
224 ft
Total swept area
539 sq in.
464 sq in.
(&&,IkXWhkB[]WYo($+=Jif[Y$8'%*c_b[0')$-6//$(cf^
(&&,LebleI*&J+7M:'%*c_b[0'*$/6/)$,cf^
Swept area per
ton
292 sq in.
258 sq in.
14.9 @ 93.6 mph
Test Notes:
acceleration
Stability control was turned off on all
vehicles. The Mazdaspeed6 felt a bit flat
in its acceleration runs, perhaps because
the car is designed to run on 93 octane;
the best we get in California is 91. We also
suspect the intercooler could benefit from
better ducting. The Volvo proved fairly
quick, edging out the Audi, BMW and
Lexus through the quarter mile.
t est co nd i t i o n s
Temperature
Humidity
Elevation
Wind
Location
85˚ F
32%
350 ft
calm
Irvine, California
Bra k i ng
127 ft
222 ft
444 sq in.
240 sq in.
125 ft
224 ft
419 sq in.
226 sq in.
121 ft
207 ft
498 sq in.
277 sq in.
126 ft
225 ft
443 sq in.
261 sq in.
130 ft
226 ft
484 sq in.
278 sq in.
0.86g
moderate understeer
64.9 mph
mild understeer
0.84g
moderate understeer
67.2 mph
mild understeer
0.82g
moderate understeer
62.0 mph
mild understeer
Ha nd l i ng
Lateral accel *
0.86g
Balance
mild understeer
Slalom speed**
69.2 mph
Balance
mild understeer
*(200-ft skidpad); ** 700-ft slalom, 100-ft spacing.
0.87g
moderate understeer
63.1 mph
mild understeer
0.84g
mild understeer
64.3 mph
mild understeer
Transmission
6-speed manual
Gear/Ratio/Overall/(Rpm) Mph
1st,:1
3.67/14.26/(6800) 35
2nd,:1
2.05/7.98/(6800) 63
3rd,:1
1.42/5.53/(6800) 90
4th,:1
1.03/4.01/(6800) 124
0.80/3.11/est (5500) 130*
5th,:1
0.66/2.56/est (4500) 130*
6th,:1
Final drive ratio
3.89:1
Engine rpm @ 60 mph
in top gear
2100 rpm
*Electronically limited.
6-speed manual
5-speed automatic
6-speed automatic
6-speed manual
5-speed manual
6-speed manual
4.35/14.70/(7000) 34
2.50/8.45/(7000) 59
1.66/5.61/(7000) 89
1.23/4.16/(7000) 120
3.54/12.52/(6700) 38
2.26/8.01/(6700) 59
1.47/5.20/(6700) 91
1.00/3.54/(6700) 135
3.52/14.43/(6600) 34
2.04/8.37/(6600) 58
1.40/5.74/(6600) 84
1.00/4.10/(6600) 118
3.54/13.95/(6700) 36
2.24/8.83/(6700) 57
1.54/6.07/(6700) 83
1.17/4.61/(6700) 109
3.17/13.01/(6500) 38
1.88/7.74/(6500) 64
1.30/5.33/(6500) 93
0.97/3.99/(6500) 124
3.39/13.56/(6500) 34
1.91/7.64/(6500) 61
1.27/5.08/(6500) 91
0.95/3.80/(6500) 122
Our driving
EPA city/highway
Cruise range
Fuel capacity
Idle in neutral
Maximum, 1st gear
Constant 50 mph
Constant 70 mph
0.84g
moderate understeer
64.5 mph
mild understeer
d r i v e t ra i n
1.00/3.38/est (6200) 130* 0.83/2.95/est (6200) 150* 0.72/2.94/est (5200) 130* 1.09/4.29/(6700) 117
0.74/3.03/est (5400) 136* 0.78/3.12/est (6200) 143
0.85/2.87/est (5200) 130*
0.59/2.40/est (4300) 130* 0.85/3.35/est (6700) 149*
0.65/2.60/est (5200) 143
3.38:1
3.54:1
4.10:1
3.94:1
4.11:1
4.00:1
2400 rpm
2550 rpm
2000 rpm
2650 rpm
2400 rpm
2200 rpm
18.8 mpg
22/31 mpg
293 miles
16.6 gal.
16.7 mpg
19/28 mpg
249 miles
15.9 gal.
15.3 mpg
17/24 mpg
291 miles
20.0 gal.
19.2 mpg
19/25 mpg
286 miles
15.9 gal.
15.9 mpg
20/26 mpg
253 miles
16.9 gal.
18.8 mpg
20/29 mpg
269 miles
15.3 gal.
43 dBA
71 dBA
67 dBA
70 dBA
43 dBA
73 dBA
65 dBA
71 dBA
46 dBA
74 dBA
67 dBA
72 dBA
44 dBA
75 dBA
70 dBA
72 dBA
41 dBA
73 dBA
70 dBA
72 dBA
44 dBA
75 dBA
72 dBA
74 dBA
f u e l eco n o m y
17.5 mpg
22/28 mpg
282 miles
17.1 gal.
In t e r i o r n o i s e
40 dBA
75 dBA
68 dBA
71 dBA
π
the
Results
CONCLUSION
Performance points based on proportional scale (normalization).
30 pts
30 pts
30 pts
Audi
A4 2.0 T
Quattro
BMW
325xi
Infiniti
G35x
Lexus
IS 250
AWD
Mazda
MazdaSpeed6
Subaru
Legacy 2.5
GT spec.B
Volvo
S40 T5
AWD
23.5
27.4
30.0
23.5
27.4
27.4
30.0
25.9
28.5
27.9
29.0
28.6
28.0
15.5
183.4
20.7
26.5
28.0
29.0
29.0
27.6
18.9
179.7
25.9
27.8
28.1
29.7
30.0
30.0
30.0
30.0
23.5
27.6
26.9
28.3
27.9
27.5
18.5
180.2
20 pts
29.7
29.8
29.6
20.0
200 pts
190.0
30 pts
30 pts
30 pts
29.5
27.7
17.7
183.2
16.6
188.1
29.1
29.0
28.8
27.6
17.4
191.9
Subjective
Subjective ratings based on points awarded in each of 12 categories by editors and scored based on a proportional scale.
20 pts
Driving excitement
20 pts
Engine
20 pts
Gearbox
20 pts
Steering
20 pts
Brakes
20 pts
Ride
20 pts
Handling
15 pts
Exterior styling
15 pts
Interior styling
10 pts
Seats
Ergonomics/controls 10 pts
10 pts
Luggage space
200 pts
SUBTOTAL
Total Points
(Price independent)
400 pts
Final Standings
18.9
16.8
20.0
8.2
187.5
9.8
8.4
177.7
162.0
8.2
177.9
17.2
16.0
16.2
15.4
17.5
15.9
17.2
11.0
10.9
7.8
9.2
9.0
163.3
377.5
360.9
345.4
357.6
351.4
18.0
20.0
17.1
20.0
15.0
14.7
8.8
10.0
1
Audi
A4 2.0 T
Quattro
15.7
14.8
18.3
20.0
19.6
19.2
18.5
11.8
11.6
10.0
17.2
17.8
16.4
14.8
17.9
16.3
16.3
10.2
9.8
7.5
7.8
10.0
17.0
14.2
17.7
18.0
17.3
20.0
18.1
14.4
15.0
8.0
10.0
20.0
20.0
17.2
17.2
18.1
17.9
19.6
14.5
12.7
8.0
9.8
9.3
184.3
13.6
14.8
16.2
13.8
16.0
15.9
14.4
11.0
11.6
8.0
8.5
6.8
150.6
376.2
330.8
3
6
4
5
BMW
325xi
Infiniti
G35x
Lexus
IS 250
AWD
Mazda
MazdaSpeed6
Subaru
Legacy 2.5
GT spec.B
Volvo
S40 T5
AWD
200.0
2
7
Standings, Price Dependent
Points based on a proportional scale; points range based on percentage of top price.
Price as tested
Price-sensitive total points
191.3
$40,785
568.8
191.5
$40,665
552.4
195.5
$37,250
540.9
189.5
$42,343
547.1
$33,425
551.4
198.6
$34,620
574.8
199.7
$33,720
530.5
Price-sensitive standings
2
3
6
5
4
1
7
200 pts
online
roadandtrack com
Performance
0−60 mph time
0−¼ mile time
Slalom
Skidpad
Braking, 60−0 mph
Braking, 80−0 mph
Fuel economy, EPA
SUBTOTAL
see video action:
Copyright © 2006 Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S., Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This test came down to two
cars—the Audi and Subaru—that
distanced themselves from the
others in the test. One, the Audi,
took top honors overall, while the
other, the Subaru, took solace in
winning the price-dependent
category. Also showing their parity
was that the Subaru won the
Performance division of our
ratings, while the Audi dominated
the Subjective section.
Whether the A4 is better than the
Legacy comes down to personal
preference. If you really care about
power, the choice is obvious—
only the Subaru will do. If you
crave the utmost in refinement and
class in your awd sedan, and are
willing to be smoked in a straight
line, the Audi is the best choice.
What was interesting to note was
that of the seven editors, the four
“old fogeys” chose the subdued,
can-do-no-wrong Audi, while the
three “young whippersnappers”
chose the more playful Subaru.
So take your pick: Both cars are
absolutely terrific sports sedans that
just happen to possess year-round
traction; we’d be thrilled
to own either one.

»