A2 Steering ??

Birchall

Dick Chown Award 2016
Hi

I find that I basically take the steering on an A2 for granted.
Apart from the occasion issues that crop up very rarely, the steering on the A2 is hardly ever mentioned. But to me that is a testament to just how good it is.

The steering feel, is spot on, it is light when it needs to be and gives feel / feedback when needed. It is so good that, as I say, it tends to be taken for granted.

The next time you drive your A2, spare a thought for just how good it is. Parking has the right feel, low and high speed has the right assistance, cornering gives great feel / feedback.

Of course, this is just my opinion but I am sure that others (apart from those few people who currently have with problems with the steering system) may agree.

We can sometimes be negative (as most forums are, by design) and only talk about the things that are not perfect, so I thought it worth mentioning the steering. Hats off to the designer!!!

Steve B
 
I remember thinking the same thing when I first got my A2. I'd only owned it for a couple of days, but went on a drive to Newcastle with my sister to collect a set of alloys. I have a distinct memory of saying to her "I just love the way this thing steers".
Everything about the A2 was all so new and unfamiliar back then, but, all this time later, it's now the reference against which everything else is compared. As you say, Steve, it's easy to take such things for granted.

Thanks for posting your positivity.

Tom
 
There's an Autocar test with Steve Sutcliffe from some years back where he comments on the A2 being the best feeling steering of any Audi ever, or words to that effect. It does have great turn in and feel for sure, I don't think I'd be so enthused about the car if it had very benign feedback as good as the rest of the package is, that is important to me and I suspect quite a few other car enthusiasts that own A2s. I revel in it almost daily
 
I agree completely. I remember when I was teaching my grandson to drive in my TDi, telling him to be happy with the steering as it might be the best he ever experiences. He has subsequently owned a Citroen and a Fiat and says that he is still looking forward to having decent steering on a car! The Fiat has two settings and he says both are too light. My son said the same about the 500s that he's hired.

The lower nose weight of the 1.4i makes it better still IMHO.
 
I agree completely. I remember when I was teaching my grandson to drive in my TDi, telling him to be happy with the steering as it might be the best he ever experiences. He has subsequently owned a Citroen and a Fiat and says that he is still looking forward to having decent steering on a car! The Fiat has two settings and he says both are too light. My son said the same about the 500s that he's hired.

The lower nose weight of the 1.4i makes it better still IMHO.

Agree! Just as lockdown bit, I won a set of dining room chairs on eBay and had to travel down to Sturminster Newton, Dorest from Surrey in our 1.4 SE with the back seats removed. It was a mixture of driving on M ways but then A roads and B roads. The car felt amazing on the unfamiliar A and B roads, steering, pick-up, 10 year old FSD suspension, the works. On the way home, I decided to come back a different way, just to avoid the motorway. That's got to be a sign that the car is fun to drive, even after all these years (I've owned the 1.4 for 17.5 years now).
 
Having switched back to an A2 yet again I can honestly say that the many cars I have been driving since I posted this thread (including some very expensive cars in my job) simply don’t come near the A2 for steering “feel” and response at all speeds and conditions.

Many are heavier, but most are too light. But the A2 is a real pleasure to drive and a fair bit of that is down to near perfect steering.

No doubt I will soon start taking that great steering for granted again, which is quite a compliment to the great little A2.

Steve B
 
Having switched back to an A2 yet again I can honestly say that the many cars I have been driving since I posted this thread (including some very expensive cars in my job) simply don’t come near the A2 for steering “feel” and response at all speeds and conditions.

Many are heavier, but most are too light. But the A2 is a real pleasure to drive and a fair bit of that is down to near perfect steering.

No doubt I will soon start taking that great steering for granted again, which is quite a compliment to the great little A2.

Steve B
I’ve had the pleasure of pottering up to the borders in Scotland today from my home in Gloucestershire in my ‘every day’ totally standard dolphin grey tdi 75.

I could not agree more with the sentiments expressed above in terms of the steering and general handling. On motorway, a fast A road or sweeping B roads with dodgy camber and indifferent road surfaces the car didn’t miss a beat. You always know precisely how much grip you’ve got and can travel through bends carrying must greater speed than you’d think.

Moreover, with a bit of fettling (unrated ARB’s and coil overs like I’ve got in Tonka) a well sorted A2 will lift it’s inside wheel like a 1960’s Lotus Cortina at full chat and feel like it’s on rails.

In short, a marvellous machine ??
 
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The next time you drive your A2, spare a thought for just how good it is.
Can i postpone that thought for later use, when a day comes where i'm not already thinking it automatically while driving?

1,5 years driving it and have not yet completely overcome initial wow effect that usually comes with new things... Only time i did not find it a very good car was pre-purchase test drive. Mostly due to unfamiliar 1.2 gearbox. By the time i reached near home, even having to tow it last 200km or so (gearbox actuator fault) did not sway my mind that i did good decision to buy it.

1.2 with power steering, feels very light but that's the way i like it. Steering feels natural like extension to your body, so you don't think about it. On some cars it feels like wrestling the car into submission for every minor correction in direction etc. And it's usually first thing i find lacking if i need to drive other cars now.
 
In most parts i'd agree with all the comments but as I had a drive yesterday on some B roads I just happen to think how the steering can be a little to good a times. It's funny this thread appeared after I experienced a little to much responsiveness when cornering, I felt it was almost to good (if that is possible) or may be it's me needing to adapt to the better steering car I now own. My insignia now feels quite heavy compared to the A2 but that would make some sense due to weight difference but it is amazing the difference in the two cars. Overall the A2 has very good steering capabilities and it is a real pleasure to drive but I clearly need some more time on the back roads to get used to the lighter feel of the A2 to really appreciate it's fine engineering.
 
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