Audi Quattro Drive Event Pune: Experienced Audi Q7 & Q5's capabilities

If the small Q5 & even the Q3 can do all of this without breaking a sweat, I wonder what SUVs like the Defender, Gurkha & Thar would be capable of achieving.

BHPian sauravpat recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Are sophisticated soft-roaders capable enough to handle large inclines and obstacles?

That is what I went to find out at the Quattro drive at Audi Pune. It was just a short 10-minute drive over a few metal obstacles, like ramps, after a short briefing about the instructions.

The event was organised by Audi Pune in collaboration with instructors from a third-party organisation. They were knowledgeable with off-road driving techniques but not with the exact specifications of the cars themselves.

This was followed by some refreshments and a short video of visitors talking about their experiences. A Q8 and ETron were kept as display vehicles.

We drove the Q7 as the Q5 was being used by other visitors. All in all, it was a fun, free, open for all marketing event with quite a few visitors coming there on a Sunday afternoon even with temperatures above 37° C. Well organised and smoothly executed. I am sure these obstacles are not a real reflection of actual off-roading and look much more sensational than they actually are but it showcases the Quattro system really nicely compared to 2WD.

Impressions

What it looks from the outside is very different to what it feels from the inside. When we were observing other drivers on the course, the cars looked like they were at their limit.

2 wheels in the air and the other two wheels struggling to get traction, 30-degree steep inclines where the car looked like it would topple over at any moment.

But once we sat on the driver's seat, it was just a case of making small steering wheel adjustments while maintaining a constant 1400 rpm. Once the wheel in the air or on the gravel spins and does not get enough traction, the sensors kick in and divert power to the wheels with more traction and the car easily chugs along over the ramps.

Add to that, the steering remains as light as ever and from the inside, you hardly notice all the extreme angles you are doing. Hardly felt any hard bumps and crashes inside even when we were literally tipping the car over on two wheels and landing back down on all 4.

The highlight was a 30-degree steep ramp where the driver was a couple of feet higher than you when you sat in the front passenger seat and if you rolled down the window you could easily touch the ground with your hand.

That one was genuinely scary.

Biggest Takeaway

If a small Q5 and even Q3 can do all of this without breaking a sweat, what are Defenders, Gurkhas, Thars capable of?

This has surely scratched my off-roading itch now, one I did not know I had since our family has never owned an SUV.

But it made my belief that if I ever buy an SUV, it needs to drive all 4 wheels and have some off-roading capabilities even stronger.

FWD pseudo SUVs that have flooded our market would never be able to do what these Quattro systems are doing... in other words, there is no place you can go in a Creta/Taigun that you won't be able to go in in a Verna/Vento.

Of course, for older people, ingress and egress may be a valid consideration in going for a crossover.

But I have a genuine question on what these FWD pseudo SUVs do with off-road modes. In the new Creta, there is a toggle to change off-road modes like snow, gravel, etc.

What changes does the car make, if any, when we change the modes? I seriously doubt changing these modes does anything at all. I may be wrong though. Would love inputs from all of you!

Here's what BHPian vishy76 had to say about the matter:

Most of these FWD pseudo SUVs only alter the ECU maps at the flick of a button or turn of a knob. Typically, this alters throttle response only. Say you put it into the sand mode, the car dulls down the throttle response so that there is a lesser chance of you spinning the wheels out. I believe the Seltos/Creta do this.

On the other hand, a few others like the Tata Harrier also make changes to how the ESP and traction control act. The TC might switch off entirely in some modes in order to aid an easier launch from slippery surfaces, while the ESP might assume a more aggressive nature and apply brakes proactively to a wheel that slips.

All said and done, this is the max a FWD "SUV" will do. There's nothing more that is possible anyway due to hardware limitations. AWD is the next best thing after these pseudo modes.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.