Just returned a ‘25 RWD loaner for my ‘23 GTS…some differences

[MichaelPNW]

It was interesting to drive a ‘25 RWD for a week. I put about 250 miles on the loaner, so I got some soak time in it.

I love the way my GTS drives, but no detectable Ackerman at slow speeds in my driveway and office garage on the 20” wheels on the '25. Not clear if lack of AWD and rear axel steering contributes or if this is just the wheels. Updates to the UX for the main console were nice. A little more elegant the way display choices are rotated via the steering wheel controls and the visuals for driver assistance features are improved. Notably the visuals related to following distance for adaptive cruise control. One of my favorite elements of this was being able to see exterior light behavior of my car on the display. Meaning, when ACC was applying brakes, seeing on my display that my brake lights were on. Same was true for left and right turn signals, but it was really knowing when my brake lights were illuminated that I liked as I'm always wondering about that on my '23 since there is a point where ACC is slowing due to regen vs. actually applying brakes. It was cute that when following a box truck, the icon in the display changes to look like a truck.

The car seemed to be a more luxurious drive. I think this was largely the 20” vs 21” wheels.

The way the software reflects identification of lane markers for lane assist is confusing. My sense is that the camera and sensor system is notably improved or simply that the UX better reflects what it "sees." For example, seeing cars approaching on the left and right side vs. only the vehicle directly in front of me. The ‘25 would ‘light up’ the the left and right lane markers, showing the car had detected them even at very low speeds. This was confusing as, at these low speeds, lane change assist wasn't actually in effect. While on the '23, the little LCA icon is less sophisticated, but only lights up when LCA is active which I find more useful.

I am curious why the regen button was deleted from the steering wheel. I use that somewhat frequently on my '23. The On/Off/Auto setting is relatively far away on the Vehicle menu vs. being so simple to activate or deactivate. Not clear if that was a base model thing on the '25.

What takes the cake on confusing is that the left hand side, steering wheel Driver Assistance stalk changed. The stalk, as you all know, has an on/off button, a rocker to control following distance, and then is pushed forward/backward or up/down to control resume/cancel and then speed +/-. On the '25, the forward/backward and up/down actions are swapped from my '23. Instead of pushing forward/backward to resume/cancel, that action was for speed adjustments, etc. I'm fascinated to know what research informed that change.

Anyway...just some random musings after driving a '25 for a week.

Michael

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[snstevens]

Did you ask the dealer if there was another button somewhere to set the regen type? I use that a lot and would miss it.

 

[Murph7355]

The cruise stalk has been covered on here previously. I think it brings it in line with other VAG products.

I use it seldomly so never remember what's what anyway ?

 

[MichaelPNW]

The cruise stalk has been covered on here previously. I think it brings it in line with other VAG products.

I use it seldomly so never remember what's what anyway ?

Sorry to have missed those threads. I was just amused by it.

 

[MichaelPNW]

Did you ask the dealer if there was another button somewhere to set the regen type? I use that a lot and would miss it.

I did not. I’m sure somebody here knows.

 

[BjörnfromHamburg]

Def. due to RWD, that the Ackermann effect did not occur.
Typical 4 WD thing.
Especially when tires are very hard/ cold (summer-tires and very cold temperatures make noise, whereas the winter-tires don't)

 

[Corkage Time]

Ackermann happened on my 23 RWD on 21’s. Definitely a winter thing on cold tyres

 

[BjörnfromHamburg]

Yes it will happen on RWD also, but a lot earlier on 4WD.

 

[Watchesandburgers]

Funny, I was researching wheel scrubbing at full lock quite a bit this month, noting how cold it's been. Didn't know it was called Ackerman until doing this research, and seeing it here was interesting. Also, it's my understanding that the 2025 (J1.2) cars replaced the regen on/off button on the wheel with a next track button, which so many people asked for. In that scenario, you could program the diamond button for regen, essentially swapping my current config (regen button handles regen, diamond button is next track). I know there's a regen on/off on the screen in the 2025 cars, and I do believe it stays enabled (where you set it) even in Normal mode, which is what many of us wanted anyway. So perhaps this is best of all worlds in that regard.

For the cruise control stalk, the up/down/forward/back on my '22 Taycan is maddening. I would pay real money to switch to a '25 cruise control stalk where up/down control the speed and forward/back control resume and cancel. Every other car I know works this way. Grrr. (End rant.)

A few questions: Did the '25 loaner have the latest updates such that Apple CarPlay direction appeared in the dashboard display behind the steering wheel? How was performance of the RWD compared to your GTS? Did the loaner have Active Ride, and if so, how was that?

 

[MarkR]

Thanks for your feedback on the '25 MY car. Interesting read.

In relation to your comment on the cruise stalk, mine is forward/backward = set and speed up/slow down, and up/down = resume/cancel. Mine is a MY24, so it must have changed before the new model.

 

[WattTurbo]

Yes it will happen on RWD also, but a lot earlier on 4WD.

100%. It happens on my 911 too and it's a RWD on 20".

 

[Flying ace]

I would much prefer that regen retains the previous setting (or configured setting in drive mode), than reset to coast every time and having to toggle it on the wheel. IMO it should be a seldom used feature.

 

[SergeyIndy]

Michael, these are spot on observations on pros/cons. Your thoughts are not random, it is what they did to 2025 seems to be totally random and not called for.

I agree with the main screen UI looking cleaner, but not much faster since same hardware, but I did not like how the new layout and scrolling logic on the tubes has changed, prefer the original that has labels for sections that tells you where you are and you point and click - so I found the new way confusing and not intuitive.

Assistance Stock 2025 revision also not logical as the controls are reversed, as you are pointing out. I call it Audi nonsense poison, as I find nothing logical in Audis when I drive them as a rental.

At least they have not revised the buttons on the key, which is a total mess of a revision now on Macan EV - I will never understand it as if Macan EV is unique in any way as a Porsche with a frunk. The layout of the buttons does not look right, forget trying to retrain your Porsche brain to use it. Also, button separation has been removed as it helps you scroll through buttons - why!

What kind of focus group decided that this is how it is going to be. I drove 3 of them for a day each and pretty much every time pressed the top button to open car but it pops the frunk. I can see someone saying, frunk is at the front, let's make it the top button, problem is it is least used, so now you have to hunt for the open button.

Left: Macan EV Key

Regen button delete was a big surprise, so now, you cannot even replicate the original since you cannot assign the diamond to cycle through 3 settings of On/Auto/Off - awful decision! I agree, may be not a daily use feature, but since it is an EV, it is logical to have it.

Driving experience is notably better since the Air Suspension now standard has been revised with a different setup, so I am pretty sure that is what you are experiencing regardless of the PDCC or PTV+.

 

[f1eng]

Def. due to RWD, that the Ackermann effect did not occur.
Typical 4 WD thing.
Especially when tires are very hard/ cold (summer-tires and very cold temperatures make noise, whereas the winter-tires don't)

You write it as definite but I think there is no mechanism by which either 4 wheel drive or rear wheel steering could cause it. So I completely disagree.

It is a straightforward combination of sporty steering geometry, (anti Ackermann) very low profile tyres and summer tyres having low grip on a cold surface and is explained by the data.

 

[f1eng]

Yes it will happen on RWD also, but a lot earlier on 4WD.

Why?

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