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Both cars are extremely easy to just get into and drive. From the drivers' seat however, they can sometimes appear a little too large for our congested streets – especially during rush hour, which is now a contradiction in terms since it appears to last through the day. When stuck in traffic, things are a lot better if you're seated in the rear, which is where most owners will find themselves at the time. The V8 Volvo comes with supple leather seats that feature different colored piping adding to the aura of indulgence. These are truly the most comfortable seats this side of your favorite armchair.
The Audi is a little more functional in its approach and provides seats that are firm and supportive, yet comfortable. Both cars have elegant interior styling but the Audi clearly wins in respect to the quality of materials and switchgear. As expected from Audi, the interior quality is impeccable, as is the Germanic attention to detail. For instance, there's a slight bump in the bottom half of the Audi's steering wheel to rest your palm if you hold the wheel correctly at the three and nine position while driving. You get the sense that they had a board meeting to analyze and discuss every last detail of the car.
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The steering wheel on the Volvo, on the other hand, is a little big. Moreover, while the wood trim on the wheel seems like a nice touch, it doesn't work that well in execution and could get tiring to use on a daily basis – especially on a hot summers day. Nevertheless, both cars cocoon their occupants and do a fine job of transporting them a world away from the chaos outside their respective cabins – although, once again it's the Audi that appears to provide that feeling of vault like security. The Volvo has a fair number of tricks up its sleeve however. It wins hands down in the back seat, which features an LCD screen in each of the front headrests, as well as audio/video controls in the rear. The S80 also has a refrigerator in the center arm rest to keep your refreshment of choice cool during your journey. |
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In the front, Audi has its own version of BMW's infamous i-Drive system. Audi calls it MMI (Multi Media Interface), which is easier to use than i-Drive but still takes some getting used to. MMI allows the driver to manually adjust practically every single setting on the car, ranging from how long the lights should stay on after you've reached home to the default position of the wipers. On a simpler note, the Audi still requires the driver to insert a key and turn it to start the ignition, which is refreshing compared with most new cars these days that require a start up procedure akin to that used on a space shuttle.
The exterior styling of both cars is understated, though it's the Volvo that's the more expressive and aggressive of the two. The Audi once again, true to its character, appears more functional and Teutonic in its approach. |
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Impeccable interior quality,
as you'd expect, from Audi |
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