The latest Audi A6 offers a masterclass in the art of the executive saloon. Its elegant, sophisticated styling carries just the right amount of gravitas without being austere, while impeccable motorway manners will ensure even those covering serious miles can do so in the upmost comfort.
There’s more space than ever inside, too, while the trio of infotainment displays provide a futuristic environment. The absence of a rotary controller for those screens may take some getting used to, but they’re emblematic of the A6’s high-tech nature, as are the state-of-the-art driver assistance systems.
Audi is offering the new A6 from launch with two diesel engines, with a V6 petrol following in autumn, and all feature a mild-hybrid setup that helps improve economy and optimise power delivery. And while previous generations of A6 have underwhelmed from behind the wheel, the latest model is impressively sharp to drive - making it a closer rival to the BMW 5 Series than ever before.
The first thing that strikes you as you climb into the new Audi A6 is the sense of calm the cabin conveys. The overall design is largely borrowed from the big A8 saloon, so you get clean, unfussy lines, full-width air vents and a trio of information displays.
You have to look really hard to find areas to complain about where quality is concerned. All the touchpoints are made from high quality leathers, plastics, or metals, and the gear selector operates with a satisfying sense of solidity. Dig deep and a few areas don’t stand up to quite such close scrutiny: the headliner, for instance, could be made from a nicer fabric – but we’re getting into the level of nit-picking here.
Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
There are three screens in the new A6, which will likely take time to get used to – not least because of how feature rich the car is.
The first screen, Audi’s familiar Virtual Cockpit, is hard to criticise. This rests ahead of the steering wheel, replacing traditional clock-style dials, and can be configured in a number of different ways, becoming almost all sat-nav display, for example, or showing a more prominent speedometer and rev counter.
Two further screens sit on the centre console. The bottom nine-inch screen is reserved for the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning controls, and is also used for inputting text when entering sat-nav addresses. The top one is a 10.1-inch display (8.8-inch if you don’t upgrade to MMI Navigation Plus), which takes care of infotainment and driving functions, such as route guidance and driving modes – though this latter feature also has a pair of dedicated buttons at the base of the lower screen.
The top screen features smartphone-like tile apps, which can be dragged and dropped, allowing you to configure it as you wish. Both screens provide haptic and acoustic feedback, so they vibrate slightly and make a quiet click when you push them. The system is fast and lag-free in its operation, our experience is that pressing the screens requires a harder push than is ideal, while the touchscreen-based nature of the air conditioning, for example, requires more concentration than buttons and dials would. The voice-recognition software is so advanced, however, that you could do most tasks without using your fingers at all.
The A6 is also offered with a vast amount tech. While full UK specifications are still being ironed out, this class of car means Bluetooth and a DAB radio will undoubtedly be standard. Full LED Matrix headlights, and dynamic indicators, which sweep outwards as they illuminate, are likely to be optional, though. The back lights, meanwhile, can be upgraded so they comprise a single horizontal strip, spanning the length of the A6’s rear end.
Audi also offers a number of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) with the A6. The remote parking system, for example, will allow you manoeuvre the A6 into and out of spaces via a smartphone app. The Tour package, meanwhile, will bundle adaptive cruise control with active lane-keeping assistance. Other options include the Comfort and Technology pack, which brings a Bang and Olufsen stereo, ambient interior lighting and a 360-degree parking camera system.
Audi has traditionally held a reputation for building large saloon cars that do comfort, cruising and tech well, but disappoint on open roads thanks to feeling nose heavy and riding firmly. The new A6 consigns that reputation largely to the history books.
The optional four-wheel steering system is responsible for some of the new A6’s handling deftness. At low speeds the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to the fronts, reducing the turning circle, while at high speed all four wheels turn in the same direction, improving stability and cornering. The net effect is this system seems to shrink the A6’s wheelbase at low speeds, while contributing to a sense of nimbleness at higher ones.
Ride quality is another area where the new A6 is worthy of praise. The previous-generation A6 felt almost wooden and uncomfortable over bumps, jarring occupants over potholes. Audi has obviously taken this criticism on board with the latest model, which rides with a new-found elegance and refinement.
One area where compliments are harder to find is the A6’s steering. It’s accurate enough, but its synthetic character is almost entirely devoid of feel. It’s here that the A6 loses out to the 5 Series, which provides far greater levels of feedback through the wheel making the driver feel better connected to the car.
Elsewhere, almost all the news is positive. The brakes are effective, the two gearboxes shift seamlessly, and wind noise is all but absent; it’s here that Audi’s work with aerodynamics and sound insulation pay dividends, but it’s likely the A6’s roofline and wing mirrors – low and small respectively when compared to an SUV’s – come into play here as well.
The new A6 gets closer than ever to the handling benchmark laid down by the BMW 5 Series – though the 5 Series’ steering and rear-wheel drive setup mean it still has the edge. If you’re toying between the A6 and the Mercedes E-Class, on the other hand, the A6 has a better-built interior, but arguably can’t match the cohesiveness and effortless character offered by the three-pointed star.
These decisions, though, come down more to subjective impressions rather than cold hard facts. If the A6’s blend of cutting edge tech, magisterial build quality and effortless cool sway you over the E-Class’ supremely relaxing nature, or the 5 Series’ pin-sharp handling, nobody could accuse you of making the incorrect choice.
Engines
We’ll start at the bottom of the range, with the front-wheel drive 201bhp 2.0-litre 40 TDI. This engine propels the A6 from 0-62mph in a decent 8.1 seconds and on to a top speed of 153mph. While it can’t match the effortless surge of its six-cylinder counterparts, the weight advantage the four-cylinder block brings means it delivers a purer, lighter-feeling driving experience. The 40 TDI we sampled was fitted with conventional steel suspension, which undoubtedly contributed to this sense of deftness.
Audi provides three other suspension choices. The sports setup, likely to be bundled with S line trim, will stiffen the ride and lower the ride height; conventional suspension with adjustable dampers is also be offered, as is a full air suspension set-up.
Switching to petrol, the A6 55 TFSI (due in the UK in autumn) features a 335bhp 3.0-litre turbocharged V6. The A6 55 TFSI we drove was also fitted with air suspension, which allowed it to absorb bumps and road imperfections with serenity, while contributing to the overall sense of composure. With a 0-62mph time of just 5.1 seconds, the 55 TFSI closely matches the BMW 540i’s 4.8-second effort, and the big Audi drives with a responsiveness and refinement that closely matches the 5 Series’ dynamism.
The third engine option is the 50 TDI diesel. Like the 55 TFSI, this is a 3.0-litre V6 engine with quattro 4x4 as standard. With 282bhp on tap, the 50 TDI propels the A6 from 0-62mph with similar speed to the 55 TFSI (taking 5.5 seconds) but does so while feeling slightly heavier – though it’s almost 20 per cent more fuel efficient.
Given the sheer number of active and passive safety systems fitted to the new Audi A6, it’s fair to say it should be one of the safer cars on the road. The company has a history of achieving five star ratings from independent safety experts at Euro NCAP, and there is no reason to suggest the new A6 will achieve anything less.
While adaptive cruise control and active lane-keeping assistance will likely be optional, it’ll be a surprise if autonomous emergency braking isn’t fitted as standard to the A6 – and that’s in addition to the usual plethora of airbags and electronic aids we take for granted these days.
As a brand-new model, the A6’s long-term reliability is impossible to judge. For reference, Audi finished ahead of BMW and Mercedes in our 2018 Driver Power brand survey, though a higher proportion of Audi owners reported issues with their cars compared to Mercedes owners.
Warranty
The news here is fine, but nothing more. Audi’s three-year, 60,000-mile warranty was once average for the industry, but is now looking slightly ungenerous. BMW and Mercedes offer no mileage cap with their three-year policies, for example. You can always opt to extend your warranty to four or five years (and 75/90,000 miles respectively), at a price, when you buy your A6.
Servicing
Audi’s fixed-price servicing packages are reasonable and attractive. Pay £468 for a three-year plan if you choose an A6 with an engine smaller than 2.0-litres (the 40TDI is 1,968cc so should qualify for this), or £594 if you choose the larger-engined 55 TFSI or 50 TDI.
The new Audi A6 has only grown in length by 7mm compared to the outgoing model, but by stretching the wheelbase by 12mm, greater gains have been achieved with regard to interior space.
Legroom, headroom and passenger space
Few complaints tend to be made about the environment offered in the front of large saloons, and that’s certainly the case in the A6. The driving position is excellent, the seats provide fine levels of leg and back support, while a large central storage cubby and a brace of cupholders reside in the centre console.
It’s in the rear where the greatest improvements have been made, though. Legroom in the back has increased by 17mm, while headroom is up by 10mm over the old A6. These may sound like small numbers – and they are – but the overall impression is of a far more spacious car.
Unless you’re sitting in the middle-rear seat, that is, where a significant transmission tunnel hump will force you to splay your legs in an ungainly and uncomfortable fashion – though this is something of a given in this class of car.
Boot
Something else that’s a given with large executive saloons is a decently-sized, if compromised in shape, boot. At 530 litres, the new A6’s boot is competitive (and identical to the 5 Series’ volume), if not class leading (the E-Class gets an extra 10 litres), but the prominent load lip and relatively small loading aperture are arguably two of the reasons why SUVs have become so popular in recent years. In fairness, Audi caters for those after more, and more accessible luggage space, with the Audi A6 Avant.
Towing
No towing figures are available at present for the new A6 but, as is usually the case, the larger diesel engine should convey the car with a greater capacity, and a more relaxing towing experience.
Large executive cars like the new Audi A6 are often driven by high-mileage drivers, and economy will be at the forefront of both fleet managers’ and private buyers’ minds.
So while a full set of mpg figures for the engine range is still forthcoming, the data we do have access to, as well as the A6’s high-tech efficiency measures, should guarantee the new A6 can hold its head high.
Take the most powerful, 282bhp 50 TDI diesel engine. Despite being capable of a serious turn of speed, this officially returns 50.4mpg and emits 146g/km of CO2, in both Sport and S line trims. That CO2 figure means business users will be liable for a Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) rate of 34 per cent. If that sounds worryingly close to the top 37 per cent rate, there are two reasons for this: one is Audi homologating the A6 according to the latest, stricter testing regime, and the other is the recent government decision to shift all diesels up a percentage band for BiK rates.
This rate rise for diesels means the 55 TFSI should actually get a lower BiK rating than the 50 TDI, despite having higher CO2 emissions. While precise figures may change by the time the 55 TFSI arrives in the UK in autumn, Audi is currently quoting a CO2 figure of 151g/km, which should translate into a 31 per cent BiK rate. Whether that lower taxation level will make up for the TFSI’s fuel consumption of 42.1mpg will depend on list prices and mileage though, naturally.
Figures for the 2.0-litre 40 TDI have yet to be released, but it almost goes without saying this will be the cheapest A6 to run, from the perspective of both tax and fuel bills.
Road tax (VED) for the A6 will span two brackets. Models that cost under £40,000 will get a flat annual rate of £140, while those costing over £40,000 – including options – will be hit with a supplement of £310 for five years. This kicks in during the second year of a car’s life, bringing your annual VED bill to £450 a year from years two to six. First year VED rates remain CO2 based, and tend to be bundled into on-the-road prices.
One thing helping the A6’s efficiency is the fact all models come with mild hybrid system, which comprises a belt alternator starter (BAS) and lithium-ion battery. When coasting with your foot off the accelerator between 34 and 99mph, this allows the engine to switch off, saving fuel. Similarly, the start-stop function can activate at 13mph and below, allowing the car to glide to a stop with engine-off efficiency, before the engine restarts when sensors detect the car in front moving off.
Insurance
The 201bhp 2.0-litre diesel 40 TDI will be the cheapest A6 to insure, sitting in group 33 out of 50 regardless of whether you choose S line or Sport trim. This is a higher group than the slightly less powerful (187bhp and group 31) BMW 520d M Sport, but lower than the slightly more powerful (228bhp) 525d, which gets group 37 insurance. The A6 does better than the E-Class when it comes to insurance, though, with the 194bhp E220d sitting in group 35.
Depreciation
The Audi A6 is such a new model no depreciation figures have yet been compiled, yet it has two factors that pull it in opposite directions: on the one hand, large executive saloons tend to lose value relatively savagely; yet on the other, Audis have a strong reputation for residual values. The A6 should, therefore, hold up as well as the competition on the second-hand market.
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