Paul Murrell tests the 2020 Audi A6 with pricing, specs, ride and handling, safety, verdict and everything the over-50 driver needs to know.
Summary: Audi has been going through something of a tough time lately, but the new A6 shows that it’s right back on path.
2020 Audi A6
Pricing: $95,500 (A6 45 TFSI quattro), $105,200 (A6 TFSI quattro S line), $116,000 (A6 55 TFSI S line). All plus on road costs. Premium paint $2200 (all but black). Style Package $3000. Premium Plus Pack from $9800. Three-year service plan $1700. Five-year service plan $2630 (the entry price is $4000 less than the outgoing model)
Warranty: 3-years, unlimited kilometres (Audi argues that buyers are more concerned about service costs than longer warranties)
Safety: 5-star ANCAP (tested 2018)
Engine: 2.0-litre petrol four-cylinder, 3.0-litre petrol V6, both with mild-hybrid (12-volt, 45 TFSI; 48-volt 55 TFSI) (either engine delivers good performance)
Power: 180kW @ 5000-6500 rpm (2-litre), 250kW @ 5000-6400 rpm (3.0-litre)
Torque: 370Nm @1600-4300 rpm (2-litre), 500Nm @ 1370-4500 rpm (3.0-litre)
Transmission: 7-speed S-tronic dual clutch
Drive: all-wheel drive (Audi pioneered it, and still do it well)
Body: 4939mm (L), 1886mm (W), 1457 (H)
Wheel size: 19-inch alloy (45 TFSI), 20-inch alloy (S line), optional 21-inch alloy
Boot capacity: 530 litres
Weight: 1695kg (unladen)
Turning circle: not stated
Towing: not stated
Tow ball download: not stated
Spare: space saver temporary
Fuel tank: 73 litres
Service interval: 15,000km or 12 months
Thirst: 7.3L/100km (2-litre, combined, 95 RON), 7.2L/100km (3.0-litre, combined, 95 RON)
seniordriver consumption: not tested
[review]
WHILE MANY EXECUTIVES are buying cumbersome SUVs, there is still a market for mid-size luxury sedans and Audi’s A6 is one of the best.
But while the A6 was once at the forefront of the category, lately it’s been looking ever so slightly dated and its traditional competitors, BMW and Mercedes-Benz have been taking full advantage.
The new model levels the playing field. As Audi Australia product planning manager happily explains, the A6 is “an athlete in a business suit”.
Sneaking in under $100,000
The $100,000 mark is a psychological barrier, and the A6 manages to sneak in just under it (at $95,500) but on road costs and options will quickly take it higher. The $95,500 price gets you into the 45 TFSI. For that money, the so-called entry-level A6 is well-equipped with lots of leather, 19-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, three-zone air conditioning, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging and LED headlights. Nice touches include Audi’s Virtual Cockpit Plus display, loose wheel detection (it works by using the ABS) and illuminated seat belt buckles to avoid that inconvenient scrabbling around in the dark trying to find the always-elusive other end. And all A6s get Audi’s outstanding on-demand quattro all-wheel drive system.
For a little extra, things become even more luxurious with the 45 TFSI S line fr4om $105,200. As the name implies, this uses the same 2.0-litre engine but adds the stylish S line exterior package, 20-inch alloy wheels, adaptive damper suspension, Valcona leather front sports seats and head-up display.
Already on sale for a few months, the 55 TFSI V6 tops the range. It comes standard with the S line goodies and is priced from $116,000.
In the second quarter of 2020, a front-wheel drive model will arrive, powered by the 140kW/320Nm 2.0-litre engine, dropping the entry price to $85,500 (plus on road costs, of course) – a substantial $10,000 less than the previous model.
If your penchant is for a diesel engine, you’ll have to wait until the Allroad quattro arrives next year. As for an electric version, well, there’s possibly one of those on the horizon too: the e quattro V6 is under consideration but yet to be confirmed for Australia.
Living the good life
The Audi A6 is, according to Audi data, preferred by male executives aged between 45 and 64. And they know how to reward themselves.
The A6 regains Audi’s traditional cabin design and quality leadership; it’s a very pleasant place to be. Horizontal lines create a sense of greater space and wherever you see timber (and there’s quite a lot of it), you can be assured it’s the real thing.
Audi’s brilliant virtual cockpit uses a 12.3-inch screen and can be customised to suit your own preferences. The Google maps function displays sat nav with a disturbingly real appearance. The all-new, all-digital MMI operating system has made many knobs and switches redundant – even the central console has gone. Adding to the high-tech ambience, two more screens (10.1-inch and 8.6-inch) convey entertainment and air conditioning information. Voice recognition is another bonus for ease of use.
However, we still question the over-dependence on touchscreens. Many functions inevitably require you to take your eyes off the road, and on a typical Australian road, hitting just the right spot can sometimes be a challenge.
Audi is rightly proud of its Audi Connect Plus, an advanced smartphone infotainment, connectivity and security program. Real time traffic information, hazard alerts, weather conditions at your destination, fuel stations and prices, parking station information (including prices and vacancies), remote lock and unlock function, emergency call and online roadside assistance are all incorporated. Most of it works so well you’ll rarely be aware of it. For instance, when Connect Plus tells you a fuel price, it is for the recommended 95 RON fuel, not 91. And the navigation takes into account traffic density levels and other obstructions and quietly recalculates your route. And another feature we love is a radio that automatically switches from DAB to streaming when the signal drops out.
Connect Plus is free for the first three years, after which it will cost a few hundred dollars a year. Smart marketing – once you’ve depended on it for three years, there’s no way you’ll be able to live without it!
Full safety
The Audi A6 is at the forefront of safety technology, too.
A range of sensors keeps the driver aware of everything going on outside, including front and rear cross traffic sensing, 360-degree views from five cameras, exit warnings and that previously mentioned loose wheel detection.
Naturally, all variants get autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control including traffic jam assist, lane assist (although we’d prefer it to be a little less pushy) and an exit warning system that identifies passing cars or cyclists before you open the door.
Not only did the A6 score five stars in ANCAP testing, it picked up an IHS “Top Safety Pick” in the USA which conducts tougher crash testing.
Subtle but fabulous styling
We know style is in the eye of the beholder, but it would be a picky perfectionist whom could fault the styling of the new A6.
Up front, the grille is more prominent and the LED lights demonstrate all sorts of party tricks. The external styling is clearly evolutionary, but follows Audi’s “coupe roofline” concept and looks very impressive on the road.
Inside, the lower set dash and stepped-back design create a sense of openness. And everything has that undeniable feel of quality and attention to detail.
Hybrid technology is just the start
Hybrid technology in the new A6 shows just how fast things are moving in the auto world. The 45 gets a simple 12-volt system while the 55 gets a more muscular 48-volt system that recovers up to 14kW of regenerative power and allows stop/start operation up to 22km/h.
It’s high tech. And we doubt if anybody will ever notice it.
The quattro system is similarly highly developed. It starts off in all-wheel drive but disconnects the rear wheels for increased efficiency unless it detects the need for extra traction at the rear. Once again, 99 percent of people will never notice.
Choose your options
It is unlikely any A6 will leave the showroom under $100,000. Most buyers will tick the options package boxes.
The $3000 Style Package includes larger alloy wheels (surprisingly, on test we found the larger wheels to be quieter and more supple on the road) and active Matrix LED headlights which, in our opinion, justify the price on their own. The S line package (standard on the 55) includes 20-inch alloy wheels, adaptive dampers, head-up display, flat-bottom steering wheel and sports seats.
The $9800 Premium Plus package includes 21-inch alloy wheels, privacy glass, panoramic sunroof and Bang & Olufsen audio.
A relaxed drive experience
The A6 seems to have found a new level of comfort on the road. All models are remarkably well insulated from road noise and even on large wheels, ride quality is exemplary. A minor complaint is that the increased torsional stiffness (10 percent) and lateral rigidity (30 percent) appear to have made the A6 more susceptible to crashing through potholes. We also found the steering assistance too keen to intervene – it’s always a difficult balancing act, but having chosen a line through a corner, we don’t appreciate the technology trying to impose its own line on us.
The standard suspension is more than up to the job, although the adaptive air suspension will better suit very keen drivers (although to our surprise, it didn’t deliver quite a comfortable, relaxed ride). Steering feel and feedback, once a regular complaint in Audis, is now equal to anything else on the road, keeping the driver well aware of what’s happening under the front wheels at all times. Braking, too, is outstanding.
As you’d expect, the 55 TFSI is a more spirited performer under all conditions, but the 45 model far from overshadowed. In the real world, the 45 will be as much as most people will ever want.
Three years warranty
Audi, like most premium brands, is sticking with a three-year warranty. When we queried if there were any plans to extend it, the answer was unequivocally “no”. The reasoning, according to the Audi spokesperson, is that owners are more concerned with service costs than a longer warranty that they are unlikely to ever call upon.
We’re not sure most buyers would agree. A longer warranty provides considerable peace of mind.
However, Audi has offered an appealing service package at $1700 for three years and $2630 for five years. We’d be surprised if take-up isn’t almost 100 percent.
Summary
The updated A6 has all the attributes it needs to take the fight up to the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5 Series.
