Audi A6

The Audi A6 is now in its fourth generation and Audi claims it to be the best A6 till date. Is it also better than its rivals? Let’s find out.

Exterior

Visually, the new Audi A6 looks better than before and its rivals including Mercedes E class and BMW 5 series. The aggressive appeal of this car is the biggest USP of it. It is extremely stylish headlights with LED daylight running light strips are irresistible. Audi has made sure that not a single line should go wrong in its designing and it’s quite visible. It shares its platform with Audi A7 which makes it look like its elder sibling from some angles. Bold shoulder lines and elongated rear quarter glass confirms you that it’s an A6. Its 10 spoke 17 inch alloy wheels add charm to its beauty. Rear styling seems to be inspired from A8 as it has stretched LED tail lights with an in-built spoiler on its boot which makes this car look premium and mature.

Interior

Audi A6 feels a class apart from inside if we compare it with its rivals. The black colored interiors along with finishing of chrome and wooden on certain places make you feel as if you are inside its elder sibling A8. The instrument panel, the touch-pad and so many things are a carryover from A8. If we talk about space, you can’t demand for more in its class. There is enormous amount of space for passengers and driver, especially the legroom which is a treat for the rear passengers.

Comfort and Convenience

It has a long list of features which includes 4 zone automatic air conditioning, leather seats, key less entry, centre armrests at its front and rear with rear AC vents, sunroof, electric adjustable seats, outside mirrors, parking camera and many more.

Dashboard and Storage

The black colored dashboard with chrome and wooden linings feels very fresh and stylish. It has a touch pad just above the central AC vents. It has a cooled glove box with bottle holders in front and rear armrests. Apart from its door pockets, it has a voluminous boot capacity.

Music System

Audi A6 has a DVD changer with BOSE sound system and sports a 20GB hard drive. It also has Bluetooth and iPod connectivity which allows you to play your music gadgets directly. It has steering mounted audio controls.

Engine and Gearbox

Audi A6 is offered with four engine options; two each of petrol and diesel. The first petrol motor is a 2.8L FSi engine with a maximum power output of 203 bhp at 5250 rpm with a torque output of 280 Nm ranging from 3000 rpm - 5000 rpm. The second V6 3.0L TFSi engine yields out a power and torque output of 298 bhp and 440 Nm at 5250 rpm and 2900 rpm respectively. The 2.0L TDi diesel engine churns out a peak power of 176 bhp at 3750 rpm with a torque output of 380 Nm ranging from 1750-2500 rpm. The second V6 3.0L TDi diesel engine generates utmost power of 244 bhp at 4000 rpm with 500 Nm of torque coming as early as 1400 rpm. The petrol and the diesel V6 3.0L engines are available with four wheel drive system. All these engines are mated with 7-speed automatic transmission.

Acceleration and Performance

Due to its all light aluminium hybrid body, it manages to be on the faster side with having better power to ratio than most of its competitors. Its 3.0L petrol unit is the fastest amongst all four engines offered in A6. It does 0-100km/hour within 5.5 seconds with a top speed of 250km/hr. The second fastest is the V6 3.0L TDi engine which reaches 100km/hour in almost 6 seconds with a top speed of 250km/hr. The basic 2.8FSi petrol unit reaches a top speed of 240 km/hour with completing dash-100 km/hour in less than 8 seconds. Its 2.0L TDi engine feels slower than other engines and its rivals as it takes more than 8 seconds to complete 0-100 km/hour with a top speed of 222 km/hr. The best performance is experienced when you drive the 3.0L diesel or petrol unit.

Mileage

The 2.8L and 3.0L petrol engines will give you a mileage of around 8-9km/ltr and 7km/ltr in city conditions while expect the 2.0L diesel engine to return a fuel efficiency of around 9-10km/ltr. Its 3.0L diesel engine will return you a mileage of around 7km/ltr.

Safety Features

The top model of A6 features 8 airbags, traction control, all-wheel drive grip, ESP, ABS with EBD. Other safety features include anti-theft alarm, rain and light sensing wipers and lights etc.

Suspension and Brakes

Audi A6 gets a new suspension system with new chassis. Now it comes with air adjustable suspension which means better hold of road with less effect of big bumps inside as it is self-adjustable. It comes equipped with ventilated disk brakes on its all four wheels.

Ride and Handling

Audi A6 has a minimum turning radius of 11.9m which makes its handling much easier in city traffic. Its steering responses really well and the car feels very relaxed at high speed corners thanks to its R17 size of fatty tyres which along with its air springs keep it grounded on road. The wheelbase of 2912mm provides extra stability to this car at high speeds with minimal body roll.

Shades and Warranty

Audi A6 is offered in 5 different shades. Audi gives a 2years/unlimited kilometres warranty on A6.

Variants

Audi A6 is available in four variants: 2.8 FSi, 3.0 TFSi, 2.0 TDi and 3.0 TDi.

Verdict

The new Audi A6 is cheaper than its rivals like E class and 5 series by a good margin. At this price you get a high class executive car from Audi which shares most of its things from premium members of the same family. It offers dynamic design, good fuel efficiency, lot of features and most importantly powerful engines specially the V6 3.0L petrol and diesel engines. This car looks stunning, performs brilliantly and offers you maximum comfort at a reasonable price. For me, A6 is a complete value for money car which is a nice option for those who want to afford a premium looking car like A8 at a cheaper price.