2015 AUDI A6 1.8 REVIEW

Audi gamely continues to sell their 5 Series competitor, the A6. The high-rider A6 Allroad takes most of the attention, but if you keep an eye out, you’ll see an A6 sedan every now and again.

Look even closer – really close – and you’ll see that there’s been a recent upgrade.

VALUE
At $79,900, the 1.8 is the entry-level, front-wheel drive model and comes in $500 cheaper than the rear-drive BMW 520i.

Standard is cruise control, parking sensors front and rear with reversing camera, blind spot sensor and rear sensor for cross traffic, xenon headlights, keyless entry and start, climate control, electric front seats, leather trim, DAB radio and sat-nav.

There’s a tremendously lengthy options list but as is the Audi custom, you can get the greatest hits in a couple of packages. Our test car had the Technik package ($5800) which added park assist, around-view camera, adaptive cruise with stop and go, autonomous emergency braking and four-zone climate control.

It also adds Audi Connect, which puts Google Earth overlays on the sat-nav maps, lets you search Google for points of interest and act as a wifi hotspot in the car (which needs its own SIM card, it doesn’t like most smartphones).

Metallic paint is a supremely cheeky $2280 bringing our test car to $87,980.

DESIGN
The A6 is one of Audi’s subtlest pieces. It’s a fine looking car but it doesn’t really stand out in this base-spec, which is of course perfectly fine if that’s what you’re after.

Rolling on 18-inch alloys, it’s a classy-looking thing, with Audi’s trademark design language of creased sheetmetal, prominent front grille and distinctive daytime running lights. The new twin LED DRLs are more distinctive still, marking out the A6 from the rest of the range.

Inside is also very standard Audi, with a clean dashboard design and a screen that disappears into the depths of the dash when you lock up or if you want it out of the way.

Inside there’s tons of room and it’s a very comfortable cabin to spend time in. The driver gets plenty of adjustment and you sit reasonably low, snug between door and high-set console. The dashboard is the usual model of clarity although the optimistic speedo raised a few smiles. Despite it being tightly packed, it doesn’t matter as the updated central screen can show a digital speed readout.

SAFETY
Eight airbags, ABS, traction and stability control, blind spot sensor and rear collision sensor are all standard, while the Technik package adds autonomous emergency braking.

The A6 has a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

INFOTAINMENT
The ten speaker stereo has the usual bluetooth and USB ports and is run from an 8.0-inch motorised retractable screen. Audi’s MMI controls the show and there’s the added bonus of DAB to go with it. The A6 actually has two USB ports, with a high-power port for faster phone charging. The big news is this upgraded A6 doesn’t need the silly proprietary cable that the A4 still needs.

The MMI interface is very good and has gotten better and better over the years as Audi’s designers have played with the mix of rotary and shortcut buttons.

ENGINE / TRANSMISSION
Behind the A6’s mildly modified snout is the 1.8 litre TFSI mated to a seven-speed double-clutch transmission. Basically, it’s the same setup as some A3s and A4s. In the A6, it produces 140 kW of power and 320 Nm of torque.

At 1645 kg, you’d imagine fairly weedy performance but a 0-100km/h time of 7.9 seconds says otherwise. Fuel economy is a claimed 5.7L/100km on the combined cycle, but expect somewhere around 8L/100km in the real world. Which is still reasonable going for a petrol-powered car this big.

DRIVING
Settling in behind the wheel of a big car with a small engine, even by today’s standards, rarely promises much. The A6 is a relaxed kind of car to punt around, especially in Eco and Comfort modes.

The steering is quite remote, with artificial-feeling weight when you pile on some speed.

The idea, it seems, is to isolate occupants from the outside world and this is very successful. The ride is supple and the handling competent with mild, controlled body roll and a natural tendency to eventual understeer.

The seven-speed twin-clutch is perhaps not the the most obvious choice and seemed a little unsettled when you ask for a rapid clutch take-up from standstill. BMW’s choice of eight-speed ZF auto would have been preferable, but it’s no deal breaker.

Rear passengers have plenty of space to lounge around and it’s also very quiet back there. Acres of shoulder and leg room give a good feeling of space and it almost feels as good as an A8.

SUMMING UP 3.5/5
In many ways, the A6 1.8 is the very epitome of the Audi experience – quiet, composed and very stylish, it doesn’t shout about itself. It’s hardly a big seller but it does give those who wish for a big executive sedan from Ingolstadt everything they could need.

Likes: Smooth everything, good equipment, understated looks
Dislikes: Twin clutch transmission a bit dithery, soft ride means un-involving drive, dull steering .