Audi A6 Review & Prices

If you’re looking for a posh saloon car with plenty of high-tech features and one seriously spacious cabin, then the Audi A6 should be right at the top of your shopping list.

It’ll appeal if you’re looking for something that looks a bit sporty, too – especially the A6 S Line versions. These add some more aggressive bumpers to the Audi’s already crease-ridden bodywork which helps it look more assertive than the swoopy Mercedes E-Class and the slightly unassuming BMW 5 Series.

Whichever Audi A6 you pick, you’ll get a super-posh interior that feels more like a swanky cocktail bar than the Mercedes E-Class’ country-club cabin. It’s packed with plush materials, stylish glossy trims and large infotainment displays, through which you’ll control the car’s standard sat-nav, smartphone mirroring and even the climate control systems. The latter looks far more futuristic than a set of old-fashioned button and knobs, but it can be a little tricky to use on the move.

You won’t have any trouble getting comfortable in the Audi A6’s cabin, though. There’s absolutely loads of space for tall drivers to stretch out and the seats and steering wheel get plenty of adjustment as standard.

And don’t think passengers in the back will feel left out – there’s more space for them to get comfy in the Audi A6 than in the Mercedes E-Class and BMW 5 Series and just as much space left over in the boot for all their luggage. If you need to carry anything more bulky than a few sets of golf clubs, then there’s always the A6 Avant to consider.

Even with the boot filled to bursting, the Audi A6’s standard suspension does a good job ironing out bumps and potholes. The stiffer sports suspension you get in S Line models is a little firmer, though not excessively so, but the most comfortable option is to pay extra for the air suspension system. This helps turn the Audi A6 into a super relaxing motorway cruiser.

The Audi’s diesel engines help it soak up long journeys with ease, too. There’s a punchy yet smooth 3.0-litre V6 and a more affordable 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit. There’ll soon be a petrol V6 too, if you fancy something faster and aren’t particularly concerned about fuel economy or how far you can drive between fill-ups.

Whichever engine you pick, you’ll need to pay extra for some of the Audi A6’s optional driver assistance packs. These include a system that’ll brake, accelerate and steer for you on motorways and a rear-wheel-steering feature that helps make this big car pretty manoeuvrable around town.

If you’re happy to hand over a little extra cash, then, the Audi A6 makes an excellent large saloon car that’s easy to drive, fairly cheap to run and comes with all the latest high-tech kit to make it easier to live with.

It’s no surprise Audi has priced the A6 very close to its main rivals – the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class. Whether you go for the most affordable Sport trim or the top of the lot Vorsprung, you won’t pay any more than you do with its competitors. If anything, the A6 is generally a bit better value, though that’s before you start getting busy with adding extras and options packs. Some of these tempting goodies are worth the money, such as the Virtual Cockpit and rear wheel steering, while others are nice to have but not essential.

Every A6 has some form of hybrid power included, but you’ll need to pay more for some of the clever safety kit and oh-so comfy air suspension

In town

Audi offers an incredible four suspension types with the A6. Go for Sport and you get the simplest that works just fine most of the time, though you might notice some bigger lumps and bumps at town speeds.

Choose the S Line model of A6 and has the same suspension as the Sport but slightly lowered and firmer. No prizes for guessing this makes the S Line a little more fun to drive but at the expense of a bit of comfort.

Then there’s adaptive suspension for the 40 and 45 Vorsprung models. It lets the driver choose how soft or hard they want the suspension, so you can pick whatever suits your mood or the type of road you’re on. Or, you can have adaptive air suspension with the 50 TDI and 50 TFSI Vorsprung models, which are by far the best at squishing away niggly surfaces.

If that lot isn’t enough to contemplate, Audi also offers a rear-wheel steering option that you should definitely have if you spend a lot of time driving in town. It helps tighten the turning circle for easier parking and navigating mini roundabouts, and it makes the A6 feel more agile on twisty roads.

Both the 2.0-litre and 3.0-litre diesel engines are smooth, quiet and full of toned muscle, but the seven-speed automatic gearbox in the 2.0-litre 40 TDI cars isn’t always the smoothest or quickest to react, unlike the instant decisions of the eight-speed gearbox in a BMW 5 Series. The 50 TFSI 3.0-litre V6 petrol shares its eight-speed ’box with the 50 TDI and it’s great, and it’s also in the 50 TFSIe plug-in hybrid A6 that’s the zippiest of this range and can cover up to 34 miles on just battery power.

On the motorway

The motorway is the Audi A6’s natural habitat. Whichever engine and trim combo you go for, the Audi loves a long road trip where it can show off its excellent high-speed hush in the cabin and how little noise the engines make as they eat up the miles.

There’s good all-round vision for the driver in the Audi A6, so changing lanes on the motorway is stress-free, plus there are plenty of safety gadgets such as lane assist to help out. Drivers of all shapes and heights will find the seats supportive and you’ll be free of any aches at the end of a long day in the A6. That applies to the driver and passengers.

The 2.0-litre diesel engine does a perfectly sound job, though a BMW 5 Series feels swifter and perkier. Move up to the 3.0-litre diesel and performance in the Audi is effortless, while the 50 TFSIe plug-in hybrid delivers the swiftest turn of speed along with almost noiseless driving when in EV mode.

On a twisty road

The Audi A6 is not the most entertaining car in the executive saloon corner of the market. Even with the optional rear-wheel steering option added, the A6 still gives best to the BMW 5 Series and Jaguar XF. However, you won’t feel left behind on a wriggly rural road as the A6 has more than enough grip and stability to cope with whatever the terrain throws at it.

Audi offers the A6 with a choice of front-wheel drive and Quattro four-wheel drive. With a Quattro version, there’s more grip for every occasion, so it’s ideal for anyone who lives at the far end of a country lane. It’s just a shame Audi doesn’t provide a bit more steering feel in the A6 for these roads, though it’s nice and light when parking.

The Audi A6 leads the way for passenger space and comfort, and the boot is well able to cope with all of your luggage, although the rear seats don’t drop completely flat

Audi is ahead of the game when it comes to accommodating the biggest variety of human forms into its executive class saloon. There is just a vast amount of adjustment in the driving position of the A6, so anyone can get comfy in here. The steering wheel moves in and out and up and down more than most cars. In keeping with this, the driver’s seat can go back a huge distance for anyone with long legs and there’s also an extendable support for your thighs. Even the tallest driver won’t worry about headroom, and everyone gets a good view of the road ahead and the dials in the A6.

Audi also scores very highly for the storage spaces available in the front of the A6. There are huge door bins that can swallow a 1.5-litre water bottle, and a pair of cupholders in the centre console next to the gear lever. There’s a deep glovebox and another handy wee cubby down to the right of the steering wheel that’s ideal for stashing a few coins for car parks.

The stubby gear lever is where you expect to find it, rather than on a stalk behind the steering wheel or, like a Jaguar, on a pop-up rotary control. Behind this is the toggle switch for the electronic handbrake, and further back there a lift-up lid that reveals another generous storage bin. In here is a wireless charger for your phone, plus USB connectors.

Space in the back seats

You’ll feel like a celebrity in the back of the Audi A6 as it dishes up the sort of space where you can spread out. Even loftier adults will find plenty of room for their feet and heads, and there’s enough width across the A6 to carry three adults without them feeling crumpled together.

Anyone sitting in the middle of the A6’s back bench sits on a raised perch, but there’s still a decent amount of space. Even the broad hump in the middle of the floor doesn’t get in the way of someone with a larger shoe size.

Audi provides big door pockets to hold water bottles, and there are two coat hooks on either side of the rear cabin. You’ll also find a small storage tray in the more basic A6s in the centre console, while upmarket versions use this space for their rear heater controls. In every A6, there’s a 12-volt power socket in the back so the kids can charge their devices.

Boot space

The A6 has an identical 530 litres of boot space as the BMW 5 Series, though a Mercedes E-Class saloon outguns both with a few extra litres of capacity. In reality, you won’t notice this and the Audi’s boot is more than big enough to cope with most loads. If it’s not, you could always choose the Avant estate model instead.

There’s a 12-volt power socket in the boot to charge up electrical gadgets, and there are storage spaces with nets to stop items rattling around. The centre section of the rear seat can be tipped down separately to fit in longer loads, but the boot is more than able to hold a pushchair or a couple of sets of golf clubs. For really big cargo, the whole rear seat folds down, though it doesn’t go completely flat.

Solid, sensible and slick is how we’d sum up the Audi A6’s cabin design and technology, although it’s easy to add expensive extras from the options list

The main instruments in the Audi A6 are simple and effective, especially if you choose the Virtual Cockpit option with its screen that can be switched between different views. If you stick with the standard display, there are analogue dials and a smaller digital display in between the speedo and rev counter, but the Virtual Cockpit is worth spending the extra on.

There are also screens for the main stereo, telephone and navigation settings, as well as many other functions. Thankfully, Audi uses a screen with clear icons that reacts quickly to your touch with a little buzz to let you know it’s recognised a command.

The 9.0-inch standard screen is very good, but the optional 10.0-inch display is even better, and it’s easy to pair your phone to the Audi with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Whether you play music through a device or the radio, the sound quality is excellent in the Audi and you can further upgrade to a Bang and Olufsen stereo for the full surround-sound blow-yer-ears-off concert experience.

The screen for the heater controls works well enough, but it’s not as simple to work when driving as good old fashioned rotary dials. All of the screens look perfectly integrated into the Audi’s dash design and fit with the overall air of sophistication the A6 exudes. This is backed up by the quality of the materials used throughout the interior. There’s a solidity to the way the Audi is put together and all of its plastics, leather and fabrics makes you feel good that you chose it. Just about the only area where you might notice a touch of cost-saving is the plastic shroud behind the steering wheel, but you’re very unlikely to touch this in normal driving.

Every Audi A6 comes with some form of hybrid power, though in the case of the non-plug-in models it’s more of a gentle helping hand. With the 2.0-litre petrol 40 and 45 TFSI versions, and the 40 TDI turbodiesel with its 2.0-litre motor, the electric power helps the Audi cruise at speeds between 34mph-99mph without using any fuel. For the sort of higher mileage business drivers the A6 attracts, that’s a big help.

The result of this is the 40 TFSI model with its 204bhp 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine can average 40mpg. It gives out 162g/km of carbon dioxide emissions, so it’s on a par with similar models from BMW and Mercedes when it comes to company car and road taxes.

The rest of the A6 engine line-up comes with Quattro four-wheel drive as standard. This means the 45 TFSI that shares the same engine as the 40 TFSI, but with more power, manages 0-60mph in 6.0 seconds rather than 7.3. The pay-off is a reduction to 37mpg and 173g/km of emissions. The 45 TFSI also takes a hit with higher road tax in the first year.

A lot of business users will still consider the 40 TDI with its 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine. It has 204bhp on hand to give 0-60 in 7.4 seconds, and can deliver an average economy of 50mpg and 147g/km CO2. That’s a little behind its opposite number from the BMW 5 Series range, but not enough to make a significant difference.

Audi also offers a plug-in hybrid A6 with the 50 TFSIe. It uses a 2.0-litre petrol engine and electric motor to produce a combined 299bhp. That equates to 0-60 in 6.2 seconds for very brisk acceleration, yet this A6 also delivers just 27g/km of carbon dioxide emissions to qualify for zero road tax and lower company car levies. Drive the TFSIe to make the most of its battery power and you could see 235mpg, which is around 30mph better than a BMW 530e. However, the BMW plug-in model has a longer EV battery range of up to 37 miles compared to the Audi’s 32 miles.

You’ll struggle to find many cars with a better safety score than the Audi A6. In Euro NCAP crash tests, it earned a superb 93% rating for adult safety and 83% for child protection inside the car. It also does well at keeping pedestrians and other vulnerable road users safe in a collision.

Every A6 comes with front, side and curtain airbags, as well as a lane departure warning, reversing camera, and Audi’s Pre-sense automatic emergency braking. On top of this, the A6 also has cruise control with a speed limiter, all-round parking sensors, and Parking Assistance as standard.

To that lot, you can add the City Assist Pack that brings blind spot warning. It also has front and rear cross traffic alerts to stop the car if it detects a hazard approaching from the side as you pull out or reverse from a space.

Every A6 has keyless entry and ignition, and there’s even a handy holder for the key in the centre console between the cupholders if you don’t want it poking you from a pocket as you drive. Another neat touch with the A6 are ISOFIX child seat mounts in the front passenger seat to add to those on the two outer rear seats.

Audi supplies the A6 with a three-year, 60,000 miles warranty as standard. You can upgrade at extra cost to either four years and 75,000 miles or five years and 90,000 miles for added peace of mind.

The chances of having to make a warranty claim are slightly lower than for a BMW or Mercedes, but a Lexus is generally more robust.

There have been five recalls for this generation of Audi A6, including two for moisture getting into the engine’s starter motor. The other recalls are for a possible problem with the tow bar if fitted, poor rear window sealing, and a front passenger airbag that might not fully inflate in a collision. In most cases, the number of cars involved is very small.