It has become quite rare to see a lot of long and fast saloon driving around these days, especially with the current market being overtaken by SUVs, Crossovers, and hot hatches. The Audi A6 finds itself in a category of almost ticking every box.
I recently got to sample the new Audi A6 40 TDI S Tronic and I would describe it as a very classy and powerful experience.
Exterior
When it comes to design and styling Audi always makes sure to get it right, the new A6 showcases a bold and classy look, with its huge single-frame chrome grille, new flat headlights, and sharp body lines flowing along the side of the car, this new look means business.
Fitted with matrix LED headlamps and dynamic indicators, which do quite a beautiful lighting sequence when you lock and unlock the car, this feature is also found on the bigger brother the Audi Q8.
Interior
Stepping inside the Audi A6 You are welcomed by its beautifully designed interior layout with the majority of the controls being directed towards the driver. Very comfortable a quiet cabin, leather seats, leather dashboard cover, and panels that feel well put together as you would expect from Audi.
A combination of comfort, luxury, and high technology, the new Audi A6 gains a Fully digital instrument cluster, and a new infotainment system with a double touchscreen MMI display on the center console, both displays have haptic feedback which feels like pressing a solid button when selecting parameters, the one above is a 10.1-inch which controls the infotainment system, navigation, and also displays a 360 view of the car with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
As for the one below, an 8.6-inch which manages the climate control system and some of the seat features. Both screens are very easy to use but get easily covered with fingerprints which is quite annoying. The piano-black trim finish looks very classy but can be a little distracting as it acts as a mirror and reflects almost anything that bounces onto it.
Four-zone automatic climate control system with the one at the back having its own touch screen for the rear passenger to control.
The seats in the A6 are very comfortable with both the driver and front passenger seats being electronically controlled, with heated with lumbar support adjustment features to make the ride even more comfortable. As for the rear passenger seats, they are fully manual.
Although the interior is very spacious the A6 seems to lack a few small things like the storage compartments, the door bins, and center console cubby are quite small with only two USB ports which is quite unfair for a car of this size.
The boot is very spacious, big enough to carry 3-large and 1 medium-sized suitcase, and can also be extended when the rear seats are folded.
Powertrain and Performance
Powered by a 2.0 L Turbodiesel four-cylinder engine, mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission producing 140 kW and 400 Nm of torque. With a claimed fuel consumption of 5.2L / 100 km
The Audi A6 range is also offered with two other engine variants, the Audi 45 TDI (a 3.0 L with 183 kW and 600 Nm) and top pf the range the Audi S6 TFSI (2.9 L TFSI engine with 331 kW and 600 Nm)
Safety and Driver’s Aid
The new Audi A6 comes packed with numerous safety and driver assistance features like,
- Adaptive cruise assist
- Swerve and turn assist
- Night vision assist which uses infrared camera and reacts to the heat given off by objects
The Drive
The A6 is very responsive and torquey, even though the 40TDi engine being the least powerful in the range. In case you wish to go a little faster with a little more power you could upgrade to the 45TDi or even the S6.
The overall ride feels comfortable even with the suspension being a little stiff and not really letting the car lean into the corners. we managed an average of 6.3 L /100 km over the 5.2L claimed.
Verdict
Like I mentioned at the beginning, driving the new Audi A6 40 TDi S Tronic felt really classy and powerful, from the beautiful and eye-catching exterior design, to the classy and super comfortable interior. With a starting price of R 919 500, the new Audi A6 fairly gives a powerful and luxurious experience for what it is priced.
Pricing and Availability
The new Audi A6 range is priced as follows:
Audi A6 40 TDI S tonic R 919 500
Audi A6 45 TDI Quattro Tiptronic R 1 100 000
Audi S6 40 TFSI Quattro Tiptronic R 1 401 500
The Audi A6 range come standard with the 5 year / 100 000km Audi Freeway plan inc VAT. The Audi A6 40 TDI, Audi 45 TDI and S6 TFSI are currently for sale at all Audi Dealerships around south Africa. The high-performance model, the Audi Rs6 Avant is planned to be launched in the first quarter of 2021.
