2019 Audi A6 Review – Simply Stunning – The Truth About Cars

As soon as upon a time, in case you had been looking for a luxurious automobile that drove like a sports activities automotive, you’d get a BMW or, in some circumstances, a Jaguar. For those who wished one strictly for its consolation and opulence, you’d get a Mercedes-Benz or a Lexus. For those who wished a kind of ‘tweener, you then’d contemplate an Audi, significantly because it was one of many few in its section to supply all-wheel drive. However today, the German (and Japanese, and British) luxurious giants have turn out to be so aggressive with one another, they’re not separated by the distinctive traits that after outlined them.

In terms of the midsize-luxury-sedan trifecta, this pattern couldn’t have been any extra obvious. The BMW 5 Collection seemingly gave up a few of its enthusiast-minded “final driving machine” superiority to deal with know-how innovation whereas the Mercedes-Benz E-Class misplaced its attract for over-engineered excellence throughout its mix-up with the DaimlerChrysler merger of equals. In the meantime, Audi took the lead with the A6, dethroning its direct rivals from their profitable pedestals in quite a few class comparisons over time simply by ticking the entire bins extremely nicely.

Does the story stay the identical with the brand new fifth-generation mannequin, which just lately launched in our market?

Ever because the A6’s second “C5 Sort 4B” era from 1997 to 2004, Ingolstadt’s bread-and-butter midsize sedan at all times maintained an aesthetic edge over its crosstown rivals with future-proof and daring but refined exterior and inside styling. As Audi’s design language matured over time, it grew to become extra evolutionary slightly than revolutionary, particularly when in comparison with the bulbously proportioned 5 Collection and the stodgy and angular E-Class.

Such is the case with the brand new A6. It’s hardly a groundbreaking new design, showing extra like a chiseled and up to date model of the slightly mundane-looking outgoing fourth-generation mannequin. However on this planet of humdrum govt midsize luxurious sedans, mundane sells in spades and large gross sales numbers is the secret.

However one way or the other, the brand new A6 manages to retain a really mature and up to date curbside look that edges on the aspect of flashy, particularly in our tester’s fully-loaded 55 TFSI Status S mannequin with its lovely 21-inch 10-Y-spoke silver-painted sport wheels. The one disadvantage that I might discover with the brand new A6’s exterior look is that its grille is a bit blingy, not from simply rising to ungodly proportions, however due to the quantity of chrome that fills it. As giant grilles have turn out to be a defining staple in automotive design as of latest years — a pattern paradoxically pioneered by Audi with its fashions within the mid-2000s — the A6 actually raises the bar, however not essentially in a great way.

The identical trendy theme carries over inside. Audi has actually earned a powerful status for impeccable construct high quality, fantastically crafted interiors, and immaculate consideration to element; and the newest A6 carries these superlatives with out compromise. Not solely was I unable to search out any floor or materials that felt like Audi’s engineers had a price range in thoughts, however it exuded the theme, ambiance, and really feel that’s completely befitting for a totally trendy mid-size luxurious sedan designed, engineered, and constructed for the 21st century — after which some.

The doorways open and shut with a strong, resounding, tank-like thud. The leather-based seats present each consolation and assist in spades. All of the plastics and touchable surfaces really feel like they belong in a machine that prices 1000’s extra. And regardless of being an entire tech-fest, the entire gizmos and gadgetry are neatly hidden away in an array of huge, high-definition, and colourful digital screens — three in complete to be actual.

The tri-screen MMI and Audi Join interface comes from the bigger, full-size A8 sibling, changing the standard analog gauge cluster whereas two extra screens serve obligation for the infotainment and HVAC techniques on the middle console. However what I really like most is that the entire screens are correctly built-in into the driver-oriented console, slightly than that includes the protruding “tablet-like” design discovered on a few of its rivals.

Regardless of the tech-laden inside, all of the interfaces had been comparatively straightforward to make use of, because of the 2 essential center-console models that includes fast and really responsive contact capabilities. Each time you click on or choose a display merchandise, a gentle and lightweight audible tick emanates from the system, just like the screen-touch noise a top-shelf smartphone would make. The one downsides had been that every one the digital shows produce a substantial quantity of glare throughout nighttime driving, prompting the motive force to decrease their brightness settings all the best way to their darkest. And all of the piano-black completed plastic surfaces, together with the screens, are absolute fingerprint magnets.

Fortunately, though the vast majority of the automotive’s inside features are digitized, some are nonetheless managed with analog buttons, such because the radio’s energy and quantity controls. One factor’s for positive: as new automobiles start to function extra tech-heavy options, inside designers and engineers ought to borrow from Audi’s playbook to learn to ergonomically construction and correctly format a near-fully digitized inside.

Base A6 sedans in 45 TFSI type include a 2.0-liter gasoline TFSI turbocharged four-cylinder with 248 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque and a factory-claimed 0-60 time of 6.1 seconds. However my fully-loaded tester got here within the subsequent and solely improve possibility in need of the S6, the 55 TFSI variant, that includes a 3.0-liter TFSI single-turbocharged gasoline V6 with 335 horsepower and 369 lb-ft, dropping the 60 dash to simply 5.1 seconds (once more, factory-claimed). Each include an eight-speed computerized and quattro all-wheel drive.

Diehard power-hungry lovers may detest the shortage of a non-S V8 mannequin, however due to how seamlessly easy the six-cylinder is and the way quietly it operates, one could possibly be simply satisfied that there’s a a lot bigger powerplant below the hood. Even with just one snail, turbo lag is basically imperceptible, and energy is on demand, irrespective of the gear or velocity. It makes one actually query why anybody would wish to go for the S6.

However in case you actually need that further energy, the S6 is out there with a much more highly effective 2.9-liter biturbo gasoline V6 with 444 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque, which Audi claims will hit 60 in simply 4.Four seconds.

Our tester got here with the $1,050 Sport Bundle, which not solely reduces the automotive’s journey peak for a decrease middle of gravity, however provides a sport-tuned suspension. Regardless of not being a full-fledged S-model, the fully-loaded A6 nonetheless managed its personal weight impeccably nicely with extraordinary physique management and neutrally balanced dealing with, just about freed from any lack of grip at both axle in practically each situation that I had the prospect to correctly “push it” in. And but, it did so with none actual compromise with journey high quality and smoothness. Merely put, the A6 is gorgeous all-around.

The sunshine steering does go away somewhat left to be desired within the really feel and weight division, however that is to be anticipated from an all-wheel-drive luxurious sedan.

The 2019 Audi A6 sedan proves that it’s very a lot price of carrying its standing because the king of midsize luxurious sedans. Not solely is it fantastically designed, engineered, impeccably constructed, and wonderful to drive, however as beforehand famous, it merely ticks all of the bins seemingly with out compromise. And for its price-as-tested of $77,090 giant, it higher.

[Images © 2020 Chris Chin/TTAC]

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