Audi A6 test drive: Be sure to check out these features!
Synopsis: The saloon body style isn’t as popular as it once was, but the cars in this segment are nonetheless getting better and better all the time. If you’re interested in a large executive saloon, we’d suggest you go test drive an Audi A6 – and when you do, these are the features you really should check out!
It took a while for the latest Audi A6 to arrive in on local shores, because competing in the booming SUV market (and releasing a horde of high-performance models) were higher priorities for Audi South Africa than replacing their large sedans. But, now that the dust has settled somewhat, the new A6 is available here, with a choice of two engines (and a hot S6 variant for those with a need for speed). And, as we’ve come to expect from a modern Audi, it’s brimming with cool features.
Related: Shop for new and used Audi A6 and S6 cars for sale here.
1. Two drivetrain options
For the first time, the local mainstream Audi A6 range exclusively employs diesel power. While various petrol options are available in other markets, South Africa-bound A6s are only shipped with a choice between two diesel powertrains. Petrol aficionados need not despair, however, as the hot S6 uses a twin-turbo, 2.9-litre V6 powerhouse to provide plenty of get-up-and-go (to the tune of 331 kW and 600 Nm).
The entry level is represented by the A6 “40TDI” derivative, which employs VW Group’s corporate 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine. In this application, it sends 140 kW and 400 Nm to the front wheels through a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
The 40TDI is quite brisk, hitting 100 km/h from a standstill in a claimed 8.4 seconds with a top speed of 237 km/h, but it’s main drawcard is fuel efficiency. Audi reckons that the A6 40TDI should achieve an average consumption of only 5.2 ℓ/100 km, although real-world driving should register low-6 ℓ/100 km figures on average.
For improved performance without breaking the bank at the service stations, the “45TDI quattro” produces 183 kW and 600 Nm, courtesy of the corporate 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel. Its drivetrain is rather different, however, featuring all-wheel drive and an 8-speed torque converter automatic gearbox.
That extra helping of torque makes for much-improved acceleration, dropping the 0 – 100 km/h sprint time to a claimed 6.1 seconds, and lifting the top speed to a governed 250 km/h. It’s still very frugal in spite of the added performance, mind you, with a claimed average consumption of 6.5 ℓ/100 km and realistic mixed-cycle drinking estimated in the low-7 ℓ/100 km range.
2. Night vision and head-up display
Night vision systems aren’t really all that new anymore, and neither are head-up displays. However, the Audi A6’s (optional) systems count among the finest of their kind in the market at the moment, and provide great-quality imagery in their respective configurable displays.
But, while you can’t exploit the night vision’s abilities in daylight, the head-up display will show you various car functions in its wide-screen projected area, whatever the lighting conditions. Available displays include navigation instructions, multimedia information, the current speed limit, cruise control settings, and trip computer-related data – all without having you take your eyes off the road.
3. Audi Phone Box
Almost all new cars feature at least Bluetooth connectivity nowadays, and many also include USB-based smartphone mirroring. But the Audi Phone Box (again, optional) takes things to a new level, to allow wireless smartphone mirroring for both Android- and iOS devices, along with a wireless charging pad for Qi-compatible phones, built-in LTE connectivity with capacity for over-the-air updates, and a brace of USB-C ports.
Its coolest trick relates to the phone’s signal strength, however, because it intercepts your mobile phone’s cellular transmissions, and then routes it to the mobile network through a signal amplifier and the car’s own aerial. The result is a much stronger cell phone signal and more-stable data transmission for your own phone. This should give fewer dropped calls, and uninterrupted communication in areas with poor cellular coverage.
