Audi A6 2015 Review - International

Making landfall in Australia from March 2015, the new Audi A6 makes a positive first impression. Big, luxurious and smooth, the 4933mm long German luxo-barge makes the driving experience easy and pleasant.

Although there's been tweaks to the exterior design and some much-needed infotainment hardware and software upgrades, the big ticket changes revolve around the powertrain, with more efficient engines and gearboxes fitted.

Motivation from the enhanced 140kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel is seamless, refined and surprisingly quiet, and though it's not the most muscular model in the new Audi A6, it can hustle along at a fair clip thanks to a generous 400Nm of torque.

The other ace up the turbo-diesel's sleeve, which is expected to be the volume seller in the range, is lower fuel consumption. The four-cylinder oiler uses a claimed 4.2L/100km on the NEDC Combined cycle and emits 109g/km of CO2.

The new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, dubbed S tronic in Audi parlance, contributes to the cars fluid dynamic, providing brisk but smooth shifts when cruising. And at a higher tempo the S Tronic snaps through the gears fast and clean – a vast improvement over the fluffy CVT it replaces.

We tested the new A6 with two suspension types, airbag suspension and the new glass fibre reinforced composite springs. The former delivers a buttery smooth ride comfort, to the point where the car floats over pot holes and ruts in the road. It creates a something of a disconnect between the car and the road, but comfort levels are sublime.

The airbag suspension will be an (infrequently chosen) option in Australia says Audi, and the new, slightly lighter composite springs – the first in an Audi – won't be available here because they're only fitted to the Avant, or wagon, which has been given the chop Down Under.

There were no vehicles at the A6 launch with the regular (steel spring) suspension that is coming to Australia, but Audi technicians told us the composite springs deliver similar response to steel springs. In practice they do a much better job than the airbag setup at keeping the car planted through corners. The trade-off is that you feel a few more bumps enter the cabin.

Changes to the exterior and interior are relatively minor at first glance, with a mildly reworked rear bumper, a revised brake-light array, plus tastefully integrated exhaust outlets. The front-end is a bit bolder than the back, via an updated grille and front bumper, and the sharp new headlights which now incorporate xenon projector beams as standard with LED running lights.

Matrix LED technology – first seen on the Audi A8 and TT – is also optional on the A6, which can be left on high beam without dazzling other motorists by individually dimming separate LED elements. It's a seriously cool feature and improves safety too by light up the road around other cars.

Progressive indicator LED signals grow in length are another neat little feature that adds a technical edge to the new model.

Upgrades to the A6's safety systems bring it up to speed with its Mercedes-Benz and BMW competitors, with active lane assist capable of keeping the car in its lane by taking over the steering. There's even a night vision option now.

And finally, the A6 also gets two USB sockets for the first time, replacing the bespoke adaptor cable that used to cost $100.

At first glance the interior has barely changed. The seats are the same, which is no bad thing, as is the interior space – again, a good thing with loads of room front, back and in the boot. But look a little closer and you'll find two new high-resolution LCD screens, the 8.0-inch central screen and a much larger unit nestled between the instrument dials.

Both are linked to the infotainment system, dubbed MMI, and are now powered by a beefier quad-core NVIDIA processor that means better, smoother, and faster updating visuals. Particularly impressive is the way the sat-nav is reproduced in high definition in the instrument panel, a sort of 'lite' version of the Audi virtual cockpit from the Audi TT. It's exceptionally effective.

While Audi has spent plenty of time and effort beefing up the infotainment system, one of the key additions, Audi Connect with online apps such as live audio streaming, won’t be offered in Australia. That's because local development of the system and apps is still pending. When will happen? Audi isn't saying.

Things like the new head up display are welcome additions, projecting your road speed onto the windscreen, and adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality ups the self-driving ante somewhat. All models are now standard with the Audi Pre Sense safety system too.

The Audi A6 facelift may not look like a hugely different vehicle, but the various changes made inside and out conspire to deliver a much more advanced vehicle than before, and one that will certainly take the fight to rivals such as the Jaguar XF, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

Like pricing, Audi Australia has not locked in standard features for the local market, but promises that the value equation will be improved by increasing equipment levels over the current model.

There's no doubting the Audi A6 has it work cut out for it, as it's outsold by all three of the abovementioned competitors. But with its subtle new look, quieter, smoother and more frugal powertrain, not to mention the cool new telematics, the new Audi A6 is very much an improvement.

2015 Audi A6 2.0 TDI S tronic pricing and specifications:
Price: $78,000 (approx)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 140kW/400Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual clutch
Fuel: 4.2L/100km (NEDC Combined)
CO2: 109g/km (NEDC Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star EuroNCAP