Audi A6 55 TFSI quattro S line 2020 Review

The Audi A6 55 TFSI quattro S line sits at the sweet spot of the new 4A-series A6 range, placed between entry-grade ‘45 TFSI’ four-cylinder models and the bristling S6 sports sedan. Even better, the V6-powered A6 is imbued with a nifty 48-volt mild-hybrid system for a little added grunt (0-100km/h in 5.1sec) and extra highway range (6.0L/100km extra urban).

Inside the cabin, the Audi A6 55 TFSI quattro S line is equipped with the latest Audi Connect Plus infotainment and connectivity array that extends to offer semi-autonomous driver assistance and security features for the first time in an A6.

Richly-trimmed Rotor Grey Valcona leather upholstery and Audi’s captivating 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit instrument panel seize the senses from the driver’s seat, the commanding helm protected by a suite of camera, lidar and radar-assisted safety technologies that include autonomous emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, lane-assist and more.

The Audi A6 range currently starts at $95,500 (plus on-road costs). It currently begins with the 2.0-litre petrol-powered 45 TFSI quattro and steps through the 45 TFSI quattro S line (from $105,200 plus ORCs) to the top-spec 55 TFSI quattro S line (from $116,000 plus ORCs) tested here.

A more affordable front-wheel drive version of the A6 45 TFSI will be available early in the new year (from $85,500 plus ORCs).

All variants are equipped with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission while the model on test is powered by a 3.0-litre petrol V6 making 250kW/500Nm on premium unleaded fuel.

Extensive options are available. Our test car included Firmanent Blue metallic paint ($2200), air suspension ($2200), rear-seat comfort package ($2500) and Audi’s premium plus package 1 ($9800) which includes a Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system, Matrix LED headlights, LED interior lighting package, electric boot lid and steering column, a panoramic glass roof, S line interior package and 21-inch alloy wheels.

After-sales provisions see the Audi A6 range warranted for three years/unlimited kilometres with included 24-hour roadside assistance. Service intervals are set at 12 months/15,000km (whichever comes first) and Service Care Plans are available for three or five years at a cost of $1700 and $2630 respectively.

Audi’s Connect Plus infotainment and connectivity system  is a subscription-based service that is covered for the first three years of ownership and costs $300 annually thereafter.

Audi mightn’t have intended the A6 55 TFSI quattro to be a performance sedan, but there’s no denying the fact that this is a very quick car. The electric assistance off the mark means acceleration comes on like a light switch, the V6 bolting to redline as it whips through the gears to reach highway speeds.

On the open road, performance is just as impressive. The A6 cruises quietly until provoked, the metered response from the throttle wonderfully suited to the ‘executive sedan’ ethos. Overtaking is a non-event, the response of the V6 engine and S tronic transmission creating an instant turn of speed country drivers especially will appreciate.

The only downside to the A6’s performance is that it does have that unmistakable V6 brashness of tone when pushed.

Otherwise, and from the driver’s viewpoint, the A6 is calm, almost placid in its approach to highway touring. Cornering is a strongpoint here, the A6 demonstrating impressive tenacity in the bends with beautifully telegraphed steering feedback. Braking is likewise athletic.

There’s plenty of room to stretch out inside the cabin of the A6, too. The rear seat is deceptively spacious with ample head and legroom for outboard passengers. At all speeds, and over a variety of surfaces, the A6 remains quiet, the larger 21-inch wheels and tyres optioned on the example tested barely noticeable when treading even the coarsest of asphalt roads.

It’s a small thing, but I found the climate control quite pleasant in the Audi A6. The system requires little adjustment once set at the desired temperature, the auto recirculation feature likewise working seamlessly to keep fumes out of the cabin. It might sound like one of those things that’s ‘just supposed to happen’, but you’d be surprised how few climate control systems maintain the level of composure demonstrated in the Audi.

I also found the infotainment and connectivity technology in the Audi A6 easier to comprehend this time around. The touchscreen menu system is simpler to use on the move, and far more intuitive to spoken commands. The larger landing buttons on home page mean less ‘eye time’ away from the windscreen, too.

Finally, Audi’s Virtual Cockpit instrument panel is easily one of my favourite features of the new A6 (and others), and quickly becomes one of those features you wonder how you lived without. It offers more features than similarly-equipped Skoda and Volkswagen models, and offers at-a-glance driver assistance and navigation instructions that genuinely assist you to get where you’re going more easily.

Audi introduced the A6 range locally in July 2019. Initially, the sedan-only range launched with the higher-spec 55 TFSI quattro tested here, the 45 TFSI quattro joining the line-up in November (2019).

The range will be bolstered by the inclusion of the more affordable front-wheel drive 45 TFSI within the first-half of 2020, the sportier S6 (from $154,900 plus ORCs) and missile-quick RS 6 Avant (wagon) to arrive in the coming months.

Large luxury sedans have often been considered the exclusive impedimenta of the well-heeled executive. That might well be the case, but the Audi A6 is nonetheless a comfortable family sedan with adequate space and amenity for up to five occupants.

The front seats are heated and electronically adjustable with memory function for the driver only. Tri-zone climate is standard with quad-zone climate available as part of the aforementioned premium plus package. The Audi A6 also includes head-up display and a 10-speaker audio system to cap-off the sight and sound experience, the latter proving especially enjoyable in the A6’s wonderfully hushed cabin.

Cargo capacity for the Audi A6 sedan is listed at 530 litres and a space saver spare wheel is installed beneath the boot floor.

As a large, premium sedan the Audi A6 competes with a number of prestige European and Asian rivals.

The most obvious contenders are the BMW 5 Series (from $89,900 - $142,900 plus ORCs) and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class (from $92,242 - $243,342 plus ORCs), though we mustn’t discount the Jaguar XF (from $82,000 - $130,342 plus ORCs) or Maserati Ghibli (from $143,990 - $184,990 plus ORCs).

From Asia, it’s the Lexus GS (from $75,202 - $155,582 plus ORCs) that competes most closely with the Audi A6, Hyundai’s premium marque Genesis and its G80 sedan (from $68,900 - $92,900) another evolving rival in the large premium car market.

I never really saw myself considering a car like the A6 to live with. Put aside the fact the price tag is well out of my reach, and the A6 55 TFSI is a prestige sedan I could easily see parked in the garage.

It’s spacious, sporty (enough), extremely comfortable, and wonderfully well-equipped. It’s also fitted with a suite of electronic driver aids that work with so little intrusion that you actually welcome using them. Who’d have thought?

We said out the outset that the A6 55 TFSI quattro sits at the sweet spot in the A6 range, and after a week with the car, I dare say it might just sit at the sweet spot in the large luxury sedan market. Only a back-to-back comparison will tell, of course. But in my mind the A6 is the best of its breed. It’s a pity I have to hand the keys back.

Price: $116,000 (plus on-road costs); $132,500 (as tested, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 250kW/500Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 7.2L/100km (ADR Combined); 8.6L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 167g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP (2018)