Audi A6 Avant 2.0 TFSI 2007 Review

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 3.5/5.0
Pricing/Packaging/Practicality: 3.5/5.0
Safety: 4.5/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.0/5.0
X-factor: 3.5/5.0

It hardly seems as though the previous A6 Avant had been around long enough to warrant a replacement before the current model arrived. But there is good reason for this accelerated pace in the prestige wagon market -- as a new generation of smoother SUV wagons take over the family truckster role and sophisticated new vans cater for the small business owner, the Europeans have been forced to reinvent the wagon. It is already having an impact on the local market. Take a long look at the Audi A6 Avant, squint your eyes and you will see the profile of Holden's new VE Commodore SportsWagon due within the next year or so.

Gone are the high rooflines, boxy rear sections, deep side glass, upright rear window, long overhangs and raised ride height of past wagons. In their place, are sleek sporty new models with rear-sloping rooflines and liftback lines, shallow side windows and a low, hungry stance on the road.

They define a new line between conservative sedan and sports hatch with extra luggage flexibility and longer roofs to carry sports equipment. Most are no longer suitable as load luggers as their load heights usually taper off at the luggage compartment's widest point -- behind the wheelarches. Already, Mazda has taken this trend to the next stage with its CX-7 sports wagon that doesn't have a sedan equivalent.

The latest version of the Audi A6 Avant traces a middle line better than most when it exploits the 125kW version of a typical hot hatch turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a fatter torque peak of 280Nm at 4200 rpm. Mated to Audi's Multitronic CVT auto with seven defined ranges for manual sequential shift access to keep this small engine operating at its best, the 2.0 TFSI version seems on paper at least to offer the best of both worlds. It is even faster than the more expensive 2.4 V6 version with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 9.0sec versus 9.5.

The rub is that the A6 Avant is a big car (just 40mm narrower than a VE Commodore and approx 40mm longer!) and loaded with top-shelf equipment and safety it is a hefty 1700kg before you add passengers and luggage.

On the road, there is no escaping the fact that the turbo four, which is an absolute gem in smaller models, is a boy doing a man's job in this big wagon. It heavily 'leans' on the turbo to cover the gaps and when heavily loaded or flogging it away from the lights while willing it can sound strained.  In contrast, at constant speeds on the open road, it is sweet and quiet.

If there are constant steep climbs, heavy loads or towing involved, the equation falls apart -- at which point Audi will quite happily sell you a 3.2-litre petrol or 3.0-litre TDI version.

While the 2.0 TFSI has the grunt to do most of what you ask of it, the exceptional economy depends on a fine balance of load and cruising at constant speeds as you would expect. Drive it smoothly under light loads or at constant speeds and it should deliver superior fuel economy. Force it to haul heavy loads or constantly stop and start the extra weight under hard acceleration and it will out drink a bigger engine.

The bottom line is that it is just about perfect for tootling around town on light family taxi and shopping duties while doubling as a highway family getaway on the weekend. Over 500kms of testing revealed that 7.5-8.5lt/100km is easily achievable under light cruising and 12.0lt/100km around town is possible.

What is harder to quantify is the loss of the prestige 'feel.' The A6 Avant with this engine only makes sense at its $79,700 entry point for a narrow band of usage that reflects its European priorities.

There's no doubting the Avants looks are striking, compelling most people who saw it on test to comment. The consensus was that it would place a wagon back on their shopping list (something that Holden insiders are saying about the new VE Commodore SportsWagon). The dash layout and detailing with the no-cost Birch beige highlights and their aluminium outlines are really classy. The A6 cabin dates those imitators just catching up on previous Audi design trends and its central control knob seemed more intuitive than BMW's iDrive.

Even though the cargo area is smaller than expected, it has one of the best load rail systems in the business. A hefty $2000 for metallic paint borders on outrageous but if I had young children, the $1800 Advance parking system with rear camera would be a must. Although it doesn't have the height of an SUV, the A6 Avant offers good forward vision.

If you had spent $7280 on the Adaptive Air Suspension option, you might be disappointed that it doesn't improve on the fidgety low-speed ride. Although not as bad as its VW Passat stablemate, it is typical of European settings. However, the raised air-suspension mode seems to give the A6 Avant wings over lumpy bitumen and dirt as the ride smoothes up at speed.

If your needs dictate the $7280 suspension upgrade, it might be worth waiting for the imminent AllRoad Quattro which will be engineered for these conditions from the outset. The dual climate control Plus option is worth considering for family use and the BOSE surround sound would be a must for a music junkie.

And that highlights the enigma in this version of the A6 Avant. Everywhere you look, it is a top-shelf sports wagon with its seductive looks, slick cabin, comprehensive safety and benchmark body stiffness, thoughtful load area versatility, sporty suspension tune and $80,000 presence. Yet from the driver's seat, its front-drive understeer and four-cylinder sound and feel can leave it feeling like an upmarket version of the now discontinued Camry or Magna wagons without their smooth rides and extra carrying capacity.

If ballistic fuel prices force us all down this route, there are worse fates. That said, I am not convinced that Aussie drivers are ready to sacrifice so much of the feel-good factor present in other A6 models when they are still spending $80,000.