Audi A6 (2011-2018) Review

The Audi A6 saloon is all about good taste. It looks good, drives well and excels in most areas - it just does it very discreetly. A car that will show that you’re doing well for yourself, but in a very subtle way and without being ostentatious.

A high-quality interior is an Audi signature, and the Audi A6 doesn’t let the side down inside. It uses very good quality materials, meaning it will remain looking fresh and tight for years to come. The same goes for how it drives. Audi builds its cars to a high standard and they stay feeling strong long after the warranty has expired. The standout quality is the surprising efficiency of that punchy 2.0 TDI engine. Just make sure there are no outstanding recall issues with it.

If you need more practicality, look at the Audi A6 Avant or the Audi A6 Allroad.

The best-selling Audi A6 is the 2.0 TDI and as a result, this is the model that’s most plentiful for used car buyers. This is because its CO2 emissions are low, making it tax-friendly for company car drivers, who were by far the biggest customer for the car when the Audi A6 was new. As a result, you can afford to take your pick of models, specs and colours when it comes to this version.

Go for the S tronic automatic if you can. This variant is slightly faster against the clock in terms of acceleration, but returns nearly 3mpg more on the official fuel economy test - quite remarkable. It’s a refined, more relaxing car to drive, which suits the Audi A6’s perfectly.

For value, look for SE trim. There are lots of them on the used car market. But, if you can, pay a little extra and go for an S Line version. Its extra features really add a dash of style to the Audi A6 saloon, and it’s something you’ll be that bit prouder to have on your drive...

This part of the market is almost exclusively carved up between the three big German brands. German brands dominate this sector of car. The BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class are two strong rivals to the Audi A6, and both offer a similarly diverse and wide-ranging choice of engines and trims.

The Audi A6 saloon is a classy operator and that shines through inside the car. Even out-of-reach plastics feel robust and pleasant to the touch, and the broad, sweeping dashboard itself is trimmed almost to luxury car standards. The precision of the fittings is millimetre-perfect and the range of metal, carbon-effect or wood-style inlays is broad (although we’d happily stick with the standard metal-effect finish).

The pleasure comes from the details. The knurled climate control knobs have a satisfying ‘click’. The electric window switches, by contrast, work near-silently. And it looks fantastic at night, with the watch-like instruments crisply lit in white, while the rest of the interior is bathed in a modern red glow.

Even the doors close with a quiet, quality ‘thud’, although you might have to pull them a bit harder than you’re used to. The Audi A6’s doors are made of lightweight aluminium, and don’t have the mass behind them to shut tightly without a bit of a tug.  

All Audi A6 models have a sophisticated infotainment system based around a 6.5-inch colour screen in the centre of the dashboard. It is supported by two SD card readers, a single CD player and standard Audi MMI navigation (via SD card). Voice control is also standard, via a button on the steering wheel.

It isn’t a touchscreen system, instead being controlled by the Audi MMI dial in the centre console, located roughly where the driver’s hand sits when leaning on the arm rest. There are four shortcut buttons on the outside, so it’s easy to use on the move, although you do need a bit of patience to individually ‘dial in’ sat nav directions, letter by letter.

The colour screen in the centre of the dials that repeats the MMI display is optional, although many Audi A6 are fitted with it. The basic system is a monochromatic display.

There was an upgrade available from basic MMI to MMI Navigation Plus with MMI Touch. This grew the central screen to 8.0 inches and also adds a touch pad alongside the gear lever. Drivers can use their index finger to ‘draw’ instructions, instead of entering them with the MMI wheel. It’s a useful feature, although the right-handed will have to get used to writing with their left hand.

Practicality is a strong point for the Audi A6. It has a large boot with a wide opening and with 530 litres of space is slightly bigger (by 10 litres) than the 5 Series plus there's a split-folding rear seat as standard so you can carry longer items. Passenger space in the back is good with plenty of headroom and knee space, even for taller people, although the large central transmission tunnel means it's a real squeeze with three in the back.

Where the Audi A6 also delivers is rear-seat space. The back is roomy and comfortable, with lots of shoulder room and ample space for feet. For kids, it will feel like sitting in a limo.

The Audi A6's dimensions are 4915mm long, 2086mm wide and 1455mm tall.

The heart of the engine range is the 2.0-litre TDI diesel and it’s a great choice. There’s plenty of pulling power and it generally responds crisply to the accelerator. If you find yourself in the wrong gear, it’s forgiving - if you’re driving a manual model - although the S tronic automatic helps make the most of its power.

It may be a four-cylinder turbodiesel, but the noise it makes isn’t too rattly or intrusive. Rev it and the motor becomes more audible, but it’s generally kept in the background in daily use – and becomes almost silent at motorway speeds. Post-facelift 2.0 TDI engines are even better in this respect.

If you can afford them, the 3.0 V6 TDI diesel engines are impressive. They’re super-smooth and make a creamy noise - the best all-rounder is the 245PS quattro. The 320PS BiTDI quattro is a delight. If you don’t like diesel, your choice is more limited – and the best all-round petrol engine, the 3.0 TFSI quattro, is hard to find on the second-hand market.

You originally had two different automatic gearboxes as an alternative to the six-speed manual. The Multitronic was a CVT ‘single speed’ transmission. It’s good for efficiency, but drivers generally find its ‘slipping clutch’ effect unusual. The S Tronic seven-speed DCT alternative felt more natural and the Multitronic was later phased out. Another option was an eight-speed auto called Tiptronic, offered on the BiTDI.

After the 2014 facelift, the most efficient engine became the 2.0 TDI 190 Ultra with the S Tronic automatic gearbox. This averaged an incredible 64.2mpg and emitted just 115g/km of CO2. It also did 0-62mph in 8.5 seconds and could reach 140mph where permitted. Truly, a great all-rounder: spot them by the tiny ‘Ultra’ badge fitted to the bootl lid.

Refinement is where the Audi A6 saloon comes into its own. It is quiet and peaceful at all speeds, really coming into its own on the motorway, where the world passes almost silently. More expensive models are even better in this respect, as they have double glazing for the side windows, which takes away the disturbance of passing trucks (or being overtaken yourself).

Those cars with bigger wheels do generate a bit more tyre noise at speed, but not enough to be annoying or irritating. The Audi A6 came with a range of audio systems to drown out what noise did pass through: our favourite is the rare (and very expensive) Bang & Olufsen setup, although even the cheaper Bose upgrade is impressive.

You get the full safety works with the Audi A6. That means a full complement of airbags and a comprehensive stability control system. Front-wheel drive versions have an electronic limited slip differential that helps minimise steering wheel ‘fight’ on slippery roads. Go for a quattro all-wheel drive version and you get torque vectoring, which enhances the secure feel through corners.

Modern safety features come in the shape of lane-keep assist and a blind spot warning system. An optional night vision assistant uses a thermal imaging camera to beam video onto the colour screen between the instruments. It’s a great safety aid for night-time driving. Driver distraction aids that help concentration include an optional head-up display.

There isn’t a spare wheel as standard, Audi preferring a tyre inflation kit instead. Owners could choose to add on a space-saver spare wheel, but this costs more than £500, so few do.

In the Euro NCAP crash tests, the Audi A6 range achieved five stars in 2011, with an excellent 91 percent rating for driver protection and 86 percent for safety assist features. Pedestrian protection was less impressive, though, scoring a lowly 41 percent.

The Audi A6 scored a very strong 9.62 out of 10 for reliability in the HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Survey, putting it ahead of key rivals from Mercedes-Benz and BMW in this respect. There are a few issues that have been reported but these should have been corrected by dealers so look for a car with a full manufacturer service history where possible.

As a brand Audi performed less well, finishing 21st out of 30 manufacturers, but you can be more confident about the performance of the Audi A6 at least.

Go for the 2.0 TDI Audi A6 to keep insurance costs down. Its performance isn’t too excessive and its popularity when new means repair costs should be affordable, which keeps annual insurance premiums lower - group 26 in SE spec. Naturally, fast V6 versions are pricier at group 30 in SE trim, and S Line models have premiums a little higher than SE, because they’re both more desirable with more bespoke features.

Most attractive for low VED car tax is the 2.0 TDI, particularly the 2.0 TDI Ultra version, which benefits from ultra-low CO2 emissions and a VED rate of just £30 in SE spec. A bonus of post-facelift Audi A6 is that they were all fitted with Euro 6-compliant engines, meaning they should be exempt from city centre emissions charges for a long time to come.

The entry-level Audi A6 saloon SE comes as standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, cruise control, parking sensors both front and rear, auto lights and wipers, Bluetooth and an SD-based sat nav with a 6.5-inch colour monitor (at the time, Audi was one of the few premium makers to fit sat nav as standard). 

Audi A6 S Line models added bigger 18-inch alloys, a sporty body makeover, lowered sports suspension, Xenon headlights with distinctive LED running lights, smoother Valcona leather upholstery and hip-hugging sports seats. The interior was also sportier-looking, with chrome-effect trim and a black roofliner. 

Audi A6 Black Edition variants had 20-inch alloys with dark titanium finish, black finish for the grille and other body details (including the roof rails), piano black dash inlays and an upgraded Bose premium surround sound system.