Road Test : Audi A6 3.0 TDI

Review by Tristan Tancredi - 22 February 2012

Audi's second-tier luxury car is a compelling vehicle, a car that thrives on all surfaces. 

There's a reason the A6 has received numerous awards the world over. Not to mention that it made the Top 6 of the 2011 wheels COTY awards (In our opinion, the most presitgious car award in Australia).

That reason is simple: It's a classy, stylish and refreshing car that entraps you in its charm the moment you lower yourself into the welcoming Milano leather seats. 

The A6 3.0 TDI hides a V6 diesel engine with common rail injection system that craves to be unleashed on the tarmac. And by golly, it delivers the goods when it's finally let loose.

A host of features and goodies play a big part in the Audi's hefty price tag of in excess of $110,000. 

If the price range is within your budget, check out the luxurious A6 3.0 TDI and see why it's the car to beat in the modern market.

Let's take a look why.

Drive: 4.5/5

The Audi A6 is as cool as ice and drives as smooth as silk.

There is sufficient pace in the lower gears, but it's once you get out of first gear that the true power of the beast comes to life. From second gear on, the V6 Diesel produces a high torque rate that translates to speed. Lot's of speed.

The 7-Speed S-Tronic Transmission clicks through the gears smoothly and allows for minimal loss of power. "Drive" and "Sport" modes are available, seperated by longer stints in the gears, and higher on road performance.

Manual gear changing is available through the use of paddle shifts, which due to this cars prestige, is ridiculously fun.

The engine purrs with a pleasant grunt of power. A nice engine growl emits from the engine through to the cabin as you travel in the lower gears. Pick up the pace and the noise becomes sweeter than Beethovens Fifth.

Cruise control is easily activated through steering wheel controls and works pleasantly enough.

Parking assist and a rear vision camera are very useful and make the nightmare of city parking that little bit easier. This is despite overly sensitive reversing sensors (I'm positive mine was detecting leaves blowing in the wind).

The car sticks to the road when cornering (under any speeds) perfectly. Assisted by Electronic Differential Lock, which designates wheel usage during cornering. 

Just make sure to keep an eye on the indicators, they are a bit quiet and can sometimes be left on.

All in all, the Audi A6 3.0 TDI is the ideal car to drive.

Engine: 4.5/5

Beneath the hood sits a V6 diesel engine with common rail injection system and turbo charging that is bustling with power.

A keyless start gets the engine purring. Producing plenty of power, clocking 180 kW at 4000rpm-4500rpm and a max torque of 500Nm.  Hitting a recorded 0-100 kmph in 6.1 seconds (The V6 Supercharged Petrol clocked 5.5), the V6 3.0 dominates the tarmac.

The low fuel consumption is a valuable asset to instil within a powerful car. Estimated at around 6 litres per 100 km (which we can vouch for), is pretty astounding. You can get plenty from a full fuel tank. Not too shabby for quite a big luxury sedan.

A Start-Stop energy recuperation system shuts the engine down when at a red light and contributes to fuel and energy conservation. Although obvious when first getting behind the wheel, you soon adapt and barely notice the car shutting itself down. This function can be turned off at any time.

The Audi A6 3.0 TDI only leaks small amounts of Co2 emissions. Reported at around 156 grams per km.

Exterior: 4.5/5

The A6 is a superb looking machine. It looks and feels like it would be worth a mint, and it is.

The aggressive single framed front grille sets the scene for a car with a strong on road presence. The grille is enhanced with high glossed black horizontol struts that simply screams "look at me".

The curves, corners and lines all combine to establish a powerful image in every onlookers eyes. An image that straight away makes you think, this car has attitude.

The 3.0 TDI sits atop the sexiest, sportiest 20-inch wheels imaginable. The 10-Spoked design is the perfect addition to a beautiful car.

The trademark LED headlights seamlessly merge with the design and cap off the "powerful" image created by those at Audi.

Measuring in at 2086mm wide, 4915mm long and 1455mm tall the A6 is a neat package however manouvreing in tight spaces can sometimes get tricky due to the length of the vehicle.
 

Safety: 5/5

Nothing but a 5 star safety rating is adequate for a car of this calibre. A 5 Star ANCAP rating for the Audi A6 4 Cylinder diesel engine represents, in all possibilities that the same score will befall the later models. The 3.0 TDI S-Tronic will be no different.

Take into account that a total of 8 airbags inhabit the interior cabin. These include side airbags, seat mounted for front and rear occupants and sideguard head level airbag curtain for front and rear passengers. 

The airbags for the driver and front passenger are designed to explode in two stages, depending on the severity of the collision.

All the whiz bang safety features are available. Including Electric Brake Force Distribution with Brake Assist, Electronic Stabilisation Program incorporating Traction Control and Electronic Differential Lock.

At over 100 grand, it better be safe.

Interior: 4/5

An 8 inch fold-away screen allows easy access to all entertainment needs. Well positioned knobs to the left of the transmission shift result in limited on road distractions. 

Higher Generation iPods and USB storage facilities are available, however, a lack of a simple AUX input is really dissapointing.

Bluetooth interface with music streaming is simple and easy to use. Set your phone to bluetooth and you're off and running.

Bose surround sound contains 14 High performance speakers with 600 watts of output. The sound provided is phenomenal as the speakers deliver a strong, powerful and smooth noise. Maximum volume with high bass is breathtaking.

MMI Navigation comes standard in all A6 varieties and in our opinion, one of the best navigation systems to date. What's best about the system is that it is uncluttered and simple to use.

The turning knobs to the left of the transmission shift allow easy control when entering destinations. Handwriting recognition software limits distractions to the road ahead.

Classy interior design is exemplified by Walnut Dark Brown finishes. A host of other inlays are available at extra costs. Spacious Milano leather seats fill out the cabin and offer ultimate comfort (you can even get massage functions).

The front seats are electronically adjustable and offer electric lumbar support. Memory function technology will remember the ideal seating position of the driver.

530 litres of boot space is plenty, we could fit our golf clubs (plus buggy) in with ease. Split folding rear back seats allow for a bit of extra room.

Deluxe aircondioning, in conjuction with luxurious seating, keeps things relaxed and comfortable inside the A6.

Overall: 4.5 / 5

The Audi A6 3.0 TDI is hard to fault. It still has a few minor imperfections, yet it drives and handles well on all surfaces. The diesel engine provides plenty of gusto and power.

Classy modern design with delicate trimmings and spacious seating all add up to a pretty special car. A head turning, aggressive, stylish luxury sedan.

Sitting behind the wheel and it's no surpise that the 3.0 TDI comes in at over $110,000*. Money well spent in our opinion.

No wonder it's won numerous industry awards. What a car!

* Prices are manufacturer list prices only, for the drive away price please contact your local authorised Audi dealer.