2017 Audi A6

The Audi A6 can very easily fool you by making you think that it is an executive-class luxury sedan only. What it hides in a subtle fashion is the fun it offers. It is the perfect combination of good looks, good performance, high-tech features and a price tag that comes with the trustworthy reliability of the German automaker Audi. With a base MSRP of $47,600 for the 2-wheel and $49,800 for the AWD Quattro variant going up to $67,600 for the highest Competition variant, it packs a load of features and options for the car.

The Audi A6 is a very well designed vehicle with neat creases and a strong shoulder line running all the way from the nose to the tail of the car. The sedan gets a new sport-tuned variant as well for 2017 known as the Competition Prestige. Other than that the 2017 Audi A6 has 4 other trim options.

Trim	2.0T Premium	2.0T Premium Plus	3.0T Prestige	3.0T Premium Plus	3.0T Competition Prestige
MSRP	$47,600	$51,600	N/A	N/A	N/A
MSRP (Quattro)	$49,800	$53,800	$61,600	$58,600	$67,600
Key Features	MMI navigation plus with voice control system1 MMI touch with handwriting recognition technology Audi connect with six-month trial subscription2 7" color driver information system  HD Radio Technology INRIX XD Traffic3 Audi smartphone interface including Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto BLUETOOTH streaming audio for compatible devices	Audi adaptive cruise control with stop & go Audi active lane assist6 Audi pre sense plus6 Top and corner view camera system High-beam assistant Audi Sport 19" 10-spoke design wheels (Titanium-matte finish) 255/40 all-season tires4 Gloss Black Singleframe grille Gloss Black trim around exterior side windows	INRIX XD Traffic4 SD card slot with 64GB operating capacity (dual slots) Audi connect with six-month trial subscription2 BOSE Surround Sound System with 14 speakers, AudioPilot noise compensation and 630 watts Audi drive select Audi side assist and Audi pre sense rear2 Parking system plus with a rearview camera (front and rear acoustic sensors) 18" 10-spoke-V design wheels with all-season tires1	Includes 3.0T : Same as 2.0T Premium	Audi adaptive cruise control with stop & go Audi active lane assist6 Audi pre sense plus6 Top and corner view camera system High-beam assistant

The 2.0T, base trim, and the 2.0T Premium Plus trim have the 2.0L motor and the higher trims sport a bigger 3.0L motor. They differ in tech-features inside the cabin as well. The 2017 Audi A6 goes up against the likes of BMW 530i, Volvo S90, and Cadillac CTS I4 Turbo.

"A competition model gets a slight horsepower bump on top of already potent 3.0T models."- The Car Connection

Engine

The Audi A6 is a powerful machine with enough power to keep you pinned back into the seats till the pedal is pressed. The 2.0T, base trim, and the 2.0T Premium Plus trim have the 2.0L four-cylinder turbocharged motor and the higher trims sport a bigger 3.0L turbocharged V6 motor. The2.0L engine produces 252hp @ 5000 rpm and 273 lb-ft. torque @1600rpm.

The power and torque figures for the Audi A6 increase as the more powerful 3.0L engine is used. Moreover, the Competition trim has an even sportier engine that produces 340 hp. The transmission used in the Audi A6 is the 7-speed automatic S-Tronic gearbox. It is tuned for quicker shifts in the higher trims for better performance.

Models	Audi A6 2.0 TFSI Premium	BMW 530i	Volvo S90 T5 momentum	Cadillac CTS Turbo I4 sedan
MSRP	$47,600	$51,200	$46,950	$45,995
Engine	2.0 TFSI 4 Cylinder	2.0L 4 Cylinder Turbo	2.0L 16V Inline 4-Cylinder Turbo	2.0L Turbo, I4, DI, DOHC, VVT
Transmission	7-speed automatic	8-speed automatic	8-speed automatic	8-speed automatic
Horsepower	252 hp @ 5000 rpm	248 hp @ 5200 rpm	250 hp @ 5500 rpm	268 hp @ 5600 rpm
Torque	273 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm	258 lb-ft @ 1450 rpm	258 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm	295 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm

The most powerful engine of the contenders is the Caddy's 2.0L turbocharged motor producing 268hp @ 5600 rpm and 295 lb-ft. torque mated with an 8-speed automatic transmission. Volvo follows it closely at 250hp @ 5500 rpm and 258 lb-ft. torque. BMW's 2.0L turbocharged motor produces 248hp @5 200rpm and 258 lb-ft. torque making it the least powerful as far as numbers are concerned.

Acceleration

The 2017 Audi A6 sedan pulls from 0-60 MPH in 6.7 seconds and completes the quarter mile in 14.7 seconds. It is not the quickest, but keeping in mind the weight of the car and its purpose of being an executive level luxury sedan, the acceleration numbers cannot be called poor.

The A6 is the slowest amongst its competition. However, the sportier variant Quattro Competition variant completes the 0-60MPH run in much quicker 5.2 seconds and the quarter-mile in 13.7 seconds thanks to its bigger 340hp V6 motor. The acceleration is linear and can be used to get out of town quickly.

Models	Audi A6 2.0 TFSI Premium	BMW 530i	Volvo S90 T5 momentum	Cadillac CTS Turbo I4 sedan
0-60 MPH	6.7 sec	6.0 sec	6.5 sec	6.0 sec
Quarter mile	14.7 sec	13.5 sec	15.3 sec	14.5 sec
Engine	2.0L	2.0L	2.0L	2.0L
Emission (Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)	6.3	6.5	6.5	7.0

The fastest amongst the rivals happen to be the BMW 530i with a 6 second flat 0-60MPH and quarter mile of 13.5 seconds. It is closely followed by the Caddy at an identical 0-60MPH time but gets beat to the quarter-mile mark by a second. The Volvo S90 finishes after Cadillac at 6.5 seconds and the slowest quarter mile time of 15.3 seconds making BMW the winner in this test.

Braking

With a curb weight of 3858 pounds, the Audi A6 is considered to be a heavy vehicle. It comprises of 13.6-inch front brakes and 12-inch rear brakes that bring the A6 to a halt in 117 feet. The stopping distance for the A6 is average and can be improved by opting for bigger brakes.

The braking is not very smooth and has jerks as well as jarring if applied suddenly. There is an optional automatic emergency-braking system along with the new Driver Assist Package that can be used for better safety. The bite point of the brakes is kind of tricky to find and fails to make it a confident braking vehicle.

Model	Audi A6 2.0 TFSI Premium	BMW 530i	Volvo S90 T5 momentum	Cadillac CTS Turbo I4 sedan
Brake Front (in.)	13.6	11.6	13.6	12.6
Brake Rear (in.)	12.0	11.7	12.6	12.4
Curb Weight (lbs.)	3858	3746	4012	3714
60-0 MPH (ft.)	117	106	120	115

The BMW stops the quickest from 60-0MPH among the rivals at only 106 feet. It has good stopping ability with a good bite point and a confident emergency halt as well. It is followed by Cadillac at 115 feet and Volvo ends up to be the slowest at 120 feet.

2017 Audi A6 is a luxury sedan which delivers a respectable fuel economy of 24/34/28 in city/highway/combined respectively. It uses intelligent systems like Start-Stop technology which ensure saving of fuel otherwise wasted. It proves to be a perfect balance between performance and fuel usage leaving everybody else behind.

Model	Audi A6 2.0 TFSI Premium	BMW 530i	Volvo S90 T5 momentum	Cadillac CTS Turbo I4 sedan
MPG (city)	24	24	23	22
MPG (highway)	34	34	34	30
MPG (combined)	28	27	27	25

Not much behind is BMW 530i with 24/34/27 MPG and Volvo S90 with 23/34/27 MPG respectively. The Cadillac CTS Turbo finishes last with 22/30/25 MPG. The Audi wins a point here for maximum fuel economy.

"The A6's interior gets high marks for its classy, understated design and high-quality materials."-Edmunds

Seating and Comfort

The Audi A6 has a very spacious interior even though it is not the longest or widest. It accommodates 5 people with ease and provides a very smooth experience as well. Riding on air suspension guarantees an amazing ride and most bumps can't be felt.

Model	Audi A6 2.0 TFSI Premium	BMW 530i	Volvo S90 T5 momentum	Cadillac CTS Turbo I4 sedan
Passenger capacity	5	5	5	5
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	37.2/57.5/41.3	38.8/58.7/41.4	38.7/57.5/42.2	40.4/56.9/45.7
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	37.8/56.3/37.4	37.5/55.9/36.5	37.8/55.9/35.9	37.5/54.8/35.4

The headroom/shoulder room/legroom of the front, as well as back, is ample enough to be comfortable and the cabin feels airy at all times. The leather-wrapped interior feels premium and has attention to detail. BMW and Volvo have similar dimensions and room for seating but Cadillac wins this one with loads of space and comfort in a smaller price tag.

Cargo Volume

Being an executive-class luxury sedan means comfort, high-end technology, and space. The Audi A6 does very well in comfort, high-end technology as well as space. It is not the best at 14.1 cube ft. but is enough to be used daily without problems. It serves its purpose and has optional automatic trunk release and other features as well.

Model	Audi A6 2.0 TFSI Premium	BMW 530i	Volvo S90 T5 momentum	Cadillac CTS Turbo I4 sedan
Cargo Volume (ft.3)	14.1	18.7	13.5	13.7

The Volvo S90 and Cadillac CTS Turbo have a similar cargo volume but the BMW 530i leaves everyone a lot behind with 18.7 cube ft. cargo volume.

"The A6’s exterior features some bold elements, such as the recently upgraded headlights, grille, front bumper and LED taillights, but overall the shape and styling remain typically Audi conservative."- KBB

Size and Dimensions

2017 Audi A6 is a heavy car weighing 3858 pounds. However, it has good steering precision and has no issues while driving in town or the highways. It has a very spacious cabin that does not affect its ability to accelerate quickly without body roll. The wheelbase is a good length and the car can be maneuvered easily.

The steering is super precise and reacts instantly pre-determining the surface ahead for abnormalities. Also, Quattro AWD technology helps make it razor sharp responsive. This helps in cornering perfectly at high speeds as well making it a very confidence-inspiring car.

Model	Audi A6 2.0 TFSI Premium	BMW 530i	Volvo S90 T5 momentum	Cadillac CTS Turbo I4 sedan
Curb weight (lbs.)	3858	3746	4012	3714
Length(in)	194.2	194.6	195.4	195.5
Width(in)	73.8	73.5	74.0	72.2
Height(in)	57.8	58.2	56.8	57.2
Ground clearance (in)	6.6	6.2	6.0	5.9
Wheelbase (in)	114.6	117.1	115.8	114.6
Track width (in) F/R	64.1/63.7	63.0/63.9	64.1/63.7	61.4/61.7

The A6 is heavy because of the technology stuffed inside the car and all the materials used to make it comfortable but Volvo S90 is heaviest amongst the four. It also has low ground clearance, is longer and wider than all and shows a better handling factor. The BMW and Cadillac also follow closely behind it.

Safety Features

Audi always pays its attention to the safety of what they build and its build quality. With airbags in the curtains, front, back, and sides it ensures full safety with impact reduction technology. It consists of tire pressure warning monitor and other safety features which include Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Antilock Braking System (ABS) with Traction control and front sensors for sudden braking.

• Driver and front passenger dual-stage airbags
• Front thorax side airbags1
• Driver and front passenger knee airbags1
• Sideguard head-curtain airbags1
• Front passenger occupant detection for airbags1
• Power central locking system with safety unlock feature if airbags deploy
• Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) in rear seats Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) in rear seats
• Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with secondary collision brake assist and traction control (ASR)
• Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-pressure Distribution (EBD) and brake assist
• Tire-pressure monitoring system Tire-pressure monitoring system 
• Driver and front passenger dual-stage airbags
• Front thorax side airbags1
• Driver and front passenger knee airbags1
• Sideguard head-curtain airbags1
• Front passenger occupant detection for airbags1
• Power central locking system with safety unlock feature if airbags deploy
• Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) in rear seats Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) in rear seats
• Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with secondary collision brake assist and traction control (ASR)
• Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-pressure Distribution (EBD) and brake assist
• Tire-pressure monitoring system Tire-pressure monitoring system

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the nonprofit, independent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) evaluate vehicles for crashworthiness in the United States. It rates vehicles out of 5 stars/Good to Poor scale respectively.

The results of the tests are mentioned below-

NTHSA RATINGS

Overall rating	5 star
Overall frontal barrier crash rating	5 star
Frontal barrier crash rating driver	5 star
Overall side crash rating	5 star
Side barrier rating	5 star
Side pole rating driver front seat	5 star
Combined side rating rear seat	5 star
Rollover rating	5 star
Side barrier rating driver	5 star
Frontal barrier crash rating passenger	5 star
Combined side rating front seat	5 star
Side barrier rating passenger rear seat	5 star

 

IIHS RATINGS

Crashworthiness

Small overlap front driver side	Good
Small overlap front passenger side	Not Rated
Moderate overlap front	Good
Side	Good
Roof strength	Good
Head restraints & seats	Good

 

Crash prevention and Mitigation

Front crash prevention	Advanced
Headlights	Marginal
Child seat anchors (LATCH)	Good

2017 Audi A6 vs BMW 530I

The 2017 Audi A6 is cheaper than the Beemer by almost $4,000 and has higher power and torque. However, the BMW has faster acceleration as well as matching brakes. It has almost identical fuel economy, spacious interior and the maximum cargo volume amongst rivals.

The infotainment unit of the BMW has a bigger display and supports gesture control too among other useful features like 3D-parking cameras with an aerial view, etc. Overall, the BMW is a better car than the Audi A6 because it is value for money and provides better features at a good price.

2017 Audi A6 vs Volvo S90 T5 Momentum

The Volvo S90 has a cheaper price tag than the A6 with similar power numbers. It accelerates slightly quicker but brakes slower than the A6. It has lower fuel economy and is much heavier which makes it less efficient for daily use. Moreover, the cargo volume available in the Volvo is lesser than the Audi too.

The interior is classy but is not as spacious or comfortable as the A6 and packs a lot of safety equipment. But for a $1,000 higher price tag, the Audi is a better pick having all-rounder capabilities with a superior build quality.

2017 Audi A6 vs Cadillac CTS Turbo I4

The Cadillac CTS Turbo is a couple thousand dollars shy of A6's price tag. It has better power figures along with better braking. It delivers lesser fuel economy than the A6 but has a more spacious interior with all the comfort one needs. It has ample storage volume, more in the cabin but lesser in the trunk.

Overall, the Cadillac CTS is a cheaper alternative to the Audi A6 that has more power and a pocket-friendly maintenance plan.

The 2017 Audi A6 is an executive-class luxury sedan that offers loads of features without messing around. It provides ample comfort, good performance and a very spacious cabin making it a delight for the chauffeured as well as the chauffeur. The pricing is quite high but the A6 comes with Audi's reliability and trust. Handling in the A6 is amazing but braking can be better. The ride quality is super smooth and surprisingly quiet.

Other alternates that should be considered before getting the Audi A6 sedan are the BMW 530i and the Cadillac CTS I4 Turbo which provide value for money and a peace of mind just like Audi does.