Road test report --- March 2010 --- by Kevin Fenix.

Audi A6 2.0 TDI Sportline

Executive Luxury at its best !
Describing this car is going to be a difficult task, as I do not know if my vocabulary extends to sufficient superlatives to do the car justice !

The test car was fitted with Audi’s excellent 2.0 litre, twin turbocharged, direct injection, diesel engine, linked to the superlative Multitronic constantly variable transmission. This Multitronic offered the choice of automatic or manual gearchanges, together with a sport programme, so every possible driving requirement is catered for, magnificently. In D mode - automatic - the flow of power to the wheels is absolutely effortless, silent and seamless, as if the car was powered by an electric motor. When accelerating hard, there is a faint engine noise, which quickly disappears as the road speed rises. The car was just as comfortable and relaxing to drive in congested city rush hour traffic, as it was travelling suburban roads, or twisting country lanes and cruising along traffic free motorways.
Contributing to this superb driving pleasure, was the effortless, speed sensitive, power assisted rack and pinion steering, geared to give 2.75 turns from lock to lock. The thick rimmed, leather covered steering wheel, had an excellent feel, even if the flattened lower circumference took a little getting used to. The two front seats were superbly comfortable and well bolstered, with three levels of internal heating for cold weather. Indeed, shortly after having to scrape a heavy frost off the windscreen on a cold morning, the interior of the car became warm and comfortable. Small things make a big difference, so items like four electric windows, electrically adjustable, exterior rear view mirrors, with a fold in function, for parking in confined spaces, those heated seats and the space saving electric handbrake all contribute in their own small way to the superb overall driving pleasure.

The layout of the instruments and driving controls is excellent, with everything easy to see and easy to reach, whilst driving. The four analogue instruments have black faces with white lettering and red highlights for important matters. Besides the analogue instruments, there are also digital information panels, both in the main instrument binnacle and in the satellite navigation screen, at the top of the centre console. The heating/ventilating is of the dual zone variety, with separate controls for the driver and front passenger. Besides the S line package, which includes the flat bottomed steering wheel, 19” alloy wheels and a gloss black finish to the grille, the test car also had the Innovation package, which includes the satellite navigation, Bluetooth mobile telephone connections and an enhanced entertainment system. Parking in confined spaces is assisted by the audible parking assist, which also shows in the centrally positioned navigation and information screen.
If you like to do the gear shifting yourself, you simply push the gearlever over to the left from the D position. Then it is a matter of flicking it forwards for upward changes and backwards for down shifts. Alternatively you may prefer the automatic operation, but with a more sports oriented performance. In that case, you pull the gearlever all the way back to the S position. In this position it delays upward shifts until higher engine speeds are reached and downward shifts are made sooner, also at higher engine speeds. In S mode, although it is a constantly variable transmission, certain predetermined ratios are programmed for each gear and it is held in that ratio until the system decides to make a shift in an upward or downward direction. It is these predetermined ratios, that are shown in the technical data at the end of this report.

The rear bench seat splits 60/40 in the backrest. The 60% section has a folding central armrest with a storage bin, where Audi normally place the first aid kit (red bag). Like most seats of its type it will accommodate three adult passengers over short distances. The centre section is harder and higher than the positions on either side, so is not comfortable over longer distances, besides which, three adults severely limit the comfortable shoulder room. The two outer positions, as well as the front passenger seat, incorporate ISOfix fittings for child safety seats.

Normal luggage capacity is a generous 0.546 cubic metres, when all seats are in use. If all seats are not in use, you can fold the rear seat backrests individually if you need to carry long or awkward items and a rear passenger or two. With both rear seat backrests folded the luggage space is increased significantly. If you need all the passenger space and room for a lot of luggage, you can carry up to 100 kg in a suitable container on the roof, but remember to remove this, in the interests of fuel economy, when not required. Another alternative is to tow a trailer. It can take a trailer of up to 750 kg, without brakes and trailers/caravans of up to 1800 kg with brakes. To its credit, the car came with a full size alloy spare wheel, so there is no difficulty when it comes to towing.

Above left : Normal luggage space ----------------- Above right : Maximum luggage space

Above : Full size alloy spare wheel

Earlier I mentioned a silent, seamless, effortless performance. Acceleration from zero to 100 kph takes 9.9 seconds. Given a suitable road, where it is legally possible to do so, it will carry on up to a top speed of 204 kph (126 mph). There are cars that can exceed that, but how many of them are spacious, comfortable, executives saloons, with a four cylinder diesel engine ? How many of them will return 38 mpg (7.4 lt/100 km) on the urban cycle, or stretch to 56 mpg (5.0 lt/100 km) on the extra urban cycle and give a combined cycle average of 47 mpg (5.9 lt/100 km) ? This level of performance gives an exhaust emissions level of 154 gm/km. That allows the A6 2.0 TDI to just slip into Irish road tax band C, with an annual charge, at present rates, of 302 Euro. All in all that is pretty impressive for a car of this size, comfort, performance and level of equipment.
Like most Audis the car comes with a fairly long list of optional equipment, mainly related to the S line specification. While I am not particularly fond of this type of marketing, I also think that it would be a pity to spoil the ship for a ha’worth of tar. As tested it carries a recommended retail price of Euro 55,050, excluding delivery and associated charges. Did I like it ? I absolutely loved it !

Technical data

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Photo gallery

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