Audi A6 2.0 TFSI mu Review: Grown up GTI

What we like:

Typical Audi interior build quality. Cavernous 546-liter boot. Smooth 7-speed Multitronic gearbox.  Surprisingly nice handling.

What we dislike:

Lack of electronic gizmos to play with. Gruff sounding engine and audible tyre roar.  Not what you'd expect in a car like this.

Audi claimed that the face-lifted A6 has been given a suspension tweak to increase comfort while retaining its sporty character. The engineers at Audi attempted to achieve these seemingly contrasting characteristics by replacing the previous A6’s suspension with a larger diameter, front-axle shock absorbers and further improving the suspension’s spring response rate. And the surprising thing is, Audi managed to hold true to their claims!

Despite being 5 meters in length and weighing as much as a bus, the Audi A6 has surprisingly excellent handling characteristics. Drive the A6 fast around a sweeping bend, and the car remains composed, balanced and sure-footed. Even body roll is minimal, despite its 1.46 meters stature. The car is also agile, changing directions quickly for a 5 meters long sedan. Despite all these, the suspension is not rock solid and manages to absorb most of the road irregularities - instead of your kidneys doing the job.

Steering feel is excellent too. It is light at low speeds and heavy at higher speeds. However, we could do with more feedback from the steering column. The brakes on the A6 are adequate - the 312mm ventilated front and rear disc brakes provide ample braking power, but you have to work your foot hard to bring the car to a complete stop.

Civil, refined, composed yet sporty. This sums up what the Audi A6 2.0 TFSI is about. Like what we had mentioned at the start of this article, the A6 is akin to a grown-up GTI. A wiser, mature adult compared to the brazen, rash and aggressive teenager which is the GTI.

For GTI owners who wished for a more mature, sophisticated car with power delivery and handling similar to the GTI, the Audi A6 would be it.

After all, the Audi A6 is a grown-up GTI...

Credits: Story & Pictures by Jarvis Seo