Serious six

What we like:

More performance and efficiency than the competition

What we dislike:

Front-wheel drive

Of course the biggest deal with this car is that it's been shrunk engine wise, to a 1.8l four pot churning out 190 hp and 320 Nm. This new 1.8l engine replaces the outgoing 2.0l that made only 180 hp and the same amount of torque.

Because it's the most efficient (claimed 5.7 L/100 km and 134 g/km combined cycle) and has the best on-paper performance in the segment amongst the competition, Audi has dubbed this version the "ultra". So if you see an Audi model name with the word "ultra" somewhere in it, you now know what Audi is trying to tell you.

In the real world the A6 feels quick no doubt. The healthy dose of torque does its job to bring the car quickly up to speed without protest. Of course there's the inevitable turbo lag, but once the revs get over the 2500 rpm mark the car surges with a sense of urgency. The new engine is paired to the quick 7-speed double clutch S-tronic gearbox which dispatches gear changes without raising a hair.

Inside, the cabin is quiet and refined as an executive car should be, and you'll never have to raise your voice to hold a conversation even on the roughest of tarmac surfaces. Unless of course you crank up the stereo, which does a reasonably good job of playing tunes considering it's not some optional audiophile grade speaker system.

The chassis is stiff and well-sorted; the car turns in without understeer at all but the most ridiculous of speeds. If you do decide to pretend you're in an RS6 however, the front will lose grip in a predictable manner that is controlled and never terrifying.

Aside from the fact that the front-wheel driven A6 always feels like it's pulling rather than being pushed from behind like its rear-driven competition, the new A6 takes the fight to the competition in an understated yet powerful way. It feels every bit as premium as its $245,800 price everywhere you touch and rides with excellent body control that soaks up bumps and imperfections with aplomb.

It also comes loaded with more options than the competition (park assist, reverse camera, four-zone climate control) and isn't priced too far out of the mean so it does pack some serious punch. What we have here then is a well thought out recipe for success that should shake things up a bit for people poking their noses into this segment.

Credits: Story and Photos by Alvan Sio