All-New Audi A6 45TFSi — Does It Offer The Best Of Both Worlds?

At first glance, the new Audi A6 just looks magnificent and beautiful as it gets some cosmetic updates compared to the previous generation. If you are thinking that the new BMWs front grille has grown in size, take a look at the single-piece unit on the A6. The grille is finished in chrome and gives the car a very commanding look.

Moving on, the car gets a set of sleek LED headlight units which are much more angular and the DRLs have been set up differently which gives the car an aggressive stance. You get parking sensors at the front but not a 360-degree camera feature. Also, the bonnet lines have become sharper than the previous generation A6.

The overall silhouette of the new A6 has stayed virtually identical, and the car gets a long bonnet and a relatively short boot. Audi will not be getting the long-wheelbase version of the A6 to our shores as Mercedes did with the E-Class. Size-wise, the car has grown in every dimension and is now 7mm, 12mm, 2mm, longer, wider and taller respectively. The wheelbase of the car has also increased by 12mm.

At the side, the body lines of the car have been split into two, to distinguish the front section from the rear. Also, the car gets the standard 18-inch multispoke alloy wheels, but the wheel arch is big enough to house 22-inch wheels. There is chrome garnishing all around the windows and the A6 gets dual colour ORVMs which are now much sleeker.

The new A6 gets a set of new LED taillights that are connected by a chrome strip that runs along the boot. Speaking of the boot, the car offers 530-litre of space, making the car more practical. And now let us quickly get to the interiors of the car.

As you enter the cabin the first thing you will notice how spacious the cabin is and the sunroof gives one a feeling of more space than there is. The dashboard of the car is finished in different layers which include piano black, beige and open-pore wood. Moreover, the wood finishing is present on the doors and the floating dash. The car also gets a new leather-wrapped steering wheel that looks very futuristic.

Right behind the steering wheel sits the latest version of Audi's virtual cockpit that provides a host of information to the driver. Audi also introduced the dual-touchscreen MMI infotainment system (including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), making the A6 the first Audi in India to get this new interface. Other features include a wireless phone charger, and a Bang & Olufsen audio system, which sounds beautiful.

The driver's seat and the steering wheel both move back once the car is switched off for better ingress and egress. Also, the car lacks a heads-up display, which would have been convenient because the driver has to take his eyes off and look at the screen every time.

The rear seat of the car is comfortable and has good under-thigh support. The rear passengers have manual blindfolds for the windows and an electronic blindfold for the rear windshield that is operated from the front. Other features include a center armrest with cupholders, bottle holders on the door, separate sets of climate control (four-zone climate control system) and USB ports for charging and media.

Powering the new A6 is a 2.0-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder BS6 petrol engine. The unit pumps out 245bhp of power and 370Nm of peak torque and comes mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. However, power from the engine is transmitted to the front wheels.

However, the gearbox is not the quickest of the lot and the power delivery feels linear. When driving in Eco mode the gearbox does not respond as per the driver's inputs, but in Dynamic, the game changes and the car feels much more responsive. In Comfort mode, you get the best of both worlds and that is the mode in which we drove around the most.

Another thing that the new Audi A6 misses out on is the air suspension and adaptive damping, which was the major USP of the car. However, now the car runs on steel springs, but the air suspension was very useful, especially in India, and with a touch of a button one could raise or reduce the height of the car. The steel springs do their job well by absorbing the major bumps and potholes.

Show the A6 a set of corners and the car will leave you with a smile on your face. The car stays so planted and does not feel out of place though the wheelbase has been increased. The high profile tyres do their job well by absorbing the bumps and help reduce a lot of road noise. The tyres also have a lot of grip and combined with the brakes, the amount of stopping power that the car gets is just amazing.

So overall, the all-new Audi A6 45 TFSi is a fantastic package that will cater to the needs of today's mid-size luxury sedan buyers, though the car hit the Indian shores pretty late leaving its rivals to enjoy some time in the market.

Promeet Ghosh Thinks!

The A6 has been one of the best selling midsize luxury sedans across the globe. With this updated version the car offers a balance between comfort, luxury, and sportiness. The all-new A6 carries a price tag of Rs 54.20 lakh for the Premium Plus version and Rs 59.20 lakh for the Technology version (both ex-showroom, pan-India).