AUDI

Audi A6 TDI quattro S tronic diesel: the Ingolstadt sedan offers its 'diesel pinnacle' with this 300 hp mild-hybrid version

The premium sedan market is resisting the threat of SUVs with remarkable resilience, and it won't be long before we witness the evolution of its most illustrious members. Among them, of course, is the Audi A6, whose arrival last year rekindled the historic rivalry it maintains with its traditional competitors from Stuttgart (Mercedes) and Munich (BMW). And, once again, its striking design is its main selling point.

Overall quality...Entering the cabin provides a gratifying first impression: the electric door handles seem to release the mechanism with a simple touch. This demonstrates that the premium feel is not only visual, but also tactile, thanks to the quality of the finishes and materials, the carefully designed lighting, and the comfortable seats that hug you. Everything you touch is pleasant. Or rather, almost everything, because the buttons (for audio control on the right and for the instrument panel settings on the left, which offer several options) creak slightly when pressed, creating a dissonant note in this otherwise pleasant atmosphere.

The seats are upholstered in Alcantara and live up to what you'd expect from an Audi with the S badge and 300 hp under the hood: they offer excellent lumbar support on curves, are stylish, and combine with a fairly effective massage function to relieve back fatigue.

In any case, two occupants travel in extraordinary comfort, with the added advantage of four-zone climate control to avoid any "thermal arguments". However, a third occupant sits five centimeters higher than their companions, hampered by a very hard backrest (the armrest, when folded down) and little legroom due to the huge transmission tunnel; A common feature in premium German sedans that rely on a combustion engine, as is the case here.

As for the rear seats, a passenger around 1.80 meters tall has approximately 6 cm of legroom between their knees and the backrests of the front seats, ensuring a good sense of space. However, the visual impression in this era of SUVs is not so generous in terms of headroom, as someone of that height will find the roof only about 3 cm away.

Built on the Premium platform, this ninth-generation sedan measures exactly 5.0 meters in length (just one millimeter less), 1.87 meters in width and 1.42 meters in height, boasting an imposing presence that is further enhanced by the S Line trim. The angular lines of previous generations have given way to a silhouette of smooth, flowing curves that give it a muscular and wide stance, ready to offer powerful acceleration with its 255/35 tires on 21-inch wheels, while maintaining a remarkably elegant appearance.

Six cylinders with electric assistance...Under the elongated hood lies a highly efficient six-cylinder diesel engine, capable of producing the aforementioned 300 hp and 580 Nm of torque. It works in conjunction with the effective quattro all-wheel drive system and the extremely fast S tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission. Naturally, it has paddle shifters on the steering wheel which, although made of plastic, offer a robust feel. The fact that the car accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.2 seconds — a time more typical of an electric vehicle (as is its weight: 2.1 tons) — and reaches a top speed of 250 km/h demonstrates that comfort doesn't have to come at the expense of personality.

There are four driving modes: balanced, dynamic, comfort, and efficiency. The most noticeable differences are in the throttle response and steering feel, but they also affect the suspension, the engine sound (which is almost artificial, like that of an electric car), the speed of the cruise control response and, of course, the type of information displayed by the Audi virtual cockpit plus. All of this is selected using the "drive select" button located in front of the small gear selector, next to another button that allows you to deactivate the ESC (something that few drivers, at least in Spain, need to do).

To mitigate the disadvantage that diesel can represent for some drivers, its Eco designation highlights the mild hybrid system that the vehicle possesses. And make no mistake, it's not just about electrification to power the various electrical systems of this A6; it can also propel the car on its own during the first few meters of acceleration from a standstill at a traffic light or in a garage — something that not all mild hybrids offer. And although the transition to the combustion engine is noticeable, it's not at all uncomfortable.

The travel capabilities of this sedan are indisputable. We tested it mainly on the highway, which seems to be its natural habitat. During a 300-kilometer trip on this type of road, at legal speeds, the on-board computer recorded an average fuel consumption of just 6.1 l/100 km. This efficiency is surprising for a car that weighs over 2.1 tons and delivers 300 hp, guaranteeing a range of over 1,000 km, which is another way to save time without having to drive excessively.

Outside of this idyllic setting, and on more winding roads, we appreciate its balance and, above all, the ease with which it filters out road imperfections and the precise feel that the steering provides.

Acquiring this high-performance variant with the S Line trim implies an outlay of €80,620. If this price is inaccessible to many, an Advanced version (less sporty) with 204 hp can be purchased for €62,920, which will be more than enough for most.

Autonews