Ride and handling
To describe the A6 as bad in this department would be to do it a huge disservice. It handles reassuringly and rides with decent composure - though larger wheels and S line suspension does diminish that slightly. The A6’s biggest fault is that it’s not as engaging or as interesting to drive as its obvious rivals. While you might find yourself taking out your 5 Series or Jaguar XF for the hell of it, or just taking a slight detour home down an interesting road, you just won’t in the A6.
Grip levels are high, but that 2.0 TDI big-seller is front-drive in a marketplace where rear-drive is the norm, and it’s apparent when you start pushing the A6 harder. The quattros do go some way to addressing that, especially if you spend the extra money on the optional Sports Differential, but none offer the sort of poise and balance of their best rear-wheel drive alternatives. Many, however, will like the A6 quattro’s assured traction and stability, particularly in the UK where it’s wet all the time. All A6s feature Audi’s Drive Select, which offers different settings (Comfort, Auto, Dynamic and Efficiency) for the engine, transmission and steering, but we doubt anyone will ever switch it from either Comfort or Auto, so subtle are the differences. Allroads all feature adaptive air suspension, while the stability and traction control systems have been tweaked for more suitable intervention and assistance when driving off-road.
