2019 Audi A6 review - does the new A6 finally drive better than its rivals? - Interior and tech

Where once the Audi A6 was king, its reign has come to an end. The Audi A6 used to be defined by its marvellous interior. It was a space once informed by a Bauhaus-like aesthetic sensibility, of exceptional quality and exquisite detail. Unfortunately those times have now passed, and although the A6’s tech and build quality remain top notch, a surprising lack of quality-feeling surfaces and a sterile, rather than minimal, ambiance presents itself.

The overall interior architecture is informed entirely by Audi’s twin-screen MMI setup that uses haptic feedback to improve the system’s usability. There is a lot of functionality within the system, and on the move it remains surprisingly intuitive and easy to use. So too Audi’s virtual cockpit, which remains a well-integrated and clean way of organising and personalising a vast quantity of information.

To house these screens the dash has been split into multiple architectural-like levels, but this is where the problems start, as it leaves swathes of mismatched finishes that jar against one another. Specify thousands of pounds worth of extended leather, alternative timber or etched trim inserts and upgraded seats and the interior would indeed be as sumptuous and luxurious as Audi would have you believe, but in lower specs it can just look stark a little plain.

The foundations are at least right, with an excellent seating position, quality touchpoints and impressive refinement still hallmarks of Audi’s core MLB-evo products.