Driven: Audi A6 2.0 TDI S-Line (2008)
Hello once again!
Today’s driving report belongs to my almost daily-transport in my work days in Spain: the Audi A6, in S-Line guise.
Oh dear… It’s big, isn’t it? Well, not a very good start for me. And its design does not pretend to make it look smaller, either. Even so, it’s a symbiosis of elegance and sportiness. Its lines are dynamic, especially from the side and the back, which are underlined by the S-Line equipment package. This package includes gorgeous 17” alloy wheels (a nightmare to clean, and that’s almost a weekly task!), front, side and rear skirts and lowered suspension. From an aesthetical point of view, it certainly looks nice. But it also looks big and somewhat fat…
Solidity is omnipresent, in both the exterior and the interior. Speaking of this, it looks mostly classic, with most of the sporty looks gone. Yes, there are (fake) aluminium inserts here and there, but the overall result is far from exciting. Materials are top-quality in most places, but I’m sad to report that hard, cheap plastic is used in many places. This particular unit, with extreme use (100 000 km, or 62 000 miles, in about 11 months), shows that even better. For example, in the B-pillar, under the seatbelt’s release mechanism, that plastic is completely grated by the stainless-steel of the seatbelt’s fixation mechanism… This plastic appears in more places but, happily, in most of the cases, far from frequent eye view.
And how does it move? Well, unfortunately, not very well. Body movements are well controlled for a 1.6 ton, 5 metre saloon. It transmits a very nice safe, planted sensation, but that sort of goes away when you press the brakes. The pedal has a lot of dead travel, and that contributes to remind you how much inertia you are carrying. The steering is very light (the steering wheel is great, small and relatively thick), but it’s feeling is absolutely artificial, so, you feel disconnected from the car and the driving experience. The engine is the smallest in the range, so you will never expect it to be fast. As it stalls so easily, you have to apply half accelerator before depressing the clutch pedal, to start moving. Before 2000 rpm there is no power, but, at that point, suddenly all of it comes together (not a lot of it, anyway…). Even so, that makes city driving uncomfortable. Roundabouts are especially annoying: you enter with little engine speed and need to gain moving speed fast, first it’s pedal to the metal, the car does not respond, people beep at you, 2 hours later you reach 2000 rpm, the car suddenly awakes and you almost crash to the car in front of you. See what I mean?
Transmission gear ratios are very short, so, in normal road driving circumstances, the engine feels decent. Trouble is, while cruising, comfort is not very good. Reasonable, generally speaking, but that’s too short for this vehicle segment. The S-Line pack may have something to do with that, and an automatic transmission will probably solve the engine’s power delivery issues. Otherwise, the cabin is well insulated in acoustic terms, it’s roomy and there are enough storage spaces.
The high point of a small, diesel engine is, of course, fuel consumption. And this engine fulfills this point nicely, being able to average under 5 l/100 km (47 mpg), at a constant speed of 100 km/h (62 mph). Combined driving (city/ highway), with casual driving, will return up to 8 l/100km (29 mpg), nice for an executive saloon and better than what the reviewed E 220 CDI can accomplish. But engine oil consumption can reach an almost ridiculous 2 litres per 10 000 km (6 250 miles)…
So, if you are on the market for an executive saloon, you’re better off with an E-Class Mercedes-Benz. But, if you really fancy the A6, please, go for a bigger engine (the 2.7 TDI may be a nice compromise) and avoid a sports suspension.
Verdict: a failed attempt in the executive market.
Vital data:
Engine and transmission:
1968 cc, inline-4 cylinder, 4 valves per cylinder, turbo (Diesel)
140 hp/4000 rpm
320 Nm/1750-2500 rpm
Red line: 4500 rpm
6-speed manual transmission
Dimensions and weights:
Empty weight: 1650 kg
Boot: 546 litres
Petrol tank: 70 litres
Official performance:
Top speed: 210 km/h (131 mph)
0-100 km/h (0-62 mph): 10,3 seconds
Fuel consumption (urban/extra-urban/average): 8,0/ 4,8/ 6,0 l/100km (29/ 49/ 39 mpg)
2000 rpm, 5th gear: 90 km/h (56 mph)
2000 rpm, 6th gear: 105 km/h (66 mph)
Price in 2008: around 30k €
Driven: May-November 2008
Main equipment: dual-zone climate control, metallic paint, alarm, dual front, side and window airbags.
Rate: 12 out of 20
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