Audi A6
Customized cushiness |
  |
By Richard J. Newman
|
Nits: A few optional features ought to be standard on a car that's this expensive: Heated seats, for instance. Xenon headlamps. Driver's side seat memory. And a power-adjustable steering column.
G forces: The A6 has marvelous driveability. The base-level 255-horsepower V-6 engine is swift and smooth, and the optional V-8 is one of the most brash in the class, with 335 horsepower. And crisp, precise handling makes this much more than good-looking muscle car. It's more like a sport coupe with four doors.
Gizmology: An expansive set of basic features will take the average new owner weeks to explore. The front center armrest adjusts up and down, for the most comfortable position. A rain sensor turns the wipers on automatically when there's water splashes on them. There's a seemingly endless list of settings for the dual-zone climate control, when operated through the computerized "multimedia interface" display on the dash. And steering wheel buttons let you control the radio without taking your hands off the wheel.
Kidmarks: The back seat is fit for a little prince or princess, with loads of space, two cupholders in the fold-down armrest, overhead lights for reading or games, and A/C vents for comfort. The only drawback: Heavy doors that are hard for smaller kids to close on their own.
Hot or not: Hot. Long, lean and lithe, the A6 is one of the most handsome cars on the road.
Envirometer: The EPA rates the A6 average for tailpipe emissions. An air pollution rating isn't yet available. Mileage ranges from 19 mpg/city to 26 mpg/highway. For more info go to www.fueleconomy.gov and search for 2005 Audi A6.
Crash course: Not yet crash-tested by the government or by private testing organizations.
Price points: Base prices range from $42,620 to $52,220. Price as tested: $56,920.
More info: www.audiusa.com
|
Model year tested: 2005
You know those people who are always changing the "wallpaper" that's the backdrop on their computer screens? Well, this is the car for them.
Click the setup menu on the "multimedia interface," the centralized display that controls many of the A6's functions, and you can choose the kind of backlighting you'd like for the dashboard gauges. Another option allows you to choose which exterior lights you'd like illuminated in the daytime, if any, or how exactly you'd prefer the central locking system to work. And in Audi's trademark fashion, all of this complexity is reduced to a surprisingly simple set of computerized controls, so that if you want to get in the car and completely ignore all the decision matrices you will still enormously enjoy this elegant chaise without knowing the difference.
A few interior options like these amount to a trifle on a $45,000 car, yet most of the offerings in this price range are so mechanically superb that it's often the smaller things that are the differentiators. And the A6 does its bit to nudge the performance bar a notch higher. The A6 feels both large and small at the same time. There's lavish space, front and back, for all but the most cheeseburger-obsessed, and the doors, shifter, and manual controls all have the reassuring solidity you'd demand from an estate sedan. Yet the A6 handles as nimbly as a coupe, with instant-response steering and a knack for tiptoeing around obstacles.
A pair of dazzling engines helps with the A6's agility. The base engine is an advanced 255-horsepower V-6 that whirs from 0 to 60 in a smart 7.1 seconds, impressive muscle for a 4,000-pound car. The upgraded "Quattro" version with all-wheel drive comes with a 335-horsepower V-8 that's a full second faster in the sprint and provides enough power to master any ordinary driving situation. Of course it all seems like a serene 20 miles per hour in the A6's vacuum-packed cabin, amidst supple leather and sophisticated brushed-aluminum or wood accents. Not to mention that suave backlighting.
 In the market for a new car? Use our auto search for more information.
Is there a car you would like us to review? Send your suggestion to test-track@usnews.com.
Return to the auto page to view more reviews.
|
