Audi’s challenge to Mercedes-Benz and BMW’s stranglehold of the mid-size executive saloon market began long before the A6 came into existence. Before it became the A6 in 1994, it was the Audi 100, which dates back to 1968. After four generations of trying, Audi decided the Audi A6 moniker would give the entire Audi range a fresh start—and it worked, growing from strength to strength over the next two decades. 

With so many new technical developments in the industry in just the last few years, it is not surprising to find Audi has given its A6 a comprehensive revamp. Of course the styling has been sharpened with more pronounced lines for its mid-life refresh but the most significant changes are to the headlights, front Singleframe grille, bumpers, side sills, tailpipes and rear lamps. The new headlights provide the greatest gains because they adopt the latest high-efficiency Matrix Beam LED working with a camera to detect pedestrians or oncoming cars, selectively shutting off parts of the beam to avoid blinding others while delivering the best illumination possible.

LED technology is also featured in the dynamic turn signals which make a visible “swoosh” across its width in the direction of the turn, something no other manufacturer has offered at this point. Thanks to the additional chrome brightwork, the A6 appears more “bling” as is the current trend in this segment of cars.

The cabin is where the A6 really outshines its competition. Audi offers the most elegant and refined collection of materials that, when used in a two-toned theme, creates a stunning atmosphere the likes of which have eluded the competition thus far. The front seats can be optioned with additional ventilation and massage functions if that is one’s preference. 

Audi is serious about its infotainment system and to keep ahead of the competition offers standard features that include what they call MMI (Multi Media Interface) Navigation Plus with Google functionality and a touchscreen MMI. This top-of-the-line navigation system has a power-retractable eight-inch screen developed with technology partner Nvidia. To accommodate the needs of a technically minded owner, there is the Audi Connect module that is 4G LTE capable to provide a wireless hot spot and downloads tailored Audi online services into the car, including new media streaming apps. 

The entire range of driver assistance systems borders on excessive and looks set to take over all mundane duties that many drivers love to hate like parallel parking and driving in heavy traffic. To address this, Audi offers adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go function so you can relax as the computer keeps the proper distance from the car ahead without any lapse in attention. Audi Park Assist now provides both parallel and perpendicular parking functions, while Audi Side Assist uses radar to check the blind spots when changing lanes and also works closely with Audi Active Lane Assist to prevent unintended lane changes.

To ensure a harmonious combination of comfort and sporty handling, Audi has tweaked the sophisticated suspension and the electromechanical power steering system for greater consistency and predictability. Additionally, the A6 is equipped with Electronic Stabilisation Control (ESC) and an electronic limited-slip differential. It is possible to dial in the preferred chassis set up via Audi’s Drive Select driving dynamics system that has electronic control over its Dynamic Steering, the Adaptive Air Suspension chassis, as well as the S-Tronic transmission and engine.

Overall, the Audi A6 has now a clear emphasis on sportiness as the suspension keeps a remarkable hold on the road and for a car this size it is very agile in the bends. High-speed cruising is really its forte, sustaining high speeds on the autobahn effortlessly. Its lane-change warning system does more than warn you as it actually nudges the car back into the lane. Be cautioned however that it is not meant to steer the car without driver input but is merely an assistance system. Audi’s Adaptive Cruise Control is very useful for getting through nail-biting traffic snarls on the highway as the radar-equipped system really keeps one’s car at a safe distance by autonomously braking and accelerating. All you have to do is steer.

Fortunately, turbocharged engines have not only become the de facto standard, they have also been improved tremendously with the capability to match the power of a much larger engine and have the fuel efficiency of a small engine. In this case the 252hp 2.0 TFSI Audi engine is more than a match for the previous 2.8L V6, which explains why the latter no longer exists. This little giant killer is from the same family of engines powering the well respected Golf GTI and Audi S3 and when fitted to the A6 has provided better performance compared with the 2.8L V6.

Audi has also equipped the A6 range with the new seven-speed S-Tronic dual-clutch gearbox and this improves efficiency and reliability compared with the previous Multitronic system. The intelligent shift program now includes the ability to just “coast” when in the new Efficiency mode to enhance fuel economy. In past generations, Audi would be introducing larger, more powerful gas guzzling engines but this year, Audi’s efforts are focused on being more eco-friendly, offering instead their smaller, more fuel-efficient 1.8 TFSI with 190hp that brings better performance, reaching 100km/h in just 7.9sec and a top speed of 233km/h while being exceedingly frugal, sipping just 5.7L of fuel every 100km. 

The previous version of the 2.0 TFSI with 180hp is not only less frugal, it cannot keep up with the new 1.8 TFSI being a half second slower to 100km/h. While the new 252hp 2.0 TFSI at 6.7sec is quicker than the old 2.8L V6, it has impressive consumption and CO2 numbers that can match that of the ultra-efficient 1.8 TFSI only needing 5.9L of fuel for every 100km and emits just 4g more of CO2 than the 1.8’s 133g/km. In anyone’s books, these are both amazing engines. 

Audi’s remake of its A6 is understated but masterful. The styling changes are not too drastic as this is just a mid-cycle refresh but that did not stop it from producing a new version that is more than merely fuel-efficient. Not only is it faster, the A6 is now more engaging to drive, too. And the new engines are truly the icing on the cake as the new A6 does a whole lot more for a whole lot less.