Introduction

Now in the final shadow of its life as one of the leading executive saloons, the Audi A6 has to tough it out with a whole host of newer contenders, not least the latest and pretty wonderful BMW 5 Series. This version of the A6 will be replaced in 2018, so until then it has to compete in a class where pretty much everything is fresher – Jaguar XF, Mercedes E-Class and many others. Yet it’s not the walkover of the Audi that you might have expected. Key aspects still stand out, plus, because it is nearing the end of the cycle, Audi has been throwing money and equipment at the A6 to maintain the appeal.

Did you know? The only A6s with petrol engines is the S6, with a minimum of 450hp and a starting price of £58,000.

Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing

Verdict:★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7.5/10)

There’s something that – still – makes the A6 stand out from the crowd. The lines are pleasing in their minimalism, giving the Audi a classy yet unexaggerated appeal. The regular engines and transmissions do the job well, there’s a masses of passenger and luggage space, and then there’s the icing on the cake: the interior remains one of the very best, both in appearance and the way it all works. Acquire a new A6 through one of many heavily underwritten deals and this Audi can seem like something of a bargain.