2015 Audi A6 3.0 TDI Road Test Review

If the 2015 Audi A6 3.0 TDI was a person, it might bring up mixed feelings and secret insecurities. Nothing this fascinating, talented and capable should be so good looking as well. It’s like it came from another planet where everything works and everyone is well-educated. Where the dominant species has evolved to a supremely high level.

Anything bigger and more expensive seems like mere extravagance and overstatement when compared with this car. It has tech, hardware, class and style to spare, while the refined diesel engine makes sure there are many fun-packed miles between fill-ups.

Dimensions-wise, the EPA classifies the A6 as a midsize sedan. It competes with such premium cars as the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Jaguar XF and Lexus GS.

Even at its so-called “entry level” the 2015 A6 3.0 TDI Quattro comes in well-equipped Premium Plus trim, starting at $58,700 plus $925 dest. Premium Plus means 18-inch alloy wheels, heated mirrors, navigation, Audi Connect wi-fi, parking sensors front and rear, xenon headlights and LED daytime running lights.

For those who’d like the best of the best, there’s the Prestige trim, with a head-up display, ventilated front seats and full LED adaptive headlights as standard, starting at  $62,500 plus dest. A warm weather package (four-zone climate control, manual rear side window sunshades and power rear window sunshade) is also standard in Prestige, and now optional in Premium Plus trim.

Audi is one of the leaders in automotive design. Its cars always manage to look streamlined and modern, understated but not bland. Designers who work for Audi often go on to become stars of their industry. Take Peter Schreyer, for example, who helped create the original and highly influential TT before becoming head of Hyundai and Kia’s styling studios. 

The current A6 (fourth generation) has received a mild facelift for the 2015 model year, but stays in harmony with the overall Audi themes. New options include a black grille with a high-gloss surround, a matching black gloss window surround, and 20-inch Rotor-design wheels with a Titanium finish. 

The interior is yet another example of Audi’s fine work. Not only is it pleasing to look at, it’s also pleasing to the touch, with high-quality materials put together with a fit and finish that makes the A6’s cabin a stand-out feature in its class.

Dropping into the front seats, we find well-shaped chairs that are somewhat on the firm side but prove their worth in long-haul support. Combine these with a serene and ergonomically well-thought-out cabin, and the A6 TDI is an ideal road trip car, able to pile on the miles without adding to driver fatigue. Rear passengers should also find little reason to complain unless they’re pro basketball players or too far away from the front to carry on a conversation. 

Trunk volume of 14.1 cubic feet is not the best in class, but it’s more than sufficient for most people. As a guide, one of those upright freezers is also about 14.1 cubic feet. The load space is easily accessible and well shaped as well. To free up even more space, the rear seats split and fold 60/40 and there’s also a ski hatch.

This model year also brings some revisions in the gadget department. Audi’s proprietary Multi Media Interface (MMI) infotainment system has a faster processor and now packs a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot. This is in addition to a retractable eight-inch color display and a Google Earth-compatible navigation system as standard. 

A Bose surround-sound audio system is an option in the Premium Plus, involving 630 watts coming out of 14 speakers. At the Prestige level, the upgrade is a 1,300-watt, 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen setup. where a pair of tweeters rise up out of the dashboard for a little extra drama. It sounds cool too.

Another super-cool feature is handwriting recognition. Users can trace letters on a touchpad using just their finger, without having to take their eyes off the road. Sensors beneath the pad detect these movements and interpret them as commands for the infotainment system.

More old-school, but still loved by many: a sunroof is standard in both TDI models.

The 2015 A6 earns five out of five stars in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash tests and the top score of “Good” in Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) tests. 

Eight airbags are standard, which includes front occupant knee airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. Rear side airbags are optional. 

All-wheel drive is standard, as indicated by the Quattro term, along with Audi Side Assist (also known as blind spot monitoring) and the company’s “Pre Sense” system. There’s a basic level of Pre Sense in every A6; if an accident is imminent, it will pre-tension the seat belts, and close the sunroof and windows. Pre Sense Rear is standard for both TDI cars. It will automatically flash the brake lights to warn traffic coming up from behind.

A 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 develops 240 hp, which is good, and 428 lb-ft of torque, which is great. Torque is where most of the action lives, setting up that impressive wave of acceleration. An eight-speed automatic transmission sends that power to all four wheels. 

Some A6 gasoline engines are all-aluminum construction, but Audi’s technicians decided that diesel combustion works best in something sturdier, so this engine has a cast iron block. But a little weight is saved by having aluminum cylinder heads. 

EPA estimates are 24 mpg city, 38 mpg highway, and 29 mpg combined. For a big, luxury car, those figures are music to the ears of anyone who covers a lot of miles. And we’ve found average EPA diesel numbers can be bettered without too much effort.

To launch this car from standstill to 60 mph seems immature, but as an indication of how quickly it can get its two-ton weight going (which is always good to know when joining the freeway or easing past the slow guys), then 5.5 seconds is impressive. Top speed is limited electronically at 130 mph.

Like virtually every modern turbo diesel engine, peak torque comes in low — at 1,750 rpm in this case — for a satisfying thrust out of corners and all those other occasions when building speed is the aim. But it’s never unrefined. It’s actually hard to tell it’s a diesel most of the time.

The chassis is supple yet controlled and probably as sporty as any A6 buyer is going to want. By all means, test-drive a version with the firmer optional sport suspension, but make sure to take it over some rough surfaces and see how that sits with you. And remember that the 20-inch wheel option will mean lower-profile tires that are less forgiving.

Every so often, there are pool room conversations or chats by the barbecue grill that run something like this: If you could have a car for everyday use, with a fairly generous budget, but still keeping running costs in check, what would be your ideal buy? Well, here’s the answer. The 2015 Audi A6 3.0 TDI really hits the sweet spot for grace, space, and pace.

Pros:

Superb design inside and out. Class and presence that will look good outside the swankiest five-star hotel, but still doesn’t shout “Look at me.” All-wheel drive, huge torque, reasonable fuel bills. Enough passenger and trunk space to satisfy most people. Convenience and safety tech features galore. The kind of car you’d want to drive across a continent.

Cons:

Piling on the options gets expensive in no time. The steering feels a little light and over-assisted at low speeds, which might actually be a good thing for negotiating city traffic. The 2015 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (that measures problems per 100 vehicles produced) puts Audi at just below average with 115 problems per 100. But that’s still better than Acura, Cadillac, Land Rover and Volvo.