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I’ve fallen in love with a diesel. Audi ’s 3.0-liter TDI is a fantastic engine, and it is has found a wonderful application in the gorgeous 2014 Audi A6 TDI. I like to think of myself as an unpretentious guy. I’m a rare steak and iceberg lettuce kind of guy (no potatoes anymore – no carbs for me). Whenever I hear auto journalists raving about diesel sedans, I have to fight the impulse to shout “Euro-snob! We’re Americans! We like our hot-rods! Keep your soccer balls to yourself, and give me a V8!”
My test vehicle was a loaded 2014 Audi A6 TDI Prestige model. The Prestige package adds $2,800 to the base price of $57,500. My tester also came with a $2,800 Driver Assistance package (more about that later), a $1,500 19” Sport package, and 20” 10-spoke wheels ($800), along with a $500 coat of Glacier White metallic paint. Add in the $895 destination charge, and the as-tested price came to $66,795 – definitely premium territory for a mid-size sedan. The price includes Audi’s 4-year/50,000-mile warranty, 1-year/5,000-mile no-charge first maintenance service, and 4-year roadside assistance (provided by a third-party). EPA estimates for fuel economy are 24 mpg city/38 mpg highway.
A6 is in its fourth generation, following a makeover for 2012. The first A6 appeared in the United States as a 1994 model, taking on the alphanumeric designation after a redesign of the Audi 5000. The current vehicle shares a lot of visual cues with the rest of the Audi sedan lineup, including a big, open-mouthed grille and pulled-back horizontal headlight array. The entire package is sleek, elegant and unfussy. Audi’s press fleet of TDI models seem to all be white with slightly overstated gray “TDI” stickers along their rocker panels – but you don’t have to become a rolling advertisement for the technology in real life, as there are 13 subtle color choices available without the big stickers.
If you’re a fan of overstuffed luxury, the A6′s interior might strike you as a little sparse. But if you’re a connoisseur of modern design, you’ll recognize the excellence of Audi’s choices. There’s a thematic motif of shape that is repeated throughout the cabin that really appeals to me, as the bezel that surrounds the air vents subtly mirrors the bezel that outlines the door handle pockets. Material selection is first rate, especially on the Prestige model. There’s no mistaking the real wood trim — you can actually feel the raised grain when you touch the panels. And real metal and polished aluminum trim pieces do not lie to your hands.
Audi’s multi-media interface (MMI) appeals to me, and I really love the screen placement in the A6. The 8″ color screen tucks away inside the dash when not in use (and when the ignition is shut off), and then mechanically levers up at the center of the dash, the ideal location, in my opinion. You can read the screen without a big diversion of attention from the road. Audi’s touchpad MMI touch sits on the left side of the center console, just beside the driver’s right thigh, making it very easy to input quick information into the system — much easier than the scroll wheel, which is the default input.
My test vehicle’s Driver Assistance package proved extremely useful, especially on Los Angeles’ ridiculously overcrowded freeway system. Audi adaptive cruise control can bring the A6 all the way to a complete stop, and then start the car in motion again when traffic moves, while Audi active lane assist helps keep the car between the lines. It’s not autonomous driving, but it certainly takes the edge off of bumper-to-bumper traffic once you get to trust the system. The top view camera is a dream when it comes time to park — I’m a really good parallel parker, but I have been known to scrape a wheel or two. The illuminating top view eliminates this hazard.
I’m pretty convinced that if I blindfolded most drivers, put them behind the wheel of the A6 TDI and let them drive (after taking off the blindfold, of course), 9 out of 10 would never guess that they were driving a diesel vehicle. You have to really listen for the telltale diesel clatter at idle and when the car is pulling, and it’s hard to find. The turbocharged V6 is refined and smooth and most of all, powerful as all get out. With 240 hp and 425 lb-ft of torque available, the A6 provides a rush of linear acceleration. In the past, diesel engines were derided as noisy and smelly. Diesel fuel standards have tightened over the last twenty years, but diesel still has a distinctly different odor from gasoline, and it has an oilier texture that tends to stay on your hands longer than gas — so you want to be extra careful when fueling. But once A6 gets the fuel in the tank, it burns almost as cleanly as comparable gas engines. The fun chemistry part of diesel is that a gallon of diesel can release more energy than a gallon of gasoline, which accounts in part for the A6 TDI’s impressive fuel economy rating. Turbocharging matches well with the diesel engine’s performance characteristics, and the A6 is tuned to deliver torque throughout its rev range, with no perceptible “turbo lag” in the process. The eight-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission is smooth as silk, and keeps the engine in the right range to take full advantage of the diesel power. Snick the console-mounted gear selector into “S” mode, and the performance gets even better. Audi reports zero-to-sixty times of 5.5 seconds for the TDI, just a hair off of the A6 3.0T’s (supercharged and gasoline-powered) figure of 5.3 seconds, while improving on fuel economy by 11 mpg highway. Impressive.
Put into even simpler terms, the A6 TDI just feels like it charges down the road, pushing you back into your seat and flattening your eyeballs into your skull. You know, like fun.
Audi’s attention to detail extends to the suspension and handling characteristics of the A6. I really liked the feel of the sedan’s electromechanical power steering system, which is tuned to give speed sensitive feedback. The quattro all-wheel drive system is standard on the TDI, and it gives the A6 the feel of incredible grip on the road, especially in dry conditions. We’re going through a historic drought here in Southern California, so I didn’t get a chance to test the A6 in the wet, but if you live in a rainy or snowy place, quattro will be an asset.
The A6 TDI has moved way up my list of mid-size premium sedans, maybe all the way to the top. When I close my eyes and think “mid-size sedan,” the picture I see looks a lot like the A6. It’s the very model of elegance and restraint, and combining that with the intoxicating power of the 3.0-liter turbodiesel just puts it over the top. I really love this car.
The mid-size premium diesel sedan pool is small, tightly competitive (and all-German). The BMW 535d xDrive and the Mercedes-Benz E250 BlueTEC Sedan each have their fans. The BMW brings a similar six-cylinder sporting bent, while the M-G opts for four cylinders and even greater fuel efficiency (but less fun).
The A6 TDI is the first diesel-powered sedan that I’d actually buy, and would recommend to my premium-inclined friends. Drive one before you settle for a gasoline-powered sedan, and I think you’ll be surprised and intrigued. That won’t turn you into a snob. It’ll just make you a forward-thinking diesel fan
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