It's been a few years since I last drove an A6. My lingering impression was of a nicely appointed but loosely suspended car. Like the related B5 Passat, it leaned more in turns than a sport sedan ought to. The sport suspension likely helped in this area, but Detroit-area dealers rarely stocked cars so equipped because they came standard with summer performance tires. So I don't believe I ever drove one.

The A6 was redesigned for the 2005 model year. I generally try to drive cars as soon as possible, but this one slipped through the cracks. Each time I dropped into an Audi dealer something else--A3, A4, A8, S4--seemed more enticing. Especially the S4.

Well, while visiting South Carolina recently I drove the new S-Class. My father was also visiting, and I enjoy sampling luxury sedans with him. I like to drive at least two cars each outing, to provide reference points, and I really have been meaning to drive the latest A6, so over to the Audi dealer we went.

We ended up driving two cars, a 2006 3.2 V6 and a 2005 4.2 V8. I've focused on the latter in a second review content_223225941636.

Styling

The 1984 Audi 5000 was a groundbreaking design. With shear, ultra-clean sides and totally flush windows, it started the aero trend. Audi sold a ton of them until lackluster reliability and talk of "unintended acceleration" sent sales into a nosedive.

Fleeing that train wreck, Audi twice renamed its midsized sedan, first the 100 and later the A6.

The 1998 A6, though not as revolutionary as the 1984 5000, was another pioneering design. The round ends of the car were especially daring. Carried by this car and the similarly styled A4, Audi sales finally began to grow again.

In comparison, the current A6 is an evolutionary design. It looks much like the 1998-2004 car, just longer, sleeker, and showier.

The additional length is largely an illusion. While the new A6 looks much longer than the previous one, the tape measure will find only another inch and a half. Even more puzzling, while the car's front overhang now appears enormous, wheelbase has grown by over three inches, suggesting that overhang was actually reduced.

Illusion or not, the new car needs the optional 18-inch alloys to look good. The 17s both due to their size and styling look undersized and weak. They ruin the entire look of the car. The 3.2 we drove had these wheels, but the 4.2 had the larger ones. Spend the $900.

No one I've come into contact with likes the current Audi front end. Hopefully it will soon leave us.

Overall, the previous A6 had a more balanced, more classic design, but the new car has a bit more flash and considerably more presence.

Audi inevitably comes up in any discussion of automotive interiors, as it has been the industry benchmark for at least the last decade. At first glance the new A6 upholds this tradition, with chrome-outlined wood trim on the dash and doors and a few more square feet of the stuff on the sportily-sloped, luxuriously broad center console.

Yet some materials are a step or two below those in the previous car. The gray plastic faceplate that spans the upper face of the instrument panel would not look out of place in a Hyundai. And the armrests on the doors are made of the same ungrained hard plastic that has been met with much disdain in the new Passat.

No doubt my perceptions were slightly distorted by the big Benz I had just driven, but I still expected the Audi, even at less than two-thirds the price, to be nicer inside.

The wood is available in both blonde and traditional medium brown tones. My father always detests the former. Though I personally have natural maple bedroom set, in the Audi the lighter shade didn't work for me, either. I suppose this is why they give you a choice.

Accommodations

Considering the size of the A6, its driving position affords good visibility and helps the car feel at least a bit smaller than it is. Like those in past Audis, the seats in this one are about as firm as luxury sedan seats get. They are nicely shaped, with four-way power lumbar on both sides enabling a precise fit. But some people will wish for plusher seats. Sports seats are available, but aren't very necessary in this size car.

Despite the widespread criticism of BMW's iDrive control system, both the new S-Class and the current A6 have their own versions of it. Perhaps over time these things become easy to use. Perhaps not. They do keep getting better, but conventional controls would be better still. The CD changer is in the glove compartment--why do the Germans continue to have so much trouble putting it in the instrument panel?

The rear seat is moderately roomy and fairly comfortable, making it better than the low, relatively cramped rear seat in the Mercedes E-Class but not quite up to that in the current 5-Series. It provides decent thigh support, but a bit more height off the floor and more room for toes under the front seats wouldn't hurt.

Trunk volume is about average for the class. As in other German midsize luxury sedans, but unlike those from Japan, the rear seat folds to expand the trunk.

On the Road

The 3.2 V6 was new last year. With the benefit of an ultra-high compression ratio (12.5:1) courtesy of direct injection, this engine is very responsive and produces 255 horsepower at its peak of 6500 RPM. I found acceleration much quicker than I expected given the two-ton mass of the car, even from a stop. Perhaps I shouldn't have been so surprised, as 255 horsepower would have been quite impressive a decade ago.

Yet my father felt the V6 required too much throttle to move the car along. It didn't help that this engine is significantly louder and makes less sophisticated noises than those in many competing luxury sedans. I didn't mind its note, but some, maybe even most luxury sedan buyers will wish for something more hushed. It does take away from the luxurious character of the car.

With six forward ratios, the transmission has a proper gear for any circumstance. Sometimes it hesitated to kick down without a serious prod from the right foot (or the use of the manual shift function). But in general it made exploiting the engine's powerband quite easy.

The biggest surprise for me was how the A6 handled. I've been disappointed by both the A4 and the A8 within the past year. Both feel larger than they should, and when pushed like to plow. Especially the big Audi, which also rolls quite a bit in hard turns.

In contrast, the A6 felt more balanced and smaller than its actual size. An A4 feels smaller and sportier still, but not nearly as much as its smaller size suggests it should. Steering that is quick, moderately firm, and communicative (for a luxury sedan) helps. As in other Audis, the all-wheel-drive system is especially helpful when powering out of turns--you won't spin a tire or have the car's composure upset by any nasty understeer or oversteer.

One caveat: it's possible that here as well my reference point was affected by the big Benz, this time in the Audi's favor. The big Benz handles very well for a large car, but it is undeniably LARGE.

Whatever the reason, I quite enjoyed hustling the A6 along a twisty road. I would have enjoyed a 5-Series still more, but the gap is not as large as I assumed it to be. Compared to the previous A6, the new one rolls less in hard turns and generally feels more balanced and precise.

But then there is ride quality. With the 17-inch tires the ride is usually decent. But a BMW or Lexus is smoother and has the feel of a more upscale car. The A6 lacks the sense of gliding over the road that typifies those cars.

With the 18s, ride quality suffers considerably. Even minor potholes are both felt and heard. My father was not happy. It's possible that the 4.2 has a slightly firmer suspension--the V8 car certainly felt tighter--but be sure to test drive the A6 with the 18s if you plan to buy the larger tires.

Even with the 17s, the Audi is firmer than pretty much any current competitor. In this regard it maintains a German tradition that Mercedes and especially BMW have largely abandoned.

A $3,000 S-line Package includes an even firmer sports suspension. I'd only advise this route is handling is a much higher priority than ride quality.

The available (for $2,300) air suspension might help, but it didn't do a whole lot for the A8. And BMW somehow does very well without the aid of such trickery.

Audi A6 Price Comparisons and Pricing

The two most popular comparisons (base to base, without rebates, adjusted for feature differences):

BMW 525xi: $2,800 more at MSRP, $2,600 more at invoice

Acura RL: $300 less at MSRP, $1,800 less at invoice. Gap widens to $4,700 at MSRP and $5,900 at invoice when the Audi is equipped like the RL--Audi charges dearly for options.

In general, an Audi will cost you less than a Lexus, BMW, or Mercedes. But it will also depreciate more quickly, and thus might cost more in the long run.

Prices change frequently, and differences will vary based on feature level. To quickly generate these and other comparisons with the specific features you want, visit my Web site, www.truedelta.com. (It's the only site that provides true "apples-to-apples" price comparisons.)

TrueDelta's page for the Audi A6:

http://www.truedelta.com/models/A6.php

Last Words

With the 18-inch wheels the A6 remains a strikingly attractive car despite being less of an aesthetic leap than its predecessor. The interior sports a few spotty bits, but in general maintains the uplevel ambiance for which the brand is known.

The current A6 looks larger and more elegant than the previous one, suggesting a less sporty, more luxurious car. Instead, the opposite is the case. On the road, the A6 is firmer and harder-edged than most other luxury sedans, even other German luxury sedans. This makes it sportier than I expected, but also less luxurious. A BMW manages to feel both sportier and smoother.

My father nearly bought an A6 2.7T instead of the Lexus GS 400 he ended up with four years ago. He really liked that car. This time around, though, he found little to his taste. Since he's the sort of person who buys luxury sedans, and I'm not, Audi might want to do some tweaking to bring the car's dynamic character more in line with its appearance.

A Note on Audi A6 Reliability

I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've started collecting my own data. Results, once they are available, will be posted to my site, www.truedelta.com, with updates every three months.

Unlike other sources, TrueDelta will clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy an A6 rather than another vehicle by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats (among others). You will be able to specify the number of years, annual miles, and types of repairs to include in Audi A6 reliability comparisons.

Before I can report results, I need data on all cars--not just the A6--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. For non-participants, this access will cost $24.95.

For the details, and to sign up, visit www.truedelta.com.

My reviews of related vehicles:
Audi A6 review (previous generation)
BMW 5-Series review
Cadillac STS review
Infiniti M35 review
Jaguar S-Type review
Lexus GS review
Mercedes E-Class review