Audi A6: 2019 Motor Trend Car of the Year Finalist
Excellence that sneaks up on you
WE LIKEClass-leading interior, incredibly quiet cabin
WE DON'T LIKERoad noise from 21-inch tires, fake exhaust tips
The fifth-generation A6 moves to a new platform with a choice of suspensions that make for the best-riding A6 in a while, albeit one that's a bit firm on uneven surfaces. Zach Gale said the A6's excellence "sneaks up on you."
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The 3.0-liter V-6 replaces a supercharger with a turbo and is now a mild hybrid with a standard 48-volt system. Judges called it quiet, smooth, and capable. The ride is crisp and sharp, Frank Markus noted, but it was still possible to get a slide going on the handling course. It rides the big curves like a bobsled on a steel track. The transitions from one corner to the next are wonderfully precise.
Kudos to the acoustics team—the cabin is almost unnervingly quiet. "Breathtakingly clean and elegant," Angus MacKenzie said. Chris Theodore called it a revelation that re-establishes Audi as the interior design leader. The matte wood trim, supple leather, and Alcantara marry well with the three screens of the optional Virtual Cockpit while keeping a redundant volume button. There was appreciation for the large back-seat area.
The exterior drew mixed reviews. It left Theodore cold, but others felt the conservative styling and surfacing were elegant and upscale—except for the fake exhaust tips.
The A6 is loaded with technology, including a lane centering system that was hit or miss. And there was love-hate (mostly hate) for its cruise control's traffic-sign recognition, which lawfully follows the speed limit to the point of slamming on the brakes in a transition zone.
"This is really what a luxury car should feel like," Mark Rechtin said. "Modern, forward thinking, plush, yet restrained."
READ ABOUTCONTENDERS:
- Buick Regal
- Ford Mustang
- Ford TransitConnect
- Hyundai Accent
- Hyundai Elantra
- Honda Clarity
- Kia Forte
- Lexus ES
- Lexus LS
- Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
- Nissan Altima
- Toyota Avalon
- Toyota CorollaHatchback
- Volkswagen Jetta
READ ABOUT 2019 CAR OF THE YEAR FINALISTS:
READ ABOUT 2019 TRUCK OF THE YEAR FINALISTS:
READ ABOUTCONTENDERS:
READ ABOUT 2019 SUV OF THE YEAR FINALISTS:
- Acura RDX
- Ford Expedition
- Hyundai Kona
- JaguarI-Pace
- Jeep Wrangler
- Lincoln Navigator
- Range Rover Velar
- Subaru Forester
- Volvo XC40
Alisa Priddle joined MotorTrend in 2016 as the Detroit Editor. A Canadian, she received her Bachelor of Journalism degree from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, and has been a reporter for 40 years, most of it covering the auto industry because there is no more fascinating arena to cover. It has it all: the vehicles, the people, the plants, the competition, the drama. Alisa has had a wonderfully varied work history as a reporter for four daily newspapers including the Detroit Free Press where she was auto editor, and the Detroit News where she covered the GM and Chrysler bankruptcies, as well as auto trade publication Wards, and two enthusiast magazines: Car & Driver and now MotorTrend. At MotorTrend Alisa is a judge for the MotorTrend Car, Truck, SUV and Person of the Year. She loves seeing a new model for the first time, driving it for the first time, and grilling executives for the stories behind them. In her spare time, she loves to swim, boat, sauna, and then jump into a cold lake or pile of snow.
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