Reviews

Audi A6 hybrid interior, dashboard & comfort

Inside, the Audi A6 TFSI e is large, comfortable and spacious – plus it has a great infotainment system

Overall rating

3.5 out of 5

Interior, dashboard & comfort rating

4.0 out of 5

Audi is known for making stylish and comfortable interiors, especially on its larger cars. The A6 falls into this latter category and so benefits from a cool and crisp design, great seats and plenty of space in the rear for passengers to stretch out. The overall effect is calming and cosseting.

Equipment is fairly generous, too, especially as you get further up the trim (and price) range. Entry-level Sport cars get just about everything you could need – including a trio of clear displays, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and leather upholstery – but the intricacies of the trim-level layout can require some careful consideration if you're after a certain feature.

Overall, the A6 remains a great companion on the motorway, feeling comfortable and quiet and surrounding its occupants in a modern and fuss-free environment. The problem for Audi is that BMW, Mercedes and Volvo can all do much the same – often with some improvements.

Audi A6 hybrid dashboard

With an overall design borrowed from the larger A8 and also found on some of Audi's SUVs, the A6's dashboard reflects the brand's cool and slick image nicely. It's dominated by two central touchscreens and a set of full-width air vents, along with a wide centre console that houses the equally essential gear selector and cupholders. A large digital driver's display completes the thoroughly modern look. 

Equipment, options & accessories

With a list price approaching £55,000, you'd expect plenty of standard kit on even the cheapest A6 plug-in hybrid. That model is the Sport, which gets 18-inch wheels, LED lights all round, Audi's MMI infotainment across three screens, Parking System Plus, quad-zone climate control and wireless phone charging, plus leather upholstery. However, there's no powered seat adjustment, which we feel is a bit of an odd omission.

S line trim is a favourite with Audi buyers and on the A6 it brings sportier exterior styling, larger alloy wheels (19 inches), matrix LED adaptive headlights, Alcantara upholstery, sports suspension and tinted rear windows, among other goodies. Black Edition cars look similarly sporty, but add larger wheels again (20 inches), plus black trim pieces inside and out and a flat-bottomed leather steering wheel.

Vorsprung boasts a comprehensive list of equipment, from super-sports seats in upgraded leather to a panoramic sunroof and premium Bang & Olufsen sound system. With an on-the-road price of over £73,000, however, it's very hard to recommend.

Infotainment, apps & sat nav

There are three infotainment screens in the A6 and while that may sound overwhelming, the system is among some of the easier ones to use in this class. Two screens are mounted centrally, with a 10.1-inch screen set highest running sat nav, phone connections and music, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A second screen sits below and is reserved for ventilation and car settings.

The third screen sits behind the steering wheel and is among the best digital-dial setups in the class. The screen, called Virtual Cockpit, can be configured to put emphasis on digital gauges or a large-scale view of the sat-nav map – but it's worth noting that the latter only works in conjunction with the car's built-in navigation software, not any apps you might be running on your connected Apple or Android phone. Mercedes' twin-screen setup still wins for wow factor and BMW's is a little snappier and more logical in our eyes, but Audi hasn't been left behind just yet.

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