2008 Audi A6

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By  Marty Padgett, Executive Editor

2008 Audi A6 3.2L
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The editors of TheCarConnection.com read the latest reviews and researched federal data on the new 2008 Audi A6 to put together this conclusive review. TheCarConnection.com’s car experts also drove the 2008 Audi A6 to bring you more details on the mid-size Audi, to explain why some reviewers rated it as they did, and to help you decide if the A6 is the right car for you.

Likes:
- Light feel of major controls
- Exterior styling
- Interior features
- "Top Pick" for safety

Dislikes:
- Easy to ring up a $60,000 bill
- Wide front grille
- Interior not as handsome as previous edition

Available in both sedan and Avant wagon forms, the 2008 Audi A6 sports a svelte shape fronted by Audi's new wide-frame grille, which TheCarConnection.com's team of car experts thinks is a big distraction from the otherwise clean lines of either the wagon or four-door. For the current model year, Audi has made new exterior trim standard, including "S-line" badges, 18-inch wheels, and new front and rear bumpers.

The Avant wagon has some specific styling cues other than its handsomely rounded haunches, and includes a cargo-securing rail system behind the seats; it can transport 20 cubic feet of cargo with the seats in place and 58.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. A power-operated tailgate is optional.

The 2008 Audi A6's interior isn't as handsome as the previous generation's, but it's still a functional and cleanly designed place to work, with wood and metallic accents livening up the typically dark trim. It's also stocked with safety gear, earning top safety ratings from the government and the insurance industry.

A choice of powertrains across sedan and wagon lines includes a 3.2-liter V-6 that generates 255 horsepower, as well as a 4.2-liter V-8 rated at 350 horsepower and available only in a sedan body. Power is transferred in front-drive models by a gearless Multitronic continuously variable transmission (CVT), which has been programmed so that it can be "shifted" like a manual transmission in seven stages. Models with standard quattro all-wheel drive, including the V-8 sedan, use a six-speed automatic transmission. There's also a high-performance S6 powered by a V-10 engine, which TheCarConnection.com covers separately.

With any of the engines, the A6 lineup has a distinctly light touch to its controls, far from the hefty responses you'd get from the Mercedes-Benz E-Class or BMW 5-Series. The steering is deft and quick, the brakes responsive, and even with the less powerful V-6 engine, the A6 feels lighter on its feet than most of the cars in this class.

All A6 audio systems get MP3 capability, and a trip computer/driver information center is standard on all models. There's also a new overhead console, and a rearview camera system has been added to the Technology Package. A wealth of high-tech options includes optional adaptive xenon headlamps, which automatically pivot to illuminate the road through corners, and a Multi-Media Interface (MMI), which incorporates navigation, audio, climate control, and other operations into a single system operated by a joystick-like center console control and dashboard-mounted video display.

The Bottom Line:
The 2008 Audi A6 has plenty of competition, but its graceful look and feel set it apart from more brutal German and more clinical Japanese iron.

Other Choices:
If you like the 2008 Audi A6, also consider:

- Mercedes-Benz E-Class
- BMW 5-Series
- Cadillac STS
- Lexus GS
- Infiniti M35/M45
- Jaguar XF

This crowded segment includes two German competitors that also offer station-wagon versions with similar options, including all-wheel drive. The Japanese competitors from Lexus and Infiniti put their emphasis instead on V-8 power and technology, with the Lexus GS also being made in a Hybrid model. The Cadillac STS sports angular, American style and big V-8 power, and it offers all-wheel drive, while Jaguar's slinky new XF sedan comes only with V-8 power, supercharged or not, and a glamorous, cutting-edge interior.

Buying Tip:
The 2008 Audi A6 is nearing the end of its life cycle, and it's relatively easy to find leasing bargains on the mid-size Euro contender. As TheCarConnection.com's editors recently witnessed, it's easy to spin the A6's price tag near $60,000 when the options are larded on--but the basic front-drive, six-cylinder A6 still looks great and offers good front- and backseat room. Audi's MMI controller, which operates the audio and navigation systems, is more intuitive than BMW's iDrive setup, but we still prefer touchscreens like those in the Jaguar XF.