Test Drive Audi A6 since 2011 Sedan
Three sisters
One is looking for fans in the highest circles, the other uses the success of the commerciality, and the third loved by Luda varnish. They are similar and so different. Their name is Audi A6 Avant, Volkswagen Passat Variant, Skoda Octavia Combi. On the railways of Germany run commercial wagons with pride inscriptions on board: Wir Fahren Fu..r VW und Audi We ride for Volkswagen and Audi. The German railway workers have undergone eight years as it was necessary to get stencil, paints and supplement customer list with the name Skoda.
Exactly. Under the father's roof of the Volkswagen Group, there are as many as three sisters long-range relatives like SEAT or Bugatti do not count. And it would be fine alone if I was fond of music, another painting, and the third theater, so there is no one to give the groom, and even from among them, as they said in a scoop, car enthusiasts.
Jokes jokes, but in fact. Nokia subdivisions, let's say, produce tires, phones, electronic scoreboard and a number of other widespread goods. Caterpillar product range includes bulldozers and boots. Volkswagen Group releases cars of three brands. Not dump trucks and motocoles, and cars, including middle class, even externally look at each other. Is competition inside one economy, the key to success of the very capitalist system?
Do not be lazy and look into the catalog. Passat, Octavia and A6 can be equipped with the same turbine engine with a volume of 1.8 liters and a capacity of one and a half hundred horses. In case of conditional similarity of the design of the bodies, the dimensions and the amount of minced meat in each of the three machines, you can assume that by and large the question is only in the title, label, nameplate on the stern. As Ecumenists say, God alone, simply has different names: Christ, Allah or Buddha. Someone prays on Audi, someone believes in Passat, someone, like a penny church candle, the scraping only on Octavia, and grace will decoup on everyone
Of course, everything is not so simple. And the person who gave for Audi the amount is almost three times more than his brother over the blood laid out for Octavia, probably, not only on a loud name.
To make sure about it once again, we took three cars of one concern to the test. And having remembered from the wagons from which this text began to be decided: Let it also be the cars of a small composition, which came from the Volkswagen Group depot.
Sisters hostess. It is necessary to say that the main advantage of the station wagon is its part that is located behind the backs of the front seats. It is difficult here to come up with something new. Another thing is to implement.
The car is not a horse, come to her from behind. The cargo-passenger part Octavia is contemporated according to the traditional scheme: separated in the ratio of approximately 40:60 pillows and backs of the rear seats. The pillows rise vertically, and the backs, respectively, are stacked horizontally, forming an impressive room in size. The procedure is simple, but a certain inconvenience deliver head restraints that necessarily have to be extracted, otherwise the backs will not fall into its place. In Passat, the situation is similar.
A pleasant surprise was the presence of a Skoda mesh, which ships off the luggage compartment from the passenger zone and is designed to not allow bags and suitcases to sit on your head. In Passat, by the way, such a grid refers to additional accessories. And we have passed all, of course, Audi: the curtain and grid are combined in one removable block and are part of the standard equipment. Moreover, this mesh can be attached in both versions: both with folded and laid rear seats.
Czech has a funny disadvantage. With a sufficient length of the bedroom, try to spend the night in it can except Yoga. To increase the capacity of the luggage compartment, the OCTAVIA designers lowered the floor level in the luggage compartment, and its surface appeared below the folded seat backs. In this regard, Passat is out of any criticism, and Audi simply deserves all sorts of praise. Not only that the procedure for folding seats does not require the withdrawal of head restraints that do not know where to shove out, also the site profile is obtained as it were with the rise in the side where the head should be. This is all the more surprising, since the alleged Audi owner is unlikely to use the interior under the bedroom if he had enough money to buy such a car, enough for the hotel!
Interestingly, a decent difference in the length of the base (OCTAVIA is generally shorter than the sisters) practically does not affect the size of the luggage compartment. Only passengers in the back seat will be able to feel it, for the legs of which remains noticeably less space than in Audi and Volkswagen.
By volume of the cargo-passenger zone, the leader is Passat. 1600 cubic meters DM against 1590 at Audi and 1512 in Octavia. Although Audi wins in length of this zone 1884 mm. Returning to the idea of \u200b\u200bnontrivial use, we note that in all three machines it is not possible to open the rear door from the inside. Yes, this is not America's ideas of a bedroom carriage alien and German, and Czech designers.
In the hill. So, with the luggage compartment figured out. And if you are not a suitcase with shirts, you will most likely go to the wheel.
The design of the dashboard and the devices on it in all three cars are almost the same. In Audi, in addition to the traditional tachometer, the speedometer with an odometer electronic display, engine temperature pointers and fuel reserve, added shooters at the bottom of the tachometer dial, as well as the battery charge pointers and oil temperature in the right and left corners of the instrument panel. A trip-computer readings are displayed on the odometer display.
In the design of the interior, the organization of the driver's seat and the control bodies, too, is also clearly traced. But if the OCTAVIA standard setting is very close to Passat, then Audi leaves them up with a decent separation. The standard package includes a central lock on all doors with remote control, immobilizer, climate control with the outdoor air filter and separate temperature control for the driver and passenger. Full electric car with heated outer mirrors, adjustable in two planes Steering column, steering power steering, electric height adjustment electric drive, heated front seats with smooth adjustment. In addition, the Audi Chorus branded audio system and four airbags, frontal and side, and all seat belts have a pretension system and are adjustable in height. As well as many other necessary and useful trifles.
Passat, in general, you can't call the poor. From the above, it is non-electrified only the rear windows, there is no remote control of the lock and there is no audio system. It has a radio program that includes an active antenna and eight speakers. Two front airbags. The same as in Avant, the abundance of all sorts of pockets and boxes for trifles. And in the glove compartment there is a pleasant surprise, who served a good service during the filming of the car at a 30-degree heat. Through a small nozzle, cold air from the air conditioner is displayed and wonderfully cools the drinks. Verified. Act.
Against this background, the base Octavia looks like a stepdaughter. Although the airbag, belts with pretension, hydraulicer, electric board, two-plane steering adjustment, as well as a vertical seat, all this is present. The meaning is that for reasonable money is offered the necessary minimum. And all other pleasures, including climate control, leather interior, etc., can be ordered only for an additional fee.
The quality of the finish in all machines is very high. Against this background, OCTAVIA looks like, her role in this company is so modest and tasteful. Strict, elegant and stylish-luxury atmosphere is Audi. Business, a little heavy, solid interior is Passat.
Power of feelings. The gamma proposed for each of the three engines contains an unambiguous hint of a specific hierarchy.
For front-wheel drive Audi A6 Avant, only five are provided, but what! The easiest of them is a 1.8 liter gasoline engine with a capacity of 150 hp, followed by two 2,4 and 2.8 liters and a capacity of 165 and 193 hp. respectively. These motors are attached either five-speed mechanical transmission, or a five-speed automatic with manual Tiptronic type. For more economical people there is a four-cylinder 1.9-liter turbodiesel with a direct injection and an intercooler, a mechanical 5-speed or automatic 4-speed gearbox. And for economical athletes there is a V-shaped six, where 2.5 liters of volume are issued 150 hp. With a torque of 310 nm in the range from 1500 to 3200 rpm. Dynamics of allegedly stupid diesel speaks for itself: overclocking until hundreds of 9.9 seconds. This is the only one of all the motors, equipped with a 6-speed mechanical transmission. That's all. It seems that the choice is small, but the point here is completely in the other, a certain plank is installed, below which Audi A6 does not ignore. And there is some snobble in this if you, HERR, Mister, Sir, choose the Audi A6, even if you are shed, then be prepared to play according to certain rules.
Passat is focused on the consumer with medium income. And such more. From here, apparently, and a wider choice: seven variants of power plants. The concept of possible combinations similar, except for a little more democratic. 101-strong 1.6-liter and 125-strong 1.8-liter engines are equipped with a 5-speed mechanical, or a 4-speed automatic gearbox. More powerful motors, 150-strong 1.8-liter volumes with turbocharging, 5-cylinder VR5 with a volume of 2.3 liters of similar power, as well as a V-shaped 193-strong six-liter six-grade gear, may have either a 5-speed mechanics, Either 5-step tiptronic. For two four-cylinder turbo diesel engines, the same in volume is 1.9 liters, but different power is 90 and 110 hp Accordingly, only 5-speed mechanics and an ordinary 4-step automaton are provided.
If you look attentively, it turns out that, regardless of the logo on the lid of the valve mechanism, at least three of the possible models possible for each of these two brands are absolutely similar to: 1.8 with turbocharging, six and 110-strong diesel. Long live capitalist integration! You will not find a Passat with a six-cylinder turbodiesel or a 2.4-liter six, which is very freshly your own developing Audi, as you will not be able to meet Audi A6 with a simple 1.8 liter gasoline engine, five-cylinder or 90-strong turbodiesel. It would seem, and what prevents if others are used. But no, it is necessary to somehow delimit your niches on the market.
With Skoda, the situation is somewhat easier. With accession to Volkswagen Group, the Czech auto enterprise, obviously, assumed the task to close the sector inexpensive, but high-quality folk cars. Nevertheless, the choice of engines is quite rich. For Octavia Combi, three gasoline engines are possible, similar to those in which Passat is completed. This is a 1.6-liter and two 1.8-liters, one of which with turbocharging. Plus, two 1.9-liter Volkswagenian turbodiesel and one atmospheric capacity of 68 hp, which neither Passat, no more than Audi A6 are completed. The usual automatic 4-speed transmission is possible only for gasoline engines.
It turns out that for less money you can buy a car with the same engine that stands on more expensive. And on the service to pay for maintenance of the same motor, the smaller value of the norm-hour. Only the car still will be another brand.
Women. You can talk about design, finishing and configuration for a long time, but the nature of the car first determine its running quality. We will not lie that we happened to experience all two dozen complete sets of three sisters, but we tried the most running ones in the case.
Audi A6 AVANT with a 2.4 engine and the Tiptronic box has a clearly sports temperament. At the same time, the set of speed is so smooth that they don't even immediately notice how quickly and actively accelerate. To a large extent, this contributes to beautiful noise insulation and a very quiet, balanced motor. The car reacts in perfectly to the steering wheel, accurately performs maneuvers and stunningly resistant on the road. The anti-slip system sensitively controls the operation of the gas and does not allow overload. The electronic ABS with the brake force distribution system provides a quick, even and efficient slowdown. Ease of control, complete predictability plus a high comfort of the cabin, which is still required from the machine, which is not even turning to be called a barn. But still there is a six-power gear in almost two hundred horses!
Passat like it like it. Especially when the same turbocharged motors of 1.8 liters are under the hoods of cars. The turbine works very softly. High torque is achieved by revolutions below 2000 and is supported at one level in a very wide range. As a result, the car is extremely elastic in various modes within the same transmission. Passat is equipped with the same as in AUDI, electronic blocking of differential and electronic brake force distribution system. It has no worst handling and courseworthy, carefully turns sharply. An excellent suspension, and even besides, with a Russian package, it is remarkably filtered by the road, and small irregularities are generally immatched. Nevertheless, Passat left the impression of a car in which comfort and safety is more important than the ability to especially actively ride. But it should be that, because it is Variant, and such has its own concepts about how to move.
Octavia with the same turbocked engine in terms of dynamics is not inferior to the elder sisters. But it is worth equipping a czech with a power unit with a volume of 1.6 liters, as the picture changes dramatically. The car is pretty laughing at the start, but after 100 km / h becomes thoughtful. Apparently, the weight ratio and engine power affects. And completely grieved the brakes: the pedal is too sluggish, and with a sharp braking with high speed, the slowdown occurs somehow uncomfortable. Probably, in versions with disk rear brakes, this moment will be better, here are alas. Negative impressions are partly compensated by maneuverability and quality of suspension. For the station wagon with the elongated rear swell, Octavia fits well into steep turns and passes the snakes with almost no one characteristic of such vehicles. The suspension is tough, but not to such an extent to cause discomfort. And if you abstract from impressions received from landing in Passat and especially in A6, it is clear that OCTAVIA is a decent car for its niche.
On issuing. Ironing Moscow asphalt, stuffing in the trunk. All sorts of SKARB, slit from the shutter of the camera and the folding-deductible catalog of the circuit, we did not set our task to find out: marketers from Volkswagen Group. Of course, no wonder. Otherwise, how do they manage to keep on the issuance not alone, and at once three beauties? The youngest, in the good sense of the word, is available. But, alas of Nimnica. The older has a lot of horses, but most of the father's inheritance got exactly her. And the average is because it is the average that it only rows. Not to judge us, but to the one who comes to wrap.
Text Andrei Timofeev, Dmitry Gronsky, photo Maxim Goodko
Source: "Autopilot"
