Test Drive Audi A6 Avant since 2011 Wagon

AUDI A6 AVANT VS AUDI A6 2.4 LIMOUSINE

Here is an occasion to return to the topic of sustainable popularity in our country Sedan's bodies. For a week, AUDI A6 2.4 Limousine has appeared at the disposal of the autopilot, in a pair of Avant. Nothing special and exclusive - just the Germans do not use the term sedan, preferring to call such limousine cars.
It so happened that the week had fallen troubles and we regularly have to go beyond the city for long distances - as a result we covered the distance equal to traveling to Petersburg and back. During this time, constantly changing the steering wheel, it was possible to completely appreciate two cars. Although the comparison is not entirely correct - the sedan A6 represents the 2001 model year, and Avant for the whole year older. Audi A6 Limousine went to us in the so-called Russian package - this means an enhanced suspension, increased clearance and other rubber. As a result, it turned out to be much smaster than the wagon. Yes, and stands on the road a little higher.
 
(+) Equipment of the sedan is a little richer, there are more different pleasant trifles in it - the electrical rear window curtain, heated the rear seats, the more modest and elegant decoration of the interior of black leather. Otherwise, this is the usual Audi A6. Even the driver's seat is as close - if your height is more than 174 cm, then you are guaranteed to gently rub the right foot about the beard.
(-) A little about the advantage of sedans in front of the universal. In Audi A6 2.4 in the cabin much quieter than in Avant. In the universal, much more internal volume, but the payroll for it is constantly walking the harsh echo of the suspension. Drain it can not even a powerful audio system from BOSE.
(+) By the way, on audio systems - CONCERT or SYMPHONY radio systems are installed on Audi cars of this class. In Avant, we have the first, in the sedan - the second. By power and sound - the same, but Symphony we liked much more. First, the sound control knob in the left, closer to the driver, and sound control does not distract from the road. Secondly, in this system you can download one CD from the front panel, while the universal has to climb into the trunk and change the CD in Changer.
(-) The Audi A6 sedan was equipped with an automatic TIPTronic transmission. From the point of view of the autopilot, it is minus. Although we did not expect from a car with a weaker (against our Avant), the motor of hurricane acceleration dynamics, all the same tiptronic with a 2.4 engine caused some disappointment. In the city, the machine is, of course, more convenient. But even then - for the time being. The pause between the sharp pressing of the accelerator pedal and the beginning of the intensive acceleration is so large that it practically does not allow sharp overtaking through the left strip when it moves a rather dense flow. But the antidote was found pretty quickly, about this speech below.
(+) The Tiptronic system allows you to switch transfer manually, and during a certain skill it reduces the disadvantages of the machine gun.
The information display constantly highlights the mode of the box. If you are driving in automatic mode, the D indicator is lit. as soon as the knob is translated to the right, in manual mode, then the number of the corresponding transmission is ignited. By clicking the gearbox by the selector, we found a curious pattern: I feel in the fourth gear - speed, engine speed - everything corresponds. Turn on the manual mode, and the digit lights up on the scoreboard 5. We realized that the machine constantly on one transmission is higher than I want, and developed such a driving style: before the start of intensive overclocking, almost simultaneously with the rotation of the steering wheel, the gearbox in one movement is translated to the right Down, on reduced gear. At the same time, press the gas pedal until it stops, and the nature of the car changes dramatically. Now the behavior of the sedan A6 was almost equal to the behavior of a more powerful AVant with a manual box. At the very least, we managed to easily ride the city in a bundle and keep up with each other.
(-) That's what I sincerely disappeared, so this is the average fuel consumption on the sedan. The numbers on the display were constantly danced within 21.2 - 21.8 l / 100 km. Consumption increased significantly when we drove in manual mode and quite aggressively - regularly switching to reduced transmissions. More economically fuel spent automatically. These figures are the result of the weekly dough of the car and, we hide on it a little longer, maybe it would be possible to choose the optimal mode and cut to 20 l / 100 km. But still it is a lot. The seemingly voracious Avant with his 12--15 l / 100 km was in an obvious win.
(+) In the sedan a surprisingly large trunk. When an externally, a small lid smoothly departs up, a huge cave opens, in which you can freely place the three or four biggest suitcase. True, shipping a large number of luggage in the sedan is not very convenient - things need to push deep inside the trunk. To do this, you constantly have to bend, and the dirt is gradually transferred from the rear bumper on clothing.
 
We pleased with the presence in the rear sofa of a special window with a cover for long items. Fishing rods or skiing can be placed in a car without any inconvenience for passengers, but taking into account the fact that only two people can now be accommodated.
On the Audi A6 AVANT speedometer is already 20,000 km. There are no problems yet, especially after we have changed the wheels for 19,000. As a result, the car has become more resistant in sharp turns at high speed. Money is still spent only on gasoline ...

Text Nikolay Kachurin, photo Alexey Ilyin

 

Source: "Autopilot"