• Three Half Star

• Good

• Quality interior.
• Strong, economical engine.
• Gains luxury car tax break.

• Bad

• Lacks handling and dynamics of competitors.
• Petrol engines show more zest.
• Platform showing its age.

Price and equipment

The A6 2.0 TDI undercuts the pricing of its logical rivals from both BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

And while styling is in the eye of the beholder, the A6's simple, sweet lines contrast with the cuts and swathes of both the 5-Series and E-Class.

Standard equipment on the A6 includes satellite navigation, integrated radio/CD/DVD, leather trim, dual-zone climate control, powered front seats, cruise control and 17-inch alloy wheels.

Under the bonnet

The four-cylinder engine utilised across the Volkswagen Group produces 125kW and 350Nm in the A6, using a claimed 5.8 litres per 100 kilometres and emitting 153g/km CO2. A particulate filter helps reduce other emissions.

Our fuel use average after a week of driving came out at 5.9L/100km.

Equally impressive is the engine's behaviour. By diesel standards it's quiet and smooth, although its noise is always in the background.

A fuss-free continuously variable transmission aids progress.

Perhaps the biggest issue for the turbo-diesel is the knowledge that Audi offers some superbly refined and zesty turbocharged petrol engines.

The 2.0TFSI is not as economical as the diesel (the claim is 7.7L/100km) and it costs $3000 more, but it is wonderfully flexible.

How it drives

This sixth-generation A6 has been around since 2004 and its replacement is due later this year.

Compared with rear-wheel-driven thoroughbreds such as the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW 520d (itself due a generational change), the front-wheel-drive A6 lacks ride and handling refinement.

Steering is light and vague. The ride is busier and has more bounce than desirable. Call it competent rather than confident.

Tyre roar on coarser surfaces is also intrusive — a common fault among European cars.

Comfort and practicality

The A6 has quality of design, materials and build, making it a nice place for a drive of any distance.

That applies to the rear seats as much as the front, because there is enough space for two adults.

The boot, too, is super-spacious, boasting 546 litres of luggage capacity in a long, low rectangle. The rear seats easily split-fold.

More moderately sized items are stored in numerous cubby holes throughout the cabin.

The driver's seat is ample if a bit flat, the four-spoke multi-function steering wheel adjusts manually for both reach and rake and there's a sizeable footrest.

There are a profusion of stalks and controls to digest but once familiar it mostly works pretty well.

The ability to dial up a digital speedo on the dash is handy.

There is a familiar collection of buttons and controls on the car's centre stack and console — and this is where the A6 seems to be ageing.

The MMI car control system (equivalent to BMW's iDrive) is overly complicated for what should be simple things, such as selecting a radio station.

Safety

The TDI includes front, side and curtain airbags, as well as stability control and anti-lock brakes. Limited vision makes rear parking sensors a welcome addition.

The A6 gains the maximum five-star NCAP independent crash test rating.

Overall verdict

Incentives that encouraged Audi Australia to import the A6 2.0 TDI and then cut its price should help buyers in the market for a decently equipped and frugal German-engineered car. However, the A6 2.0 TDI is not cutting edge. We'd rate the 520d as a nicer drive and the E220 CDI as a better car but the A6's assets offer their own appeal.