[MidnightMarauder]

The i5 has a new competitor, as the new Audi A6 E-Tron was announced.

What are your thoughts on the new Audi?

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a6...tron-revealed/

[ToddRGuy]

Originally Posted by MidnightMarauder

The i5 has a new competitor, as the new Audi A6 E-Tron was announced.

What are your thoughts on the new Audi?

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a6...tron-revealed/

As I wait for my 5'er to get built, I have a 2018 A5 Sportback. I couldn't decide for a couple months whether or not to wait until the next generation came out, or to go ahead and order a G60. With zero communication from Audi until July about an impending Fall 2024 release, I went forward.

Now that the A5/S5 are revealed, (and this model you're discussing) it actually only made me more confident in my decision. While I don't mind their clean exterior design language, the decision to get rid of the A4/S4 and create a single platform to be 'all things to all people' is risky. The side profile also lacks definition. The front is pretty cool though.

I'm not overly thrilled with the interior design. I understand that they probably made some last-minute decisions to try to come up with a second screen solution to compete Mercedes, but seriously? That looks like a painful afterthought.

The final nail in my Audi coffin, was their ever-decreasing JD Power reliability rating. It was great when I bought mine in 2018, and my car has proven that to me. Zero maintenance trips, other than yearly scheduled ones. Now, I wouldn't feel so confident.

[mjr24]

Audi has been irrelevant for the last 10 years in my book…..

[RichardInCA]

I’m intrigued - would be interested to test drive, but I’m very happy with my i5. I actually prefer the interior layout of the i5 from these early photos. I’d need to know how their software shapes up vs iDrive.

would be fun to compare the two touring models side by side.

[Scrapula]

It’s pretty bad looking from the side. I agree that the second screen looks like an afterthought. Why not extend the entire panel? The rest of the interior is sharp, though.

[Blue Sky]

It’s intriguing that they are trying to make a less expensive EV. But I’m put off on the e-tron version of the Taycan, the interior is clearly not as nice. Same impression here, that even though there isn’t a comparison car, it looks like downgrade of some interior.

I think the passenger screen is just a copy over of the Taycan and Macan. This is what VW group is doing now. Just take a look of pictures of Taycan, Macan EV, and Panamera hybrids.

[deutsch100]

The 2020 R8 V10 and 2022 e-tron we had for a few months....NEVER trust an Audi again. Dumpster fire!!!

BMW software on its absolute worst day ever, is still leaps and bounds better than Audi on its best day ever.

[ToddRGuy]

Originally Posted by TLK

It’s intriguing that they are trying to make a less expensive EV. But I’m put off on the e-tron version of the Taycan, the interior is clearly not as nice. Same impression here, that even though there isn’t a comparison car, it looks like downgrade of some interior.

I think the passenger screen is just a copy over of the Taycan and Macan. This is what VW group is doing now. Just take a look of pictures of Taycan, Macan EV, and Panamera hybrids.

Very good call out. I mean, BMW is on the road to homogenizing their interiors to some extent but no one is ever going to accuse them of only having minor variations between series.

Clearly, they’re willing to (and quite frankly don’t seem to care about public opinion) take design risks.

Audi models on the other hand are starting to look like a reboot of the Starwars - Clone Wars movie.

[scas12]

My take is that Audi is a brand that's stuck between VW and Porsche. They can't be too tailored and customized otherwise they compete with Porsche, and VW is trying to add features to compete at the lower end. I really wanted to like the Q6 and SQ6 but they've come out meh.

[ToddRGuy]

Originally Posted by scas12

My take is that Audi is a brand that's stuck between VW and Porsche. They can't be too tailored and customized otherwise they compete with Porsche, and VW is trying to add features to compete at the lower end. I really wanted to like the Q6 and SQ6 but they've come out meh.

Very good points. It reminds me of the conundrum faced by Toyota and Lexus. They can’t allow Toyota’s “flagship” monstrosity the Crown to be upscale, as they don’t want to infringe on Lexus. What’s sad, is that the Toyota Crown Sedan, sold exclusively in Japan, isn’t bad looking.

This weird dynamic of automakers within the same Corporate group having to cautiously avoid stepping on each others toes, is annoying. I factored it in to my decision to switch to BMW. They are only limited by their desire to maintain distances between series, and aren’t bound by multi-vector contortions to keep Brands from overlapping.

[8GranCouper]

Can't speak for their EV's but I spent a lot of time with the C8 (current gen) A6 and it's a fabulous machine, especially with rear steer and the extended leather pack. Fantastic proportions too. IMO it remains the best-looking midsize German sedan on sale today.

This EV just looks bloated, and it's a shame to see it replace the spectacular A7 hatch. I've seen comparisons online with the Toyota Crown, which I can't unsee.

[RichardInCA]

Originally Posted by 8GranCouper

Can't speak for their EV's but I spent a lot of time with the C8 (current gen) A6 and it's a fabulous machine, especially with rear steer and the extended leather pack. Fantastic proportions too. IMO it remains the best-looking midsize German sedan on sale today.

This EV just looks bloated, and it's a shame to see it replace the spectacular A7 hatch. I've seen comparisons online with the Toyota Crown, which I can't unsee.

Poor old Toyota - it’s always the go to for new German designs “looks like a Toyota X”

I think this picture doesn’t look too bad TBH.

[Theophilus]

I commend Audi for the 350 mi range, which exceeds the i5. It seems the S6 will also compete with the i5 M60 in 0-60.

[8GranCouper]

Originally Posted by RichardInCA

I think this picture doesn’t look too bad TBH.

You're right, that's because the A6 in that photo is the slightly prettier concept car. The actual production version is not as flattering.



In fact there's another comparison I saw that is also fitting.

[Blue Sky]

Looks kind of low in the back with that roofline.

[RichardInCA]

Originally Posted by TLK

Looks kind of low in the back with that roofline.

Yeah - Kyle Conner’s review made that point too; no avant version in the US, as usual…..

[bmwterp]

Originally Posted by mjr24

Audi has been irrelevant for the last 10 years in my book…..

Well...Maybe not anymore. Looks pretty interesting.

[bmwterp]

Looks amazing. I'm on a BMW i5M60 lease.

I'd really like to lease these types of cars. Between battery degradation and new tech, it just makes way more sense.

[JustChris]

The range looks much better on the A6.

[8GranCouper]

The German configurator for the new A6 and S6 is up and already people on other forums are complaining about the cost-cutting in the options, like no more multicontour or massaging seats or extended leather packages.

https://www.audi.de/de/brand/de/neuw...figurator.html

All the complaints about the cost-cutting on the G60 5er interior are just as applicable here on the new Audi. I think this will be an ongoing trend in the auto industry.

[rgw]

I'm currently in a B9.5 A4 Allroad until my 540i is built and delivered, so I don't hate Audi. In my opinion, the thing Audi has done well in the past was make very timeless looking vehicles with sharp looking interiors that are fairly functional. Of course, the AWD system has a strong reputation.

The exterior for the C9 generation looks like something that could have been revealed in Seoul not Ingolstadt. I do not care for Audi tagging along on an already well-trodden bifurcated lighting trend. Also, I don't think the industrial design hides its heft very well. It looks like a vehicle that has a big battery pack underneath it. The G60 takes some heat for this issue but BMW seems to have slimmed the car as much as they could with clever industrial design. I like that the sedan is really a sportback though.

The interior has a very functional look to it but a few journalists have pointed out that the climate controls are less usable than the G60 infotainment integrated climate controls. They didn't think about the touch points with regard to the trim near the bottom of the screen which could cause mis-taps. I don't really love the trend for jamming climate into a screen but BMW seems to have won the execution battle between them and Mercedes or Audi. I do not get MB's or Audi's obsession with the front-seat passenger screen. Especially with the Mercedes sedans...the cabin indisputably looks better without it! My wife doesn't need a screen, she's got an iPad with cellular and a Kindle. Finally, Audi has went all-in on capacitive touch "button" panels that look and feel cheap. The G60 has some of this but BMW didn't go as far as the Audi. I don't think the door or steering wheel has a single real button in the Audi C9 platform vehicles. Reviewers have noted some cheaper materials that may not be high touch areas but not unnoticeable. Again, G60 takes heat on this too.


Frankly, if I were to have decided to get an Audi E segment vehicle I would have made it a priority to order a C8 generation ASAP. The vehicles simply look sharp and the cabin feels a bit more special than the incoming model. Unfortunately, the technology packaging on a current-gen A6/A7 is fairly dated compared to the competition. You will almost certainly have a more fluid experience in the latest iDrive or MBUX deployments. Their driving assistance packaging is behind what you can get in an E Class or 5 Series too if that is a factor for you.

[8GranCouper]

How the interior looks if you don't option the passenger screen, you still get the bezel.