Audi first introduced the A6 nameplate in 1994 as a replacement for the outgoing Audi 100. Since then, the German automaker has ushered in a total of four generations for the model, with the current-gen dropping in 2011. Of course, seven years is a long time for just about any vehicle generation, and as such, Audi is prepping a fifth-generation A6 for the 2019 model year (Audi is calling it the “eighth generation,” but we aren't counting the refreshes as entire generations). Scheduled to appear in the metal at the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show, Audi likes to frame the mid-size premium sedan as the “multitalent in the luxury class,” bringing a healthy mix of style, sportiness, opulence, and technology, all in a comfortable four-door package. And, as you might expect with a generational changeover, the 2019 model year brings a few styling changes outside, a brand-new interior layout, a fresh suite of convenience and connectivity features, and a mild-hybrid upgrade for the powertrain, not to mention a variety of suspension set-ups and standard quattro AWD grip, all of which help to underline the model's do-it-all attitude.

The A6 is offered in a variety of body styles and configurations, and as such, this generational shift will undoubtedly trickle down to several corners of Audi's product portfolio. We're still waiting on a few details regarding the U.S.-bound model, but in the meantime, read on for the latest.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2019 Audi A6.

Audi A6 Exterior

In terms of exterior aesthetics, the 2019 Audi A6 takes its cues from the new A7 Sportback and A8, employing the brand's latest styling language as originally laid out by the Audi prologue concept that debuted at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show. The new Audi A6 builds on the previous model's styling with sharper lines, harder angles, and beefier details, and although the styling isn't a total reboot compared to the outgoing model, it's still different enough to warrant the “all-new” label the brand is giving it, and that's something we're not used to coming from Audi.

In front, the first thing you'll notice is the brand's characteristic Singleframe grille, which dominates the fascia thanks to a thick polished metal surround and horizontal divider lines. Compared to the previous model year, the 2019 A6's grille looks a bit wider and shorter, enhancing the car's visual girth in the process. The headlight housings were also reshaped, and now get a flatter appearance plus clearly defined edges and lines compared to the slightly more rounded housings found on the outgoing model. Buyers can get theirs with the optional HD Matrix LEDs lighting elements if desired, while the standard daytime running lights stretch lengthwise across the face of the housing. The side intakes lower in the bumper are also new, and look smaller and sportier than the longer intakes of the previous model, complementing the subtle front chin spoiler. The windshield wipers get integrated washer jets.

Moving around to the sides of the vehicle, we find a rather handsome sedan profile, which is typical for the German brand. There's a long hood line, while the roof line pushes towards the tail in a sporty, forward-leaning manner. The wheelbase is long, while the overhangs are short. Bulky fender flares in the rear give the car a little extra visual muscle. A brushed metal surround keeps it classy around the windows.

When viewed from the rear, the 2019 A6 looks quite wide indeed, with horizontal taillights sweeping in from the fender and into the trunk. Additional chrome details and highlights can be found throughout, which includes a strip connecting the taillights. Dynamic turn signals utilize the taillight graphics, while a curved trunk lid spoiler is added for optimized aero purposes. Audi even claims the A6 achieves 0.24 drag coefficient, which is right up there with such efficiency-oriented models as the Tesla Model S and Toyota Prius. The car's revamped aero package keeps it quiet inside as well.

Buyers get 14 different paint options to choose from, including seven shades just added for the 2019 model year. Further customization options can be had with the various sport and exterior design packages, as well as the more aggressive S line pack.

It's also worth noting that the A6 is most definitely not a small car, especially when talking about the even-larger fifth-gen vehicle, which gains size in every dimension. Total length now comes to 16.2 feet, an increase of 7 mm compared to the outgoing model. The 2019 Audi A6 is also 6.2 feet wide, an increase of 12 mm, and 4.8 feet tall, 2 mm taller than before.

2019 Audi A6 Exterior Dimensions

Audi A6 Interior

Much like the exterior styling, the 2019 Audi A6's interior changes it up a good deal compared to the outgoing model. While the cabin still emphasizes Audi's penchant for horizontal design, the dash and center console are totally new, with the myriad of hard buttons and knobs replaced with touch-sensitive screens. We think these deep black panels look fantastic, and do well to give the interior an even cleaner, yet high-tech appearance that seamlessly blends with the traditional wood paneling stretching from door to door. Well done on that front, Audi.

The controls are tilted towards the driver slightly to offer easier operation. There's also a new seat design, which offers features like optional ventilation and massage functions. In addition to wood, aluminum tops the materials list for the interior, seen prominently with the automatic transmission lever on the central tunnel.

Now let's get into those new touch panels we were just raving about. The display on top of the dash measures in at 10.1 inches in the diagonal, and offers controls for the MMI navigation system (more on that in a bit). Just below it is a 8.6-inch display in the center console, which is used for climate control, text input, and other convenience functions.

Go for the MMI navigation plus package, and you'll find a third screen just behind the steering wheel. Dubbed the Audi virtual cockpit, this is essentially a 12.3-inch digital readout which replaces the traditional analogue gauges, providing vitals like road speed and navigation instructions. There's also a heads-up display that can project further info onto the windshield.

All told, the 2019 Audi A6's interior is much more high-tech. Thanks to those screens we just mentioned, the old rotary controls are gone, making for what Audi is calling an all-digital MMI touch response infotainment system. There's even an option to replace the interior lighting and multi-function hard buttons with touch response bits as well. What's more, the MMI touch response system offers haptic and acoustic feedback to assure you that your input was indeed received. If you can't be bothered to lift a finger, there's also intelligent voice control, which links with the onboard data and MMI navigation systems for more robust phrase recognition.

Audi says the onboard systems are fully customizable, with as many as 400 different parameters to tweak and tune to your taste. That includes drag-and-drop functionality to personalize the various vehicle control icons, configured into a tile-like layout that's meant to mimic a smartphone. A variety of shortcuts and favorites make it all a little quicker to navigate, and there are as many as seven profiles for the various settings, which is great when multiple drivers are using the same vehicle.

MMI navigation is standard, while an LTE Advanced web link is used for connectivity and data transfer purposes. Step up to MMI navigation plus, and Audi tosses in a learning function that will provide smart search and custom navigation based on your frequent routes, while route guidance from HERE comes with real-time traffic info. Each buyer also gets six months of complimentary map updates as standard with the navigation plus package.

The Audi phone box provides mobile device support, while the myAudi app provides easy access to the various features from your device of choice. The optional digital key feature allows Android users to lock and unlock the doors and remotely start, with up five users supported for even greater sharing capability.

Further tech standouts include a number of car-to-X services, such as traffic sign recognition, hazard info, and an on-street parking service. Audi says these systems utilize “the swarm intelligence from the Audi fleet and network the Audi A6 with its environment.”

And of course, no modern luxury car would be complete without the various semi-autonomous assistance features. As such, the 2019 Audi A6 comes with parking pilot and garage pilot as part of the Park assist package, making it easier to get in and out of tight spots. There's also the City assist package with crossing assist, and the Tour assist package with adaptive cruise control plus lane-keep assist and efficiency assist. Running it all is a central driver assistance controller that “calculates continuously a detailed model of the environment from a fusion of sensor data” provided by as many as five visual cameras, five radar sensors, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and a laser scanner.

Dimensionally speaking, there's more space inside the 2019 model year compared to the outgoing model, with increased legroom in the rear, plus extra headroom and shoulder room front to back. The trunk can accommodate two golf bags, with a volume of 18.7 cubic feet total, while a kick under the bumper is all that's needed to electrically open the trunk lid.

Buyers can get their A6 with the optional premium audio system from Bang & Olufsen, which offers 3D sound (right to left, as well as top to bottom). Further available equipment includes an air quality package with an added air fragrance, air ionizer, and a more effective filter, an optional panoramic glass sunroof, and an optional heated windshield.

Finally, there two interior lighting packages on the table, including the ambient lighting package and the contour ambient lighting package, the latter of which offers 30 different light colors. There's also five interior schemes to choose from, including basic, sport, design, design selection, and S line sport package. Each gets unique colors and materials, such as open-pore wood and leather upholstery.

Audi A6 Drivetrain

The big news in the drivetrain department in undoubtedly the fact that each engine configuration in the 2019 Audi A6 gets mild-hybrid assistance as standard. Utilizing a belt alternator starter and lithium-ion battery, this set-up can recover up to 12 kW of energy on deceleration, which Audi says can provide as much as 0.7 liters of gas per 100 km.

Further efficiency enhancers include a coasting function between 34 mph and 99 mph, as well as a start-stop function that works at speeds up to 13.7 mph and will predicatively start the engine as soon as the car ahead starts moving thanks to the A6's various onboard sensors.

In Europe, the engine options include one diesel powerplant and one gasoline powerplant, both of which get quattro AWD as standard. The gas burner is composed of a 3.0-liter TFSI V-6, which is turbocharged to produce 340 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. Mated to a seven-speed S tronic automatic transmission, the A6 will do the 0-to-62 mph sprint in 5.1 seconds and reach an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. It also provides a combined fuel consumption up to 35.1 mpg thanks in part to Audi's Ultra technology, which deactivates the rear drive wheels to run a more efficient FWD configuration.

Next up is the oil burner, which also gets three liters of displacement, six cylinders, and a turbocharger to its name. Output this time around comes to 286 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque, all of which is routed towards the ground through an eight-speed Tiptronic transmission and self-locking center differential. Fuel returns come to 43 mpg combined.

While Audi has yet to release specs for the U.S.-bound engine configurations, we'll almost definitely get just the gasoline engine option. After the initial release, we might get a few other four- and six-cylinder options as well.

And since the A6 is supposedly a do-anything sort of luxury sedan, it gets an optional sport differential for the rear axle, which integrates with the adaptive suspension (if equipped) and damping system for a more entertaining handling experience.

Audi A6 Chassis And Handling

To go with all the aesthetic equipment changes, the 2019 A6 also gets a few updates to the hard bits under the skin. Audi claims the new A6 is sportier than the model that came before, while also offering an “improved ride and noise comfort,” mostly thanks to a few well-executed suspension and chassis tweaks.

The bones of the machine are made from steel and aluminum, the right stuff to keep it as stiff and light as possible. And, in case you didn't know, stiffness and lightness are vital to how a car handles and feels on the road, both from a comfort and a performance perspective. To that end, more aluminum is used for the doors, hood lid, trunk lid, and fenders, plus there's a good amount of the alloy for the suspension components, such as the fixed brake calipers in front and front suspension strut dome.

The A6 offers four different suspension set-ups, including the base steel springs, a stiffer sport suspension, the upgraded damper control, and the top-of-the-line adaptive air suspension with controlled damping.

The 2019 Audi A6 also comes with all-wheel steering, with the rear wheels angling by as much as 5 degrees. When traveling at low speeds, the rear wheels will turn in the opposite direction of the steering wheel, which helps to reduce the turning circle by 3.6 feet, down to 36.4 feet overall. At higher speeds, the wheels turn in the same direction as those in front, enhancing stability and comfort when you need them most.

Speaking of turning the wheel, the 2019 A6 comes with a standard progressive steering system, with a ratio that varies between 9.5:1 and 16.5:1. The higher the angle of steering input, the more response you get in the direction change.

Finally, the A6 gets bigger wheels this time around – up to 21 inches in diameter, with tire sizing rated at 255/35. And if you really want your Audi to feel like its on rails, go for the S line sport package, which throws in 19-inch wheels and that stiffer sport suspension we already mentioned.

Audi A6 Prices

The 2019 Audi A6 launches in the German market this June, and will start at 58,050 euros. A U.S. release is expected sometime afterwards. Official pricing for the U.S. model is still forthcoming, but it's expected to stay close to that of the outgoing model, which starts at just under $50,000 as of this writing (03/01/2018).

Audi A6 Competition

BMW 5 Series

First up in our list of competitors is the latest BMW 5 Series, which just got a renewed seventh generation for the 2017 model year. Highlights include a lower curb weight thanks to the inclusion of Bimmer's carbon fiber-reinforced plastic technology, which certainly helps elevate the sedan's claims to sporting fun. The weight loss also helps the car be more efficient, with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder and 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder on the list of powertrain options. There's even a hybrid, if that's your kinda thing. Both RWD and AWD are offered, with an eight-speed automatic gearbox on call for the transmission duties. The interior is also quite nice, and comes equipped with the latest technology features, including gesture control and a 10.25-inch infotainment screen on the dash. Pricing starts at $52,650 for the base model 530i.

Read our full review on the 2017 BMW 5 Series.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

As goes BMW and Audi, so goes Mercedes. The Merc option in this mid-size premium four-door shootout is called the E-Class, which also just saw a generational changeover for the 2017 model year. We think it looks good in that classic Mercedes kind of way, while the interior is a rather nice place to be thanks to a gorgeous-looking layout and a host of S-Class-inspired features. Behind the flat-bottom steering wheel is a 12.3-inch digital screen, while a choice of 64 different colors can be had for the LED ambient lighting. Upwards of 241 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque is created by the base model's turbocharged 2.0-liter 'four, which hits the rear wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission. An AWD iteration is also offered.

Read our full review on the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

Conclusion

The Audi A6 has always been a very solid choice in this segment. While it's not quite as sporty as the Bimmer and not quite as elegant as the Mercedes, the A6 is definitely one of the smarter choices here. That characteristic is emphasized even further with the introduction of the new mild hybrid system across the lineup. More efficiency is always appreciated, even on models with a sporting angle to them, and we see it as a good indication of where Audi is headed in the future.

We're also really enjoying the interior. The plethora of screens on hand give it a fantastic new look, mixing futuristic techno-cool with Audi's traditional luxury goodness. In fact, we'd go so far as to say the A6's new interior can challenge that of even the E-Class in terms of refinement and design.

We even like the exterior redesign. It looks fresh and sharp, and that enormous Singleframe grille is starting to grow on us a little as well. Throw in the standard quattro AWD, and you'd be hard-pressed to make a case for either of the above-listed German competitor as the more sensible buy.

References

Audi A6

Read our full review on the 2018 Audi A8.

Read more Audi news.

Read more Geneva Motor Show news.