I've just sold my 21 month old TTS and bought a new A6 S-line 40tdi saloon with tech pack (MY2020 - Firm' blue/grey interior). My job now involves a 100 mile round trip commute, so 50+ mpg was obviously a key motivator to this swap.
I've had it a week and put 600 miles on it, so here's my initial impressions:-
I saw this one in the showroom and the combo of dark met blue and grey interior works well (esp. with stock s-line bi-colour wheels), and would have been my 'factory order' choice. The TTS was black and I wanted something different and (hopefully!) either to clean, although the firmament blue does look black in certain lights.
The 'motorway' ride and refinement are excellent, and I don't find the safety systems too intrusive.
I'm struggling to get used to the gear change at the moment, esp during 3 point turns, but I'm sure this will become second nature soon. The lock seems quite poor (without the rear wheel steering), reminding you it's a big car, but I don't find it too hard to parallel park.
I've been trying to learn its foibles regarding the well-published lag from junctions. It took me a while to experience it, likely due to the 'kid gloves'/running in mode when you pick up a new car, but over this weekend I've discovered it. A friend who has one convinced me you could solve it my using auto or dynamic modes, and others have said use the sport mode, but I'm not so sure. I've become convinced it's a conflict between two software algorithms (something like the anti-stall issue that plague F1 drivers off the grid). To me it feels something like when the sluggish (and most unrefined/agricultural aspect of the A6 C8) stop/start finally shakes in to life when you press the go pedal, and the ESP/Traction system then detects too much power being applied for the situation, so it backs off the torque. I think the only way to beat it is to wait half a second after the engine has fired up and then press the accelerator (not very intuitive when you are trying to pull out on to the roundabout before the oncoming artic!).
The cabin ambiance and tech are are constant marvel for me. I'm reasonable ok with the touch screen methodology, but being tall, do find the screens a little distant. I also find the accelerator pedal a little close to the seat compared with the steering wheel/space for left foot. When I tested the A6 I thought that it didn't suffer the offset driving position like to A4 and C Class, but now I find it still does a bit in that your left leg is always pushed to the right. However I'm sure I'll get used to, and comfortable with, the driving position.
My current concerns are associated with the latest Tech for 2020 (Amazon Alexa/Wireless CarPlay). I'm finding connections are 'hit and miss' (the TTS was also similar, but wireless CarPlay seems to make it far worse).
If you stop at a shop on your journey, it's a lucky dip and whether you get back in and can continue to listen to music from Amazon, or are greeted by an error message and no connection. Regaining the CarPlay or Amazon connection seems to involve the ritual of stopping and starting all apps, wifi etc, and sometimes even re-pairing the phone. If anyone else has suffered this issue I'd be pleased to learn and discuss.
So in summary, a great car, great drive, feels like a nimble smaller car to whiz down the country lanes in, 55 mpg on the runs, some questions about the pulling away issues, but currently getting a bit frustrated by what seems to be unreliable/unpredictable tech connections (even the myaudi App won't connect sometimes for hours for no apparent reason, and I've already had a failed map update download, that hasn't yet tried again - not sure what to do about that!).
I've had it a week and put 600 miles on it, so here's my initial impressions:-
I saw this one in the showroom and the combo of dark met blue and grey interior works well (esp. with stock s-line bi-colour wheels), and would have been my 'factory order' choice. The TTS was black and I wanted something different and (hopefully!) either to clean, although the firmament blue does look black in certain lights.
The 'motorway' ride and refinement are excellent, and I don't find the safety systems too intrusive.
I'm struggling to get used to the gear change at the moment, esp during 3 point turns, but I'm sure this will become second nature soon. The lock seems quite poor (without the rear wheel steering), reminding you it's a big car, but I don't find it too hard to parallel park.
I've been trying to learn its foibles regarding the well-published lag from junctions. It took me a while to experience it, likely due to the 'kid gloves'/running in mode when you pick up a new car, but over this weekend I've discovered it. A friend who has one convinced me you could solve it my using auto or dynamic modes, and others have said use the sport mode, but I'm not so sure. I've become convinced it's a conflict between two software algorithms (something like the anti-stall issue that plague F1 drivers off the grid). To me it feels something like when the sluggish (and most unrefined/agricultural aspect of the A6 C8) stop/start finally shakes in to life when you press the go pedal, and the ESP/Traction system then detects too much power being applied for the situation, so it backs off the torque. I think the only way to beat it is to wait half a second after the engine has fired up and then press the accelerator (not very intuitive when you are trying to pull out on to the roundabout before the oncoming artic!).
The cabin ambiance and tech are are constant marvel for me. I'm reasonable ok with the touch screen methodology, but being tall, do find the screens a little distant. I also find the accelerator pedal a little close to the seat compared with the steering wheel/space for left foot. When I tested the A6 I thought that it didn't suffer the offset driving position like to A4 and C Class, but now I find it still does a bit in that your left leg is always pushed to the right. However I'm sure I'll get used to, and comfortable with, the driving position.
My current concerns are associated with the latest Tech for 2020 (Amazon Alexa/Wireless CarPlay). I'm finding connections are 'hit and miss' (the TTS was also similar, but wireless CarPlay seems to make it far worse).
If you stop at a shop on your journey, it's a lucky dip and whether you get back in and can continue to listen to music from Amazon, or are greeted by an error message and no connection. Regaining the CarPlay or Amazon connection seems to involve the ritual of stopping and starting all apps, wifi etc, and sometimes even re-pairing the phone. If anyone else has suffered this issue I'd be pleased to learn and discuss.
So in summary, a great car, great drive, feels like a nimble smaller car to whiz down the country lanes in, 55 mpg on the runs, some questions about the pulling away issues, but currently getting a bit frustrated by what seems to be unreliable/unpredictable tech connections (even the myaudi App won't connect sometimes for hours for no apparent reason, and I've already had a failed map update download, that hasn't yet tried again - not sure what to do about that!).
