Audi A6 to Audi A7 converts.... thoughts?

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Apologies for the ramble.....

Time has come to get another vehicle (company car allowance that I can do anything with).

I've been driving an A6 for 4 years from new and is the bog standard 2.0 TDI SE Executive Auto (CVT).

I fancy a change. Now before anyone starts suggesting BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes as alternatives, I've had BMWs before and not a fan, Mercedes on the inside looks awful, and the Jaguar (XF) is a little cramped in the "seat" department. (see thread The irrational and not-so-irrational annoyances thread :) ) And I am NOT going to consider the Mustang 5.0 V8 !!

So realistically it's what I know and love - Audi.

BUT........

Having test driven a fairly high spec A7 with the Advanced Tech pack with the Heads up display, and driven an RS6 Performance to test the Advanced Cruise Control, I have to say that I'd really like a car with some tech gadgets!

Equally, I'm fed up with driving a boring front wheel drive 177PS 2.0 TDi A6.

The trouble for me is that a number of things which are extra on an A6 are standard on an A7, like 19" rims and LED lights. Also on an A6 the Advanced Tech Pack and Heads Up display is about £700 more than the equivalent on the A7. When you then factor in the price differential between a 3.0 TDi Quattro A6 with all the same gubbins, as a loaded A7 3.0 TDi Quattro, there's only £55 per month difference on a 48 month PCP deal.

Although I've test driven an A7 you can't really get a feel for a long M-Way journey. So was wondering whether anyone out there has moved to an A7 from an A6 and what your experience was.

Ramble /off
 
The arse end of an A7 looks awful. A 9 ear old could have drawn a better shape.
Had loads of various audi and I have liked them but I still think merc offer a better built package. You have to pay more on a like for like but I think you get value for it.
However back on topic I would rather go A6 loaded up my last was the quattro 3.0 tdi black edition.
Didn't want quattro but without it they insist you have a crap cvt gearbox instead of dsg unit. Not sure if hats still the case but I found the cvt very very tiresome.
 
I've driven a rather nice 2014 3.0tdi A7 Black Edition, in Ibis White with all the options: Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane guidance, full MMI etc.

Maybe think carefully about the colour choice, the dark colours look dull and flat IMO. IIRC there is also a very punchy 3.0 Bi-turbo throwing out over 300bhp which looks like a hoot.

Then there is the S7, which is a totally different proposition but very desirable IMO and is on my shortlist next time
 
I know what you mean about the colour. I've laboured hard over my Standard Black A6 to keep it swirl free! I've also had to use a water filter to keep water spots appearing. Best investment ever!

b8470p.jpg


Also I've been tired of the black trim as well. Quite dull and boring in the cabin. The only redeeming feature was the silver headlining.

I really like the Metallic Moonlight Blue and when paired with the beige/brown interior, it's a stunner. (saw an A6 with the same combo at the dealer)

I tried the Adaptive Cruise Control on the S6 on the weekend and I found it easy to use. On the short test run I was impressed. Did you use the AAC a lot and in what sort of conditions? Motorway/town/mixed?
 
ACC is an absolute breeze to use, and I use it daily. Today was a 250 mile round trip from home to Solihull and back and the ACC on the M6 at Sandbach, Knutsford, Keele etc where they have average speed cameras in full flow it came up trumps.

In the past I've joined the M6 northbound at The Tickled Trout activated AAC and not touched a pedal until I was in Scotland.

Lane guidance as an option I'd not take if that is even possible as I think the AAC and LG are bundled, I find it too intrusive on bendy roads and hate having the steering wheel snapped out of my hand.
 
Nice! Living near Blackpool I know the M6 extremely well from the M55 junction all the way down to the other side of Birmingham and know what a PITA the traffic can be, especially J16-J21 on a Friday afternoon!

Do you have the Heads Up display as well? I think that is bundled with the A7 Adv Tech Pack.
What about the "Display Speed Limit" as well? Is that one of the options you have/have tried?
 
Just for clarity I've currently got an S5 not an A7, but have driven the A6. Yet to experience the HUD in any car so can't comment.

The MMI (Sat Nav) on mine has the speed limit displayed in the maps themselves, but what I do like and use is the audible speed warning, so I set it at 75mph as an example and when I hit it it alerts me (great on the toll road)
 
S5? Nice. The A5 is also a nice car but at my height and driving position I found the headroom a little restrictive.

I test drove an A7 a few weeks ago that had the Advanced Tech Pack which included the HUD (and speed limit display). When it displayed the sat nav instructions as well I was impressed.

The "speed limit display" on the Dash/HUD operates differently to the Sat Nav speed limit display. The Sat Nav just displays what it thinks is the limit on that part of the road - the "Speed limit display" option has a camera in front of the rear view mirror and "recognises" speed limit signs, even those in roadworks and on the variable speed sections with the gantry signs. Could be a points saver!
 
@rousetafarian

Would you say that this Youtube "review" is fair and accurate and does it align with your experiences?



Confusing messages!

Is it the case that you can't have "normal" cruise control without the adaptive cruise control?
 
The arse end of an A7 looks awful.
Each to their own.....I like it a lot and bought one :)

I can't comment on most of the gadgets and gizmos, mine is an older 2011 model but I love it. A newer one with more toys would be awesome. The only thing I'd point out about the A7 over the A6 is probably the boot area. Whilst the A7 looks like a large boot, the fact that the back end slopes down means there's not as much space as you may think there is and it quickly gets filled up.
 
The A7 boot can't be much worse than the one on the A6 saloon! Can it?!
 
Not sure to be honest, not seen much of the A6 boot, just thought I'd point it out as whilst it's quite deep, the sloping boot lid drops the available height quite a lot at the rear.
 
I swapped last year from an 20.0TDI Multitronic A6 Avant to an A6 Saloon after deliberating whether to go for an A7 or not.

I was going for the Black Edition in each case with the standard Tech Pack as a base car.

At the time the A7 had the Matrix Headlights, Memory Seats and HUD above the A6. The A6 now has the memory seats etc.

I had shopped round for a bit and found some good deals via CarWow, in the end I think it came down to about £65 a month difference between an A7 3.0 (272PS) and an a A6 3.0 (320PS) with the A7 coming out more. (I could be wrong the A7 might have also been 320PS but it was a year ago :))

In the end I jumped for the A6 as I needed it fairly sharpish and haven't looked back. I think the A7 boot shape and also the lower rear headroom, plus the additional money put me off. My wife also didn't like the back end but I was ok with it.

In moving from a 2.0TDI to the 3.0TDI Bi-turbo its great, its not costing me that much a month more :)

The A7 boot can't be much worse than the one on the A6 saloon! Can it?!

What's wrong with the A6 boot, I found coming from the estate you could get more into the saloon loading to the same level as the tonneau cover. I appreciate you can get more in without the tonneau cover but I didn't like this for long journeys :)
 
If there is just one slight niggle about the A7 that would be the lower headroom compared to the A6.
Not sure if it's a show stopper though! Oh decisions, decisions!
 
@rousetafarian

Would you say that this Youtube "review" is fair and accurate and does it align with your experiences?



Confusing messages!

Is it the case that you can't have "normal" cruise control without the adaptive cruise control?


I'm sorry I gave up listening to his garbage after 5 minutes, he was simply contradicting himself so no it didn't meet my expectations fully. I don't do a huge amount of city driving so cannot comment on how effective it may or may not be but for the motorway, especially the areas where they have average speed cameras on the M60 and M6 it is great.

If there is just one slight niggle about the A7 that would be the lower headroom compared to the A6.
Not sure if it's a show stopper though! Oh decisions, decisions!

I'm 6'2 and have loads of clearance in the S5, whereas you struggled? That said, my seating position is quite low.
 
I'm sorry I gave up listening to his garbage after 5 minutes, he was simply contradicting himself so no it didn't meet my expectations fully. I don't do a huge amount of city driving so cannot comment on how effective it may or may not be but for the motorway, especially the areas where they have average speed cameras on the M60 and M6 it is great.



I'm 6'2 and have loads of clearance in the S5, whereas you struggled? That said, my seating position is quite low.

Cheers

I'm 6' 5" and in my A6 I have the seat raised to the maximum and I still have plenty of clearance between my head and the roof. Couldn't do that in an A5. And TBH I can't put the A7 seat up to max as my hair (well, what's left of it), just brushes the roof so would annoy me no end! I test drove the A7 with seat slight lower and although it was fine it didn't give me the same "vista" as the A6 seating position. Perhaps I'm just too accustomed to my A6. I'm sure the A7 will be fine once I get used to it. I have to place the order today/tomorrow for any chance of a Sept delivery.
 
Cheers

I'm 6' 5" and in my A6 I have the seat raised to the maximum and I still have plenty of clearance between my head and the roof. Couldn't do that in an A5. And TBH I can't put the A7 seat up to max as my hair (well, what's left of it), just brushes the roof so would annoy me no end! I test drove the A7 with seat slight lower and although it was fine it didn't give me the same "vista" as the A6 seating position. Perhaps I'm just too accustomed to my A6. I'm sure the A7 will be fine once I get used to it. I have to place the order today/tomorrow for any chance of a Sept delivery.


The A6 is a bit more of a 'comfy couch' type of car whereas the A7 is definitely more of a 'sexy leather recliner' IMO. Nice to have such a decision to make.....I'd take the A7 every day of the week.



Sorry S7 ;):devil:
 
I am the opposite, I am 6'4" and have my seat fully lowered and reclined quite a bit :)

It's the headroom in the back though I meant for the A7 as that is considerably lower and if you are unlucky enough to be relegated to the back seat in your own car you get a stiff neck ;)

What discount are they offering out of interest on list ?
 
Are some of the A7's not only 4 seaters as well or is there an 5 seat option?

If that's an issue for you of course.
 
I am the opposite, I am 6'4" and have my seat fully lowered and reclined quite a bit :)

It's the headroom in the back though I meant for the A7 as that is considerably lower and if you are unlucky enough to be relegated to the back seat in your own car you get a stiff neck ;)

What discount are they offering out of interest on list ?

I've never been in the back of my A6 and I hardly ever have anyone in there either, so not an issue.

As far as discount goes, it's unclear because the figures in the agreement are not the same as the configured OTR price in the configurator. However, taking the "configured" OTR price of the vehicle and options, and taking off my small/modest deposit, and taking away the "amount to finance" figure, it appears the total "contribution" amounts to over £14.7k. A really great deal IMO!

Are some of the A7's not only 4 seaters as well or is there an 5 seat option?

If that's an issue for you of course.

Not an issue for me. I'm off an age where the kids are all grown up and independent. I'd say that 99% of the total time spent in my car was done on my own.
 
I love the adaptive cruise control and certainly would be speccing it as an option on any future cars. Mine is the VW version which I'm sure its pretty much the same technology seeing as they are all part of the same group.

You can set the distance variance (or to be more correct, the time delay) between you and the car in front. You can also select the driving style for adaptive cruise (e.g., sport mode) so that when you have a clear road in front, it speeds up quickly. This is particularly useful when someone you are following turns away into another road.

Its so good in busy traffic, all you have to do is steer and the car does the rest - makes any journey a real breeze. For city driving, motorways, busy A roads - its a great feature. I was driving quite a long A road the other day. 60 MPH but loads of corners. Lots of accelerating and braking required but because there was lots of traffic, I simply hit ACC and my car just followed the car in front, looking after the acceleration and braking for me. To drive for 40 minutes just steering is so much easier than steering, braking, accelerating by yourself. Stress free driving at its best. Just pick some music and steer the car home - not too dissimilar to being a passenger, rather than the driver :)
 
Don't know if I'd be happy using it to that extent in the city and removing myself from the actual process and responsibility of driving.
 
Don't know if I'd be happy using it to that extent in the city and removing myself from the actual process and responsibility of driving.

Thats the thing though, you are always in control. Once you understand how it works, you know what the car will and won't do, its not like you are handing over responsibility to the car, its not like that at all. Very easy to get used to.
 
I wanted ACC on mine but hardly any cars were spec'd with it [emoji53]
 

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