2018 Audi S6 Review

Name: 2018 Audi S6 Review
Brand: Audi
Price: 38990 USD

2018 Audi S6 Prestige quattro Sedan Exterior. Options Shown.

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$38,990 - $47,998

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Audi S6 model years

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Edmunds' Expert Review

byCalvin Kim^{Vehicle Test Engineer
Calvin Kim is an automotive journalist at Edmunds.}

Pros

Turbocharged V8 provides plenty of smooth, easily accessible power
Roomy interior is finished in top-shelf materials

Cons

Doesn't handle as well as some rival sport sedans

What’s new

The 2018 Audi S6 is unchanged.

Vehicle overview

The 2018 Audi S6 is a car that pampers as well as it performs. On the inside, this midsize luxury sport sedan boasts a richly trimmed cabin fitted with front seats that can keep you perfectly comfortable for hours at a time. Or hit the gas and the S6's 450-horsepower turbocharged V8 will rocket this Audi to 60 mph in just 4 seconds flat.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2018 Audi S6 Premium Plus quattro 4dr Sedan AWD (4.0L 8cyl Turbo 7AM) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.31 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio

$275/mo

$176/mo

Avg. Midsize Car

Calculate my fuel costs

If it's sophisticated entertainment and technology you're after, the S6's got you covered, too. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration lets you make the most of the S6's large and clear multimedia interface, and a bevy of optional features are available to crank up the luxury quotient ever further. Although the S6's handling abilities are a little underwhelming, the overall luxury sport sedan package is pretty compelling.

Edmunds' Expert Rating

7.5 / 10

Normally, sleek lines and a powerful turbocharged V8 would be the calling cards for a sport coupe. But with the 2018 Audi S6, you get that plus four doors, standard all-wheel drive, a top-notch interior and the latest in driver safety features. It's a compelling pick for a luxury sport sedan.

Trim tested

Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the 2016 Audi S6 Premium Plus Quattro (turbo 4.0L V8 | 7-speed dual-clutch automatic | AWD).

NOTE: Since this test was conducted, the current S6 has received only minor revisions. Our findings remain broadly applicable to this year's model.

Scorecard

Overall	7.5 / 10
Driving	7.0
Interior	8.0
Utility	8.0
Technology	9.0

Driving

7.0

This is a car that's more about refinement and daily driving than driving engagement. Rapid and undramatic acceleration, but frustrating steering and handling qualities when you get even modestly enthusiastic with it. Very smooth transmission. Great engine; mediocre chassis and tires.

Acceleration

8.5

There's ample power available from the twin-turbo V8. Fast, undramatic power delivery. Mat the gas and the sprint to 60 mph comes in an incredibly quick 4 seconds. Shifts from the seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic are very smooth.

Braking

6.0

Soft at initial jump-in during routine driving, which makes this car feel more unwieldy than it actually is. Noisy brakes on our test car. The car moves around during panic braking more than expected. Our measured 60-to-zero-mph stop in 113 feet is about average for the class.

Steering

5.5

Steering is very quick around center. At low speeds, it is very light, too quick and feels very synthetic. At moderate speeds, the steering still feels nonlinear after turn-in and requires more input to achieve an equal amount of turning.

Handling

5.5

Not an impressive-handling car even in moderately hard driving. The sport differential requires use of the throttle to counter this behavior, demanding a clunky driving style. Front-end grip relents easily. The tires howl at low cornering forces.

Drivability

8.0

Very easy to live with in routine driving situations. The engine stop-start function could be better; restarts take a beat before thrust can be delivered. Very nicely rev-matched downshifts.

Interior

8.0

The beautifully trimmed cabin has ample space for passengers. It's also easy to get in and out. There's enough adjustment that just about any driver should feel perfectly in control.

Ease of use

8.0

Controls fall into reach easily and intuitively. It has knobs for temperature adjustment, buttons for fan speed. The multimedia system works well and stows in-dash, which is a nice touch. The flat-bottomed steering wheel looks neat but can feel odd in your hands.

Getting in/getting out

7.5

The S6 is easy to get in and out of. It has a long enough wheelbase that rear access is unimpeded, more so than with its similarly priced competition. Doors open wide.

Driving position

With the driver seat offering 12-way adjustment and four-way lumbar adjustment, and a power steering wheel adjustments, finding a comfortable driving position is straightforward.

Roominess

7.5

Good headroom in the front, even for 6-footers. The back seat is especially roomy with plenty of headroom, good shoulder room and knee clearance.

Visibility

6.0

Good view forward and out the side glass. The view over the shoulder or out the back is more challenging, but it's no better or worse than in the competition. The backup camera is effective.

Quality

9.0

Premium materials abound, including simulated suede, stitched leather, carbon fiber, diamond-patterned seats and brushed aluminum. Fit and finish is excellent. A finely executed sense of luxury that's cool and restrained.

Utility

8.0

With a large trunk, ample small-item storage and, of course, large rear seat room, the S6 begs to be loaded up and taken on a long road trip.

Small-item storage

The cabin has a good amount of storage, with a two-tiered bin in the center console, a shallow bin in front of the shifter and average-size door pockets.

Cargo space

6.5

The trunk has a low liftover height, soft opening and concealed hinges. The trunk is very deep but of average width and height. If you want a power trunklid, you'll have to get the Prestige trim.

Child safety seat accommodation

There are three upper latch points on the parcel shelf and four lower latch anchors. Access to all anchors is clear and easy. The ample rear door size means installation of the seat, and your child, is not murderous on your back. The front seats do not have to move for most applications.

Technology

9.0

Audi's MMI infotainment system is excellent. We like the crisp graphics and simple menus as well as easy-to-learn controls. You'll be hard-pressed to find a more user-friendly interface or such a high-quality stereo.

Audio & navigation

9.0

The quiet interior of the S6 offers a good soundstage for the Bose sound system. Navigation is a simple, guided structure of commands that eventually leads you to a crisp, easy-to-understand map with instructions doubled inside the instrument panel.

Smartphone integration

9.0

Bluetooth connects easily, and Audi's Connect system is easy to learn. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard, but Audi's systems are so logically designed that we used them most of the time instead. It's one of the best systems in the class.

Driver aids

9.0

Standard equipment includes a rear camera, parking sensors, forward collision warning and automatic braking. Optional features include a crisp surround-view system, lane departure intervention and adaptive cruise. The S6's aids work well without intrusive interference during daily driving.

Voice control

Voice controls take clear, well-enunciated commands, but they don't like much outside their parameters. Learning or reading the commands you need to know is relatively easy, though, and the learning curve for new owners should be very gradual — especially buyers coming from other German makes.

2018 Audi S6 models

The 2018 Audi S6 is offered in two trims: Premium Plus and Prestige. Both share the same powertrain, body and interior, and differ mainly in the details.

Standard exterior features for the Premium Plus trim include 20-inch wheels with summer tires, S-specific styling elements, xenon headlights, LED running lights and taillights, a sport-tuned adaptive air suspension, a sunroof, auto-dimming and power-folding side mirrors, front and rear parking sensors, a blind-spot warning system, and keyless ignition and entry.

Inside, you'll find diamond-stitched leather upholstery, selectable drive modes, eight-way power-adjustable front sport seats (with four-way driver power lumbar and heating), a power-adjustable steering wheel, driver-seat memory settings, four-zone automatic climate control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and 60/40-split folding rear seatbacks.

Electronics highlights start with the MMI infotainment system, which includes a console-mounted control knob with a touchpad that can read your fingertip scribbles, a central 8-inch display, a navigation system with Google Earth maps, voice controls and Audi Connect (including enhanced web-based information services, 4G LTE data connectivity and mobile Wi-Fi capability). Also standard are a rearview camera, Bluetooth and a 14-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system.

The Prestige trim adds LED headlights, a power trunklid, a head-up display, LED interior lighting and rear sunshades (manual for the side windows; power for the rear window).

From this point, most S6 additional features are organized into optional packages. The Driver Assistance package adds adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and intervention, a top-down parking camera system, a forward collision mitigation system with automatic braking, and automatic high beams.

The Comfort Seating package features upgraded front seats with ventilation and massage functions, front passenger memory settings, and upgraded leather upholstery (sans diamond stitching).

The S6 Sport package provides dynamic steering, a torque-vectoring rear differential and a sport exhaust. The Cold Weather package adds heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel. The Black Optic package tacks on exclusive 20-inch wheels, body-color exterior mirrors (instead of the standard silver ones) and gloss-black exterior trim.

Notable stand-alone options include different 20-inch wheels, rear side airbags and, for the Prestige only, a night-vision system and a 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system.

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

2/5Below Average

#43 out of 48 among Luxury Fullsize Cars

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Audi S6 from 2008-2022.}

$1,061/yr

vs. $729/yr
for Average Luxury Fullsize Car

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

2.11x/yr

vs. 1.74x/yr
for Average Luxury Fullsize Car

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

27.2%

vs. 14.7%
for Average Luxury Fullsize Car

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2018 Audi S6.

5 (79%)

4 (16%)

3 (5%)

2 (0%)

1 (0%)

4.7

19 reviews

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Most helpful consumer reviews

2017 S6 - super fun to drive!

huntm2000, 08/08/2016

2017 Audi S6 Prestige quattro 4dr Sedan AWD (4.0L 8cyl Turbo 7AM)

2017 S6 Prestige Mythos black, Cold weather, handling package, driver assistance, black optic pkg. I shopped around at BMW (550xi), Maserati (Ghibli), Mercedes (E400), and Jaguar before making my decision on the 2017 Audi S6. In comparison no other car felt as athletic, well grounded, and luxurious all in the same package as the S6. The S6 is awesome, by far the most enjoyable …

A car with self-confidence

Gordon, 01/11/2018

2018 Audi S6 Premium Plus quattro 4dr Sedan AWD (4.0L 8cyl Turbo 7AM)

Imagine spending 70k for a car and being glad you did. For the money, I think you would be hard pressed to beat the quality, functionality, and performance of this vehicle. The exterior is modest but handsome and understates what lies within. Most non-car people don't have any idea what this car is about. For me, that is appealing. I read all the reviews and most were spot on. …

Great car, horrendous repairs and maintenance

Justin T, 05/05/2018

2013 Audi S6 Prestige quattro 4dr Sedan AWD (4.0L 8cyl Turbo 7AM)

I purchased this car with approximately 40,000 miles on it and by 60,000 it needed over $4,000 dollars in repairs. At 50,000 miles the "check coolant" message appeared every day until a visit to the dealer revealed that a new water pump was needed at around $2,000 with labor. Not 5,000 miles later the engine developed a high pitch squeal at idle. The remedy for that was a costly repair …

Absolutely Fantastic

P Rogers, 11/18/2016

2016 Audi S6 Prestige quattro 4dr Sedan AWD (4.0L 8cyl Turbo 7AM)

This car is worth every dollar... and you will pay for the privilege. Extremely comfortable, fast, quiet inside, great exhaust note on the outside. Fully adjustable steering, transmission, engine response, exhaust volume, wonderful stereo. This thing is built like a tank, but dances like a ballerina. The unaware would be very unwise to challenge you at the stoplight. Update - Even …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2018 Audi S6, so we've included reviews for other years of the S6 since its last redesign.

See all 19 reviews of the Audi S6

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2018 S6 Highlights

Trim:

Premium Plus quattro

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$71,900
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	18 MPG
Cost to Drive	$275/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	14.1 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the S6 models:

Audi Pre-Sense Plus: Warns the driver of an impending forward collision, and can activate the brakes and adjust the front seat to maximize safety.
Night Vision Assistant: Alerts you of people near your path of travel. If a collision is possible, they will be highlighted in red and an alert will sound.
Active Lane Assist: Helps mitigate an accident by using cameras to help steer the car into the middle of the lane.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover5 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover9%

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