raremage

Hi Folks,

New to these boards, so please be a little gentle! By way of background, in the past I've owned C4 Corvettes, a '98 M3 Sedan, 01 CLK55, and an '03 C32. Bought all of them used, and in recent years I've been driving my wife's old '03 ML320 after we got her a 335i. In the middle of that I started a business and enjoyed the benefits of the down economy, so jumping into another sports sedan wasn't realistic for a few years, but finally I'm in a position to upgrade.

I started looking at the available cars and have all but settled on an Audi, but I'm struggling a bit with which model I'll be happier with long term - S4 or A6, so I'm hoping for a bit of insight from owners of both. For the record, other cars I considered and decided against were a CTS/CTSV, various BMWs and Mercedes', a Taurus SHO, a Dodge Charger SRT (weird in this group, I know) and a G37.

In either case it will be a new 2012. I definitely want something with performance roots but a healthy dose of comfort as well. I generally use my car around town going to and from client offices, but make two or three long-distance trips per year - anywhere from 600 - 1200 miles each way.

The way I've looked at it so far is the S4 is an iconic sports sedan, a la the M-Motorsports / AMG brands. There's a certain cache to that idea for me. I was pleasantly surprised by the the size of the S4, it has a much larger feel than I expected, is well appointed inside and out, and the ride, while firm, is not as harsh as I would have expected with a sports sedan.

The A6 on the other hand feels a bit more luxurious; more spacious. The interior seems a bit softer and upgraded from the S4 from what I can tell. Plenty of power, though slightly slower (just slightly) off the line compared to the S4. Seems to handle well (though I really didn't get much chance to evaluate that) though again, probably a stride behind the S4. Basically a very well appointed sedan with both luxury and sportiness.

So, the big question: what am I missing? Is there a compelling reason for one over the other that I am missing, or does it just come down to taste in the end?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

ultrahertz

For me space was the trump card, and the A6 is plenty sporty enough for me. I'm 6'4 and didn't really fit in the A4, and my kids couldn't sit behind me with the seat back in the A4. So while I know you are looking for a fairly sporty with good HP, and I like that too, I just need the room at the same price point. FWIW, the A6 handles like a much lighter car than many of the current mid-size "sport sedans". The current BMW 5 series just feels heavier and bigger, although it is not really bigger.

stoulana

Both are wonderful cars, I test drove them back to back, really hard to decide but I felt for majority of trips & my driving style the A6 will offer what I need as far as power,handling and comfort, with 2 young kids I needed more space in back, but S4 is still spacious A6 is bit more. The S4 power is awesome specially from stop, A6 is slightly behind. I would say test drive both go with what your heart tells you, no wrong decision here.

EF99

I drove them back to back as well (S4 with s-tronic and sport differential; A6 prestige with 19" sport package). If you can find a dealer located near some windy roads, the S4's handling is definitely a step above. Far less body lean when weaving or taking tight curves at speed (you would know which car you were in if you were blindfolded), and the S4 (with sport differential) just feels a lot more planted with spirited driving.
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Taking the curves in the A6 still felt confident and solid, just not as "fun" as the S4.
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Of course, none of the above is a great surprise. It just confirmed what I expected, but it's always good to feel "how much" difference there is in the driving experience. There's enough difference that it will be weighed into my decision on which to go with.
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If you're stuck with a city street test drive with a stretch of highway, the handling differences probably won't be that apparent. On-ramps to freeways are about it for fun stretches for a test drive like that.
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As far as acceleration, the S4 feels stronger across the board, but it's not a striking amount like say the S4 versus the CTS-V. The S4 vs A6 acceleration difference feels about right for the power and weight differences. Still, the A6 is no slouch (it has about the same 0-60 and quarter mile times as the venerable 1970 LS6 Chevelle (5.4 sec and 13.8 sec, C&D Feb 1970), which is pretty impressive).
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I like the S4's seat comfort much better, at least for shorter drives. Not sure if that would hold for an all day drive like you mentioned. The A6 prestige seats (this is all personal opinion of course) are OK; not great, not horrible. They definitely don't hold you in place like the S4 seats when cornering fairly hard. The S4 seats also conformed better (side to side fit). I guess I would say you sit "in" the S4 seats and "on" the A6 seats, but everyone will have different fit. The A6 (prestige) seats are very adjustable and the cushion firmness seemed OK but on the firm side. I think I could eventually come up with settings I liked.
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Interior (everything except seats): no contest. A6.
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So to answer your question, there are compelling individual reasons to like one over the other, the problem is how to weight those differences and come to a final choice. You might also factor in the options the A6 has available that the S4 doesn't (including exterior color choices), but it works the other direction as well (s-tronic vs tiptronic, and sport differential and full ADS on the S4).
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Let us know what you decide.

justhacking

I have a S4 now and am about to trade it in for the A6. The S4 has been fantastic but I am getting on a bit so comfort is of a higher priority, plus I have a proper sport car now. The A6 is much quieter and softer so it really depends on what you need.

sakimano

both are awesome. both look great. both are 3.0T.

A6 is way bigger.

S4 is a little tighter and performance focused.

Do you want comfort or a little more fun? That's really it. Oh, and can the A6 fit in your garage? It's around 194 inches long, which is 8 inches longer than the B8 S4.

raremage

Thanks for all the responses. I finally settled on the S4, and took delivery last night. While I find the A6 to be an outstanding car and just a great ride, I decided I wanted something more sport focused with luxury elements.

BConly

Sounds like you went with the right choice for yourself. Enjoy!