Raise your hand if you saw this coming. When Audi unveiled the new A6 earlier this week, we had to do a double take to spot the differences from the smaller A5. Sure, the exterior has a few subtle tweaks beyond the bigger body, but inside? It’s borderline identical. In fact, the base A6 has that odd design choice we called out on its smaller sibling nearly a year ago. Skip the optional passenger screen, and you’re left with this.
I might be making a big deal out of a minor issue, but it’s clear Audi really wants you to spring for the 10.9-inch display. I had hoped that with the A6 being the fancier car, things would be different. As they did with the A5, the Four Rings claim the touchscreen is "perfectly integrated into the dashboard design,” but that’s debatable. Its role is to cure boredom by allowing the passenger sitting next to the driver to access websites and stream video content. Additionally, the person can also look for the nearest gas station.
Seeing the glass half full, at least it’s not a distraction for the driver. The third screen's content remains hidden from view behind the wheel, thanks to a privacy mode. When the car notices there's no front passenger or the display isn’t in use, an image is shown instead. On the base A6, however, you’re left with a glossy black plastic panel—perhaps a subtle reminder that paying Audi extra for the screen might have been the better choice.
Even with the passenger display, one issue remains—thick bezels that feel more reminiscent of early 2010s smartphones and tablets than a modern luxury car. The main 14.5-inch infotainment screen and the 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster are also surrounded by glossy black plastic that looks bulky rather than premium. The same design carries over to the electric models, as the A6 E-Tron also makes generous use of shiny plastics around its screens.
When the new A6 Sedan arrives in the coming weeks, it too will forgo the third screen, leaving the passenger to stare at what is essentially a jumbo-sized blank button. However, Audi has pledged to improve. The Germans recently acknowledged that interior quality has suffered a downgrade in recent years and have promised to make the cabins of future cars nicer.
However, that’ll further jack up prices, with the Ingolstadt automaker expressing its intention to move upmarket at the risk of selling fewer cars. It's all about those profit margins.
2025 Audi A6 Avant base model
Source: Audi
