2.0 engine oil capacity
 

I was looking at the AoA site to compare specs for the 2017 A4 vs. my 2016 A6 2.0 P+ Quattro. I was surprised to see that the 2.0 engine in the 2017 A4 P+ Quattro (that to my knowledge is basically the same as he 2.0 in the 2016 A6) holds more oil (5.5 qts.) vs the A6 ( 4.9 qts). Anyone have any thoughts on why this is? Does it mean that our 2.0 engines are under-lubricated and more prone to wear?

I think it may have to with the fact A4 uses a bigger spin on type filter while your A6 uses a cartridge type filter. That's my best guess

Only if the A6 engine has a oil pump with less output. As long as the pump intake is submerged, how much oil it's submerged in doesn't matter.

Just a guess...but I don't think the difference in oil filter size would account for that much oil. My thought is there is a slight difference in the oil pan. These engines keep getting bigger and bigger oil capacities to allow better protection over the 10,000 mile oil change intervals. The engines may be similar but the new chassis provides a good opportunity for Audi to expand the size of the oil capacity for longevity of the engine. Not that the old size was bad...but the new size is better.

I've used oversized spin on filters on other cars like Acura TL that can increase the capacity by 1/2 a quart. Those A4 spin on filters are pretty big. It's possible but it's probably a little of both.

I am now thinking that larger oil capacity of the 2017 A4 may be related to that car's having the S-tronic transmission. The A3 2.0 engine has 6 qts. capacity and that car also has the S-tronic transmission. It may be that the Tiptronic in the A6 is just a lazier transmission and does not give the engine the high rpm workout that an S-tronic does.

Or maybe a misprint?

As they say, anything is possible. That being said, I hope not. In the owner's manual for the A6 it says to refer to the AoA website for oil capacity information, so that site better get it right.

I changed the oil on a B9 this weekend and confirm 5.5 qts came out.

What I meant those many months ago was that I have always thought that with a larger capacity/reservoir of oil being circulated it will take longer for the oil to be contaminated or otherwise broken down from heat, etc. It has been my belief that high performance/racing engines have a large oil capacity for similar reasons. Also, as one member posted the longer oil change interval for the new A4’s probably requires more oil volume to keep it from breaking down and allowing it to last for the extra miles/time. Anyway, I don’t sense any issue with my 2016 2.0 A6. I just find numbers interesting and things that look at first blush like contradictions or unanticipated variances always lead me to look further into issues, sometimes for no real reason other than the quest itself; sometimes to no avail - lol.
That is one reason I dropped my subscription to Consumer Reports several years back. For years the Annual Auto Issue was like an almanac of wheelbase, overall length, front/rear headroom, legroom, trunk capacity in cubic feet and other useful metrics that served me well in the search for a new car every few years. I could figure out if the car I had in mind would fit in the garage, if I could fit in it and if it would hold the stuff I need to haul. Now there is little else than subjective comment – no different from most car magazines. I never relied on Consumer Reports to tell me how exciting a car was to drive, but the basic informational points I mentioned could be found there in an easily compared way. Now, there’s nothing worth knowing from this source. Today’s generation doesn’t like numbers I guess.