I had a 2017 A6 3.0T loaner for the last 4 days.
I am floored by how big the difference is between the A6 and the A8.

The A6 felt very flimsy, the handling even with the 19" wheels was sloppy.
I had almost every generation of BMW 5'er ever made in my garage at one point and even they have the the 'solid block of metal' feel.

The A6 felt like a Camry.

I don't get it.

 

I have a 2016 A6 3.0T loaner right now. Can't say it feels the way you describe, but the ride quality is really quite poor compared to my A8L...rough and unsophisticated by comparison. Had I not become used to driving A8 vehicles for the past 11 years I might feel the A6 was decent enough, but the difference between the two now feels very abrupt, and yes, my memory of prior A6's that I had is better than how the '16 A6 now feels to me---I'm chalking that up to being so "spoiled" by the A8. 😊

 

Do you think part of that might be because of the extra 5" of wheelbase on the L...?

 

Nope. The A8's extra length isn't contributing to the ride comfort feel that's making the difference. The A8's air suspension is much more refined than the A6's steel spring set up. The A6 might normally have a leg up with regard to a sportier handling feel on back road curves, but I'm not significantly feeling that either---possibly due to my car's rear sports differential and dynamic steering. The great thing about the A8 is that it "drives small" whether in NWB or LWB trims...And that feeling is magnified by the sports diff-dynamic steering combo.

 

i've had an 06 A6 4.2 since 09. Until the 13 A8L 4.0T purchased about a month ago, it was the most awesome car ever to me. after driving the A8L for three weeks, getting back into the A6 showed flaws (the engine was loud, ride was rougher, the dash further away) but also awesome handling and squirtiness.

Driving a Q5 2.0T made the A6 feel awesome again though...

 

The A6 is held back in the options department quite a bit. If you want things like Dynamic Steering, Air Suspension or Sport Differential, Audi makes you move up to the S6. At least the Air Suspension is available in other parts of the world, but for some unknown reason, it's not available in North America. Sounds like your particular loaner may not even have been equipped with the sport suspension, which definitely handles better than the standard suspension in combination with a more sporty set of shoes. Generally, though a steel spring suspension is better for handling and sport driving, and an air suspension is more for comfort. I'm surprised about your handling comments. In my experience the air suspension has crazy body roll even on the RS7, whereas a steel spring suspension is much more buttoned down. I'm wondering if things like tire pressure were off on this loaner. Interior is obviously personal taste. Not a big fan of the C7 interior myself.

 

From my prior A6 experience--four generations of them--I agree w/ the comments that focus on the suspension. Air ride makes a huge diff. And I don't agree on air ride= comfort "or" steel = handling. Just get in my old C5 A6 4.2 and compare to even the D3 ride. Well, D3 was not an "or." D4 takes it another natural generation. It was and is an "and"--better ride AND better handling, albeit a big car. Back then A6 was "only" on 17's and they basically dumbed down the suspension to about Buick ride to make it palatable on 40's to the masses they were trying to attract. Perhaps still the same formula is dealing with a mid line A6 today. Right in there is kind of the problem--the air ride is so good you can step down the profile like two notches and still be ahead, and by then the handling improvement (assuming good tires) starts to run away at the same time. You can tweak either body with roll bars from a sport suspension or ultimately an S to firm them up some, but ultimately air ride wins from my lifetime of Audis over many generations and probably now pushing literally a million miles. And yep a drive in even an S8 sprung D4 on 35's or 40's vs a steel suspension Q5 of about same weight 45's (in 20's/50's in 19's) leaves no doubt which one has both the smoother ride and the better handling--even trying to net out SUV top heaviness.

There is a difference in quality between the interiors too. I usually looked at S6's, which are nice. But D interiors are still another level up on finishes. C bodies are no slouch though finish wise compared to much out there; it's the delta you notice.

 

I had a 2012 A6 and never loved it, sold it after just a year of ownership. It was loud and I couldn't get comfortable in the seat, having come from a BMW 750, made sense. And I don't like the placement of the MMI controls etc in the A6, love the way it sloped up on the center console on the A8.

 

I was always surprised in getting into an A6 loaner how although the car felt lighter, there wasn't a payoff in handling. It handles well, no mistake, but I wouldn't say it feels better than the A8. If anything, the A8 feels more planted than the A6, it's less prone to being upset by midcorner imperfections. The A6 does give the impression of being the more tossable car, which some people like. I think it also has a bigger trunk than the prefacelift D4's. It makes sense that the A8 would be the more satisfying car, it does cost a fair bit more.

 

i prefer the placement in the a6 actually. Send to have a lot less buttons even though it doesn't.