Four-cylinder engines are like shoulder pads or spandex pants – you hate them, then love them and hate them again. But the technology has progressed to the point where a 2-liter turbo is all you need.
In the all-new Volvo XC90, you can't even get a bigger engine. Could this be a sign of things to come? Consumer Reports tried out the 2016 model year Audi A6 with the 2-liter TFSI turbo and gave us an overwhelmingly positive review.
According to them, you really can't tell that it's a four-banger from the noise or the way it drives. The 252 horsepower mill can be combined with all-wheel drive, something you can't get on a Lexus GS. All Audi owners love a good quattro system and a clean interior, but the 2016 A6 also has other features.
For example, you can order it with LED headlights, an MMI touch system with handwriting recognition or a 14-speaker Bose surround sound system.
If more power is what you are after, the 2016 A6 is also available with a 3-liter supercharged V6 that received a power bump to 333 hp. A diesel V6 option can also be ordered and supposedly returns up to 38 mpg highway.
Consumer Reports’ Tom Mutchler compares the A6 to a professional athlete, saying that it needs to do everything right to get attention and it looks good in a business suit. That's true, but the A6 is not a stunner. Still, for over $50,000, you could buy a whole lot of other cars. You could even have a Hyundai Genesis with a 5-liter V8 if you have that kind of cash.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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