Compare the2023 Ford EdgeVS 2023 Audi A6 Allroad

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Edge has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the A6 Allroad’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Edge has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the A6 Allroad.

The Edge’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The A6 Allroad doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Edge and the A6 Allroad have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available front and rear parking sensors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Ford Edge is safer than the Audi A6 Allroad:

	Edge	A6 Allroad
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	22.4%	30%
Neck Stress	229 lbs.	322 lbs.
Neck Compression	21 lbs.	64 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	282	354
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	35.2%	41%
Neck Stress	197 lbs.	228 lbs.
Neck Compression	44 lbs.	98 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	145/201 lbs.	263/331 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Ford Edge is safer than the Audi A6 Allroad:

	Edge	A6 Allroad
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	84	135
Hip Force	192 lbs.	262 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	103	135
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	635 lbs.	716 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	257	395
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	39 G’s
Hip Force	425 lbs.	514 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

Ford’s powertrain warranty covers the Edge 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the A6 Allroad. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the A6 Allroad ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 10 times as many Ford dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Edge’s warranty.

Reliability

The Edge has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The A6 Allroad doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the car’s engine.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Edge’s reliability 12 points higher than the A6 Allroad.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in initial quality. With 72 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in long-term dependability. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Audi is rated below average.

Engine

The Edge ST’s standard 2.7 turbo V6 produces 11 lbs.-ft. more torque (380 vs. 369) than the A6 Allroad’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ford Edge uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The A6 Allroad requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Edge has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The A6 Allroad doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Ford Edge, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the A6 Allroad.

Brakes and Stopping

The Edge stops much shorter than the A6 Allroad:

	Edge	A6 Allroad
60 to 0 MPH	108 feet	119 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Edge ST’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the A6 Allroad (265/40R21 vs. 245/45R20).

The Edge ST’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the A6 Allroad’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Edge ST offers optional 21-inch wheels. The A6 Allroad’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

Suspension and Handling

The Edge’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The A6 Allroad doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Edge is 1.3 inches wider in the rear than on the A6 Allroad.

The Edge ST handles at .88 G’s, while the A6 Allroad Prestige pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Edge ST executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the A6 Allroad Prestige (26 seconds @ .7 average G’s vs. 26.5 seconds @ .68 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Edge’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the A6 Allroad’s (39.3 feet vs. 40 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Edge has a 1.9 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the A6 Allroad Premium Plus (8 vs. 6.1 inches), allowing the Edge to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Edge ST’s minimum ground clearance is .9 inch higher than on the A6 Allroad Prestige (8.2 vs. 7.3 inches).

Chassis

The Ford Edge may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 350 pounds less than the Audi A6 Allroad.

The Edge is 6.1 inches shorter than the A6 Allroad, making the Edge easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Edge uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The A6 Allroad doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Edge ST uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The A6 Allroad doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Edge has 12.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the A6 Allroad (113.9 vs. 101).

The Edge has 1.9 inches more front headroom, 1.3 inches more front legroom, 2.5 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom, 3.2 inches more rear legroom and 4 inches more rear shoulder room than the A6 Allroad.

Cargo Capacity

The Edge has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the A6 Allroad with its rear seat up (39.2 vs. 30 cubic feet). The Edge has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the A6 Allroad with its rear seat folded (73.4 vs. 63.8 cubic feet).

Towing

The Edge ST can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Edge can be unhitched and driven around locally. The A6 Allroad can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Optional Trailer Sway Control on the Edge (except SE) uses the AdvanceTrac® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The A6 Allroad doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Edge offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The A6 Allroad doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Edge’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The A6 Allroad’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Edge has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the A6 Allroad only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Edge Titanium/ST offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The A6 Allroad doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Edge (except SE) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The A6 Allroad doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Edge owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Edge will cost $6820 to $7630 less than the A6 Allroad over a five-year period.

The Edge will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Edge will retain 48.21% to 53.65% of its original price after five years, while the A6 Allroad only retains 42.05% to 42.6%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Ford Edge will be $35024 to $36301 less than for the Audi A6 Allroad.

Recommendations

The Ford Edge has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

	Edge	A6 Allroad
Consumer Reports® Recommends	TRUE	TRUE
Car Book “Best Bet”	TRUE	n/a

The Ford Edge outsold the Audi A6/S6/RS 6 by over 14 to one during 2022.