Compare the2024 Audi A6VS 2023 Nissan Maxima

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Audi A6 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Nissan Maxima doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The A6’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Maxima doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the A6 and Maxima have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The A6 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Maxima’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The A6 has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Maxima doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The A6 has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Maxima doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

Both the A6 and Maxima offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the A6 with Rear Cross-Traffic Assist also has Automatic Brake Activation (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Maxima’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the A6 and the Maxima have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and around view monitors.

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 Audi A6 is safer than the Nissan Maxima:

	A6	Maxima
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.9 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	174 lbs.	225 lbs.
Hip Force	262 lbs.	337 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	135	242
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	15 inches
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	41 G’s

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

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the A6 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 135 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Maxima is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Warranty

The A6 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Maxima’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The A6’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Maxima’s (12 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the A6 third among midsize premium cars in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Maxima isn’t in the top three in its category.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 9 places higher in reliability than Nissan.

Engine

The A6 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 12 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 261) than the Maxima’s 3.5 DOHC V6. The A6 55 TFSI’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 35 more horsepower (335 vs. 300) and 108 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 261) than the Maxima’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the A6 55 TFSI 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid is faster than the Nissan Maxima:

	A6	Maxima
Zero to 30 MPH	1.8 sec	2.4 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	5 sec	6 sec
Zero to 80 MPH	8.1 sec	9.6 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	12.8 sec	14.7 sec
Passing 45 to 65 MPH	2.5 sec	2.7 sec
Quarter Mile	13.5 sec	14.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	102.7 MPH	99.3 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the A6 gets better mileage than the Maxima:

			MPG
A6
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/33 hwy
		3.0 turbo V6 Hybrid	22 city/30 hwy
Maxima
	FWD	3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/30 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the A6’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Maxima doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the A6’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Maxima doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The A6 has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Maxima (19.3 vs. 18 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi A6 higher (5 out of 10) than the Nissan Maxima (3). This means the A6 produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Maxima every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the A6’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Maxima:

	A6	Maxima
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	12.13 inches

The A6 stops much shorter than the Maxima:

	A6	Maxima
60 to 0 MPH	107 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	137 feet	141 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the A6’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Maxima (255/40R20 vs. 245/45R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the A6 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Maxima SV. The A6’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the Maxima SR/Platinum.

Suspension and Handling

The A6 has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Maxima’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the A6’s wheelbase is 5.8 inches longer than on the Maxima (115.1 inches vs. 109.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the A6 is 1.8 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than on the Maxima.

The A6’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (55% to 45%) than the Maxima’s (60.8% to 39.2%). This gives the A6 more stable handling and braking.

The A6 Prestige handles at .93 G’s, while the Maxima Platinum pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The A6 Prestige executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.1 seconds quicker than the Maxima Platinum (24.9 seconds @ .75 average G’s vs. 27 seconds @ .67 average G’s).

Chassis

The design of the Audi A6 amounts to more than styling. The A6 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .29 Cd. That is lower than the Maxima (.29 to .3) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the A6 get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

The A6 has 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, 1.4 inches more rear headroom, 3.2 inches more rear legroom and .8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Maxima.

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the A6 easier. The A6’s trunk lift-over height is 27 inches, while the Maxima’s liftover is 28.8 inches.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the A6’s trunk can be opened just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The A6 (except Premium) also offers an optional power trunk, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button or just by kicking your foot under the back bumper. The Maxima doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

Towing

The A6 has a 3500 lbs. towing capacity. The Maxima has no towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the A6 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Maxima. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Nissan. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 16% lower rating, Nissan is ranked 18th.

Ergonomics

The A6 Prestige has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Maxima doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The A6’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Maxima’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The power windows standard on both the A6 and the Maxima have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the A6 is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Maxima prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The A6’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Maxima’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The A6’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Maxima’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the A6 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Maxima doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The A6’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Maxima’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The A6 Premium Plus/Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Maxima doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the A6 Prestige has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Maxima doesn’t offer cornering lights.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are standard in the A6 Prestige to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Maxima doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The A6 Prestige offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Maxima.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Audi A6 offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Maxima doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The A6 Prestige’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist Plus will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Maxima doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the A6 is less expensive to operate than the Maxima because typical repairs cost much less on the A6 than the Maxima, including $242 less for a timing belt/chain and $303 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Audi A6 and the Nissan Maxima, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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