Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2012 Audi A6 VS 2012 Hyundai Equus Near Phoenix, AZ

The A6 3.0T has all wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Equus doesn’t offer all wheel drive.

An active infrared night vision system optional on the A6 3.0T Prestige helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera and near-infrared lights to detect heat, the system then projects the image on the windshield, near the driver’s line of sight. The Equus doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The A6’s optional blind spot warning system uses digital cameras monitored by computer to alert the driver to moving objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. The Equus doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver's blind spots.

Both the A6 and the Equus have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four wheel antilock brakes, traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding.

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

Audi pays for scheduled maintenance on the A6 for 1 year and 5000 miles. Audi will pay for oil changes, tire rotation, lubrication and any other scheduled maintenance. Hyundai doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Equus.

As tested in Motor Trend the A6 3.0T is faster than the Hyundai Equus:

For more instantaneous acceleration and better engine flexibility in any gear, the A6’s engines produce their peak torque and horsepower at lower RPM’s than the Equus:

On the EPA test cycle the A6 3.0T gets better fuel mileage than the Equus (19 city/28 hwy vs. 15 city/23 hwy).

The A6 stops much shorter than the Equus:

For better traction, the A6’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Equus (255/40R19 vs. 245/45R19).

The A6 3.0T’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Equus’ 45 series front and 40 series rear tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the A6 3.0T offers optional 20 inch wheels. The Equus’ largest wheels are only 19 inches.

The A6 3.0T Quattro handles at .93 G’s, while the Equus Ultimate pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The A6 3.0T Quattro executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.5 seconds quicker than the Equus Ultimate (25.5 seconds @ .74 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the A6’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Equus’ (39 feet vs. 39.6 feet).

The Audi A6 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 800 pounds less than the Hyundai Equus.

The A6 is 9.2 inches shorter than the Equus, making the A6 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The A6’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The Equus doesn’t offer folding rear seats.

The A6 offers an optional heads-up display which projects speed readouts onto the windshield, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Equus doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the A6 and the Equus 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 Equus prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

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 Equus doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.