2026 Audi A6 vs 2025 Volkswagen Jetta

The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta presented a more upscale appearance than its price suggested, thanks to its new front and rear styling, revised wheel designs, and fresh paint colours like Monterey Blue Pearl. The styling modifications emphasized the car’s width, visually widening and lowering it for a more premium look. Inside, the Jetta received an upgrade with nicer materials and a redesigned dashboard, featuring an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system and dual-zone automatic climate control. However, the touch-sensitive controls for the climate system were distracting and frustrating, though many drivers could set it and forget it unless they needed specific functions.

In Canada, the Jetta was available in Trendline, Comfortline, and Highline trims, with a Sport package option for the Comfortline. The Highline trim boasted leather upholstery, ambient interior lighting, and upgraded digital instrumentation, enhancing the overall driving experience. Despite the presence of plastic in the cabin, the Jetta offered a comfortable and practical interior, making it a compelling choice for an entry-level car.

The 2026 Audi A6, like its smaller sibling the A5, was handsome but not visually striking. Its design featured a lower "singleframe" grille, fender flares inspired by the Quattro rally car, and a pronounced rib in the lower door skins. The A6's LED headlights had a pixelated effect with programmable signatures, while the taillights were moved to accommodate programmable lights for different icons. However, the similarity between some symbols caused confusion. The A6 was available in base, Progressiv, and Technik trims, with the S Line Black package adding sportier elements to the Technik trim. Despite its stylish exterior, the interior materials were disappointingly bland and cheap-feeling, even in the top-spec Technik model.

The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta retained its turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque at a low 1,750 rpm. An eight-speed automatic transmission transferred power to the front wheels, with no all-wheel drive option. The Jetta's fuel economy was rated at 7.4 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving, though testing averaged 8.9 L/100 km in hot conditions. The Sport driving mode improved the driving experience by resolving turbo lag issues present in Normal mode. The lowered, sport-tuned suspension, standard on all but the base Trendline, provided a firmer and more enjoyable driving experience, especially on twisty roads.

The 2026 Audi A6 featured a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engine, producing 362 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and standard quattro all-wheel drive. The A6's 4.8-second zero to 100 km/h time was impressive, outperforming base models of the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class. However, the transmission exhibited hesitation when accelerating from a stop. The Sport Plus package included a sport rear differential and rear-axle steering, enhancing handling but compromising ride quality. The A6's steering system provided precision, though the artificial heft in Dynamic mode was noticeable. Overall, the A6 was better suited for highway driving than aggressive cornering.

The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta offered a remarkably roomy interior for a compact sedan, with comfortable front and rear seats and a 399-litre trunk. The Highline trim featured leather seats with power adjustment, heating, and ventilation, as well as a heated steering wheel and rear seats. The dual-zone automatic climate control system and ventilated front seats effectively combated extreme temperatures, though the touch-sensitive climate control panel was displeasing and distracting. The previous system's large temperature control knobs were more user-friendly, making the new setup a misstep in an otherwise comfortable and practical daily driver.

The 2026 Audi A6 was six centimetres longer than its predecessor, but the wheelbase remained the same, resulting in no additional passenger space. The panoramic glass roof increased front-seat headroom by five centimetres, while rear seat headroom and legroom remained comparable to the BMW 5 Series. Rear-seat occupants enjoyed climate controls and USB-C ports, with heated rear seats standard across all models. The A6's trunk offered 382 litres of cargo space, more than a Cadillac CT5 or Mercedes-Benz E-Class, but less than the BMW 5 Series. The sport seats provided a good balance of bolstering and cushioning for long drives.

The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta came equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system and an 8-inch digital instrumentation panel across all trims. The Comfortline's Sport package and the Highline trim offered a 10.25-inch Volkswagen Digital Cockpit Pro driver display. Standard features included Bluetooth, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Car-Net connected services. The Comfortline added wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, wireless smartphone charging, and voice recognition. However, the infotainment system's operation was hindered by proximity-sensing menus and changing knob functions, leading to a frustrating user experience. Wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity issues further complicated matters.

The 2026 Audi A6 introduced the Digital Stage setup with an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.5-inch touchscreen, along with an optional 10.9-inch front-passenger touchscreen. Despite the larger screens, the MMI infotainment system's oversimplified layouts and small text made it difficult to use. Audi's improved voice recognition system and standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto provided some relief, but the interface was set to be updated mid-year. The optional Bang & Olufsen 3D audio system featured headrest speakers for navigation directions, enhancing the audio experience.

The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta was equipped with IQ.Drive, a suite of driver assistance systems and safety features. The standard blind-spot monitoring system included active collision avoidance, countersteering against unsafe lane changes. Emergency Assist worked with Lane Assist to bring the Jetta to a safe stop if the driver became unresponsive. The IQ.Drive features performed with precision, though Lane Assist occasionally issued unnecessary warnings. The Jetta received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, but the IIHS rated it "Good" in most tests and "Acceptable" in the updated side crash test.

The 2026 Audi A6 came standard with adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, blind spot monitors, traffic sign recognition, parking sensors, and lane departure warning. However, the lane centring feature allowed the A6 to wobble within its lane. Robust driver monitoring was included, but crash-test ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not available at the time of writing.