The spectre of tax has never loomed larger over the heads of UK motorists. Fuel tax, road tax, company car tax, value added tax, cup-holder tax, twin exhaust pipe tax, the congestion charge. OK, some of those may or may not be actual taxes but you get the general idea - people with cars pay lots of tax. It's almost as if the Chancellor has metamorphosised into some kind of latter-day Sheriff of Nottingham. Motorists can either pay up or abandon their cars completely, retreating to a simple life in the forests dressed in Lincoln Green. Fortunately, the tax burden has yet to reach an extent where car owners are practicing archery in significant numbers and there are still measures we can take to avoid the worst of the taxman's wrath. Buying an Audi A6 2.0-litre TDI for example.

A full size executive saloon is not a type of car that most people would instantly finger as being particularly tax efficient. Big cars with big engines and a generous helping of desirable but heavy equipment usually attract big taxes. If you really want to pay out the bare minimum in tax, then citycars, superminis and family hatchbacks will always be the way to go but the A6 2.0-litre TDI is a car that delivers true-blue executive motoring without the associated financial penalties.

It's business users who get the most out of A6 2.0-litre TDI ownership. Unless you're lucky enough to be on the receiving end of a particularly stratospheric salary, signing on the dotted line for a V8 executive saloon as a company car in today's taxation climate would be tantamount to filing for bankruptcy. If we take Audi's 4.2-litre V8 FSI A6 as an example, its 283g/km CO2 emissions mean it attracts Benefit in Kind company car tax on 35% of its £44,000 list price. The 2.0-litre TDI produces 169g/km and incurs tax on 19% of its £25,365 value. The TDI engine is also compliant with the Euro IV emissions regulations and as a result, it is exempt from the 3% surcharge that applies to non-Euro IV diesel cars.

"There's a certain smugness to be gleaned from running an executive saloon that's costing you a whole lot less than people think it is."

Fuel consumption is another area where the 2.0-litre TDI looks a cost-effective bet compared to executive saloons with the traditional big petrol engines. Its 45mpg average economy figure is far in excess of the 24-28mpg you can expect from Audi's V6 and V8 petrol units. It sounds good but reading this, you're probably gearing yourself up for some disappointing news regarding the car's performance. Sure enough, it isn't the executive express that every young go-getter dreams about as they struggle up the corporate ladder but, as we've explained, V8 power comes with some fairly prohibitive bills. The 2.0-litre TDI makes a decent account of itself with 0-60mph acceleration of 10.3s and a 130mph top speed. The engine doesn't feel unduly troubled by the A6's substantial mass with a nice slug of torque low down in the rev Range translating into impressive in-gear flexibility. Engine noise is well suppressed.

If you look to Audi's German rivals, you'll pay around £3,000 more for an E220 CDI from Mercedes with similar performance and economy. BMW, on the other hand, have the 525d which is over £3,500 more expensive but offers far better performance with only a slight fuel consumption penalty. In the case of Jaguar, a £3,000 premium will get you the 2.7-litre twin turbo diesel in an S-Type - a package that's a match for the BMW in terms of power and parsimony. The upshot of all this seems to be that the Audi 2.0-litre TDI has affordability firmly on its side and buyers for whom cutting back on the tax they pay is the number one priority will find it hard to better. The majestic performance often associated with this type of car is largely absent but so are the monstrous running costs and that will be all that matters for some.

If we turn our attention to matters away from the A6 2.0-litre TDI's engine bay, the product makes an even stronger case for itself. We might be looking at an entry-level model but you wouldn't necessarily know it from sitting in the driver's seat. Electronic climate control, cruise control and a 10-speaker CD stereo system are just some of the creature comforts and outside there are 16-inch alloy wheels to raise the tone. There's Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR), Electronic Differential Lock (EDL) and an Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) to keep the car on the right track. Along with ABS and EBD to stop it safely.

It's also possible to specify the 2.0-litre TDI A6 in sporty S-Line trim but this boosts the price up to £28,535 - a level at which rival products with more spirited performance come within easier reach. The S-Line package of 18" wheels, sports suspension, sports seats, body styling features and various interior trim enhancements boosts the A6's desirability but the key strength of the 2.0-litre TDI models is their value proposition and S-Line does detract from that somewhat.

The key styling feature on this A6 is that prominent grille or, as Audi prefer to call it, the 'single frame'. Look beyond that and you'll notice the curvaceous flanks, topped and tailed by a sharp longitudinal crease line that forms a definite hip and the rising edge in the door sills that creates a great deal of tension and shadow in the A6's profile. The Ingolstadt company claims the world's tightest shut lines and the panel fit around the door is indeed superb. Inside, although much of the look and feel is reminiscent again of the A8, the dashboard features a binnacle and centre console that angles towards the driver and is quite unlike anything yet seen in an Audi. The quality of the cabin remains top notch but there's a little more style and colour contrast here, Audi finally recognising that the coal hole dark plastic look was just that little bit too nineties to cut it these days.

It's often a moot point as to whether a prestige manufacturer should offer more affordable derivatives of their executive saloon. The thinking being that such models democratise the car, rubbing off some of that all-important lustre and exclusivity. With the current taxation situation, and the impact it has on company car drivers in particular, Audi's decision to go ahead with the A6 2.0-litre TDI seems sound. There's a certain smugness to be gleaned from running an executive saloon that's costing you a whole lot less than people think it is.

TOP 5 A6 DEALS

The results below show the top A6 deals on buyacar

	Audi A6 2.0 TDI DPF SE 5dr Multitronic Avant Estate
	ETR	Mthly £466	Saving £2,759	Price £26,076
	Audi A6 2.0 TDI TDV SE 4dr Saloon
	ETR	Mthly £415	Saving £2,427	Price £23,363
	Audi A6 2.0 TDI TDV SE 5dr Avant Estate
	ETR	Mthly £438	Saving £2,600	Price £24,760
	Audi A6 2.0 TDI TDV S Line 4dr Saloon
	ETR	Mthly £473	Saving £2,762	Price £26,068
	Audi A6 2.0 TDI TDV S Line 5dr Avant Estate
	ETR	Mthly £497	Saving £2,934	Price £27,466

typical 9.91% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000