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In-depth reviews

Audi A6 Avant review: A plush executive car with plenty of added space

The Audi A6 Avant is proof that an SUV needn’t be the default choice for families

Overall Auto Express rating

3.5

How we review cars
Price
£48,405 - £65,185
  • Superb interior
  • Better to drive than before
  • Strong performance from all engines
  • The boot could be bigger
  • Steering lacks feedback
  • Rival plug-in hybrids offer more range
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The Audi A6 Avant offers a sumptuous cabin with plenty of up-to-date tech, all wrapped up in a sleek and sophisticated exterior. There’s much to like about its comfortable and refined road manners, and it still makes for a great alternative to an SUV.

However, newer rivals offer plug-in hybrid models with superior electric range and lower emissions, or provide an all-electric option for lower company car tax costs. Plus, while the A6 Avant is versatile enough for family life, some competitors — namely the Mercedes E-Class Estate — offer greater boot space in both regular and plug-in hybrid forms.

About the Audi A6 Avant

It may feel like SUVs are taking over our roads, but the Audi A6 Avant is indisputable proof that there’s still a place for the traditional large estate car. The current A6 has been with us since 2018, but it still offers a highly impressive combination of style, driving dynamics and, perhaps most importantly of all, practicality. 

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The current model is wider and taller than the one it replaced, which equates to a larger cabin. Curiously, the luggage capacity remains unchanged at 565 litres.

The rakish and stylish exterior houses a quality-rich cabin that’s filled with plenty of up-to-date technology and three digital screens. Based on the interior alone, the A6 Avant can rival some of the best in the segment, feeling like a smaller version of the Audi A8 limo.

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The A6 Avant shares the same core engine line-up as the saloon. The entry-level 2.0-litre four-cylinder 40 TFSI petrol is mated to an S tronic automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, while the more powerful 45 TFSI petrol and 40 TDI diesel get quattro four-wheel drive

These engines benefit from a 48-volt mild hybrid system that allows coasting at speed to improve fuel economy while delivering a power boost to aid initial acceleration.

There’s also the choice of a 50 TFSI e plug-in hybrid variant. This consists of a 2.0-litre petrol engine working in tandem with a single electric motor. The result is a claimed fuel economy figure of well over 200mpg, although achieving this in the real world will prove challenging.

The core A6 Avant range has three trim levels: Sport, S Line, and Black Edition, all of which are generously equipped. 

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Further up the range are the S6 Avant and RS 6 Avant performance models. Unusually for a sporty car, the S6 Avant opts exclusively for diesel power, and its 3.0-litre TDI engine pumps out 339bhp and 700Nm of torque. The range-topping RS 6, meanwhile, is powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine producing 621bhp and 850Nm of torque.

The S6 is available in Black Edition or Vorsrpung trim, while the RS 6 has the choice of performance, Carbon Black or Carbon Vorsrpung spec.

Prices start from around £45,000 for the A6 Avant 40 TFSI Sport, increasing to nearly £48,000 for the S line. At the top of the core range is the TFSI e Black Edition, which commands over £65,000. Predictably, buyers can choose from a wide range of comfort, technology and safety options, many with a four-figure price tag.

The executive estate market has shrunk over recent years, but the A6 Avant still faces some capable competition. Its age-old Mercedes E-Class Estate and BMW 5 Series Touring rivals are still going strong, while some fully-electric contenders, such as the Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer and BMW i5 Touring, have also entered the ring, 

In response to these new arrivals, the next-generation A6 will be a fully-electric model called the A6 Avant e-tron. The next combustion-powered estate will become the A7 Avant.

Frequently Asked Questions
The A6 Avant is a luxurious yet practical executive estate that’s very well put together and filled with Audi’s latest technology. Many executive car drivers are starting to switch to fully-electric power, though, and you’ll have to wait for the new A6 e-tron to arrive if you wish to do the same.
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Which Is Best

Cheapest

  • Name
    40 TFSI Sport 5dr S Tronic
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £48,405

Most Economical

  • Name
    40 TDI Quattro Sport 5dr S Tronic
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £52,645

Fastest

  • Name
    45 TFSI Quattro Sport 5dr S Tronic
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £54,130

Shane is responsible for looking after the day-to-day running of the Auto Express website and social media channels. Prior to joining Auto Express in 2021, he worked as a radio producer and presenter for outlets such as the BBC.

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