Item: Audi A6
Rating: 4

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The future of estate cars may be in doubt at Volvo, but they still have a firm place in the range of that other known purveyor of them. The Avant is an institution at Audi, to the extent that it’s launching its latest Audi A6 as an estate first, with the saloon to follow later on.

Globally, just over half of A6s are specified as a saloon, but in Europe, the estate dominates. Even so, its role has changed over the past five decades of A6 and 100 production.

The ICE A6 was supposed to become the A7, like the A4 became the A5, but that whole strategy is now off the table, so instead it continues to be the A6, while the electric one is the A6 E-tron.
Illya Verpraet
Road Tester

Today, buyers after a large, practical family car are more likely to pick an SUV, such as the Q5 or Q7. That leaves the A6 free to become more of a lifestyle product, one that puts more emphasis on style and driving dynamics.

Verdict

01 Audi A6 UK 2025 Autocar review front driving

Model tested:

Rating: 8

Audi A6

Grumbles about the quality and design of its interior aside, Audi’s new 5 Series rival is a well-rounded executive estate – in the right spec.

Good

Clean, sleek looks

Fairly practical

Good to drive – in the right spec

Bad

Interior quality and design

Unhybridised petrol engine struggles with this big car

Trim and option structure can be confusing and you could end up with the wrong spec

DESIGN & STYLING

Pros

Clean, sleek looks

Choice of petrol and diesel powertrains, with PHEV on the way

Option of air suspension

Cons

Powertrain choice limited at launch

V6 not coming to the UK

Not all engines get the hybrid system

02 Audi A6 UK 2025 Autocar review front cornering

For this C9-generation A6, the rear windscreen is notably sloped, not unlike an 100 Avant of the 1980s, and there’s pronounced blistering to the wheel arches – Quattro, anyone? It’s also super-streamlined, with a 0.25 Cd. You will make up your own mind about the looks, but in the metal it looks rather sharp, I think.

The new A5 launched last year (to replace the A4) was a pleasant surprise, particularly in sporty S5 guise, and mechanically the A6 is effectively the same thing but bigger. It’s based on the same new PPC platform with just a few spec differences.

You can recognise the diesel version by its double square exhaust pipes on the left side of the bumper. Petrol versions get twin trapezoid tips.
Illya Verpraet
Road Tester

That means the engines are still placed longitudinally, driving the front wheels in lower-end versions or all four in higher ones.

At launch, UK buyers can choose either a conventional 2.0-litre petrol or a 2.0-litre diesel with Audi’s new MHEV Plus system, which puts a 24bhp electric motor on the seven- speed dual-clutch gearbox and a 1.7kWh battery under the boot floor.

There’s also a 3.0-litre V6 with the same hybrid system (the same powertrain as in the S5), but that won’t be offered in the UK. The aggro around the CO2 targets of the ZEV mandate didn’t make it worth it, apparently. But don’t despair: an S6, presumably powered by a more powerful V6, will be along shortly.

Naturally, a plug-in hybrid is on the way as well, supplementing the petrol four-cylinder with a 140bhp motor and a 20.7kWh battery.

One mechanical difference versus the A5 is that for £1755, you can specify air suspension on the A6. Otherwise it rides on passive suspension with steel coils in oneof two flavours: softer on Sport cars, firmer on S Line and Edition 1 cars.

INTERIOR

Pros

Comfortable seats and driving position

Most of the tech works well

Good rear seat space

Cons

Tech overload

Materials should be classier

Limited boot space, particularly in hybrids

09 Audi A6 UK 2025 Autocar review interior

Inside, things look and feel very familiar from other recent Audis as well, with the interior dominated by a dual- or triple-screen set-up.

Some of the materials are slightly nicer than in the A5, with a bit more real metal and some softer plastics down low, but the A6 has the same smudge-and scratch-prone gloss black plastic centre console, which doesn’t feel appropriate in this class of car.

Like most new Audis, the A6 has touch-sensitive controls on the steering wheel. I treat them as normal buttons but occasionally adjust the media volume by accident. When will they learn?
Illya Verpraet
Road Tester

The look is very screen-heavy, with little in the way of physical buttons or anything overtly designery, which makes it a tad generic to my eyes.

With that said, everything works well enough. The instruments are fairly clear, and the Google-based infotainment system is quick and logical. While the heating and ventilation are adjusted through the screen, they are permanently shown and the buttons are pretty big and easy to hit, so it’s not a huge problem.

I’ve no complaints about the seats or driving position, though, and the back is fairly roomy – more so than the BMW 5 Series Touring’s.

Although the boot gets an array of nets and dividers that can be neatly stored under the floor, it’s far from the biggest in the class, at 503 litres or 466 litres in the hybrids. It’s even a bit smaller than the old A6 Avant’s.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

Pros

Hybrid works well

Diesel is refined, smooth and quick enough

Cons

Petrol is short on grunt

Petrol has a slightly clunky gearbox

18 Audi A6 UK 2025 Autocar review engine

That smallish boot will be the ‘lifestyle’ estate aspect, so what about the dynamics? That really depends on which version you pick.

The bad news is that by far the nicest one is the V6 – the one we’re not getting. While it doesn’t feel like an S6 (the engine is too quiet and the chassis is too easy-going for that), an understressed multi-cylinder engine is the way to go for effortless pace.

The 2.0-litre petrol engine's sound isn't hugely unpleasant. You might even call it sporty. But who wants that in a big, easy-going estate car?
Illya Verpraet
Road Tester

But forget about that. An easy second choice is the diesel, whose combination of low-down grunt and a bit of electric assistance manages to conjure an experience that’s not entirely dissimilar, except with better fuel economy.

Slightly worryingly, though, Audi expects most A6s in the UK to be in four-cylinder petrol spec. This arguably needs the hybrid assistance more than the engines that actually do get it, because, despite a healthy-sounding power figure of 201bhp, it’s short of accessible torque.

When asked for anything more than moderate acceleration, it becomes quite vocal. Without the torque fill of the electric motor, the gearbox isn’t as smooth either. And even on a gentle run with plenty of motorway cruising, it struggled to better 30mpg.

RIDE & HANDLING

Pros

Balanced handling, regardless of version

Comfortable ride on air suspension

Good refinement

Mature ADAS

Cons

Disappointing ride on passive suspension

19 Audi A6 UK 2025 Autocar review front cornering

The chassis, too demands careful perusal of the options list. Basically, get the air suspension if you can. It doesn’t give you the magic carpet feel of some luxury cars, but it isolates you nicely and controls the body well. On bumpy UK roads, the air suspension feels sweetly damped and supple, despite the fact that this model rides 20mm lower than the entry-level version.

The passive suspension doesn’t impress as much. I only got to try the Comfort set-up, which feels weirdly floaty over undulations and crashy over rough roads. The Sport set-up might turn out to be more consistent and controlled but is still unlikely to offer the kind of ride comfort you expect from a big exec.

In some markets, four-wheel steering is available as an option, but this won’t come to the UK. This is a less regrettable omission than the V6. It’s certainly nice to have for the way it shrinks the turning circle, but the A6 isn’t so big as to be unmanageable without a steered rear axle, and the system’s effect at speed is subtle.
Illya Verpraet
Road Tester

Whichever version you pick, this car gets 30% more sound-deadening than previous versions, plus noise-killing improvements to its door sealing and its engine mounts, and you notice: it's very quiet indeed.

In the corners, you wouldn’t call this A6 fun with a capital F, but it has good balance and the well-weighted steering makes it quite satisfying. The front-driven petrol, with its lighter front end, is a shade keener on turn-in, while the Quattro versions feel slightly more positive when powering out. It’s well-judged for a mainstream Audi and bodes well for the S6 and RS6.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

Pros

Diesel should manage well over 40mpg

Lower-end petrol undercuts rivals on price

Cons

Poor fuel economy from petrol engine

Air suspension is an expensive option

As usual in closely fought classes, pricing between rivals is pretty comparable. Audi offers the A6 in three trims: Sport, S Line and Edition 1. The entry-level trim does without the sporty body styling or big wheels, so it doesn’t have a direct BMW or Mercedes equivalent; those are always an M Sport or AMG Line in the UK. As a result, the A6’s starting price is a bit lower than its rivals’, at £52,210.

Move up to S Line and the petrol A6 is priced pretty much in line with the 520i M Sport and is a bit cheaper than the Mercedes E200 AMG Line. The diesel is very slightly pricier than the E220d but does throw in four-wheel drive. If you’re a company car driver, you will want to hold out for the tax-busting PHEV.

Any A6 is pretty well-equipped, and the upper trims mainly just add sportier styling inside and out. The adaptive air suspension is a separate option and well worth it, even at £1755. The other big option pack is the £2965 Sound & Vision Pack, which adds a head-up display and a premium sound system.

VERDICT

21 Audi A6 UK 2025 Autocar review front static

Verdict

Model tested:

Rating: 8

Audi A6

Grumbles about the quality and design of its interior aside, Audi’s new 5 Series rival is a well-rounded executive estate – in the right spec.

Good

Clean, sleek looks

Fairly practical

Good to drive – in the right spec

Bad

Interior quality and design

Unhybridised petrol engine struggles with this big car

Trim and option structure can be confusing and you could end up with the wrong spec

German premium cars have always made buyers play the options game, but with this A6, the stakes are higher than usual.

Get it right, though, and it’s a good ambassador for estate cars: stylish, practical, good to drive and reasonably economical. What's more, the A6 is not a stretched or compromised version of another Audi. It seems very happy in its own skin. Maybe send a couple to Gothenburg?

TECHNICAL SPECS

Model tested:

Audi A6 Avant TDI Quattro S Line

Price:

£59,580

Engine:

4 cyls in line, 1968cc, turbocharged, diesel, plus ISG and 24bhp electric motor

Transmission:

7-spd dual-clutch automatic

Driveline layout:

Front engine, 4WD

Model tested

Audi A6 Avant TDI Quattro S Line

Price

£59,580

Engine

4 cyls in line, 1968cc, turbocharged, diesel, plus ISG and 24bhp electric motor

View all specs and rivals

Transmission

7-spd dual-clutch automatic

Driveline layout

Front engine, 4WD

Power

201bhp at 3800-4200rpm

Torque

295lb ft at 1750-3250rpm

0-62mph

7.0sec

Top speed

148mph

Kerb weight (DIN)

2000kg

Fuel economy

48.7mpg

CO2

153g/km

BIK tax band

36%

Rivals BMW 5 Series Touring Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate Volvo V90

Power

201bhp at 3800-4200rpm

Torque

295lb ft at 1750-3250rpm

0-62mph

7.0sec

Top speed

148mph

Kerb weight (DIN)

2000kg

Fuel economy

48.7mpg

CO2

153g/km

BIK tax band

36%

Rivals BMW 5 Series Touring Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate Volvo V90

Illya Verpraet

Title: Road Tester

As a road tester, Illya drives everything from superminis to supercars, and writes reviews and comparison tests, while also managing the magazine’s Drives section. Much of his time is spent wrangling the data logger and wielding the tape measure to gather the data for Autocar’s in-depth instrumented road tests.

He loves cars that are fun and usable on the road – whether piston-powered or electric – or just cars that are very fit for purpose. When not in test cars, he drives an R53-generation Mini Cooper S.

Steve Cropley

Title: Editor-in-chief

Steve Cropley is the oldest of Autocar’s editorial team, or the most experienced if you want to be polite about it. He joined over 30 years ago, and has driven many cars and interviewed many people in half a century in the business.

Cropley, who regards himself as the magazine’s “long stop”, has seen many changes since Autocar was a print-only affair, but claims that in such a fast moving environment he has little appetite for looking back.

He has been surprised and delighted by the generous reception afforded the My Week In Cars podcast he makes with long suffering colleague Matt Prior, and calls it the most enjoyable part of his working week.