Audi A6 Avant e-tron review

Make and model: Audi A6 Avant e-tron Edition 1
Description: Upmarket estate car, battery-powered EV
Price: £87,360 (plus options)

Audi says: “Performance in a new light.”
We say: Good looking, with decent performance, but lacks physical buttons.

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Introduction

A bit of quick explanation before we get stuck in. Audi has two different cars that both carry the name ‘A6’. The one reviewed here is the electric model, called the A6 e-tron. However, there’s another one arriving shortly, which is the next generation of the long-serving petrol/diesel/plug-in hybrid A6 family. The two A6 models are similar in size but otherwise unrelated.

Under a previous Audi plan, the new fossil-fuel-powered car was going to be called the A7, but the plan was abandoned and it will keep its familiar A6 name instead. Apparently, having two completely different cars sharing the same name is meant to reduce confusion…

The A6 Avant is the largest estate car Audi offers. Buyers can choose from a petrol and diesel engine or the all-electric powertrain as tested here. Audi also offers the A6 saloon if you don’t require the masses of space offered by the estate version.

• Audi A6 e-tron (2024 onwards) – Expert Rating
• More Audi news, reviews, features and Expert Ratings

What is it?

The Audi A6 e-tron Avant is an executive all-electric estate that rivals cars like the BMW i5 Touring, Mercedes-Benz EQE, and Porsche Taycan.

It’s available in three trims: Sport, S line and Edition 1. There are also three electric powertrains: ‘e-tron’, ‘e-tron Performance’ and ‘e-tron quattro’. Prices start from £64k and stretch to £100k for the fast S6 Avant.

Who is this car aimed at?

Like previous Audi estates, the A6 e-tron Avant is designed for those who require extra space over the saloon, catering to families, construction site managers, dog owners, and everyone in between. It will also appeal to tech-savvy drivers who seek a balance between practicality and sportiness.

Similarly, caravan owners will be pleased to hear that the Audi A6 e-tron Avant will tow up to 2.1 tonnes.

Who won’t like it?

Being an executive all-electric car from a premium brand means the entry-level car is already expensive, and those on a budget should consider the Peugeot e-308 SW or Vauxhall Astra Electric Sports Tourer.

Then there’s the lack of physical buttons, and although it’s not as bad as a Ford Mustang Mach-E, which has very little, most of the car’s settings are controlled via one of its many screens. Therefore, if an overly technical, futuristic interior is not for you, look elsewhere.

First impressions

The Audi A6 e-tron looks good from almost every angle, and its fresh and modern design will surely age well.

Its large boot easily swallows prams and two large dogs, despite it being slightly smaller than its BMW i5 rival. Pop the bonnet, and you’ll find a deep storage area that’s perfect for stashing charging cables. Likewise, there’s enough room for six-foot-tall adults.

What do you get for your money?

The range kicks off with the Sport, which features 20-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, heated front seats, high-beam assist, 360-degree cameras, adaptive cruise control, and an Audi sound system.

Upgrading to the S line, which costs an extra £3.5k, adds sportier exterior bits, privacy glass, front sports seats, and a fancier steering wheel with paddle shifters to control brake regeneration.

And finally, there’s the Edition 1 as tested here. Costing nearly £73k, it adds black exterior trim, red brake callipers, electrically adjustable front seats, steering wheel heating and 21-inch alloy wheels.

We feel the Sport and S line trim levels are best. You might not get a heated steering wheel unless you opt for the Edition 1, which is odd considering the A6 e-tron’s base price, but both offer decent standard equipment levels.

The base e-tron also has the smallest battery (83kWh), while the performance and quattro have larger batteries (95kWh). Audi quotes between 325 and 363 miles of range for the e-tron, 392 to 438 miles with the performance, and 378 to 417 miles for the quattro.

All A6 e-trons come with a three-year warranty or 60,000 miles, covering mechanical defects, while a separate eight-year 100,000-mile warranty covers the battery.

We like: Decent equipment levels on entry-level models and a good battery warranty
We don’t like: No heated steering wheel unless you opt for expensive Edition 1 trim

What’s the Audi A6 Avant e-tron like inside?

Although its interior is snazzy, there’s a lot going on, especially when equipped in Edition 1 trim. Almost everywhere you look, there’s a screen.

Suede covers the doors and seats. There are also door-integrated monitors for the rather useless camera side mirrors, as well as a passenger screen that can control the sat-nav and radio. Buy a car without the extra screen and you get a slab of black plastic instead.

Likewise, while most of its interior feels solid, scratchy plastics can be felt low on the doors and under the dashboard, and the cup holder, a small detail, is covered by a cheap plasticky shutter.

Oddly, despite its low-slung exterior, the Audi A6 e-tron has a high driving position. Still, the seats are comfortable and supportive for long-distance journeys.

It also feels remarkably airy for a cabin cloaked with darker material, but this is because of Audi’s large panoramic sunroof, which comes as standard.

We like: Feels solid and has comfortable seats
We don’t like: Some parts are let down by cheaper-feeling plastics and too many screens

What’s the Audi A6 Avant e-tron like to drive?

We’ve only driven the 370hp e-tron performance version, although the standard 281hp e-tron will be enough for most daily situations.

As with most electric cars, the A6 Avant e-tron is no slouch. In our testing, the performance version managed 0-62mph in 5.6 seconds, while 30-70mph took 4.2 seconds, meaning overtaking is swift.

It’s also remarkably quiet at motorway speeds. We recorded 64dB at 70 mph, putting it just 1dB behind a Bentley Flying Spur plug-in hybrid.

Topping up the car’s battery doesn’t take long, and charging via a rapid charger from 10-80% takes around 20-30 minutes. When full, our test car showed 305 miles, which is 87 miles off Audi’s claimed figure.

And despite driving mostly in its Efficiency Plus setting, the A6 Avant e-tron returned just 3.1mi/kWh. However, this is a large, powerful and comfortable electric estate car packed with all sorts of mod-cons, after all.

While cool, the camera mirror novelty will soon wear off. The screens that cast the camera’s image allow the driver to adjust their angle, like you would on a normal car, but there’s very little adjustment in comparison to a regular mirror.

There’s also a slight delay in it feeding real-time motion to the screens, and hideous blind spots. A Lamborghini Countach would be easier to park in Central London than one of these would. If you can, our advice would be to stick with the regular mirrors.

We like: Punchy powertrain, fast charging and incredibly quiet at motorway speeds
We don’t like: mediocre efficiency and real-world range, silly camera mirrors

How safe is the Audi A6 Avant e-tron?

The Audi A6 Avant e-tron secured a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, scoring 92% in adult occupancy, 91% in child occupancy and 80% for safety assistance.

It comes packed with standard safety kit like 360-degree cameras, collision avoidance, lane-keep assist and autonomous braking.

Verdict

The Audi A6 Avant e-tron is an attractive car packed with modern tech. It’s also incredibly spacious, is offered with decent standard equipment, is comfortable over long distances and charges quickly. It’s also nearly £6k cheaper than the equivalent BMW i5. This said, it can get expensive.

Its range isn’t terrible, but 3.1mi/kWh isn’t the best either, despite its bodywork being carved in a wind tunnel to make it as slippery as possible. Then there are the screens, lack of buttons and camera mirrors. It’s all just a bit much.
Be in no doubt, the Audi is a fine car, but the i5 Touring edges slightly ahead.

It’s a better car to drive, has a slightly larger boot, and it isn’t trying to reinvent itself. It’s just a posh electric estate car that does its job well.

Similar cars

Audi e-tron GT | BMW i5 Touring | BMW i7 | Citroën C5 X | Hyundai Ioniq 6 | Kia EV6 | Mercedes-Benz EQE | Polestar 5 | Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo | Tesla Model S | Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer

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