Audi A6 e-tron Avant Review 2026

With every manufacturer seemingly betting everything on the continued popularity of SUVs, it’s reassuring that at least some are still churning out what might be considered traditional bodystyles, such as estate cars. Could the switch to fully electric drive systems reinvigorate estates’ popularity? Find out with our full Audi A6 Avant e-tron review.

One long-standaing upmarket estate mainstay has been the Audi A6 Avant, yet the German brand’s line-up now has two barely related load-luggers in its line-up using that same name. How so? A last-minute change of marketing strategy.

You can still buy the A6 Avant with a petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid power — until the cusp of its launch it was due to be labelled as the A7 Avant following an earlier Audi announcement that only its EVs would have even numerals. These combustion-engined A6 Avants share their underpinnings with the Audi A5 Avant, a model launched before the policy reversal to replace the A4 Avant.

Underneath the Audi A6 Avant e-tron is an electric car-specific foundation shared with its taller, SUV-bodied sibling, the Audi Q6 e-tron. Don’t worry if you haven’t grasped it — there’s no test at the end, plus there’s always the risk Audi will have a further change of heart in the future. What’s important to focus on here is the availability of another electric estate. 

One reason why SUVs, including the Q6 e-tron, are well-suited to electric power is that their tall bodies give plenty of room for bulky batteries below the floor without eating into the interior space. Audi has managed this issue relatively well in the conversion to an estate — the A6 Avant e-tron offers 502 litres of boot space, which just one litre less than in its combustion-engined namesake.

From the outside there is enough familiarity in the A6 Avant e-tron’s styling that you can tell this is a different sort of Audi, but subtly so — there’s nothing radical to scare off buyers with more conservative tastes. Its blanked-off grille is the most obvious clue, but there’s also some clever visual trickery down the flanks in order to hide the visual bulk accommodating the batteries.

Inside the A6 Avant e-tron sticks to the current Audi approach, which means a minimum of two large display screens and the availability of a third for the front seat passenger. It all looks slick, if not quite as well integrated as what you will find in the BMW i5 Touring.

Audi also provides plenty of choice when it comes different levels of electric power for the A6 Avant e-tron, although here there’s further scope for confusion.

With its 326PS motor located under the boot floor and — unusually for an Audi — driving the rear-wheels, the entry-level choice is called e-tron. Also rear-wheel drive but with its output elevated to 380PS and a battery pack that’s almost 20kWh larger is the e-tron performance. This will be the A6 Avant sweet spot for most buyers.

All-wheel drive is available for the e-tron quattro courtesy of a second electric motor under the bonnet additionally driving the front wheels. It uses the same larger battery as the e-tron performance but here power peaks at 462PS. Topping the line-up is the Audi S6 Avant e-tron, another all-wheel drive model, which is useful as its power output reaches 551PS. Fast? It will squirt from 0-62mph in just 3.9 seconds.

There’s much to like about the Audi A6 Avant e-tron. It’s a purpose-designed electric estate that delivers on its promise, with few compromises. There’s no denying that its comfort, effortlessness and performance make it a tempting choice. 

And for those whom it doesn’t quite suit, you’re only a few steps across the Audi showroom from Q6 e-tron or a combustion-engined A6 Avant.

Audi A6 Avant e-tron: Range and charging times

In terms of the line-up’s greatest driving range potential, the Audi A6 Avant e-tron performance is the one to go for. Depending on trim level it has an official WLTP Combined cycle window of 397-444 miles.

Not significantly behind is the A6 Avant e-tron quattro offering a potential of 378-420 miles, while the high performance Audi S6 Avant e-tron is a close third with 379-394 miles.

Least rangy of all is the cheapest Audi A6 Avant e-tron with a maximum potential of 328-364 miles. It’s much lower than the others because its usable battery capacity is 75.8kWh compared with the 94.9kWh pack fitted to the e-tron performance, quattro and S6.

Both battery sizes can be charged on an AC connection at a maximum of energy rate of 22kW. Using Audi’s quoted times for an 11kW charge, our estimations are that a 0-100% recharge using a UK domestic wallbox with a 7.4kW connection will take around 12 hours for the 75.8kWh battery and approximately 14 hours 30 minutes for the 94.9kWh version.

Technical differences balance matters out when connected to a public DC ultra-rapid charger. While the 75.8kWh battery is fed by a 225kW DC on-board charger, the 94.9kWh pack has a faster 270kW alternative. The net result is that operating at their highest speeds both batteries will achieve a 10-80% recharge in 21 minutes.

Even with the performance on offer, unless you’re specifying the most powerful Audi A6 Avant e-tron — or the ballistic S6 version — it’s likely that comfort will be a priority over handling dynamism. That said, for the most part this electric estate manages both well.

To deal with the extra weight of the batteries all A6 Avant e-trons use suspension which is slightly stiffer than that fitted to the combustion-engined A6 Avant range. That does mean that over big potholes you will feel the disturbance more than is ideal but on balance its comfort levels are good. 

Since the A6 Avant e-tron’s launch, Audi has updated the specification of UK-market cars so that all versions now get Dynamic suspension as standard, which is better than the arrangement on the earliest models.

As a result the handling is also impressive. It’s no giant hot hatchback, but it feels stable, balanced and grips well, so you can cover the ground swiftly and with little fuss.

While the Audi’s steering is accurate and has a good weight to it, it’s not as communicative as that of the BMW i5 Touring.

There are four levels of power across the Audi A6 Avant e-tron line-up, distinguished by mildly varying names. As is the EV norm, a transmission which is essentially used in the same way as you would a conventional automatic is standard across the range.

Entry-point to the range is the Audi A6 Avant e-tron which has a single motor at the back driving the rear wheels. Under normal circumstances it produces 285PS, although this ramps-up to 326PS when launch control is switched on. Peak torque is rated at 435Nm.

Its top speed is electronically governed at 130mph, while the 0-62mph dash ordinarily takes 7.0 seconds — that’s reduced to 6.0 seconds with launch control active.

There’s extra urgency with the Audi A6 Avant e-tron performance where outputs are increased to 367PS (380PS with launch control) with 565Nm. While the top speed remains unchanged, the 0-62mph drops to 5.4 seconds, which we assume is with launch control’s assistance as Audi only quotes one figure in this instance.

A second, front-mounted motor provides all-wheel drive for the Audi A6 Avant e-tron quattro, where both power and torque are increased yet further — 428PS (462PS with launch control) plus 275Nm at the front wheels and 580Nm at the back.

Once again, there’s no change to the top speed, but acceleration’s notably quicker at 4.7 seconds for the 0-62mph time. Switching on launch control shaves a further 0.2 seconds from that time.

For the range’s highest levels of performance you need to look at the Audi S6 Avant e-tron, although the jump from the A6 Avant e-tron quattro isn’t especially large.

Despite not having the quattro element to its name, the S6 e-tron also has all-wheel drive, with identical torque figures to the A6 e-tron quattro. Its power outputs have increased, though, producing 503PS ordinarily and 551PS should you flick on the launch control.

Still governed, the top speed’s been loosened-off to 149mph here, with 0-62mph times of 4.1 seconds without launch control and 3.9 seconds with.

Euro NCAP crash-tested the Audi A6 Avant e-tron in 2025 and awarded it a full five-star rating. 

It scored a highly impressive 92% for adult occupant protection and 91% for child occupant protection, with a solid score of 75% for vulnerable road user mitigation and 80% for its safety assist systems.

All versions of the Audi A6 Avant e-tron, including the S6, can be equipped for towing duties. 

Slightly surprisingly, no single version is better than the others, with each having a maximum braked towing capacity of 2100kg, making them fine all choices for towing duties. That said, all-wheel drive quattro versions’ extra traction could prove beneficial when hauling heavier loads.

It’s a safe assumption that if you plump for a large estate, such as the Audi A6 Avant e-tron, you’re going to want to make use of the available space. While it does a decent job, it’s behind its key rivals when it comes to accommodation.

There’s unlikely to be a source of grumbles from those up front, where generous amounts of of wheel and seat adjustment makes it easy to get comfortable. However, the floor is higher than you might expect it to be, in order to accommodate the batteries, so if you like to sit low within a car you might find you can’t get as far down as you would prefer.

It’s a similar story in the back seats, where rear space is acceptable but not exceptional. Headroom is fine as is elbow room, but the raised floor — again — means your knees are likely to be higher than ideal. The upside is that the floor is flat, resulting in good foot room and no raised hump to negotiate for the centre occupant.

The boot is flat and offers 502 litres of space with the rear seats up. That’s a useful capacity, but it lags behind the BMW i5 Touring (570 litres) and the unrelated Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer’s mighty 605 litres, so if space is paramount the Audi might come up shorter than you need.

With the rear seats folded the maximum carrying capacity increases to 1422 litres — or 1330 litres for the S6 Avant e-tron — plus there’s a 27-litre frunk below the bonnet across the range.

This a brand which has set a high bar for itself with the quality of its interiors over the years and for the most part, the Audi A6 Avant e-tron meets those standards. 

First impressions are good, with the large screens and touch-sensitive panels combined with attractive materials and pleasing finishes, but explore lower down and there are some cheap-feeling plastics which take something away from the overall impression. 

However, it’s fair to say that it all feels well-constructed and gives the feeling that it will stand up to thousands of miles of use.

As standard the Audi A6 Avant e-tron’s infotainment provision is strong even on the least expensive trim level. 

Each has an 11.9-inch digital instrument display and a 14.5-inch central multimedia touchscreen which includes DAB radio, Bluetooth connectivity, integral navigation, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, as well as a wireless charging pad for your device. The displays are clear with sharp graphics that are mostly easy to read, while the touchscreed responds readily to inputs. 

There’s also the availability of a third screen for the front seat passenger, giving them control over navigation, audio and climate functions as well as the ability to watch video content that isn’t visible to the driver. 

This Sound and Vision option pack also adds a head-up display and premium Bang & Olufsen audio system to those models where it’s not standard equipment.

Where the system falls down a little is that all the functions are controlled by touch with no physical buttons or switches, which often means taking your eyes off the road to make an adjustment. 

The same goes for the exterior lighting control panel which is mounted on the driver’s door, making it even more difficult to use without looking away from where you’re going.

Prices start at £64,340 for the entry-level Audi A6 Avant e-tron Sport, with the S line version at £67,840 and the Black Edition costing £70,440.

Go for the additional power and driving range of the A6 Avant e-tron performance and prices inevitably increase. In this guise the Sport is £70,610, the S line is £74,110 while the Black Edition chimes in at £76,710. This is also the point at which the tricked-out Vorsprung specification becomes available, priced at £79,465.

Fancy all-wheel drive traction courtesy of the Audi A6 Avant e-tron quattro? Be prepared to pay for it — the Sport is £75,710, the S line is £79,210, it’s £81,810 for the Black Edition and the Vorsprung is a hefty £84,545.

Spending even more is possible, without even considering extra-cost options, should you plump for the Audi S6 Avant e-tron. There are two grades to choose from here — the Black Edition is a chunky £94,100 but the Vorsprung crosses the six-figure threshold at £101,600.

What about the Audi’s rivals? The BMW i5 Touring will set you back between £70,045 and £100,095, while the less spacious by massively faster Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo ranges from £89,200 to £163,200.

Waving the bargain banner, comparatively speaking, is the Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer — its prices start at £51,830 and end (before extras) at £60,035.

The A6 Avant e-tron is still a little new for used examples but there are numerous examples brand new or with delivery miles with substantial savings over list.

If you can charge at home, keeping the Audi A6 Avant e-tron topped-up should be inexpensive, especially if you switch to an energy supplier with an EV-friendly tariff at a rate as low as 7p/kWh. Doing so would mean that even with the larger battery a full charge would cost around £6.64.

Minimising the time spent hooked-up to public DC chargers will also help rein-in costs.

Insurance costs may sting, however, with even the most humble version falling into group 43 while quattro models are in group 48 at a minimum. 

Electric cars no longer have a significant VED car tax advantage over combustion-engined alternatives, costing the same from year two onwards.

They are also liable for the Expensive Car Supplement payable in years two to six of ownership, although the minimum price for EVs is £10,000 higher than petrol or diesel cars at £50,000. That said, all A6 Avant e-trons are comfortably above that baseline.

Company car drivers continue to enjoy significant taxation advantages by choosing an EV, with a uniform Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) band of 3% applicable to the entire line-up. 

Across the core Audi A6 Avant e-tron line-up is a quartet of trim levels following the brand’s conventional Sport, S line, Black Edition and Vorsprung hierarchy. 

For the Audi S6 Avant e-tron the choice is between Black Edition and Vorsprung, with additional features over their A6 equivalents. 

Standard features for the Audi A6 Avant e-tron Sport include:

• 20-inch 5-twin-spoke alloy wheels in Platinum Grey
• Automatic LED head, daytime-running and tail lights with automatic main beam and illuminated Audi logo at the rear
• Headlight washers
• Roof spoiler
• Electrically heated, adjustable and folding door mirrors with auto-dimming glass
• Heat-insulating side and rear windows
• Electrically operated tailgate
• Electrically operated bonnet release for frunk access
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera
• Audi Virtual Cockpit Plus driver’s display screen
• MMI Touch multimedia touchscreen
• DAB radio
• Integral navigation
• Integral Amazon Alexa voice assistant
• Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity
• 10-speaker Audi sound system
• Wireless smartphone charging pad
• Heated, electrically adjustable front seats
• Twin leather — genuine and artificial — upholstery
• Leather-wrapped, twin-spoke multifunction steering wheel
• Dashboard in Black with contrast stitching
• Gloss Black, aluminium-look and Matt Anthracite brushed aluminium interior inlays 
• Front door illuminated aluminium sill tread plates
• Three-zone automatic climate control
• Heat pump
• Multi-colour LED interior ambient lighting
• Auto-dimming interior rear-view mirror
• Adaptive cruise control
• Hill hold assist

Additional equipment for the Audi A6 Avant e-tron S line includes:

• 20-inch Audi Sport 10-spoke aero alloy wheels in Silk Matt Grey and Gloss-turned finish
• S line-specific exterior styling
• Dark-tinted rear privacy windows
• Heated, electrically adjustable front sports seats
• Twin leather — genuine and artificial — upholstery with embossed S logo and waterfall pattern
• Leather-wrapped, three-spoke sport multifunction steering wheel with paddles
• Gloss Black, aluminium-look and Matt Anthracite brushed aluminium with linear embossing interior inlays 
• Front door illuminated aluminium sill tread plates with S logo
• Stainless steel pedals and left foot rest

Extra kit for the Audi A6 Avant e-tron Black Edition comprises:

• 21-inch Audi Sport 5-arm dynamic alloy wheels in Black Metallic
• Black Edition-specific black exterior detailing
• Dinamica faux suede and leather upholstery with embossed S logo and waterfall pattern
• Gloss Black, aluminium-look and Anthracite technical fabric interior inlays 

The Audi S6 Avant e-tron Black Edition additionally features:

• Adaptive S air suspension
• Matrix LED headlights with scrolling indicators
• 360-degree surround-view exterior cameras
• 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen 3D Premium Sound System
• Heated and ventilated electrically adjustable front sports seats with massage function
• Heated rear seats
• Fine Nappa leather upholstery with diamond stitching

Further features found on the Audi A6 Avant e-tron Vorsprung include:

• 21-inch Audi Sport 5-twin-spoke alloy wheels in Black Metallic and Gloss-turned finish
• Matrix LED headlights with scrolling indicators
• Customisable digital exterior light signatures
• Panoramic glass roof with switchable levels of transparency
• 360-degree surround-view exterior cameras
• Augmented Reality head-up display
• MMI front passenger touchscreen display
• 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen 3D Premium Sound System
• Heated rear seats
• Gloss Black, vanadium-look and Anthracite technical fabric interior inlays 

Adding to that for the Audi S6 Avant e-tron Vorsprung are:

• Digital OLED tail lights
• Carbon-look door mirror housings
• Park Assist Pro with remote functionality
• 3D and 360-degree surround-view exterior cameras
• Electrically adjustable, leather-wrapped, three-spoke sport multifunction steering wheel with paddles
• Gloss Black, vanadium-look and carbon micro-twill structure interior inlays