Audi A6 Review 2025

With its key German rivals updating their executive saloons, Audi's not to be outdone and has launched an all-new A6. Is this the car to go for if you're in the market for a posh saloon? Find out in our Audi A6 review.

Let's get one thing out of the way first. This new Audi A6 Saloon isn’t to be confused with its EV sibling, the Audi A6 Sportback e-tron. Originally, that overlap wouldn’t have happened as the combustion-engined cars were set to be badged A7 until a last-moment change of plan.

Instead, it's the saloon version of the latest generation of estate-bodied Audi A6 Avant, and goes head-to-head with its longtime rivals, the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class. 

As with the estate version, two engines are available from the get-go in the Audi A6 Saloon. Both have 2.0-litre capacities producing 204PS and are equipped as standard with seven-speed S Tronic dual-clutch automatic gearboxes.

With maximum torque of 340Nm, there's a front-wheel drive TFSI petrol model, though more buyers are expected to be tempted by the TDI diesel, complete with MHEV Plus mild hybrid assistance and enhanced traction thanks to its Quattro four-wheel drive system. Coming soon is the introduction of a plug-in hybrid with an electric range of just over 60 miles, while you should hope to see a replacement for the punchier Audi S6 as well. 

Audi’s familiar triumvirate of trim levels is present and correct with the latest A6 Saloon from launch, with both engine choices available with Sport, S Line and Edition 1 grades. It’s the sportier-than-Sport S Line that’s expected to prove the most popular.

It’s no surprise that the latest Audi A6 Saloon shares the Avant’s passenger compartment, including the Softwrap dashboard and door panel design, the former incorporating up to three display screens. 

Audi quotes the A6 Saloon’s boot capacity at a maximum of 492 litres, a figure that’s just 11 litres shy of the Avant’s available space when loaded to the luggage cover. Whether that's a dealbreaker will depend on your own needs and what you need to carry. It'll have more than enough space for a set of golf clubs or a few crates of wine. 

Our choice would be to go for the diesel engine - the mild-hybrid tech does make a difference over the petrol, and you'll appreciate the extra torque and performance from the diesel itself. That's not forgetting the better fuel economy and the benefit of quattro four-wheel drive as standard. And while we'd normally steer away from recommending the top spec car, to get the comfiest ride, you'll need to stump up for the Edition 1 trim and then option adaptive air suspension. 

How refined the ride is will depend on the suspension set-up. We've only driven the Audi A6 set up with optional adaptive air suspension, and as you'd expect, the ride is very smooth. Despite the large 21-inch alloy wheels of our test car, it coped with varying British roads with ease and is definitely recommended as an optional extra. The caveat here is that it's only available if you go for Edition 1 spec with the diesel engine. Oh, and it costs an extra £1755. 

Otherwise, Sport trim cars get standard non-adaptive suspension, while the S line sits 20mm lower on sports suspension - we're yet to test either of these on the A6, but we have driven an A6 Avant on a standard suspension set-up, and it does a good job overall. We imagine, though that the sport suspension would be quite a bit firmer. 

The new Audi A6 also has better sound insulation than the older car, and combined with the more aerodynamic profile of the car, the cabin can be very quiet and refined. At speed, and we couldn't really hear any wind noise creeping in. 

Of the two engines, it's the petrol engine that makes its presence a bit more known – because you have to work it harder when accelerating, you do notice it more. The diesel, on the other hand, is pretty refined at speed, and thanks to the Mild Hybrid tech onboard, you're able to pull away in near silence as it moves off under battery power alone.  

The diesel also has another (optional) trick up its sleeve – four-wheel steering. At higher speeds, the rear wheels turn in the same direction as those in the front to sharpen handling up, while at lower speeds, it helps with manoeuvrability, turning the rear wheels in the opposite direction. The result is a car that feels smaller than its almost five metre length would suggest, especially when it comes to parking.

It also makes it feel pretty nimble on a windy road, but where the Audi A6 really excels is on long, fast stretches of roads, where it can glide along at speed without breaking a sweat. 

For now, at least, there are two engine choices with the Audi A6 – a 2.0-litre petrol or a 2.0-litre diesel with Mild Hybrid tech, both coming with a seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission. 

Opt for the 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and it produces 204PS, with that power delivered to the front wheels. This translates to a 0-62mph time of 8.3 seconds, but if you want something quicker, then you'll want to take a look at the diesel A6. While on paper it has the same 204PS, it kicks out a bit more torque (400Nm vs 360Nm) and because it delivers power to all four wheels thanks to the Quattro four-wheel drive system, it results in a 0-62mph time of 6.9 seconds. 

Not only is it that bit quicker, but the diesel also packs a bit of extra punch thanks to its 48-Volt MHEV system. This comes with a couple of benefits - not only can your Audi A6 move under electric power alone when in slow-moving traffic (or gliding off your driveway in silence), but both power and torque get a boost (24PS and 230Nm respectively) when starting off and accelerating to give you a bit of extra kick. With the likes of the BMW 5 Series missing out on diesel power, Audi expects this to be the more popular of the two engines. 

Coming at a later date is a plug-in hybrid that should see an electric-only range breaking over 60 miles potentially. And if you want something with six cylinders, then there should be a new Audi S6 on the horizon as well. 

The Audi A6 has been crashed tested by Euro NCAP and scored a full five star rating, scoring 87% for adult occupant safety and 88% for child occupant safety. 

Backing this up is a wide range of advanced safety tech that comes as standard on the Audi A6. You can expect adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, swerve assist, turn assist and front emergency brake assist. If you go from the Edition 1 trim, you also get side assist and exit warning, lane departure warning with emergency assist, rear-cross traffic alert and rear turn assist. 

Some of these can encroach on the drive – the obvious culprits being lane departure warning and speed limit warning, so if you want to turn them off, there's a dedicated button that means you can quickly turn them off if preferred. 

While we can't see many people wanting to tow with their Audi A6, you can - the petrol has a maximum braked towing weight of 1800kg and the diesel a bit more at 2000kg.

At a smidge under five metres, you're left in no doubt that the Audi A6 is a big car, but the result is excellent space for passengers up front, with really comfy seats and plenty of storage solutions, including two large cup holders in the central console.

If you're being whisked along in the back, then there's plenty of head and legroom, which should see even a tall adult sit back comfortably. The over-reliance on lots of blacks and greys can make it feel a bit gloomy, so you might want to consider the switchable panoramic glass sunroof. It has nine different levels of density to play with, so it can gradually go from pretty much fully transparent to fully shaded depending on what kind of ambience you want inside the car. Clever stuff, but you're paying almost £2500 for it as an extra. 

What about the boot in the Audi A6? Saloons are inherently less practical than estate versions of the same design, so if you want to lug a lot of stuff, then chances are you're probably already looking at the Audi A6 Avant instead, so these numbers might not make that much sway in your decision.

If you'd rather the saloon and you go for the petrol, then you get 492 litres, with the diesel and its hybrid tech muscling in on some of that boot space, which drops to 452 litres. Compared with its core rivals, the A6 Saloon lags behind. Mild and plug-in hybrid-equipped BMW 5 Series Saloons have a 520-litre boot, while the Mercedes E-Class Saloon’s capacity is quoted at 540 litres for mild hybrids and 370 litres when PHEV-propelled.

Audi’s given the A6 a 40:20:40 split-folding rear seatback and an electrically operated boot lid to maximise its flexibility potential.

There's no shortage of tech on offer - you can have up to three screens spread across the central console depending on the trim you opt for. 

As standard, the Audi A6 comes with an 11.9-inch digital instrument display and a large 14.5-inch MMI touchscreen that sits in the centre of the dash. And so your passenger doesn't feel left out, you can also spec your A6 with a 10.9-inch display (which is standard on Edition 1 cars). Not only can they be antisocial and stream content on apps like YouTube and Netflix, but they can also assist/mess about with the sat nav on their own screen or change the radio station/podcast you're listening to. We can't say we're that sold on it, but some buyers might be. If you don't opt for it, then in its place is some fingerprint-attaching gloss black plastic.

Anyway, back to the larger infotainment display and as you'll find on a lot of new cars, this acts as your gateway to most features on the Audi A6. It might look a little overwhelming at first, but its a pretty well-thought out and responsive system and comes with some useful shortcuts. And yes, you will have to tap the screen to adjust the climate control. There is a dedicated volume dial though, and quick access to the Audi A6's Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), meaning you can switch some of these off relatively easily. It probably goes without saying that there's also Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. 

You'll also find a plethora of buttons on the driver's door handle, providing access to things like mirror and lighting adjustment. It's not easy to see all the buttons and it just feels a bit fiddly to use.   

Choose the almost £3000 Sound & Vision Pack and you can get a head-up display, while other highlights of this optional extra include a Bang & Olufsen premium sound system with 3D sound and integrated headrest speakers. Otherwise, you get a 10-speaker sound system as standard.

Prices for the A6 Saloon in entry-level Sport trim start at a smidge over £52,000 for the petrol. This rises to just under £55,000 for the middle of the range S line model and then tops out at almost £60,000 for the top-spec Edition 1 model.

If you fancy the diesel engine instead, then you're looking at a premium of around £4000 over the petrol, while the prices can soon rocket with the numerous extras available. Our 'Launch Edition' test car came in at just over £67,000, for example.

But how does that compare to rivals? The entry-level BMW 5 Series M Sport starts at just over £52,000 and comes with a 2.0-litre petrol engine. This rises to a little over £55,000 for the M Sport Pro Sport, again with a petrol engine, but prices jump significantly after that - you can't get a diesel, leaving you with a choice of two plug-in hybrids. 

Meanwhile, a Mercedes E-Class starts at over £56,500 for the petrol, while the diesel begins at a little over £58,000.

It probably goes without saying, but the diesel delivers the best fuel economy, with a combined average up to 55.5mpg, while the petrol lags behind at just over 40mpg. You might want to hold out for the PHEV if you're going to be doing regular short trips thanks to its promised range of over 70 miles. 

We're still waiting to see insurance groups appear for the new Audi A6, but as a guide, the previous generation started as low as group 30, but expect that to increase depending on the trim you choose.

The Audi A6 gets Audi's standard three-year, 60,000-mile warranty - that's pretty run of the mill, but similar to many rivals, while it is possible to increase this to cover four years and 75,000 miles (£815), or five years and 90,000 miles (£1970).

Vehicle Excise Duty will set you back £195, but as prices easily tip over £40,000, every Audi A6 is subjected to a premium car tax. This will mean from years two to six you'll have to pay an additional £425.  

The Audi A6 Avant is available in the choice of three trim levels: Sport, S line and Edition 1. 

The Audi A6 Sport kicks off the range and comes with a pretty comprehensive spec:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• LED headlights and rear lights
• Seven digital light signatures
• 14.5-inch OLED MMI Navigation system
• 11.9-inch digital instrument display
• Four-zone climate control
• Electrically adjustable and heated front sports seats
• Twin-spoke multifunction leather steering wheel with shift paddles
• Ambient LED lighting
• Reversing camera
• 'Parking system plus' with a 360 camera
• Adaptive cruise control
• Hill hold assist 

Likely to be the most popular trim, the Audi A6 S line gains:

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• Sports suspension
• Sportier exterior styling
• Rear privacy glass
• S embossing on the sports seats
• Flattened three-spoke steering wheel
• Illuminated ‘S’ logo at the front door sills 

At the top of the range is the Audi A6 Edition 1 which adds:

• 20-inch alloy wheels 
• Black exterior package
• Red brake callipers
• Dynamica microfibre/leather seats
• Side assist and exit warning
• Lane departure warning with emergency assist
• Rear-cross traffic alert
• Rear turn assist