Used Audi A6 Avant 2018-present review

As Troy Bolton learnt to love both basketball and music in the film High School Musical, the estate car doesn't need to only have an aptitude for practicality. The Audi A6 Avant proves this, because its spacious interior and boot is coupled with a plethora of luxury and tech. It's an accomplished package that really has its head in the game.

Anyone looking for a load-lugging Avant over the saloon Audi A6 will probably want a diesel engine under the bonnet, and there are two to choose from: a 201bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel (illogically badged 40 TDI) and a 282bhp 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel (50 TDI).

If you fancy petrol, you can have a 2.0-litre in either 201bhp 40 TFSI, or a more potent 261bhp 45 TFSI form. There's also a 335bhp 3.0-litre petrol in case you want to deliver things even faster. Later models added a 50 TFSIe plug-in hybrid.

Likewise with trim, for the moment there are only two: Sport and S line. Sport-spec A6 Avants come with most of the luxuries you’re likely to want, including heated front seats, part-leather upholstery, satellite navigation, keyless entry and go, and 18in alloy wheels. Upgrading to S line trim brings 19in alloy wheels, sportier looks and leather and Alcantara seats.

Choosing the Black edition increases the wheel size to 20in and gets you plenty of black trim on the exterior, while Vorsprung models have the kitchen sink thrown at them in terms of kit, including 21in wheels, matrix LED headlights, extra safety technology and an upgraded stereo.

On the road, the 40 TDI version is the more logical choice because it's a good compromise between power and economy. It has more than enough grunt, although its seven-speed automatic gearbox can occasionally leave you waiting for it.

The 50 TDI model is a real flyer, and, like the less powerful engine, is remarkably quiet. It’s attached to an eight-speed automatic gearbox that can also pause before delivering anything. Likewise, the plug-in hybrid 50 TFSIe delivers eyebrow-lifting levels of acceleration. Even when you're running in fully electric mode (with a range of up to 34 miles, according to official figures), its petrol engine springs into life quite quickly to help out, and the 0-62mph time of 6.3sec is plenty fast enough.

There were four suspension options to choose from when the car was new. Entry-level Sport trim uses conventional steel springs and dampers. S line models use the same, but stiffened and lowered. You'll need to run to the top-of-the-range Vorsprung version for adaptive suspension with switchable dampers that can be softened or stiffened to suit your mood.

When you approach a corner, the Avant feels lighter and more agile than its size would lead you to expect. Some cars even come with four-wheel steering, which makes things sharper still. There’s plenty of traction, whether front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive quattro, and the overall balance gives the driver confidence, although one or two of the Audi's luxury car rivals are more precise.

Inside, it’s easy to find the right driving position, thanks to an electrically adjustable seat and steering wheel. The driver is definitely pampered, with lumbar support and a dashboard of unimpeachable logic and good quality materials.

As standard, you get clear analogue dials ahead of you, but if the Technology Pack has been added these are replaced by digital dials on a 12.3in screen. They're excellent, and do more than analogue dials because they're highly configurable and show a wealth of useful information just below your sightline.

Visibility is excellent, with front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view parking camera. Audi’s latest generation of infotainment system swaps a rotary controller (like BMW’s iDrive) for a touchscreen with haptic feedback. The screen is sharp and 8.8in diagonally across as standard, but if you add the Technology Pack, the upgrades include a 10.1in screen.

Up front, there’s plenty of space for two, while in the rear passengers enjoy more leg and head room than most rival cars offer. A central third passenger will have to straddle a small central tunnel but otherwise gets a good amount of room. The boot is positively massive, and is a good shape and easily accessible – it’s one of the best in its estate car class.

If you're interested in finding a used A6 Avant, or any of the other estate cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at great prices.

You can find a good used A6 Avant of 2018/2019 vintage for between £20,000 and £25,000, depending on engine and trim. Expect to spend between £22,000 and £30,000 on cars from 2020 and 2021, and upwards of £35,000 on a 2022 model, more for a 2023 one.

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MPG

Not surprisingly, the 40 TDI is the more economical of the engine options, with a combined figure of 49.6mpg. The 50 TDI isn't quite as good at 40.4mpg.

There's not a huge amount of difference between the various petrol models, with the best being the 40 TFSI at 38.2mpg, followed by the 45TFSI that gets 35.8mpg, while the 55 TFSI drops down to 33.6mpg. The 50 TFSIe has an on-paper official figure of 217.3mpg.

Road tax (VED)

Annual car tax (VED) will be charged at the flat rate, but the Avant will also attract a supplementary luxury car tax for cars that had a list price of more than £40,000 when new, and that applies between years two and six. Current fees are £180 a year road tax (£170 for hybrids) and £390 a year for the supplementary tax. To find out more about the current road tax costs, click here.

Servicing and insurance

Insurance groups range from 36 to 42, and servicing costs are reasonable, with a number of schemes designed to spread the cost. Depending upon the type of driving you do, servicing intervals are either annually or every 9300 miles, or bi-annually and every 18,600 miles.

Engine

The 2.0 TDI four-cylinder diesel is an engine that imbues the A6 Avant with remarkable refinement, such that there are times you wouldn’t know it was a diesel. It’s the cheapest in the range and is also the most economical and, unless you are more interested in straight-line speed, that’s enough to make it the one we’d seek out.

Specification

Likewise, we’d stick with Sport trim as this offers all the goodies you could reasonably want or need.

Our favourite Audi A6 Avant: 2.0 TDI Sport

The BMW 5 Series Touring has long been the benchmark estate in this class. It’s plush enough inside to compare with just about any other car on sale. It has a spacious, well-appointed interior and it’s great to drive, with a refined and economical range of engines.

The Mercedes E-Class Estate has a range of smooth and strong engines, a supple ride and a generous amount of standard equipment. It’s good to drive, if not up to the 5 Series’ exceptional level. Its boot is simply huge.

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If you're interested in finding a used A6 Avant, or any of the other estate cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at great prices.