Audi has been busy. Not just “we have a few new cars” busy, but “we released so many models we lost track” busy. While struggling with China’s market woes, disappointing EV sales, and shrinking profit margins, Audi has been rolling out new models at an alarming rate – enough to keep its designers in a state of permanent exhaustion.
Among the last year debuts are the all-new Audi A5 (formerly A4), the new Q5, the fully electric Q6 e-tron SUV and its shorter sibling – the A6 e-tron. Meanwhile the popular Q7 and Q8 SUVs got facelifts. And now in 2025, Audi introduces yet another A6 – this time with a combustion engine. It seems like gas-powered engines are sticking around for a while longer…
The new Audi A6 Avant (should’ve been the A7)
In a plot twist worthy of a garbage daytime soap opera, they decided to ditch the original plan of calling the new A6 an A7. So what was meant to be the A7 is somehow still the A6. Confusing ? Yes, kind of like the World today.
The first version they introduced is the Avant (station wagon), a body style Europeans adore far more than traditional sedans. If you were hoping for a regular A6 sedan, better not count on it—Audi seems to be ditching it in favor of the sleeker Sportback-liftback model. Looks like the days of the regular A6 sedan are numbered.
Design-wise, the A6 Avant is all about aerodynamics, boasting a drag coefficient of just 0.25—achieved through clever air vents, an adjustable cooling intake, and a spoiler large enough to make race car enthusiasts nod in approval.
Then there are the lights. The front sports high-tech Matrix LED headlights have enough individual LEDs to make your neighbor’s Christmas display look outdated.
The rear gets OLED 2.0 taillights with 198 individual segments per side, capable of changing patterns based on road conditions—so they can even warn other drivers about upcoming accidents or stalled cars with fancy OLED warning symbols.
Spacious interior with the latest tech and with too much screens
The A6 Avant is nearly 5 meters long, with a wheelbase of almost 3 meters, so there should be plenty of room inside. The sense of space gets a boost from a new panoramic sunroof with adjustable transparency (it can be switched to a less transparent hazy mode). As for the trunk, it offers a decent 503 liters of cargo space, though it falls a bit short compared to some rivals.
The dashboard is the usual high-tech command center (found in basically every new Audi model), packed with more screens than an average home: an 11.9-inch driver display, a massive 14.5-inch center screen, and an optional 10.9-inch display for the passenger—because the passenger clearly needs to do something other than judging your driving. Oh, and it’s all powered by Android Automotive, so you can download Spotify, YouTube, and even ChatGPT (because why focus on the road when you can ask an AI about everything?). To top of that, the optional Bang & Olufsen sound system now adds speakers directly into the front headrests, which should pair nicely with the improved interior sound insulation.
Engines and performance
At launch, there will be three engine choices (two with mild-hybrid tech – MHEV plus mild hybrid technology):
- 2.0L TFSI petrol (150 kW – 201 hp, 340 Nm) – front wheel drive
- 2.0L TDI diesel (150 kW– 201 hp, 400 Nm) MHEV – front wheel drive or Quattro Ultra all-wheel drive
- 3.0L TFSI V6 petrol (270 kW – 362 hp, 550 Nm) MHEV – Quattro Ultra all-wheel drive as standard (optionally with a sport rear differential)
Quattro Ultra is an AWD system with an electronic clutch (like Haldex type clutch). So its NOT a proper torsen type fully mechanical 4WD system !
The MHEV plus system enhances performance, comfort, and efficiency while reducing emissions. It includes a 48-volt battery, a belt alternator starter (BAS), and a powertrain generator (PTG) with integrated electronics. The PTG enables a full electric parking, low-speed city driving and coasting. It also provides extra torque (230 Nm) and power (18 kW) for acceleration and overtaking, while recovering up to 25 kW of energy during braking. This is obviously a pretty complex system so you can expect issues with it in the future, lol.
Suspension and steering
The handling of the A6 Avant should be pretty good thanks to features like: Brake Torque Vectoring, progressive steering, all-wheel steering and adaptive air suspension. Add in the optional quattro sport differential and you’ve got even sharper agility.
Suspension-wise, buyers can choose from:
- standard suspension
- sport suspension (20mm lower)
- adaptive air suspension
With the adaptive air suspension you can of course adjust not only the stiffness of the shocks but slightly also the ride height.
The standard progressive steering is improved, so it should be more responsive than before. The entire steering system is now stiffer—from the torsion bar to the bolted-down steering rack and firmer control arm bushings. Even the front axle camber has been slightly tweaked.
For those who want even more maneuverability, all-wheel steering is optionally available with the quattro all-wheel drive. At low speeds, the rear wheels turn up to five degrees in the opposite direction of the front, reducing the turning circle by up to a meter—perfect for tight urban corners. At higher speeds, they turn in sync with the front wheels for added stability and precision. In short, whether you’re weaving through city traffic or cruising on the highway, the A6 Avant is designed to handle it with ease.
Driving Tech
Audi has also introduced an advanced braking system (iBRS) that replaces the traditional hydraulic link between the pedal and brakes with electronic controls. In MHEV plus variants, the system decides if braking should be achieved through regenerative braking or friction brakes. The control unit calculates the required braking force, and the brake hydraulics apply pressure accordingly (with emergency braking reaching maximum pressure in just 150 milliseconds). So if you were already skeptical about drive-by-wire, now you can enjoy brake-by-wire, too.
And, of course, the car is packed with driver assists. The adaptive cruise control system doesn’t just follow cars—it reads maps, traffic data, and even road signs to optimize your speed. It can slow you down before a stop sign (because apparently, we need reminders for those), and it can restart in traffic jams without needing driver input—perfect for those who enjoy zoning out on their commute.
Pricing and Availability
Starting in March 2025, customers can place orders for the new Audi A6 Avant. Pricing kicks off at €58,000 for the base 150 kW TFSI engine, while the 2.0 TDI with MHEV plus technology starts at €61,700. First deliveries are expected by the end of May 2025.
