Like its saloon counterpart the A6 Avant offers superb build quality and refinement wrapped in a suitably understated body with a flawless finish. It may look a little plain compared to rival offerings but the Audi has a huge load carrying ability and makes a great family car. It’s safe and reassuring to drive with precise handling, plus it’s comfortable and roomy.

There’s a good choice of engines including a frugal diesel, but whichever model you go for, reliability and longevity are assured. There’s also a performance version, badged RS6, that’s powered by a 4.2-litre V8 engine.