Should you buy an Audi A6 Avant?

The A6 Avant isn’t quite as good an estate car as the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate or BMW 5 Series Touring. That’s simply because the boot isn’t as large and practical as these two rivals, and that’s the main reason people buy this type of car. But it is relaxing to drive with a safe and sturdy feel, very appealing interior and lots of gadgets.

It also makes the most sense to go for the entry-level diesel. It offers more than enough power and torque for most, and remains economical at the same time. if you need more power you can go for the plug-in hybrid 50 TFSIe, but you’ll lose the excellent range of the diesel. We really rate the high-performance S6 with its flexible and punchy power delivery that doesn’t require you to thrash the living daylights out of in order to attain peak performance.

Inside the Audi A6 Avant there isn’t much in the way of options to personalise the look of your car, but we don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing because the design and materials used as standard are of a very high quality and attractive appearance. Some may not get on with the twin-screen touch displays, but they certainly give the A6 Avant’s dashboard a clutter-free and high-tech look and appeal.

What we like

The solid-feeling interior and safe, secure Quattro handling. Despite getting on in years, it’s still an appealing-looking premium estate car that when specced correctly, is discreet and won’t cost the earth to run. The plug-in hybrid system is very effective, too, and doesn’t affect handling too much, despite the additional weight penality it incurs.

What we don’t like

The luggage area is disappointing – both in terms of capacity and shape. We’re also not enamoured by its less-than generous warranty, and bouncy ride in standard S Line spec.