First Drive: Audi’s A6 Avant brings some old-school charm

What is it?

In an age where crossovers are king and electric vehicles have greater focus than ever, it’s quite a strange prospect to see a traditional diesel-powered estate car enter the scene. But this isn’t just any old estate car, it’s the Audi A6 Avant – a car which has been a core part of the German brand’s line-up for decades.

Sure, it’s got some clever new tech to offer, but at its heart, it continues a lineage of practical and efficient load-luggers that stretches back a long time. Is it a dinosaur that should’ve been left behind, though? We’ve been testing it to find out.

What’s new?

On the outside, the A6 Avant incorporates many of Audi’s latest design touches, including a full-width rear light bar and fully flush door handles for better aerodynamic efficiency.

What’s under the bonnet?

As we’ve touched upon, the A6 Avant bucks the trend through its petrol and diesel powertrains. We’re driving the latter, which uses a 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit driving 201bhp and 400Nm of torque to all four wheels via Audi’s famous quattro setup. Thanks to some mild-hybrid cleverness, the 2.0-litre engine can extract the best-possible efficiency, which is why Audi claims up to 49.8mpg combined – though we nudged slightly beyond that during our time with the car.

Performance is what you’d expect for a car of this size. Zero to 60mph comes in a claimed 6.7 seconds, while all in, it should manage a 147mph top speed.

What’s it like to drive?

Quiet, refined and comfortable, the A6 Avant is the kind of car that could make a long journey breeze by. On the motorway, it remains stable and controlled, scything easily along longer bends without too much wind or road noise. The diesel engine does like to make its presence known when you’re accelerating hard, but at all other times it’s hushed. As we’ve found with other diesel-powered Audi models, the A6 can suffer from a small amount of ‘lag’ – press the accelerator and there’s a pause before the power actually arrives – but the mild-hybrid technology has helped to take the edge off this.

Visibility, in general, is good with a clear view of the road ahead. Sure, you don’t get the elevated seating position of an SUV or crossover, but what the A6 Avant lacks in this area it more than makes up for in terms of refinement and comfort.

How does it look?

Though there are plenty of new styling touches incorporated into the A6 Avant, it’s still quite a traditional-looking thing. There are new light signatures at the front and back, with Audi’s new ‘flat’ logo taking pride of place on the nose and the boot, too. It’s an aerodynamic-looking thing overall, too, with a sleek roofline giving the Avant something of a shooting brake look – to our eyes, at least.

Our test car came in a rather understated blue shade, which gave it a stealthy, undercover appearance though, as with all Audi models, there are plenty of other colours to choose from if you’re after something a little brighter.

What’s it like inside?

Audi models have always been admired for their solid build quality and it’s the same story in the A6 Avant – for the most part. The general look and feel is good, though there’s been a heavy use of gloss black plastic in a variety of areas which is a little squeaky under a firm press. In areas such as the wing mirror adjustment controls next to the driver’s seat is feels quite low-rent and not what you’d expect.

That said, overall space is good. Those in the back of the Avant do well both in terms of legroom and headroom, while the 466-litre boot is spacious. It’s a way off the 570 litres you’ll get from the BMW 5 Series Touring, mind you.

What’s the spec like?

Prices for the Audi A6 Avant start from £54,735. Entry-level Sport cars will get you features such as 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and four-zone climate control, as well as heated front seats. Sport cars also benefit from Comfort suspension, which is a good thing to have if you value the best-possible ride quality.

S Line is where most buyers are predicted to go, mind you, and these cars start at £56,760, bringing a full sports bodykit in the process alongside larger alloy wheels and stiffer sport suspension which, in our view, takes away from the A6’s comfort. The range then tops out at Edition 1 which, despite bringing a lot of features, feels far too punchy on price – it starts from £61,660 before options.

Verdict

It might be a little old-school, but it feels like the Audi A6 Avant certainly deserves a place on the UK’s roads. Comfortable and well-equipped inside, it does follow a tried-and-tested formula but it’s one which still works today.

It’s a shame that some of the usual Audi quality may have been lost, but in all other areas, this is one reassuringly good car to drive.