Audi A6 Avant

FIRST UK DRIVE Brand's new premium estate ticks most of the right boxes - unless you want to pack in loads of boxes

- Dean Gibson

THINK of a premium executive estate, and the Audi A6 Avant could easily be the car that springs to mind. For five generations, this upmarket load-lugger has delivered comfort and space to match arch-rivals such as the BMW 5 Series Touring and Mercedes E-Class Estate. And now there's an all-new sixth-generation model hitting UK showrooms.

The first batch of cars come in Launch Edition and Launch Edition Plus specifications, with the latter having everything but the kitchen sink thrown at it as standard equipment — although with a price tag in excess of £67,000, you'd expect it to feature plenty of goodies. Highlights include adaptive air suspension, four-zone climate control, a Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system, acoustic glass, gloss-black exterior detailing and matrix LED lighting that offers a dazzling array of options.

When it comes down to the nitty gritty of an estate car, it’s the load-carrying capability that’s going to be a priority. But in this instance, the latest A6 Avant is a shadow of its former self. A new, swoopier exterior design means that sacrifices have been made in terms of versatility, and Audi quotes a capacity of 466 litres for the diesel mild hybrid we're driving here. That's well behind the 565 litres that has been consistently offered by the A6 Avant ever since the second-generation car hit showrooms. Even the Mk1 had 455 litres of space.