Audi A6 Avant

FIRST DRIVE The new ICE-powered A6 wagon is a different car to its electric e-tron stablemate, but it's stylish and great to drive

- Jordan Katsianis [e-mail]

THE full-sized Audi A6 has been a stalwart in the executive segment for over 30 years, and while it hasn't typically dominated the segment like the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class, it has always stood out thanks to Audi’s renowned technical know-how and clinical design.

But in 2025, things are a little more complicated, because we've already seen a brand-new all-electric A6 Avant e-tron and drove it only six months ago. Now, here is another brand-new A6 Avant, only this one time it comes with petrol and diesel power.

For those familiar with the electric version, the sleeker ICE A6 Avant looks quite different. That's because it sits on a heavily revised version of the previous car's PPC platform, a hi-tech architecture that’s designed to house the latest petrol and diesel engines, and more specifically a range of PHEV units, one of which will power the future RS 6 Avant.

Audi will launch the A6 Avant with a limited range of engines to begin with, but the line-up will expand in the coming months. For now this means that only the two least powerful options will be available in Britain, with neither being all that impressive when it comes to power or efficiency.

The two four-cylinder engines — one petrol and one diesel - share a power output of 200bhp, but are otherwise very different. We're driving the entry-level TFSI petrol, which powers the front wheels via a seven-speed automatic gearbox. Unlike the diesel, it doesn’t offer all-wheel drive, and does without mild-hybrid assistance.