Audi A6 Review & Prices

The Audi A6 is the latest version of the stylish, upmarket saloon car, packed with a fuel-sipping hybrid engine as well as good old fashioned petrol and diesel power. That said, there’s also the all-electric A6 e-tron in both Sportback and Avant (estate) forms.

Confused? You might be… You see, while the A6 e-tron is only powered by batteries, Audi reckons that customers are still not ready for electric-only power, so it’s keeping diesel and petrol on the menu with this A6. It’s kind of like the old Coca-Cola versus ‘New Coke’ thing — some people just weren’t ready for the new recipe.

On the outside, the A6 saloon looks very similar, but not quite the same, as the A6 e-tron. You get the same slim lights, big-grille style, but the details are subtly different.

Unlike the e-tron version, which is actually, technically, a fastback, this A6 is a more traditional saloon, with a separate boot. Whatever the technicalities, there’s no denying that the A6 looks handsome and chiselled.

You’ll need to upgrade to an S-Line model if you want the best effect, as its chunky bodykit makes the A6 look much more desirable than the standard car.

The cabin is basically shared with the A6 e-tron, as well as the likes of the A5 and the Q5, so you get a big curving sweep of screens, and if you cough up some extra cash, a third screen in front of your passenger.

Overall, quality levels are okay, but there’s a definite hint of cheapness to some of the materials that you just wouldn’t have found in any Audi a few years back, and there’s way too much ‘piano black’ trim, which is a magnet for dust and scratches.

The big touchscreen — 14.5 inches across — works pretty well, and it’s certainly responsive and fast, but the all-black graphics can look a bit gloomy. A few more proper buttons also wouldn’t go amiss, but at least Audi still gives you a proper volume knob for the stereo in the A6.

One major advantage that this combustion-powered A6 has over the electric version is space. The cabin of this A6 is way roomier than that of the e-tron, and that’s especially noticeable in the back seats, where there’s more room for heads and knees than you’ll find in an equivalent BMW 5 Series. The A6 could do with a bit more storage space in the front of the cabin, while the boot is about average, holding 492 litres (although that falls to just 354 litres in the hybrid model).

For power, you can choose from standard petrol or diesel engines, which get mild hybrid assistance, so they’re a little cleaner and a little less thirsty than before, and they perform well enough. If you want more tech, there’s a plug-in hybrid model, badged as e-Hybrid, which in theory is good for more than 60 miles of all-electric motoring if you fully charge its battery pack.

That battery drives an electric motor that works with a petrol engine to produce 294hp, and it drives all four wheels. It’s an efficient all-round system, but unlike many other VW Group plug-in hybrids, you can’t fast-charge it, so the battery takes at minimum a couple of hours to charge up.

The A6 isn’t as sharp to drive as a BMW 5 Series, but it’s refined and comfortable over bumps even on the big optional 21-inch wheels.

If you’re looking for a big, comfy, and luxurious saloon, and you’re not ready to go fully electric just yet, then this Audi A6 should be high up on your shopping list. If it sounds like your kind of car, check out the latest Audi A6 deals as well as A6 lease deals available on Carwow. You can also browse used A6s and other used Audis from our network of trusted dealers – and don’t forget, Carwow can help you sell your current car too.

The Audi A6 saloon has a bit of a price advantage over the two main alternatives, the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class.

Compared to the BMW, the A6 — with its starting price of just over £50,000 — is around £1,000 cheaper than the basic BMW 520i, and crucially the Audi can be had with a diesel engine, which is now entirely absent from the BMW lineup.

That advantage disappears, though, if you go for the A6 e-Hybrid, which is considerably more expensive — by around £5,000 — compared to an entry-level BMW 530e. However, to be fair to the A6 it does get standard quattro four-wheel drive compared to the rear-drive BMW.

When it comes to the Mercedes, the Audi is considerably more affordable across the board — around £5,000 cheaper than the entry-level E200, and enjoying a similar price advantage compared to the E300e plug-in hybrid.

It’s also worth noting that the A6 saloon is around £10-12,000 cheaper than an equivalent all-electric A6 e-tron.