Audi Keeps The Wagon Dream Alive With The New A6 Avant

Audi’s keeping the wagon dream alive with the new A6 Avant, which is basically a bigger A5 Avant. That’s not a bad thing, but a little more variety wouldn’t hurt. What’s interesting is that Audi’s launching the new-gen A6 strictly as a wagon first, with the sedan following next month.

They went with a brown paint job for the press shots—an interesting choice—but a black one with darked-out rings was also spotted. Fun fact: this car was almost called the A7 Avant, but Audi scrapped its plan to give combustion models odd numbers and EVs even ones.

Design-wise, it ditches the split-headlight trend that’s been popping up lately. The sensors on the lower grille are still an eyesore, but at least Audi’s done away with fake exhaust tips—finally. With a 0.25 drag coefficient, it’s Audi’s slipperiest combustion-powered wagon yet (the E-Tron version is even better at 0.24).

It’s also slightly longer than the previous generation, now measuring 196.4 inches, with the wheelbase staying pretty much the same. Base models ride on 18-inch wheels, but you can spec up to 21-inch forged alloys with a wild three-tone design.

Inside, you’d be forgiven for mistaking it for the A5 Avant—it’s almost identical, down to the optional 10.9-inch passenger screen and the 14.5-inch infotainment display. Audi has stepped up the sound insulation by 30% without adding weight, and they’ve also sealed the doors and windows better to cut down on road noise. There’s even a “digital curtain” for the panoramic glass roof that lets you switch between transparent and opaque at the press of a button.

Cargo space? 17.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats, or 54.1 cubic feet with them folded. You get an electric tailgate as standard, plus a projected light under the bumper to show you where to wave your foot to open it.

Powertrain options kick off with a 2.0-liter turbo-four making 201 hp and 250 lb-ft, sending power to the front wheels only. There’s also a 2.0 TDI diesel with the same power but more torque (295 lb-ft), available with FWD or Quattro AWD.

The star of the lineup, for now, is a 3.0-liter V6 with 362 hp and 406 lb-ft, which hits 62 mph in 4.7 seconds and tops out at 155 mph. Audi still hasn’t said anything about the S6 or RS6, but we’re all hoping the V8 sticks around.

Other cool tech includes rear-wheel steering, adaptive air suspension, and a Quattro Sport differential for the V6 model, which sharpens handling and lets you get a little tail-happy. It also ditches the old MLB Evo platform in favor of the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC), shared with the A5.

Orders are open in Europe now, with prices starting at €58,000 for the base gas model and €61,700 for the diesel. Production is happening at Audi’s Neckarsulm plant, alongside the A5 Avant. And if you were hoping for a new A7 Sportback, well… it’s not happening.