Overview

Should you buy an Audi A6 Avant E-Tron?

If you’re after the biggest load lugger out there, no. While the Avant is more spacious than the A6 Sportback, we’d have hoped for a larger boot and a little more rear seat space. It’s a similar story with the BMW i5 Touring, but the Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer is the most practical electric estate you can buy right now.

That said, there’s still plenty to like about the A6 Avant. The driving range is long enough, it’s quick in all versions, and the interior tech feels suitably high-end. Having now driven a UK-spec car, we can confirm the standard spring suspension setup is comfortable and poised. It’s just not quite as refined or tightly controlled as the diesel or petrol A6s, which still have the edge for ride comfort and handling finesse.

If you value long-range electric motoring in a stylish, low-key estate and don’t need class-leading practicality, the A6 Avant E-Tron is easy to recommend. It’s not flawless, but for many buyers it’ll be just the right mix of premium polish and electric usability.

What’s new?

This is the first all-electric A6 Avant and the first electric estate from Audi, slotting alongside the Q6 E-Tron SUV in both size and price. It goes head-to-head with the BMW i5 Touring and Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer – and sits apart from the Mercedes EQE SUV, which doesn’t come as an estate.

Three trims are available (Sport, S Line and Edition 1), and even entry-level models come well equipped. The A6 Avant E-Tron is generously sized at just under five metres long and, unlike many of its electric saloon and SUV rivals, it actually makes the most of that footprint with its estate rear end.

Sport models are well-specced with large alloy wheels, full LED lighting, and a trio of screens inside. S Line brings sportier styling, while Edition 1 adds 21-inch wheels and more kit – although at a hefty price. There’s no stripped-back budget version here, which means you’re looking at more than £60,000 even before options.

You can pick from three powertrains: rear-wheel drive with two outputs, and a Quattro four-wheel drive version with serious poke. Driving range spans from 364 to 437 miles, so most drivers should be covered. Charging speed is rapid across the board, too – topping out at 270kW. If you want a more rapid version, you can plump for the Audi S6 E-Tron, which gets its own review.

We’ve driven the German-spec version on air suspension in European roads, and the UK model on standard springs. Keep reading for our full Audi A6 Avant E-Tron review. If you’d like to understand how we test cars, head over to our explainer.