• Generous passenger room front and back
• Boot the same size as before, smaller than E-Class
• Great shape and good access, though

How much space is there?

The RS6 is much the same inside as the A6 Avant it’s based upon. So, it’s smaller overall than the previous-generation car, but a longer wheelbase means there’s more room inside for passengers front and rear. Although the sports seats are bulkier than standard A6 items, you’ll still get a great deal of adjustment and anyone should find getting comfortable nice and easy.

One of the biggest benefits of the RS6 is the huge amount of rear legroom on offer, although the fifth seat is penalised quite a bit by the wide transmission tunnel that runs through it and stands tall of the floor. There is a fair bit of shoulder width for the fifth passenger though, so it’s swings and roundabouts.

118

Boot space and storage

Again, the same as the standard A6 Avant. That means a seats-up capacity of 565 litres and a seats-folded figure of 1,680 litres. It’s far from being the biggest estate car in its class, the opening is well shaped and there are useful latching points in the rear.

For comparison, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate has a positively enormous 640 litres of space. The BMW M3 Touring, meanwhile, is an overall smaller car but still manages 500 litres of space.

Is it easy to park?

Standard-fit parking sensors and reversing camera aid manoeuvrability, as does plenty of glass to help see out when parking. However, it’s a wide car, and those extended wheelarches will add to the feeling of unwieldiness in tight places – the 360-degree camera is an option well worth specifying.

Safety

• Five-star crash-test score for standard A6 
• Huge amount of safety kit available… 
• RS6 unlikely to be tested separately

The RS6 Avant hasn’t specifically been crash-tested by Euro NCAP, and it’s unlikely to be, but the closely-related A6 Saloon scored a five-star rating when it was scrutinised in autumn 2018.

Specific to the RS6 are HD matrix LED headlights with laser light so there’ll be no problems seeing or being seen, plus there are more than 30 driver assistance systems to help you on your way.

These include:

• Adaptive cruise control with lane-tracking function
• Emergency assist
• Crossing assist
• Rear cross traffic assist
• Audi pre sense front and rear

Watch: Audi A6 crash test video