Audi

RS 6 Avant

Its widened body, extended wheel arches and side sills will leave onlookers in no doubt to this car’s distinctive and impressive RS styling. And the performance, driving dynamics and handling live up to the high hopes too.

The good

Amazing performance and room for all the family

The bad

Your services as the family taxi driver will increase tenfold!

Tech Specs

Price from

£96,910

Combined Fuel up to

22.4mpg

0-62 from

3.6 seconds

max speed up to

155mph (limited)

co2 from

283g/km

Test Drive

Audi RS 6 Avant TFSI quattro 600PS Tiptronic (2021)

There are not many vehicles that can offer the practicality of an estate car yet still deliver the driving dynamics of a sports car – the Audi RS 6 Avant does exactly that.

Despite stretching to estate-car proportions, the Audi is powered by a mighty twin-turbo, 4.0-litre, eight-cylinder, TFSI petrol engine delivering 600PS and 800Nm of torque. And that means it can reach 62mph from a standing start in just 3.6 seconds and goes onto a maximum speed that is electronically-limited to 155mph.

When it comes to styling, the RS 6 Avant is certainly an attention-grabber with its muscular stance. And although it is based on the A6 Avant, it comprises RS-specific parts with RS Matrix laser headlights with darkened trims, a three-dimensional honeycomb grille finished in gloss black, 21-inch wheels complete with flared arches that add 40mm to the width of the car and a new RS bumper that extends to the headlights and takes its inspiration from the R8 supercar. In fact, everything is new apart from the front doors, roof and tailgate.

Move inside and the sporty theme continues with black leather upholstered RS sports seats with honeycomb stitching and RS embossing. There are aluminium gear shift paddles on the flat-bottomed leather steering wheel and when any of the doors are opened, the Audi emblem is projected onto the road.

The level of on-board technology is impressive with a smart touchscreen featuring sharp graphics that is used to access the likes of Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, the navigation system and car settings. There is a completely separate panel for all the climate control operations which causes minimal distraction while driving and the virtual cockpit display can be personalised to taste and also offers information on lap times, g-force and other performance-related data when driving in RS mode.

The Audi costs £97,145 (before options), and with running costs that add up due to its combined fuel economy of just 22.6mpg and carbon emissions of 283g/km, it’s not exactly a cheap option. And that’s with its cylinder-on-demand set-up that shuts off four cylinders when they are not needed and fuel-saving 48-volt mild hybrid technology.

But that’s where any negative aspects of this car end, because the driving dynamics are guaranteed to lighten any mood.

The beautifully timed eight-speed automatic transmission fizzes through the gears and you can take extra control via the steering wheel-mounted paddles. There are drive modes called Efficiency, Comfort, Auto and Dynamic, as well as a rather tempting button on the steering wheel offering access to the RS Modes 1 and 2. These open the RS-specific displays in the virtual cockpit and influence the gear shifts, handling, suspension, steering, all-wheel drive and even the noise levels. The RS Mode 2 also deactivates the Electronic Stabilisation Control.

When it comes to performance, the RS 6 Avant is a sheer delight to drive. It cruises effortlessly at motorway speeds eating up the miles and is deceptively nimble in town centre settings too, although you will need an extra-long parking space as the car stretches almost five metres in length.

But it’s out on the quieter country lanes that the Audi really bursts into life with its confident grip into bends, beautifully weighted progressive steering and lowered suspension for perfect balance.

There is enough room for two six-foot-plus adults to sit comfortably in the back of the RS 6 Avant and the storage options also impress with a powered tailgate offering access to a boot that can accommodate 565 litres of kit. This capacity increases to 1,680 litres with the 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats dropped flat and there is a boot net along with a couple of side compartments to prevent items rolling around.

Additional storage includes a lockable glovebox, a fairly shallow central cubby box where the USB ports and wireless charging pad are located, door bins, front cup holders and two more in the rear fold-down armrest, nets in the front seat backs and a small tray.

Factor in a wealth of safety features, including Matrix LED headlights, Audi pre-sense front, camera-based road sign recognition, Isofix child seat mountings, lane departure warning, cruise control with speed limiter, a full suite of airbags and Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive system and this vehicle really is the complete package.

All in all, the Audi RS 6 Avant is ideal proof that practical family or estate cars need not be boring. They can, in fact, deliver all the exhilarating dynamics you could possibly wish for while putting in day’s shift clocking up the motorway miles.

Test Drive

Audi RS 6 Avant Performance 4.0 TFSI quattro 605PS tiptronic

Estate cars by their very definition just shouldn’t be this good!

It’s a bold and sweeping statement I know, but in fairness the Audi RS 6 Avant Performance lives up to all the hype. It may weigh just shy of two tonnes and measure almost five metres in length but it can blast to 62mph from a standing start in just 3.7 seconds and that’s supercar territory. It also achieves this without the aid of any of the gizmos found in some rival cars such as launch control.

The car is powered by a mighty 4.0-litre 605PS TFSI engine and the governed 155mph top speed can be increased as an option to 174mph or 189mph if the dynamic package is specified.

The acceleration is blistering fast and there is the option of four driving modes that allow you to tame the beast in Comfort, Auto and Individual or unleash its full potential in Dynamic mode. Ultimately it means the car can perfectly display both sides of its split personality – it can be calm and beautifully controlled when driven with a responsible head or outrageously exhilarating when the mood suits.

There is an eight-speed tiptronic gearbox which is beautifully slick and responsive and you can take extra control via the paddle shifts or by tapping the gear lever. And, being an Audi, there is the added reassurance of the quattro all-wheel drive which helps keep the car perfectly balanced and grounded no matter how hard it’s pushed.

First impressions are vitally important and the RS 6 Avant Performance certainly looks the business with its contoured bumpers, honeycomb grille, flared side sills and large air intakes. Red brake callipers costing an additional £430 and 21-inch alloys certainly complete the dynamic styling making it a car that’s very difficult to ignore.

Step inside and the build quality cannot fail to impress with only the finest materials incorporated to give the car a highly premium feel. There are super sports seats with pronounced side bolsters and integrated head rests made from an alcantara and leather combination with a stunning honeycomb design. In addition, there’s a flat-bottomed sports steering wheel, a BOSE surround sound system, sports pedals, a head-up display (£1,240 extra), ambient lighting, an excellent multi-media system with full connectivity to modern devices, sat nav, plus a whole host of other techno treats to be explored along the way.

To fully appreciate the versatility of the RS 6 Avant Performance, it was tested on busy roads, in congested town centres, on motorways and on open country lanes and it coped splendidly with every setting.

In the crowds, it proved an instant attention-grabber as it coasted along. Flick it into dynamic mode and the crackles and pops can probably be heard in the neighbouring county. The all-round visibility is good and the car proved deceptively agile and easy to manoeuvre.

Then on the faster-moving motorways the vehicle was effortlessly quick as it glided past slower traffic with ease. The acceleration was rapid and the noise levels within the cabin were nicely hushed by the efficient insulation.

But in reality, if you want to see just how much fun this car really is you need some twisting country lanes with plenty of sharp bends and very little traffic. It’s then that the RS 6 Avant Performance can be pushed a tad harder. The steering is beautifully precise and the road-holding cannot fail to impress as it sticks to the Tarmac like glue. You can expect to hear some engine and road-surface noise when driving in Dynamic but the car can be hushed to a state of near-silence by selecting a calmer mode.

Admittedly, there are a couple of downsides to the car. Firstly, it comes with a hefty price-tag – £84,674 to be precise which was increased to £94,915 with options fitted. In addition it’s a thirsty animal and that will mean regular trips to the filling station as the vehicle can only deliver combined fuel efficiency of 29.4mpg if driven with a gentle right boot. Carbon emissions are 223g/km.

But, in reality forget the pricing and economy for a second and take into consideration the hours of fun this car can offer, and with a boot capacity of 565 litres rising to 1,680 litres with the rear seats down, it’s actually a very practical five-door, five-seat vehicle that will also earn you plenty of ‘street-cred’ points on the school run.