2026 Audi A6 Avant TFSI quattro Review

The station wagon has become a rare sight in our market. But a few remain, including the new Audi A6 Avant. Is it worth a look?

For a long time, much of the automotive world turned its back on the humble station wagon. The masses flocked to SUVs instead, which, despite essentially being high-riding wagons, don’t have quite the same allure.

Fast-forward to 2026 and we seem to be experiencing something of a wagon renaissance, with a horde of Chinese brands leading the charge. And while these flashy new arrivals from the East are eye-catching, overlooking Europe’s enduring commitment to long-roofed vehicles would be a massive disservice.

In the land of pretzels and bratwurst, wagons still account for around 40 per cent of passenger vehicle sales. With this in mind, it’s perhaps unsurprising to see Audi remain committed to the format in our part of the world, especially when the competition has seemingly dried up. Either way, we appreciate its efforts.

While the European wagon ranks might look healthy across BMW and Audi, it’s worth pointing out that the only estates BMW still offers in New Zealand are full-fat M cars. Audi, on the other hand, continues to offer more pedestrian options, such as the A5 Avant and, in this case, the all-new A6 Avant.

A new big-wagon benchmark?

Audi New Zealand offers just one variant of the A6 Avant, priced at $158,990. This will eventually change with the arrival of the A6 allroad, but that’s still about a year away.

Calling this entry-level A6 Avant a base model feels wrong, as it’s highly specified compared with the versions offered overseas. In other markets, the A6 is available with far less grunt and can even be had with front-wheel drive.

Our “base model” gets a mild-hybrid, twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre petrol V6 producing a healthy 270kW and 550Nm. This is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and quattro all-wheel drive. It can hit 100km/h from a standing start in 4.7 seconds before topping out at an Autobahn-friendly 250km/h.

The equipment list is also impressive, but you’d hope so given the near-$160,000 asking price. There’s an S line exterior package, tinted and acoustically glazed windows, chrome-plated tailpipes, a folding towbar, black roof rails and adaptive windscreen washers.

The exterior lighting is equally flash, with digital matrix LED headlights and digital OLED tail-lights.

It sits on black 21-inch Audi Sport wheels as standard. There’s no spare tyre, but you do get a goop kit in the boot.

The options list is extensive too, and our test car wore a handful of extras. These included a $1000 dashcam, $1000 red brake calipers and a panoramic glass roof with a fancy frosting function, priced at a hefty $6000.

Creature comforts as standard

The luxury continues inside, where the leather sports seats are accented with Dinamica microfibre. The front pair are heated, ventilated and equipped with a massage function. Soft-touch materials feature throughout the cabin, contrasted by Audi’s signature piano-black panelling, which has always been a polarising touch.

There’s no shortage of technology either, with displays in almost every direction. The driver gets an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster and a head-up display projected onto the windscreen.

At the centre of the dash is a 14.5-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Finally, a 10.9-inch display sits in front of the passenger, allowing them to control the infotainment system. It can also show video content while remaining obscured from the driver’s view to avoid distraction.

The Bang & Olufsen sound system is another notable inclusion, complemented nicely by speakers mounted in the front headrests.

Move to the second row and the sheer size of the A6 Avant begins to make sense. Space up front is rarely an issue in a car of this size, but those in the back also get an abundance of legroom and headroom.

The A6 Avant measures 4999mm long, 1875mm wide and 1472mm high, with a 2923mm wheelbase. The middle-seat occupant has to contend with a punishing transmission tunnel, but that feels like a relatively small price to pay.

The four-zone climate control system is a real winner back here, allowing passengers to set their preferred temperature through controls on the rear of the centre console.

At the rear, there’s a decent 466 litres of luggage space with the seats upright, expanding to 1497 litres when they’re folded. An electric tailgate is standard.

Audi’s sport differential on the rear axle also does a good job of mitigating the understeer 

The do-it-all wagon

As the entry point to Audi’s big-wagon range, the A6 might previously have been overlooked by those wanting a dynamic drive. That shouldn’t be the case anymore. Its beefy powerplant, sophisticated suspension and four-wheel steering make it an impressively nimble machine for its size.

Audi’s sport differential on the rear axle also does a good job of mitigating the understeer these cars can be known for. Much of the A6’s cornering ability comes from this working alongside its brake-based torque-vectoring system.

A sub-five-second 0–100km/h time is impressive enough for a two-tonne wagon in my book, but I was more taken by the level of grip it possessed through corners.

It rides on adaptive air suspension with electronically controlled dampers. The system can lower or raise the wagon by 20mm and delivers a reasonably composed ride across New Zealand roads.

There’s no getting away from the harshness introduced by the 21-inch wheels and their lack of sidewall, however. This is one area where the new A6 falls short, as it should be the best-riding model when compared with the more hardcore S and RS variants.

In Sport mode, the steering has a nice weight to it and provides a decent level of communication with the tarmac. It’s also surprisingly sharp, which isn’t what we expected from a wagon of this stature.

An expensive compromise

As a whole, the new A6 Avant exceeded our expectations in almost every regard, and we’ve got no problem calling it one of the most well-rounded wagons on the market.

We do, however, believe our relatively small market has forced Audi New Zealand to select a highly specified variant, making it expensive by anyone’s standards. We’re not sure how many will be sold here as a result.

It sits in a middle ground, significantly more expensive than a Skoda Superb but far cheaper than BMW’s M5 Touring. Sure, the smaller M3 Touring is closer at around $200,000, but we doubt it would be a serious alternative given how harsh the Bavarian wagon is.

Perhaps China’s newfound enthusiasm for the station wagon will translate to the wider market, allowing us to live among these wondrously practical vehicles again.

Or we’ll stick with what we know – SUVs – and watch as wagons fade into obscurity.  

Audi A6 Avant TFSI quattro

$158,990  /  8.3L/100km  /  184g/km
0-100 km/h 4.7s
Engine  2995cc / V6 / T / EFI
Max power  270kW@5550rpm
Max torque  550Nm@1700rpm
Drivetrain 7-speed twin-clutch / AWD
Front suspension Multilink / air springs
Rear suspension Multilink / air springs
Turning circle 11.3m 
Front brakes  Ventilated discs (320mm)
Rear brakes  Discs (300mm)
Stability systems  ABS, ESP
Safety  AEB, ACC, BSM, LDW, RCTA, ALK, AHB
Tyre size  f/r -255/35R21
Wheelbase  2923mm
L/W/H  4999 / 1875 / 1472mm
Trackf-1626mm  r-1610mm
Fuel capacity  56L
Luggage capacity  466L
Tow rating  750kg (2100kg braked)
Service intervals  12 months / 15,000km
Scheduled servicing  3yrs / 150,000km
Warranty  5yrs / 150,000km
ANCAP rating  unrated
Weight (claimed)  1955kg