Used Audi A6 Avant for sale: everything you need to know

The Audi A6 Avant could be one of the most desirable estate cars on sale. It makes up a good proportion of the A6s that Audi sells, and it’s not difficult to see why, pairing greater practicality with even more handsome styling.

It’s also been a staple of Audi’s range for several years, and the current model has been around since 2018, so there’s abundant choice on the used market. What it lacks in excitement it more than makes up for in quality and image, and the quattro all-wheel drive offered on several models helps it feel secure all year round, too.

The BMW 5 Series Touring and Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate are probably the two most compelling alternatives to the A6 Avant, while the Jaguar XF Sportbrake and Volvo V90 are options if you’re not sold on the German brands.

Should you buy an Audi A6 Avant?

Audi styled the latest A6 Avant to look more bold than its predecessors, with flared arches and a rakish profile, but it still manages to look understated too - and the A6 Avant’s style and image is a big part of why you might consider Audi’s big estate. It’s even more stylish than the saloon it’s based on, with the benefit of being more practical too.

Not that it’s the most practical car in this class (you’ll fit more in the back of a Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate) but there’s enough room to fit most day to day paraphernalia, and the space for front and rear seat occupants is enormous - child seats are not a problem either, even if unlike an SUV you’ll have to lean down a bit to install kids.

Despite its relative age the cabin still feels modern and the twin touchscreen layout is easier to get used to than it looks at a glance. Everything feels well-made too, and the seats are great even over longer distances.

The A6 Avant’s engine lineup makes long distances a doddle too - all make good power, fade into the background on a motorway cruise, and unless you buy the V8-powered RS6 (which we’ve covered elsewhere), they don’t have too much of a thirst for fuel either. As long as you’re not expecting excitement, the Avant rides and handles well - and models with four-wheel steering feel much more nimble than you’d expect for the car’s size.

If you do want more driving engagement then the BMW 5 Series Touring is probably the pick in this class, along with the Jaguar XF Sportbrake. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate and Volvo V90 meanwhile have bigger boots - though if you don’t mind a less premium image, the Skoda Superb Estate is biggest of the lot.

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What’s the best used Audi A6 Avant model to buy?

Our pick of the engines is the 40 TDI. You can find this diesel engine in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive forms, and it’s very frugal for its size in either format, with official economy figures hovering around the 50mpg mark, and 0-62mph in eight seconds or less - so it performs well too. It’s smooth too, if not as creamy as the V6-powered 50 TDI.

S Line trim definitely wins the looks game against the Sport model that opens the range, and if you find a car with adaptive suspension, the larger wheels don’t really compromise the ride comfort either, as they used to on older Audis. Still, Sport trim is already very well equipped, and is likely slightly more affordable.

Used Audi A6 Avant fuel economy and performance

• Audi A6 Avant 40 TFSI: A 2-litre turbocharged petrol engine powers the 40 TFSI, making 204PS through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. 0-62mph takes 7.5 seconds and combined economy is up to 37.7mpg.
• Audi A6 Avant 45 TFSI: 45 TFSI models get a more powerful variant of the 2-litre four-cylinder, with 265PS, and again driving through a dual-clutch auto, but is also all-wheel drive. The 0-62mph time drops to 6.2 seconds and it’ll do up to 36.2mpg combined.
• Audi A6 Avant 40 TDI: The 40 TDI uses a 2-litre turbocharged diesel four-cylinder and develops 204PS. The standard transmission is a seven-speed dual-clutch, and depending on the year, comes in either front- or all-wheel drive. Front-drivers do 0-62mph in 8.1 seconds and up to 50.4mpg, and the quattro’s figures are 7.6 seconds and 48.7mpg.
• Audi A6 Avant 50 TDI: The 50 TDI is quattro-only, and gets an eight-speed automatic. With a turbocharged 3-litre V6 it develops 286PS, for 0-62mph in 5.5 seconds, and economy of up to 50.4mpg combined.

What used Audi A6 Avant trim levels are available?

There have been a few changes to the A6 Avant trim lineup over time but Audi has more recently stuck to the same trim levels you’ll find across much of the maker’s range, with Sport, S Line, and Black Edition variants. You’ll find small equipment differences across these lines depending on the age of the car you’re looking at, but as ever, newer models will have more comprehensive equipment levels and updated technological features compared to older cars.

• The Audi A6 Avant Sport includes 18-inch alloy wheels, standard suspension settings, Audi Drive Select, matrix LED headlights, aluminium roof rails, a rear spoiler, leather and artificial leather seat trim, electric front seat adjustment, heated front seats, two zone climate control, a power tailgate, a 10.1-inch upper touchscreen and 8.6-inch lower touchscreen, a 7-inch driver display, 10-speaker audio, cruise control with a speed limiter, front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, and keyless go.
• The Audi A6 Avant S Line upgrades to 19-inch alloys, 20mm lower sport suspension, a black radiator grille and matte black rear diffuser, privacy glass, leather and Dinamica artificial suede sports seats, aluminium inlays, and stainless steel pedals.
• The Audi A6 Avant Black Edition steps up again to 20-inch alloy wheels, a black styling pack, carbon inlays, and a flat-bottomed sport steering wheel.

Used Audi A6 Avant dimensions and boot size

The Audi A6 Avant’s dimensions are:

• Length: 4939mm
• Width: 1886mm (without mirrors), 2110mm (with mirrors)
• Height: 1467mm

The Audi A6 Avant’s boot size is:

• 565 litres
• 1680 litres with the rear seats folded (to roof)

Used Audi A6 Avant road tax

The majority of A6 Avants you find for sale cost more than £40,000 to buy brand new, which means most will attract a VED surcharge that bumps your annual tax bill to £570, from the car’s second to sixth years on the road. This does mean some earlier models will be dropping to a lower £180 annual rate by now though.

How much is it to insure an Audi A6 Avant?

At the bottom of the range, an A6 Avant with the 40 TDI engine and Sport trim begins in group 33 (out of 50), while the punchy 50 TDI starts from group 40. The BMW 5 Series Touring starts a little lower, with a 520d SE beginning in group 30, but the 50 TDI equivalent, the 530d, starts in group 41, so the A6 should have similar insurance costs to the BMW.

Read our full Audi A6 Avant review