TEUTONIC ESTATEMENT (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 67

Audi's much improved fifth generation A6 Avant was a large, luxurious estate that combined practicality with panache. In this C8-series form, which sold between 2018 and 2025, it was even higher-tech, better finished and cleverer than before and aimed to offer buyers a little more charisma and driving reward than the previous version could have. You can see why so many buyers in this segment like it.

Modelsword count: 22

5dr Avant Estate (2.0 TFSI petrol, 2.0 TFSI petrol, 3.0 TFSI petrol, 4.0 TFSI petrol / 2.0 TDI diesel, 3.0 TDI diesel)

Historyword count: 217

In new car sales, Audi may not be too far ahead of its arch-rival BMW in terms of overall sales but in one segment at least, the Ingolstadt maker has long comprehensively beaten its closest rival: that of large, luxurious Executive-class estates. Their A6 Avant traditionally out-sells the rival BMW 5 Series Touring nearly two-to-one, so hopes were high for what the marque might achieve with a car that was smarter, safer and clever. Like this one, the fifth generation C8-era A6 Avant. This wasn't the biggest model in its segment but for many buyers, it offered the most complete all-round proposition in terms of model choice, practicality and technology, which explained why the other German brands took this contender so seriously. It was claimed to be the most complete large load carrier Audi had ever made. In 2019, the A6 Avant range expanded with an allroad Avant estate model (which lasted only two years); and a flagship RS 6 Avant high performance flagship variant (which lasted until the end of C8 production). A PHEV 50 TFSI e model arrived in 2021. There was a light facelift in 2023 which saw the main A6 range through to the end of production in late 2024; it was replaced by a new generation C9-era A6 Avant in early 2025.

What You Getword count: 258

According to Audi's research clinics, A6 customers value understated exterior design above almost everything else - so they should feel right at home with the conservatively evolved looks of this C8-series eighth generation contender. This became a pretty sizeable piece of sculpted Executive segment German real estate, being nearly five metres long and the best part of two metres wide, yet standing only just over 1.4-metres high. Inside up front, the cabin is as well appointed as you'd expect from a range-topping A6 model, with leather-and-alcantara-combination upholstery and impeccable fit and finish, plus most buyers will want the Audi Virtual Cockpit instrument binnacle digital display (standardised on later models). Media features are taken care of by the usual black panel MMI twin-screen system on the centre stack that features in all large Audis from this era, with a 10.1-inch screen for infotainment functions up top and a smaller 8.6-inch display (mainly for climate features) just below. Thanks to this car's long 2.93-metre wheelbase, the back seat offers reasonable space for three adults, but much more comfortable room for two and you get a fold down centre armrest with storage and cup holders. Out back in this estate model there's a 565-litre boot. The centre part of the 40:20:40-split rear bench can be retracted if you need to push longer items like skis into the passenger compartment without disturbing a couple of rear-seated folk. If you want to push the seat backs down completely, you do it by pulling on the cargo sidewall levers, which reveals a 1,680-litre space.

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