A6 Avant Car Leasing & Contract Hire

Audi A6 Avant Review 2021

Based on the A6 luxury saloon, the Audi A6 Avant is a large, practical family car and Audi's most accomplished large estate car to date.

With its roomy, futuristic cabin, high-tech interior, and wide range of engines, all with hybrid technology as standard, the A6 Avant is a competitive family lease alternative to many SUVs on the market. 

It also performs well against rivals such as the BMW 5 Series Touring, Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate, Jaguar XF Sportbrake and Volvo V90.

Our Audi A6 Avant review covers:

• Key Features
• Design, Practicality and Boot Space
• Interior and Trims
• Power and Performance
• Leasing vs Buying

Audi A6 Avant Key Features

• Sleek and sophisticated exterior design with large hexagonal front grille
• Upmarket interior inspired by the A8 with Audi's Virtual Cockpit as standard
• 565-litre boot with 40/20/40 split rear seats, increasing the space to 1,680 litres
• Wide range of petrol, diesel, and plug-in hybrid engines 
• Four trim levels available, including Sport, S Line, Black Edition and Vorsprung

Design, Practicality and Boot Space

With its handsome good looks and upmarket badge, it's easy to spot the Audi A6 Avant out on the road. 

Wider and taller than its predecessor, the latest generation A6 Avant boasts a sleek and sophisticated exterior thanks to its gently tapered roofline, flared wheel arches, sporty roof edge spoiler and redesigned tail-light clusters.

As with the A7 Sportback and A8 Saloon, the A6 Avant also features an enlarged hexagonal front grille to give the estate a more purposeful stance.

Inside, there are buckets of room for the driver and passengers to stretch out. There's more head and legroom than the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class, and space in the back is just as generous. 

While the central rear seat isn't quite as comfortable due to the bulky floor hump, there's enough space for three passengers to sit side-by-side and for those over six feet tall to stretch out. 

Shame then that the A6 Avant's 565-litre boot isn't quite as generous as the BMW 5 Series Touring (570 litres), Volvo V90 (575 litres) and Mercedes E-Class Estate (640 litres). 

That said, there's still enough room to squeeze in a few sets of golf clubs, and the boot design is usefully square in shape, making it easy to pack.

The A6 Avant's rear seats also fold in a 40/20/40 split, meaning you can run long, thin items between two rear passengers. Fold all the rear seats down, and space increases to 1,680 litres. 

Interior and Trims

As expected from an Audi, the A6 Avant's interior is amongst the best in the market. Inspired by the flagship A8, the A6 Avant's clean and uncluttered dashboard features plush leather, soft plastic, and glossy metal trims to give it an upmarket feel. 

All models come with Audi's Virtual Cockpit, which allows you to configure the layout to show helpful information just below your sightline. There's also another 8.6-inch touchscreen located underneath the main screen, which is dedicated to climate control and convenience features.

Add in ambient lighting, plush-feeling materials and high build quality, and the A6 Avant is second to none when it comes to comfort and technology. 

Four trim levels are available, including the Sport, S Line, Black Edition and Vorsprung. 

The entry-level Sport model comes with a generous specification as standard, including LED front and rear lights, MMI navigation plus with Audi connect services, Parking System Plus, rear-view camera and 18" alloy wheels. 

The mid-spec S Line adds S line interior and exterior styling, Matrix LED headlights, front sport seats with leather/dinamica upholstery, sport suspension, privacy glass and 19" alloy wheels. 

The high-spec Black Edition model boasts an enhanced exterior style with black styling pack, black roof rails, black door mirror housings, a flat-bottomed high multi-function 3-spoke leather steering wheel, and 20" matt titanium look alloy wheels.   

The top-of-the-range Vorsprung model adds super sports seats, a panoramic glass sunroof, HD Matrix LED headlights, Park Assistant plus, City Assist Pack, Bang & Olufsen premium sound system and 21" Audi Sport cast aluminium wheels. 

Power and Performance

Under the bonnet, there are several petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid engines to choose from, with a 12v mild hybrid system on the four-cylinder engines and a 48v mild hybrid system on the six-cylinder engines to improve fuel economy and boost acceleration.

Petrol options include the 201bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder 40 TFSI and the 261bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder 45 TFSI. 

Diesel options include the entry-level 201bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder 40 TDI and the 282 bhp 3.0-litre six-cylinder V6 50 TDI. 

There's also a plug-in hybrid model (badged 50v TFSIe), ideal for company car drivers thanks to its low CO2 emissions and an electric-only range of up to 34 miles.

Out on the road, the A6 Avant handles predictably and securely. While the estate is certainly capable through bends, the Jaguar XF Sportbrake or smaller BMW 3 Series Touring offer a more rewarding drive. 

That said, the A6 Avant's light steering and large windows make it easy to drive around town, with its host of cameras and parking sensors help make parking a breeze. Audi's optional Quattro four-wheel-drive system is also worth considering if you can afford the additional cost. 

Leasing vs Buying

Prices for the new Audi A6 Avant start from £41,160.00 OTR* or to lease from £306.05 per month.

Fancy getting behind the wheel of the new Audi A6 Avant? Car leasing may prove to be a cheaper alternative to buying the A6 Avant via a bank loan or dealer finance thanks to low monthly rentals, a lower initial outlay and flexible contract and mileage terms.

Lease with Nationwide Vehicle Contracts, and you'll also benefit from inclusive road tax, breakdown cover, the manufacturer's warranty, and free mainland GB delivery (exclusions apply) with every lease deal. Simply customise your quote online via our website or call 0345 811 9595 to speak to one of our experienced car leasing advisers. 

*'On the road' price is correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change. Always check with your nearest retailer.