Audi RS6 Avant review

In a world of hybrids, wind power and veganism, the Audi RS6 should be going down like a guff at a Twister party. However, while the rest of Audi’s performance models have had their engines downsized or switched to diesel, the RS6 has managed to carry on untouched.

Yep, it still has a 600hp sledgehammer V8 engine beneath its bonnet that’ll propel five people and their luggage to 62mph in 3.6 seconds and on to 155mph. Which is lucky, because its main competition the Mercedes E 63 S Estate and BMW M5 have thumping V8 engines too.

Setting the RS6 apart, however, is the way it looks. Audi’s designers should, frankly, be knighted immediately for their work – the RS6 looks low, wide and extremely mean in the rear-view mirror, which is exactly as it should be. Paired with gloss black accents against bold colours and huge alloy wheels, there are few angrier cars on sale.

Like most Audis, the RS6’s interior also helps it stand out. Quality is superb, and there are some tasty extras to let you know this a sporting model, including a sports steering wheel and gear selector, sports seats and plenty of RS6 badges. Upgraded seats and red or grey design packs can be added as options to personalise things further.

You get no less than three infotainment screens as standard – a set of superbly crisp and customisable drivers digital dials, plus two stacked touch screens on the dashboard. The upper screen deals with your classic infotainment systems, while the lower looks after the climate controls. They’re bright, easy to follow and have a handy haptic feedback feature making it feel as though you’re pressing physical buttons. However, BMW and Mercedes’ systems are even easier to control while trying to drive at the same time.

You’ll find a BMW M5 slightly more fun to drive and a Mercedes E63 Estate has a bigger boot, but the Audi RS6 Avant is better looking than both and nicer inside.

There’s no estate version of the BMW M5, so the RS6 Avant is instantly more spacious and practical, but Mercedes’ E 63 S Estate has a bigger boot. Still, you’ll have no issues seating four adults inside the RS6 and truth be told its boot is easily big enough to cope with a couple of large suitcases plus extra carry-on bags or soft holdalls. Golf clubs and pushchairs are no problem.

Which is all the more impressive when you consider how the RS6 drives. It has that monumental V8 engine, a wider stance, lower, stiffer suspension and aggressive all-wheel steering over the standard A6 Avant, all helping is feel hugely fast yet also massive fun on twisty country roads. You can even add very expensive optional carbon-ceramic brakes to ensure it stops as well as it goes.

But when you’ve had enough of all that, the RS6 will also do the comfy cruiser thing. Air suspension is standard or adaptive steel springs are optional (standard on Vorsprung), but with either fitted the RS6 is comfortable at all speeds. It’s also very quiet on the motorway, where it simply eats up the miles on a long journey.

Of course, the RS6 Avant does not come cheap, and you’ll be faced with all the big bills that are associated with driving one of Audi’s flagship performance models. If you’ve got the cash, though, you’ll be buying one of the most complete practical performance cars on sale.

If that’s you, head on over to our Audi RS6 Avant deals pages to make sure you’re getting the very best prices.

See what an RS6 Avant is like to live with in our video: