The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Broad lineup
- Excellent powertrains
- Two wagons
- Great safety record
- Gorgeous fit and finish
Dislikes
- Conservative styling
- Sexier A7 also exists
- Too tech-heavy?
- Bite-size trunk
Buying tip
For the sedan and wagon faithful, the 2022 Audi A6 offers a tremendous amount of performance, comfort, luxury, and technology.
What kind of vehicle is the 2022 Audi A6? What does it compare to?
Audi affixes A6—and S6 or RS 6—badges to a variety of mid-size luxury sedans and wagons, each with its own personality. Shop these cars against the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, plus the Tesla Model S.
Is the 2022 Audi A6 a good car/SUV?
The 2022 Audi A6 lineup offers plenty of choices—some great, some greater than great. We rate this range at an impressive 7.2 out of 10 thanks to the broad lineup, excellent tech, and smart designs. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2022 Audi A6?
The A6 range mostly carries over into 2022 aside from wider availability of the Black Optic package that dresses up the exterior for an extra charge.
These cars come in sedan or wagon body styles, though there’s no overlap between them. Four-door models include base A6s with turbo-4 or twin-turbo V-6 engines, while the A6 Allroad has a high-riding stance for some degree of off-road ability and the mid-level twin-turbo V-6. The S6 uses a different boosted V-6 making it something of an entry-level performance car, though it is a rare sight. The RS 6 Avant is a car fan’s dream come true, with nearly 600 horsepower, a buttoned-down suspension, and a practical wagon body.
There’s not a bad-looking car in the bunch, though extroverts and those interested in practicality will definitely want either the A6 Allroad or the RS 6 Avant—or maybe a closely-related A7, which has a sleeker and more useful hatchback design.
Fuel economy is decent given underhood power, though the lack of a hybrid choice here may push efficiency-minded shoppers into Audi’s own E-Tron lineup of electric cars.
Every A6 variant boasts a high-tech cabin with touchscreens and digital displays everywhere. Though we’d like a few more conventional buttons, there’s no denying that these are feature-laden cars with excellent driver-assistance tech, too.
Wagons are decidedly practical, but sedans could have bigger trunks—then again, that’s where the A7 comes in. (We’ve reviewed it separately.)
The A6 range has done well in crash tests. Advanced driver-assistance tech that allows for limited hands-off driving is available, too.
How much does the 2022 Audi A6 cost?
This lineup starts at around $58,000, though realistically most A6 sedans list for about $65,000 or more. A6 Allroads come in just shy of $70,000. The RS 6 Avant goes for $118,000 or more with options.
A conservatively equipped A6 sedan at about $65,000 or $70,000 with the more powerful twin-turbo V-6 strikes us as a fairly good buy against BMW and Mercedes-Benz rivals, too.
Where is the 2022 Audi A6 made?
In Neckarsulm, Germany.
2022 Audi A6 Styling
The 2022 Audi A6 boasts clean styling inside and out.
Is the Audi A6 a good-looking car?
While not the kind of sedans and wagons you’ll want to leave in the driveway to show off to your neighbors, the Audi A6 lineup has a pleasant, traditional style that rates 7 out of 10 on the TCC scale.
Long-roof wagons have more pleasing lines to our eyes, though the A6 Allroad and RS 6 are not quite as common a sight. The Allroad wears chunky fender flares and a slightly higher stance, while the RS 6 Avant goes in the opposite direction as it appears to hug the ground thanks to a hefty body kit and a wide stance.
Wider availability of a Black Optic package that discards chrome bits for dark finishes marks 2022 for this design that is just now starting to show its age.
Inside, these cars all have subdued, conservative looks, though brighter upholstery hue choices are available. Standard leather is nice in a class where synthetic hides are common.
2022 Audi A6 Performance
The A6 comes in mild, medium, and Carolina Reaper editions.
Is the Audi A6 4WD?
Yes, the A6 comes standard with Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system, which comes in two flavors. The base system in 45 and 55 TFSI cars can disconnect the rear axle for improved fuel economy, while other models use a permanently engaged setup.
How fast is the Audi A6?
It can be quite quick. Base cars wear 45 TFSI badging, which, for reasons above our pay grade, means they feature a 2.0-liter turbo-4 rated at 248 hp paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
They’re plenty peppy, with a 0-60 mph sprint in around 6.1 seconds, but the 55 TFSI that swaps in a twin-turbo V-6 is faster yet. That’s the engine we prefer thanks to its terrific power from any speed and its fairly reasonable price tag. A6 Allroad wagons use this V-6.
The S6 uses a 2.9-liter V-6 rated at 444 hp, which is teamed to an 8-speed automatic gearbox. That combo is quite quick with a 60-mph zip in the mid-four-second range.
Then there’s the RS 6 Avant, a dream car for any enthusiast thanks to its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 rated at 591 hp (couldn’t they have squeezed out 9 more ponies?). It blasts to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds and can run up to 190 mph with optional equipment, should you have a very, very long driveway (preferably one that looks like a race track).
All cars handle well, though the base suspension can be swapped out for a slightly lower-riding setup with stiffer springs. Adaptive dampers are optional to open up comfort and sport modes, while the A6 Allroad is fitted with a height-adjustable air suspension to open up more ground clearance.
The S6 strikes a solid balance between usability and performance, especially with the optional rear sport differential that keeps the back end in line. The RS 6 is sharper yet, and it includes rear-wheel steering that can make the car feel more nimble in cornering.
2022 Audi A6 Comfort & Quality
Wagons are the practical pick here, though any 2022 Audi A6 has a comfortable cabin.
The 2022 A6 serves up great interior space for humans, with terrific fit and finish. Only so-so trunk space in sedans mars these cars, so we rate them at 7 out of 10 on the TCC scale.
Standard leather drapes seats that are power and heated up front. These thrones are all-day comfortable, though grippier sports seats make their way into the lineup with higher-performance engines. Try before you buy, as the bolsters on the RS 6 are tight for bigger adults.
Rear-seat room is slightly better than rivals.
Wagons predictably serve up the best cargo space: about 30 cubic feet with the rear seats upright. Sedans offer less than half that.
At least all models are beautifully finished. The more you spend, the nicer the trappings inside, too, thanks to softer leather and more exotic trim choices.
2022 Audi A6 Safety
The 2022 Audi A6 is at the top of its game for safety.
How safe is the Audi A6?
The 2022 Audi A6 rates 9 out of 10 on our scale thanks to five-star overall ratings from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS. The only thing holding this lineup back from a full 10 out of 10 is average outward vision to the rear.
Every model comes with highly-rated automatic emergency braking, though adaptive cruise control and active lane control are optional extras that are worth it in our book.
Headlights are a mixed bag, though even the base setup is rated “Acceptable” by the IIHS.
2022 Audi A6 Features
The 2022 Audi A6 is something of a value play among mid-size luxury cars.
Most versions of the A6 lineup are offered in three trim levels that start at around $56,000 and climb rapidly from there. Stay conservative with options and it’s possible to find value in this range.
We rate the lineup at 8 out of 10 thanks to good standard and optional gear, and great infotainment. Audi’s 4-year/50,000-mile warranty would add another point if it came with free scheduled maintenance, as some rivals include.
Which Audi A6 should I buy?
That depends on what body style appeals to you.
Base sedans are equipped well enough with leather seats that are heated up front, a fair amount of active safety tech, an 8.8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and 19-inch alloy wheels.
The Premium Plus trim—which is the starting point for the A6 Allroad and S6 versions—tosses in a bigger touchscreen paired with Bang & Olufsen audio and a digital instrument cluster, plus more active safety tech—it’s the trim we’d buy, and you’ll spend about $60,000 to get there. Add another $4,000 for the larger 55 TFSI engine.
The A6 Allroad starts at about $68,000 in Premium Plus guise, while the S6 costs $76,000. The RS 6 Avant runs about $118,000 to start.
How much is a fully loaded Audi A6?
The RS 6 Avant comes in a single flavor, though Audi charges extra for special paint, carbon fiber exterior trim, 21-inch wheels, ceramic brakes, night vision, and a few other niceties that can inflate its price tag to $153,000 or so.
2022 Audi A6 Fuel Economy
The 2022 Audi A6 is a reasonably frugal choice in most variants thanks to a trick all-wheel-drive system.
Is the Audi A6 good on gas?
The most popular versions of the 2022 Audi A6 lineup earn a 5 out of 10 on our scale. The mid-level V-6 called 55 TFSI in Audi-speak is rated at 22 mpg city, 29 highway, 24 combined. The base turbo-4, which isn’t available in the A6 Allroad, is slightly more frugal at 23/31/26 mpg.
The wagon body and higher-riding stance dent fuel economy for the A6 Allroad: 20/26/22 mpg. Similarly, S6 sedans come in at 18/28/22 mpg thanks to their more powerful engines.
The RS 6 Avant is a proper guzzler at 15/22/17 mpg.
All versions of the lineup use premium fuel, and there is currently no full hybrid version.
