By Ian Strachan.
The Audi A6 Avant has always been a real smoothie. Smooth good looks, smooth ride and handling, and smooth power delivery.
Now it’s also kinder to the planet, with plug-in hybrid technology. The A6’s two-litre 299 PS petrol engine is supported by an electric motor to help with fuel consumption and, if fully charged, to give you nearly 40 miles of electric-only driving.
I drove the 50 TFSIe quattro version, with an effortless four cylinder engine with CO2 emissions of just 34 g/km. This easy-revving engine will take you from 0-60 in just over six seconds. Married to an ultra smooth eight S-tronic automatic gearbox it gives excellent sporty performance when you want it, and a smooth and sedate ride on long journeys.
Ride and handling are both refined and composed, with sure-footed cornering, even at speed. The quattro permanent four wheel drive set-up means confident handling and superb grip in all weathers.
Inside, the A6 Avant is classy and roomy in the extreme, particularly in the back. Controls are well laid out and clear, with a display screen which shows radio and climate control settings. The optional leather sports front seats (£1,000) are supremely comfortable.
Loadspace is as impressive as the interior of this roomy car, with a low loading sill and little wheel arch intrusion. There’s 405 litres of carrying capacity behind a powered tailgate. This can be increased to 1535 by folding the rear seats.
Standard equipment includes cruise control with speed limiter, 360-degree cameras, traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning, satnav via a 10.1 inch touchscreen, a premium sound system, automatic light and wiper activation, four-zone air conditioning and electrically operated and heated door mirrors with memory.
You also get very smart 20-inch 10-spoke alloys, charging equipment, smartphone charger, sports suspension, all-round airbags, headlight washers and privacy glass.
The Black edition also comes with black exterior mirrors, black roof rails and a Black styling package.
The Audi A6 Avant 50 TFSIe quattro PHEV automatic comes at £71,635 on the road. My test car was fitted with more than £5,000’s worth of extras including grey metallic paint at £685, parking assist (no cost option), a technology pack (£2,995) and towing equipment at £825.
It may be pricey, but this is an excellent, high performance car that is extremely comfortable, has some green credentials and will look good on your drive.
