Skip advert
Advertisement

Audi RS6 Avant (2013-2018) review - Engines, performance and drive

The RS6 Avant is one of the fastest cross-country family cars on the market

Engines, performance and drive rating

3.9

How we review cars
RRP
£118,050 £179,045
Avg. savings
£11,535 off RRP*
Find your Audi RS6
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

At its core, the Audi RS6 Avant is much like other super fast Audis, as it has explosive power and masses of grip, but it all feels a bit clinical and detached in the way it performs.  

There’s so much performance on tap that it’s hard to use it on the road, even with quattro four-wheel drive, while the Audi feels a little subdued in corners. There’s no shortage of grip and the upgraded air-suspension system provides rock-solid body control, but there’s not much feedback through the major controls, especially the light steering.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Choosing the Drive Select system’s sportiest mode sharpens the throttle and helps reduce understeer by engaging a more aggressive setting on the electronically controlled Sports rear diff, but it also adds too much weighting to the steering. Make no mistake, the four-wheel-drive Audi is devastatingly quick on twisting roads, particularly in the wet, but it’s not that engaging.

Still, what the Audi lacks in driver involvement it makes up for with top-notch refinement. There’s virtually no wind noise on the motorway and in its comfort setting, the air springs soak up bumps well – only deep potholes really ruffle the RS6, and you could easily use it as daily transport, as long as you're happy to suck up the running costs.

Engines

With the traction of quattro all-wheel drive the 552bhp RS6 Avant accelerates from 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds, while the 597bhp Performance version shaves two tenths of a second off that time, at 3.7 seconds. There's no launch control, but we've extracted a 0-60mph time of 3.4 seconds from the standard car in damp conditions, so there's no doubting Audi's claims. Top speed is limited to 155mph, unless you opt for the Dynamic pack which raises the limiter to 174mph, or the Dynamic pack Plus, which bumps it up to 189mph.

The Audi’s real world in-gear performance is equally impressive, and above 4,000rpm the RS6 accelerates even more ferociously than its key rivals. Adding to the drama is the eight-speed twin-clutch Tiptronic transmission, which provides rapid-fire shifts via the steering wheel-mounted paddles, plus it delivers a crisp throttle blip on downchanges.

The RS6 Avant’s V8 may serve up blistering performance, but in standard guise it sounds a little muted alongside the vocal Mercedes E63. We'd recommend the optional sports exhaust, as it delivers a more imposing soundtrack, with pops and bangs on the overrun in Dynamic mode. It's also standard on the RS6 Avant Performance, and more than justifies the faster model's extra outlay.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Which Is Best

Cheapest

  • Name
    RS 6 TFSI Quattro Performance 5dr Tiptronic
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £118,050
Select car

Most Economical

  • Name
    RS 6 TFSI Quattro GT 5dr Tiptronic
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £179,045
Select car

Fastest

  • Name
    RS 6 TFSI Quattro GT 5dr Tiptronic
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £179,045
Select car

New & used car deals

Audi RS6

Audi RS6

RRP £111,775Avg. savings £11,535 off RRP*Used from £43,990
BMW M5

BMW M5

RRP £111,605Avg. savings £12,626 off RRP*Used from £36,995
Volvo V60

Volvo V60

RRP £32,745Avg. savings £2,333 off RRP*Used from £12,295
MG MG4

MG MG4

RRP £27,005Avg. savings £7,778 off RRP*Used from £11,890
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Geely EX5 SUV to arrive in October, starting at £32k
Geely EX5 - front

New Geely EX5 SUV to arrive in October, starting at £32k

This new electric SUV is coming soon to the UK from Volvo and Lotus parent company, Geely
News
15 Sep 2025
Nissan Qashqai to finally go electric, but hybrid model will remain
Nissan Qashqai electric render Avarvarii - front 3/4

Nissan Qashqai to finally go electric, but hybrid model will remain

There will be an overlap of powertrains for the big-selling SUV
News
15 Sep 2025
Car Deal of the Day: Savour the Scandi cool of a Polestar 4 at only £334 a month
Polestar 4 - cornering, low shot

Car Deal of the Day: Savour the Scandi cool of a Polestar 4 at only £334 a month

Fancy something smart and sophisticated? You won’t look back with the Polestar 4. It’s our Deal of the Day for September 13
News
13 Sep 2025