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- 2021 Audi A6
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The 2021 Audi A6 has an opulent interior, a refined ride, and powerful engines, but its trunk is rather undersized.
The 2021 Audi A6's #6 ranking is based on its score within the Luxury Midsize Cars category. Currently the Audi A6 has a score of 8.0 out of 10, which is based on our evaluation of 26 pieces of research and data elements using various sources.
Yes, the Audi A6 is a very good luxury midsize car. It has a serene ride and a lavish interior full of high-end materials. This Audi also has a lineup of brawny engines, including a twin-turbo V6 in the Audi S6 and a twin-turbo V8 in the high-performance RS wagon. Fuel economy is decent, which is impressive when you consider that this sedan comes standard with Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system. However, its trunk is smaller than many rivals’.
Our goal is to make shopping for your next car as easy as possible. You'll find everything you need to know about this vehicle in our comprehensive review. It combines concrete data like fuel economy estimates and cargo space dimensions with 26 professional Audi A6 reviews.
This 2021 A6 review incorporates applicable research for all models in this generation, which launched for 2019.
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The A6 packs a lot of value into a moderately sized package, but in this highly competitive segment, it’s worth considering some rivals too. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class comes in a range of body types, and the performance-tuned Mercedes-AMG models go toe-to-toe with the Audi S6 and RS 6. You could also consider the BMW 5 Series, which has a similarly strong engine lineup.
While the high-performance RS 6 Avant wagon is covered in this review, the Audi A6 Allroad, a more affordable entry point to the A6 wagon body type, is reviewed separately.
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Other than shuffling a few features, Audi made no major changes to the A6 for 2021.
Compare the 2020 and 2021 A6 »
Here are some of the key changes for the A6 over the last few years:
If you're considering an older model, be sure to read our 2018 A6, 2019 A6, and 2020 A6 reviews to help make your decision. Also, check out our Best New Car Deals and Best New Car Lease Deals pages to learn about savings and discounts you can find on new vehicles.
The 2021 Audi A6 has a base MSRP of $54,900, which is one of the highest starting prices in the class. The top-of-the-line Prestige trim starts at $64,900, and the Audi S6 starts at $74,400. Prices get even higher with the brutish Audi RS 6 Avant wagon, which retails for $109,000.
Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for great savings at your local Audi dealer. You can also find excellent manufacturer incentives on our Audi deals page.
The BMW 5 Series is an excellent luxury midsize car with across-the-board appeal. It has a lengthy list of blistering powertrain options, and the range-topping BMW M models rival the Audi S6 and RS for power and performance. The BMW also impresses with its thrilling handling, silky ride, and impressive cabin materials. The Audi is a good vehicle, but the BMW is better.
The Audi A7 is a luxury large car that has a lot in common with its sibling. Both vehicles have a dual-screen infotainment system and sumptuous cabin materials. Both also have performance-oriented models: the Audi S6 and S7, as well as high-performance RS models. However, the A7’s liftback design gives it more cargo space than the A6 or S6 sedans. There’s no wrong choice between these Audis.
Compare the A6, 5 Series, and A7 »
The A6 and S6 sedans have 13.7 cubic feet of trunk space. That's small for the class, but most reviewers have no complaints about the size, and the standard split-folding rear seat can be used to create more space. A power trunk lid is available. The RS 6 wagon has a roomier 30 cubic feet of cargo space behind its rear seats and even more with those seats folded.
Regardless of body style, this car can accommodate five people. Leather upholstery comes standard, and front-row occupants are treated to eight-way power-adjustable heated seats. Upgrades include additional power adjustments for the front seats, ventilated and massaging front seats, heated rear seats, upgraded leather upholstery, and a heated steering wheel.
Both rows have enough head- and legroom for most adults to sit comfortably. The seats are well-cushioned, and the long list of upgrades help to maximize comfort.
This sedan has two complete sets of LATCH connectors for the rear outboard seats, plus a single tether for the rear middle seat. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave this LATCH setup the highest rating of Good for its ease of use.
With its premium cabin materials, soft leather surfaces, and cutting-edge tech features, the A6’s cabin oozes luxury.
This Audi’s MMI infotainment system uses dual touch screens with haptic feedback, meaning touch-based clicks or vibrations signal that your input has registered. The system works well, with the upper screen displaying navigation and audio functions and the lower screen showing climate and other settings. While the system is responsive and offers crisp graphics, it can be distracting to use while driving.
For more information, read What Is Apple CarPlay? and What Is Android Auto?
There are four engine choices for this vehicle. The A6 can be had with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder or a 3.0-liter V6, and both are turbocharged. The four-cylinder makes 248 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, while the V6 has 335 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. Both have mild-hybrid setups and are paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The turbo-four engine is perfectly fine for daily driving, and outside of feeling a touch strained on the highway, it supplies ample power for most driving situations. The V6 helps deliver more authoritative acceleration.
For something spicier, you might consider upgrading to the S6 or RS 6 Avant. The Audi S6 has a 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine rated at 444 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. It helps the S6 sprint from zero to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds and hit a top speed of 155 mph.
The strongest engine in the mix comes in the high-performance Audi RS 6 Avant. This wagon has a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with a blistering 591 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. The RS can go from zero to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and has a top speed of 190 mph. Both the S6 and RS 6 have an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The A6 gets an EPA-rated 23 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway when paired with its standard four-cylinder engine. With the optional V6 engine, fuel economy dips to 22/29 mpg city/highway. Those are decent ratings considering this Audi comes standard with Quattro all-wheel drive. The performance-oriented S6 and RS 6 Avant get 18/28 and 15/22 mpg, respectively.
The A6 provides a composed and comfortable ride, and it's easy to maneuver around turns. Few road flaws penetrate the cabin. Audi's Quattro all-wheel drive is standard.
The 2021 Audi A6 has a predicted reliability rating of three out of five, which is about average.
Audi covers the A6 with a four-year/50,000-mile warranty.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the 2021 A6 sedan an overall safety rating of five out of five stars, with five stars in the side crash and rollover tests and four stars in the frontal crash test.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the 2021 A6 the highest rating of Good in all six crashworthiness tests. The A6 Premium trim earned the second-highest rating of Acceptable for how well its headlights illuminate the road ahead, while the Premium Plus and Prestige trims earned Good ratings for the effectiveness of their headlights.
The IIHS uses a separate scale for evaluating collision avoidance features. The A6 earned the highest rating of Superior for its standard front crash prevention systems.
Standard advanced safety features:
Available advanced safety features:
The A6 is 16.2 feet long. Its curb weight ranges from 4,101 to 4,266 pounds. The Audi S6 sedan is 16.3 feet long with a curb weight of 4,486 pounds. The Audi RS 6 wagon is 16.4 feet long, and it has a curb weight of 4,960 pounds.
Audi builds the 2021 A6 in Germany.
Audi makes the 2021 A6 in three trim levels: Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige. The performance-oriented Audi S6 comes in Premium Plus and Prestige trims, and the high-performance Audi RS 6 Avant comes in a single trim. The RS 6 Avant is a wagon, while the rest are sedans.
The major difference between the A6, S6, and RS 6 relates to powertrain. The Audi A6 has a four-cylinder or V6 engine. The Audi S6 has a twin-turbocharged V6 engine, and the RS 6 features a twin-turbo V8. Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive is standard throughout the lineup.
Every model is well-equipped, but it may be worth upgrading to the Premium Plus trim to get Audi's Virtual Cockpit, which replaces the traditional gauge cluster with a high-tech digital display.
Audi also produces the Audi A6 Allroad wagon, which we review separately. This model represents a more affordable way to get an A6 wagon than the RS 6 Avant, though you lose that model's incredible performance for that reduced price.
The entry-level Premium trim has a starting MSRP of $54,900. Standard equipment includes the MMI infotainment system, an 8.8-inch upper touch screen, an 8.6-inch lower touch screen, a navigation system, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, Apple CarPlay, a 10-speaker stereo, satellite radio, HD Radio, USB ports, and Bluetooth.
The Premium also has leather seats, heated and eight-way power-adjustable front seats, a panoramic sunroof, tri-zone automatic climate control, proximity keyless entry, Audi Pre Sense Basic, Audi Pre Sense Front, front and rear parking sensors, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and lane departure warning.
The Convenience package adds wireless device charging (Audi Phone Box), a 10.1-inch upper touch screen, a hands-free trunk lid, Audi Side Assist, Audi Pre Sense Rear, vehicle exit warning, a surround-view parking camera system, and a heated steering wheel. Adding the V6 engine costs $4,900.
The Premium Plus retails for $58,800. It gains the Audi Virtual Cockpit, a 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, automatic high-beam headlights, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and the contents of the Convenience package. The V6 raises the price by $4,900.
The Executive package adds quad-zone automatic climate control, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and a power trunk lid. The Driver Assistance package adds traffic sign recognition and intersection assist. The Sport package adds a sport-tuned suspension and larger alloy wheels.
The Prestige (MSRP: $64,900) comes with a head-up display, adaptive headlights, power soft-closing doors, 12-way power-adjustable front seats, and the contents of the Executive and Driver Assistance packages. In the Prestige, getting the V6 bumps up the price by $4,600.
The Sport package remains available. The Luxury package adds massaging front seats, 18-way power-adjustable front seats, a leather-covered dashboard and console, Valcona leather upholstery, and a power rear-window sunshade. Models with the V6 engine can be equipped with an adaptive damping suspension and all-wheel steering.
The Audi S6 has a starting price of $74,400. Other than a twin-turbo V6 engine, the S6 Premium Plus and S6 Prestige are comparably equipped to their A6 counterparts. However, the S6 is available with an S Sport package that adds a sport exhaust, red brake calipers, a Quattro rear differential, and all-wheel steering. Other options include a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system and a night-vision camera.
The Audi RS 6 Avant wagon has a base MSRP of $109,000. In addition to performance upgrades such as a twin-turbocharged V8 engine, all-wheel steering, a performance-tuned suspension, and a Quattro rear sport differential, it has many of the Audi S6 Premium Plus’ standard equipment and options. Some RS-specific options are available too, such as carbon-ceramic brakes.
Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for great savings at your local Audi dealer. You can also find excellent manufacturer incentives on our Audi deals page.
See 2021 Audi A6 specs and trims »
The 2021 Audi A6 is a top contender among luxury midsize cars. It has potent powertrain options and body styles that range from the S6 sedan to the RS 6 Avant wagon. Regardless, you’ll get a car with a punchy engine, a serene ride, and a handsome cabin. However, this is a highly competitive class. Before buying the Audi, it may be worth checking out its rivals from Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
Don’t just take our word for it. Check out comments from some of the reviews that drive our rankings and analysis.
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#1 in Luxury Midsize Cars
#1 in Luxury Midsize Cars
#3 in Luxury Midsize Cars
#3 in Luxury Midsize Cars
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