It may seem like every other new debut is a crossover, but the faithful sedan isn’t giving up without a fight. Western luxury brands flourished while the three-box formula was at its peak, helping the likes of Audi, BMW, and Mercedes fund their SUV lineups. Even though sedan sales have dwindled, demand for the old-school body style is still strong enough to justify new investments. Case in point: the next-gen A6 is here.
We first saw the new A6 earlier this month, but only as the more practical Avant with its bigger booty. As expected, the sedan is a spitting image of its wagon counterpart, save for the rear section. Interestingly, Audi has chosen to show the next A6 Sedan without the S Line package. Typically, press images depict the highest-spec flavor. But as you can tell, the version shown here is not exactly the base model either.
Photo by: Audi
Unlike the fully electric A6 E-Tron, the gas-powered A6 skips the split-headlight design. Hooray! Despite sharing the same name, the two are mechanically unrelated. The combustion model rides on the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC), the same as the new A5, while the EV is underpinned by the PPE (Premium Platform Electric) co-developed with Porsche. With no new A7 Sportback on the horizon, the only gas A6 with a hatch will be the Avant.
The wagon’s wide rear light bar carries over to the sedan, along with those black winglets we’re not particularly fond of. The dual exhausts are also real this time, reflecting Audi’s decision to move away from the fake tips that drew so much criticism. The A6 remains a proper sedan with a trunk, unlike the confusingly named A5 Sedan, which is technically now a liftback with a hatch like the defunct A5 Sportback.
This is Audi’s most aerodynamic gas-powered car to date, thanks to a drag coefficient of just 0.23. That said, the A6 E-Tron we mentioned earlier is even slipperier, with a Cd of 0.21 if you opt for the digital wing cameras. At 196.5 inches (4.99 meters), the new A6 with combustion engines is 2.36 inches (60 mm) longer than the outgoing model. The wheelbase remains nearly unchanged at 115.1 inches (2927 mm). Wheel sizes range from 21 to 23 inches, including a forged tri-color option.
Photo by: Audi
Photo by: Audi
To the surprise of no one, the interior is shared with the Avant, triple screen and all. The 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.5-inch infotainment screen are standard, while the 10.9-inch passenger display is optional. Without it, the dash feels oddly empty, as though it was designed with that third screen in mind.
Audi recently admitted that interior quality has slipped in recent years but promises improvements. The new A6 sees a 30 percent increase in sound insulation, thanks in part to acoustic glazing on the rear windows. New bushings for the engine and transmission mounts, as well as redesigned gear teeth in the dual-clutch transmission, help lower noise. The door and window seals are also tighter now.
Trunk space is 17.37 cubic feet (492 liters) behind the 40:20:40-split rear seats, while the Avant can swallow 17.76 cubic feet (503 liters) or 54.17 cubic feet (1,534 liters) with the seats folded. We’re expecting the plug-in hybrids to offer less cargo space due to their battery packs. For now, Audi is only confirming internal combustion engine options.
The base model features a turbocharged 2.0-liter gas engine with 201 hp and 250 lb-ft (340 Nm), powering the front wheels. A larger 3.0-liter V-6 with mild-hybrid tech and Quattro produces 362 hp and 406 lb-ft (550 Nm). On the diesel front, a 2.0 TDI with 48-volt tech delivers 201 hp and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) to either the front or all four wheels. Cars with all-wheel drive can send as much as 70 percent of the power to the rear axle.
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Source: Audi
Until the S6 arrives, the six-cylinder A6 will be the quickest, hitting 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.7 seconds and topping out at 155 mph (250 km/h). The V-6 version can be had with an optional rear differential to split torque between the rear wheels. We’re also waiting on the new RS6, which may once again be Avant-only. But with the RS7 Sportback going away, can we pretty please bring back the RS6 Sedan?
The BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class rival is loaded with goodies. Available features include up to 20 speakers, four-zone automatic climate control, soft-close doors, rear-wheel steering, and an adaptive air suspension. There’s also a panoramic glass roof that shifts from opaque to transparent with the touch of a button.
The new A6 goes on sale this month in Germany starting at €55,500 ($63,000). Deliveries will begin in the summer for local buyers. U.S. availability will likely follow at a later date. The old car has already entered the 2025 model year in North America, so its replacement won’t come sooner than the 2026MY.
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