What is the best Audi estate car?
Audi offers a range of estate cars available to buy in the UK, but which is the best overall? Read our guide to learn more
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Despite having a list of cars as long as your arm, Audi only has two estate models to offer, so picking between the two should be reasonably easy.
The hardest part is deciding which engine you want, because depending on the version, you’ll find a mixture of petrol and diesels, a plug-in hybrid, V6 and V8 power.
We compare power, boot space and dimensions to help you pick out the best Audi estate car for you.
Audi A4 Avant
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This is the smallest estate you can buy from Audi, and is similar in size to the BMW 3 Series Touring and Mercedes C-Class Estate.
The pick of the bunch are the 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines, though you can find smaller, more efficient engines and more powerful 3.0-litre units.
Inside, there’s plenty of space and the car tech is top-notch. It also makes for an outstanding family car because it has a five-star Euro NCAP rating, with admirable performance for adult and child occupants.
Who is the Audi A4 Avant the best estate for?
If you’re after an affordable estate, the A4 Avant is a sensible choice. It has a 495-litre boot, which is almost as big as the A6 Avant’s, but it’s cheaper to buy and run.
Audi A6 Avant
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There are only two estates in the Audi range, so this is the largest. The A6 – whether in saloon or estate format – is an upmarket car that borrows some in-car tech from the top-of-the-range Audi A8.
There’s a mix of 2.0- and 3.0-litre engines available, but for the last word in fuel economy, we recommend considering a plug-in hybrid. They’re pricey when new, but you can find them at a bargain price when buying used, and they promise up to 30 miles of emission-free (and cheap) motoring.
The 565-litre boot is about the same as you’d find in other estates, though there are some that can improve on this. If you need the biggest boot, consider some rivals like the Volvo V90, which really excels with the seats down for overall length.
What makes the Audi A6 Avant estate stand out?
The A6 Avant is almost 9cm wider than the A4 Avant, but without knowing that, you’d be able to recognise its width. It has a strong road presence and will turn heads, especially in sporty S Line trim. Inside is just as swanky, with newer models filled to the brim with screens.
Audi A6 Allroad
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Audi doesn’t sell the A6 Allroad anymore due to poor sales figures, but like the Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain, it’s just a more rugged version of the usual estate.
It’s a lot more expensive than standard estate models, but that’s because it’s only available with large V6 engines, four-wheel drive and with all the bells and whistles. If you were going to get a well-equipped A6 Avant anyway, then an Allroad model may make a good alternative.
Is the Audi A6 Allroad good off-road?
The A6 Allroad sits slightly higher than the A6 Avant for better ground clearance, but this is more suitable for muddy fields and rocky lanes than any real off-roading.
Still, the four-wheel-drive system provides extra traction in slippery conditions, which is good news if where you live gets badly affected in the winter months.
Audi S4 Avant
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This is the performance version of the A4 Avant, and it has all the same kit as high-spec A4 models plus a few sporty details.
Power comes from a 347hp 3.0-litre diesel engine, and it’s good for 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds, which makes it 0.2 seconds slower than the BMW M340d Touring.
Is the S4 Avant the best Audi estate to buy?
While many cars have shifted away from diesel power in recent years, Audi has decided to keep a diesel engine in its S4, which means that it can be reasonably efficient. It’s not necessarily as fun to drive as you might expect, but that’s where the 450hp 2.9-litre V6 RS 4 Avant comes in.
Audi S6 Avant
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Like the A4, the A6 Avant also has its own performance variants. It uses a 350hp 3.0-litre diesel engine combined with a small battery. In this mild hybrid format, Audi reckons it’ll cost up to lights and roundabouts for up to 40 seconds without relying on the engine, helping to make it slightly more efficient.
Official figures are around 35mpg, which means you could expect around 30mpg from average use in our experience.
There’s an RS 6, too, which can do 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds thanks to a 630hp 4.0-litre V8, but it’s not something you’d want to drive every day.
Is the Audi S6 Avant the right estate car for you?
Having a large engine undoubtedly makes the estate more fun, but for the trade-off in fuel economy, we think sticking to a high-spec A6 Avant model with a less powerful diesel engine makes the most sense.
Which is the biggest Audi estate model?
It’s easy to see the boot space figures for the A4 Avant and A6 Avant and think that there can’t be too much that separates them, but the difference is much more noticeable in-person.
The A6 Avant is also a lot more spacious inside, particularly for rear-seat passengers, where you can fit three abreast more comfortably.
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