Audi RS 6 Avant 2020 Review

This one’s for the Mums and Dads in the ‘burbs. Well, perhaps if you call Mosman or Toorak home.

If ever there was an argument for a sensible, (extremely) go-fast luxury wagon to join your 2.5 kids and quarter-acre block, Audi’s RS 6 Avant is unquestionably it.

The new, fourth-generation wagon from Ingolstadt’s famed RS division lands in Australia this month with supercar-rivalling levels of performance, more technology and a sharper cabin execution.

It also seats five, tows 2.5 tonnes and offers an enormous family-friendly boot.

And, playing to its sensibility card, the updated RS 6 is also $30,000 cheaper than its immediate predecessor.

What’s more, in the absence of any BMW 5 Series Touring or Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate equivalents, it has no real competitors.

To the well-heeled, it’s a pragmatic recipe of success. To the rest of us, it’s a poster family car to idolise.

The 2020 Audi RS6 Avant is priced from $216,000 (plus on-road costs) – a $29,400 saving on the car it replaces.

We’ll get to the nuts and bolts of the newcomer in the section below, but under the bonnet resides an upgraded 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 now delivering 441kW of power (down 4kW) and 800Nm of torque (up 50Nm).

Standard equipment includes HD Matrix LED headlights, an electric tailgate, tinted windows, power-assist door closure, RS front sport seats, Nappa leather interior, a panoramic glass sunroof and metallic paint.

Audi’s virtual cockpit and connect plus systems are standard, along with wireless Apple CarPlay, digital radio, wireless phone charging, four USB outlets and 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system.

Physically, the RS 6 Avant is wider in its new form, with flared guards adding 40mm in girth. Remarkably, its 80mm wider than the A6 on which it is based at 1951mm, and looks positively evil with its narrow headlights sourced from the A7.

Sharing only the roof, tailgate and front doors with the donor car, it rolls on 22-inch wheels and features a compact new singleframe grille that will flow through the RS line-up.

A five-star safety suite is included with Adaptive cruise assist with Stop&Go and traffic jam assist, active lane assist and 360-degree cameras with kerb view.

Additionally, tyre pressure monitoring, an alarm and anti-theft wheel nuts with loose wheel detection are also standard fitment.

The Audi RS 6 is backed by a three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. Audi’s genuine care service pack is also offered at the point of purchase, priced from $2380 over three years or $3910 over five years – each spaced over 12-month/15,000km intervals.

There is no spare wheel, only a tyre inflation kit.

Updated with 3mm bigger turbos delivering 0.2-bar more boost pressure, the TFSI 4.0-litre engine’s 441kW/800Nm is just shy of the outgoing RS 6 performance model’s 445kW, but tops it by 50Nm in terms of torque.

With the aid of a new launch control function, it is 0.1 seconds faster to 100km/h than the performance at 3.6sec and hauls on to 200km/h in 12sec. It offers the same choice of three top speeds as before: 250km/h, 280km/h and 305km/h, depending on how much you want to spend.

So how does that compare to the key (sedan) rivals? The $234,900 4.4-litre V8 BMW M5 Competition sedan makes 460kW/750Nm from its twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 and accelerates to 100km/h in 3.3sec. The $240,540 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S sedan makes 450kW/850Nm from its twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 and accelerates to 100km/h in 3.3sec.

Paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission and a rear-bias all-wheel drive system, the engine works in concert with a 48-volt mild-hybrid electrical system that Audi claims can recover up to 12kW of power while coasting under light throttle.

Audi claims the hybrid system saves a 0.8L/100km on the combined cycle, amounting to an 11.7L/100km average.

A new feature debuting in the RS 6 is dynamic all-wheel steering, which turns the rear wheels in either the same or opposite direction as the front wheels depending on vehicle speed to deliver “dynamic handling with unshakeable stability”.

Adaptive air suspension has also been added, while an RS sports exhaust and 22-inch Audi Sport alloy wheels are standard.

The Audi RS 6 comes with two new configurable driving modes for 202 – RS 1 and RS 2 – alongside Audi’s standard Drive Select options.

Stopping power comes from large 10-piston callipers up front gripping 420mm front discs, and 370mm rear discs.

There is some serious voodoo magic happening behind the wheel of the Audi RS 6 Avant.

The RS 6 belies its station wagon profile with hugely impressive mechanical grip and agility levels – a virtue of its all-wheel drive system, all-wheel steering and, in the case of our test car, an optional $2850 Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) with cross-axle hydraulic damping.

The DRC system stops the car becoming squirrely or unhinged during corner approach and exit, where the full heft of the RS 6’s two-tonne kerb weight would normally be a factor.

Instead, the Avant simply grips up and rotates in a way that almost defies belief, hunkering itself into corners and shrink-wrapping its mass.

On a tight mountain ascent, these traits are augmented by the all-wheel drive system and electronics, which allow the driver to get on the gas out of corners much faster than what you’d expect.

It’s an engaging and visceral affair, and on the right road (or track) will leave even the fussiest drivers with a smile. Nicely honed steering, a communicative chassis and a quick-witted electronics package are all strong points – and they ably navigate the RS 6 on tighter roads but more so on open-radius bends, when the turn of speed can border on ridiculous.

Then, there’s the engine. The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 bears all the hallmarks of a nice large capacity donk, with a broad spread of power, hearty soundtrack and crisp throttle response.

There is no standout sweet spot in terms of rev range – instead there is simply go-forward everywhere – but the engine and gearbox do settle into a meaty mid-range cadence that allows the car to push through to it 6750rpm cut-out.

The V8 is a sledgehammer when required, and even though it is pipped by rivals in straight-line snot, it redeems itself in terms of user-friendliness. The V8 resists any binding or lurching from a standstill, while the throttle pedal is well modulated.

To our ears, the RS 6 has fallen victim to tighter European sound regulations, with a slightly muted tenor compared with its predecessor. It still sounds amazing, but the volume isn't as loud as it could be.

At the same time, the RS 6 enamours with its thoughtful approach to daily driving. Inside the cabin, there’s a mix of open cubbies and storage areas, an assortment of USB ports, illuminated seat belt catches.

On 22-inch wheels, the ride is compliant and controlled, with harsher imperfection imposing slight thudding but not much more. All things considered, the performance-comfort trade-off is almost perfectly executed in our eyes.

The Avant’s spatial layout is likewise fit for a family of five. Both first and second rows offer amenable levels of head, knee and shoulder room, the bleachers slightly underwhelmed by the middle transmission tunnel.

The 565-litre boot, ISOFIX attachment points and electric tailgate are also cases for the friendly-friendly argument.

It is slightly unfair to frame the Audi RS 6 Avant as simply a go-fast station wagon, even though that is its core MO.

This is a tourer, a backroad carver and an executive express all at once – underpinned by its supercar-worthy drivetrain.

The Audi RS 6 isn’t simply a car that keeps up with the Joneses, it leaves them in the previous postcode.

How much does the 2020 Audi RS 6 Avant cost?
Price: $216,000 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol
Output: 441kW/800Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 11.7L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 268g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2018)