2025 Audi A6 Avant officially debuts – sixth-gen C9 now built on PPC; mild hybrid petrol, diesel engines

Audi, which recently settled on a naming strategy for its models, has revealed the sixth-generation (C9) A6. Built on the Volkswagen Group’s Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) that is also used by the latest A5 and Q5, the all-new A6 is making its debut as an Avant model first.

If you’re wondering if there is an EV version, it already exists in the form of the A6 e-tron that broke cover last August. That model is built on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) and can be had in Sportback and Avant body styles. The PPE is a dedicated EV platform developed for larger cars that are not suitable for the MEB platform, while PPC is widely regarded as a further development of the MLB Evo platform.

Those who aren’t ready to make the switch to an EV can therefore be directed to the A6 Avant, which will compete against wagon versions of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5 Series. Order taking has already started in Europe, with the first vehicles set to be delivered to customers from the end of May this year.

The C9 is a slightly larger vehicle compared to the previous-generation (C8) A6 Avant, measuring in at 4,999 mm long (+60 mm), 1,880 mm wide (-6 mm), 1,472 mm tall (-5 mm) and with a wheelbase that spans 2,927 mm (+3 mm). With all the seats in their default position, there’s 503 litres of boot space available, which can be expanded to 1,534 litres with the 40:20:40 split rear bench down.

Visually, the A6 Avant looks rather fetching with a sleek profile that contributes to a drag coefficient of just 0.25. At the front, the low-positioned Singleframe grille is accompanied by large side air curtains, while the headlamps are not split as they are on its e-tron sibling.

Said headlamps can be optioned with daytime running lights featuring an array of 48 individual LEDs for a pixelated look. Matrix LED technology is also part of this option and can be identified by a hexagon-perforated stainless-steel screen that conceals the daytime running lights.

As for the taillights, they can be optioned with OLED technology that integrates eight digital panels, with each side sporting 198 OLED segments. Audi says there are a total of seven digital light signatures at the front and rear, which is good news for customers who want to personalise their purchase. Additionally, the lighting units can communicate with others on the road by projecting specific designs on the road when a warning (accident or breakdown ahead) is received.

Elsewhere, you’ll find flush door handles, non-decorative exhaust outlets and a sculpted bonnet. The car pictured here comes with both the S line and black exterior package that adds larger front air intakes with matte anthracite chrome surrounds, a black grille with vertical frames, black side skirts, a black trim piece around the diffuser, Audi rings in Anthracite Grey, black mirror housings and window trim, black door mirrors and dark chrome tailpipes.

There are also 11 colours to choose from, while wheel sizes range from 18 to 21 inches, with forged units available. A one-year limited special variant called the ‘Edition one’ comes in Madeira Brown, combined with the black exterior package and 21-inch wheels.

While the exterior of the A6 Avant is considerably different from the e-tron – peep the more rakish D-pillar – the interior has an air of familiarity to it. In fact, the dashboard looks like the carbon copy of the EV and features an 11.9-inch virtual cockpit (digital instrument cluster), 14.5-inch MMI touch display and optional 10.9-inch MMI front passenger display.

The infotainment uses Android Automotive OS for its operating system and you get access to Google services as well as ChatGPT. There’s also the Audi assistant that can tap into the AI should it be unable to answer a question.

No shortage of options for the cabin either, including a head-up display, a wide selection of upholsteries and trims, the dynamic interaction light (84 LEDs located below the windshield), 16- or 20-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound systems, four-zone climate control and soft-close doors.

At launch, the A6 Avant will be offered with three different engines, including two petrol and one diesel. Two of them feature the brand’s mild hybrid technology (MHEV plus), which adds 48-volt battery (1.7-kWh lithium iron phosphate), a belt alternator starter. The system also has a generator that can also provide a boost of 24 PS (24 hp or 18 kW) and 230 Nm, or recuperate up to 25 kW.

The range starts with the 2.0 TFSI that is rated at 204 PS (201 hp or 150 kW) and 340 Nm of torque. The 2.0 litre turbocharged inline-four petrol unit is front-wheel drive only and will get from 0-100 km/h in 8.3 seconds before topping out at 240 km/h.

It is followed by the 2.0 TDI, a 2.0 litre inline-four turbodiesel with MHEV plus that serves up 204 PS (201 hp or 150 kW) and 400 Nm. This engine can be had with front-wheel drive (0-100 km/h in 7.9 seconds; 241 km/h top speed) or quattro all-wheel drive (0-100 km/h in 7 seconds; 238 km/h top speed).

Finally, the 3.0 TFSI is a 3.0 litre V6 petrol unit with MHEV plus that makes 367 PS (362 hp or 270 kW) and 550 Nm. This engine is available with quattro only (a rear sport differential is optional), and all engines are paired with a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission with revised gear teeth for better NVH. Newly developed engine and transmission mounts also help with this.

Three suspension systems are offered for the A6 Avant, including a standard setup that Audi claims has been designed to be even more comfortable than its predecessor. There’s also the sports suspension that drops the ride height by 20 mm and comes standard with the S line package, while adaptive air suspension comes with electronically controlled dampers and can raise the body by as much as 20 mm, or lower it by up to 30 mm.

Other aspects of the powertrain are brake torque vectoring, optional all-wheel steering in conjunction with quattro and a first-for-the-A6 integrated brake control system (iRBS), which is a brake-by-wire system for MHEV plus-equipped variants. With this, the brake pedal and brake hydraulics are completely decoupled, with the system determining if regenerative braking is sufficient. If not, the hydraulic brakes kick in with no change to brake feel.

Lastly, the A6 Avant gets the driving and parking assistance package as standard, which has features such as adaptive cruise control, a speed limiter, traffic sign recognition, a rear-view camera, park assist plus, lane departure warning, cross-traffic assist, swerve assist, front turn assist and emergency brake assistant. Pay more to get more, including adaptive driving assistant plus with lane support.

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