New 2025 Audi A6 saloon follows rakish Avant with more conservative design

This is the brand new Audi A6 saloon, which is set to join its rakish A6 Avant sibling on showroom floors in the coming months. Destined to take on traditional rivals such as the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E Class, it’ll come with a range of petrol and diesel engines at launch, with a series of plug-in hybrids and a high-performance S6 set to follow. 

There will not be any fully electric variants, though, with this part of the market set to be covered by the A6 e-tron which is already on sale.

As our pictures show, the new A6 saloon ushers in an all-new body, which has been designed to be a little more conservative than its streamlined Avant sibling. It’s still pretty efficient in terms of aerodynamics, though, as the German firm is quoting a very impressive drag coefficient of just 0.23 Cd – equal to that of super slippery electric cars such as the original Tesla Model 3 or Volkswagen ID.7. 

This will help the A6 achieve some impressive fuel economy figures which, in the diesel-engined models particularly, will be of critical importance. 

Audi A6 design

Up front, the design is dominated by a large grille opening and sleek LED headlights on either side. The body, meanwhile, is less fussy than that of the previous-generation model, with the focus clearly on creating the impression of volume rather than svelte lines. This is evident thanks to bulkier wheelarches, and a relative lack of creases. 

At the back, Audi’s designers say that the defined rear deck and rounded bootlid take their inspiration from the C5-generation A6 saloon of the late Nineties, but due to a lack of aero stability, they were unable to give it a totally flat surface. Instead, designers have integrated a very subtle lip spoiler. 

The rear lights are the same massive units as found on the A6 Avant, with the upper sections featuring optional OLED technology and configurable graphics, sitting on top of a hidden light bar and a set of large brake lights underneath. 

Interior and tech

The interior is also as you’ll find it on the Avant, which means it’s loaded with technology and underpinned by impressive build quality. Audi has ensured that there’s space inside for three in the back, and hasn’t compromised on rear headroom.

Fitted as standard is Audi’s latest MMI set-up, which integrates a driver’s display and 14.5-inch touchscreen into one curved unit. This is joined by an optional passenger display on higher-spec models, but retains a few key controls, including a volume knob and quick access to the drive modes on a switch panel in the centre console. 

Powertrains and specs

The UK line-up is likely to match that of the Avant, so this means the engine range will kick off with a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine connected to the front wheels producing 200bhp and 340Nm. It’ll hit 62mph in 8.2 seconds and average around 36-40mpg on the combined cycle, producing CO2 figures ranging from 157g/km to 177g/km. 

The second engine is a 2.0-litre turbocharged TDI diesel that matches the petrol’s 200bhp, but has a more substantial 400Nm of torque. It’s also aided by a mild-hybrid system, and features quattro all-wheel drive as standard. This TDI variant is rated at around 60mpg, with a CO2 figure of 131g/km. 

Three trims will be offered, starting with the Sport model, with S-Line next step up, and the fully-loaded Edition 1 sitting at the top of the range initially. Wheel sizes will stretch from 19 to 21 inches, although the larger ones will have a detrimental effect on both ride quality and those MPG and CO2 figures. Cars in the UK will also feature steel coil springs as standard, but air-suspension is available as an option. 

Prices and range

Prices for the A6 Saloon have now been officially announced, and they start just under those for the Avant. The entry-level TFSI Sport kicks things off at £50,560 and rises to £62,530 for the Edition 1 TDI. 

There’s also new Launch Edition and Launch Edition Plus trims for both saloon and Avant, which top out at £65,830 and £67,780 respectively. The latter brings features such as 21-inch wheels, rear-wheel steering and air suspension as standard on both engine options. 

UK deliveries will start in late summer, with plug-in models due to join the range by the end of autumn. 

Click here for our list of the best executive cars...