Ever wonder what a Car and Driver staffer wants to drive as their daily—with the proviso that two kids come along for the ride? It’s this, the 2026 Audi RS6 Avant Performance. Of course, we must explain why.
It comes down to this: We’re kind of over SUVs, even though they’re everywhere (including, we must admit, in our own garages). But we’d rather drive a wagon, even though it flies in the face of the elevated-seating-position craze. Putting the car back where it belongs, heightwise, makes everything better. Add gobs of power and sticky tires to the mix, and things get downright frisky; the best part is that your passengers won’t hurl (at least not as easily), because they’re sitting closer to the vehicle’s roll center, pleasing their inner ears.
All this is taken to extremes in the RS6 Avant, which positively oozes along the roadway. It sits low and menacing; open up the optional RS Sport exhaust, and it sounds that way too. This car looks like it’s storming down the autobahn even when it’s just taking the kids to school.
For Sale Near You
See all results for 2026 Audi RS6 Avant for sale near 04621
The 2026 RS6 Avant Performance comes with a raucous twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 that belts out 621 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque. With all horses unleashed using launch control, this beast will churn to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds and continue to a quarter-mile that takes just 11.5 seconds and terminates at 121 mph.
While quick, this is somewhat slower than the BMW M5 Touring, which gets to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds and does an 11.0-second quarter-mile at 129 mph. But the BMW is comparatively big and bloated, owing to its 717-hp plug-in hybrid system, and outweighs the 4857-pound RS6 by some 624 pounds, giving it the weight and “agility” of an SUV.
Frankly, we’re more interested in the apples-to-apples comparison with the 2021 Audi RS6 Avant, which got to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds despite making only 591 horsepower. It may be due to the testing venue: Our 2026 RS6 Avant was tested in California on 91 octane, while the 2021 model was tested on Michigan’s more potent 93-octane brew. There are also potential friction differences in the tarmac. But the 2026 RS6 still outran the 2021 at higher speeds, reaching 130 mph in 13.5 versus 13.6 seconds and 150 mph in 19.2 versus 19.6 seconds, owing to that extra bit of top-end power. Regardless, the Audi RS6 Avant is still plenty quick.
The 2021 car sported Pirelli P Zero PZ4 summer tires, and it pulled 0.94 g on the skidpad. On stickier Continental SportContact 7 rubber, this 2026 Performance version is another matter, as it orbits the pad at an even 1.00 g. Meanwhile, the heavier Bimmer languished at 0.92 g. The difference is even more stark under braking, as the 2026 RS6 executes a 70-mph panic stop in just 140 feet, while the older example used up a full 160 feet. That’s a huge difference. Granted, this 2026 Audi wore $9000 worth of optional carbon-ceramic brakes to the older car’s cast-iron rotors, but during a full ABS stop, it matters little; the tires are working against the pavement, so it’s more of a tire test. The carbon-ceramics help with fade resistance, of course, and the 2026 metronomically recorded consecutive stops of 140 feet without a hint of drop-off.
On paper, the Audi RS6 seems destined to understeer, as it has 55.1 percent of its weight on the front axle. But it has meaty 285/30-ZR22-sized rubber all around, eschewing the hi-po practice of bolting skinnier tires on the front. This balances things out, plus the RS6 comes with four-wheel steering to go with its all-wheel drive. The 2026 Performance’s center differential has also been redesigned to be lighter and more compact than in the previous 2021 edition. The result is immediate response with nary a hint of understeer. Simply point this car toward an apex, and it turns in without hesitation. Roll onto the throttle, and the mighty V-8 obliges, with the torque-vectoring rear differential sorting out the traction as you exit the corner and pile on the power, looking for the braking point for the next corner. It’s magic.
When tooling around normally, the RS6 Avant is just as special. The steering is quick at just 2.2 turns lock-to-lock, and the rear-wheel steering turns opposite phase at low speeds to tighten the turning radius when you’re doing a U-turn or grabbing a parking space. The big wheels and tires seem like they would thwack you into submission over every crack and crease, but it’s not like that. Sure, the ride is firm, but the body is fairly well isolated from the commotion down below. It’s not exactly a plush ride, but it is pleasant. One contributing factor may well be the lightweight 22-inch wheels on our test example, which weigh 11 pounds less per corner, a big reduction in unsprung mass.
Inside, the age of this platform starts to show, and there’s far too much piano-black trim for our liking. The controls are mostly haptic glass panels, although Audi didn’t go as far with that as other manufacturers. Some modern touches are present, such as the glorious sound of Dolby Atmos, available for the first time in 2026 through the in-car Amazon Music or Tidal apps. And there’s no doubting the family-friendly nature of the thing, as the seating is spacious indeed. There’s a fairly decent 30 cubic feet behind the rear seats as well, and up to 70 cubes with the rear seatbacks flopped down. And let’s not forget it has a passenger car’s rear lift-over height of just 24 inches to boot.
➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.
Alas, we come to the price, which is why none of the C/D staff has one of these in their garage. It costs $133,295 to start, including a $1300 gas guzzler tax. The latter is frankly maddening, because an EPA-estimated 16 mpg combined (14 city/21 highway) wouldn’t get the tax if this were an SUV. But we digress. Add in the upgraded brakes and the three-season summer tires on 22-inch wheels, and we’re much of the way to our car’s $161,300 as-tested total. Oy. What’s a poor staffer to do? Buy a Kia, we suppose. Someone said the Telluride is nice.
COUNTERPOINTS
I feel like I own the road when I drive this wagon. It’s fast, powerful, sporty, and stylish, everything a wagon should be. This is also the ultimate family wagon, able to hold all the sports gear, groceries, and home-improvement supplies my family needs. The RS6 stands out from the few other wagons out there thanks to its V-8 engine, available carbon-ceramic brakes and 22-inch wheels, and all the option packages that put it out of reach for most as far as price is concerned. With this wagon, there’s nothing more I’d rather do on a weekend than put the kids in the car, cue up “She’s a Bad Mama Jama” by Carl Carlton, and run as many errands as possible. But alas, this RS6 falls into the unattainable category for my family; we have a Telluride, so I’ll go drive that instead. —Becca Hackett
Like Dan, I too prefer a wagon to an SUV. The weeks when our office has one of the few still offered are welcomed variances. What’s not to like about the RS6? It has power, range, comfort, and style. It has it all, including too many screens. This is mostly a me-not-living-in-a-brightly-lit-city problem, but navigating the menus to separately dim each of the three screens—instruments, touchscreen, haptic control panel—might as well be a mental-health test that twisted physicians observe from behind a two-way mirror. Then I have to turn off the ambient lighting and dim the optional head-up display, my frustration practically pushing my family deeper into their well-bolstered seats as they think to themselves, “No sudden movements, or Dad will snap.” Who likes a bright cabin at night? But irritation quickly gives way to joy when uncorking the 4.0-liter V-8 on an on-ramp en route to Thanksgiving dinner. I was a little disappointed, though, that this RS6 was riding on the standard air springs and not the optional RS Sport Suspension Plus. At the launch of the RS6 Performance, I thought the SSP’s steel springs and lowered stance were too stiff, but then I drove an RS7 with that setup and felt very differently. So, I’d be curious to give it another go in the RS6. Audi, if you’re reading, ship one to Michigan way for a week or two. Dimmers set to minimum, please. —K.C. Colwell
Specifications
Specifications
2026 Audi RS6 Avant Performance
Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $133,295/$161,300
Options: carbon-ceramic brakes with red-painted calipers, $9000; Matte Carbon package (22-inch wheels in matte black, summer tires, darkened exterior accents), $7650; Bang & Olufsen Advanced audio system with 3-D sound, $4900; Executive package (head-up display, heated outboard rear seats, soft-close doors, Remote Park Assist Plus, leather package), $3050; Driver Assistance package (adaptive cruise with lane guidance, Audi side assist, intersection assist), $2000; RS Sport exhaust, $1000; Audi Guard protection kit, $405
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 244 in3, 3996 cm3
Power: 621 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 627 lb-ft @ 2300 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: multilink/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 16.5-in vented, cross-drilled carbon-ceramic disc/14.6-in vented, cross-drilled carbon-ceramic disc
Tires: Continental SportContact 7
285/30ZR-22 (101Y) XL AO
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 115.3 in
Length: 196.7 in
Width: 76.8 in
Height: 58.6 in
Passenger Volume, F/R: 53/48 ft3
Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 70/30 ft3
Curb Weight: 4857 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 3.2 sec
100 mph: 7.8 sec
1/4-Mile: 11.5 sec @ 121 mph
130 mph: 13.5 sec
150 mph: 19.2 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 4.4 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.6 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 3.1 sec
Top Speed (mfr claim): 190 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 140 ft
Braking, 100–0 mph: 304 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 1.00 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 18 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 16/14/21 mpg
Dan Edmunds was born into the world of automobiles, but not how you might think. His father was a retired racing driver who opened Autoresearch, a race-car-building shop, where Dan cut his teeth as a metal fabricator. Engineering school followed, then SCCA Showroom Stock racing, and that combination landed him suspension development jobs at two different automakers. His writing career began when he was picked up by Edmunds.com (no relation) to build a testing department.
Nguồn: Chi tiết
- Chưa có bình luận nào.
