The 2022 Audi RS 6 Avant is only available in a single trim option with prices starting from $112,000. The outgoing 2021 model of the Avant is well-equipped and the addition of new packages and other features along with the updates in the interior put forth the brand’s intention to deliver an impressive vehicle all along. The Avant gets a twin-turbocharged 4.0L V8 engine connected to an 8-speed Tiptronic transmission along with its standard Quattro AWD system. As standard it gets features like Audi virtual cockpit, Dual Centre Display, Leather seats with honeycomb stitching, HD Matrix-design LED Headlights, Automatic Climate Control, and many more.

What Trim Should You Buy?

The Audi RS 6 Avant is a standalone trim thus the buyers don’t have much of a choice here. Priced at $112,000, it gets updated interior trim called the Carbon Twill and promises better features on the standard list. Though the standard is impressive, the buyers get several additional packages to opt from, and among the various packages offered, we would choose the Black Optic package as the black finish on the exteriors and lack of any chrome along with the attractive 22-inch wheels give the car an extremely imposing and dominating look. For someone who wants to experience the power, they should go for the carbon-ceramic brakes otherwise opt for massage chairs upfront and the Executive package if luxury is the priority.

Release Date

There is no official communication regarding the launch of the 2022 Audi RS6 Avant, however, like is the case with other cars from the brand, we expect it to hit the dealerships by the Fall of 2021.

Under the hood of the RS 6 Avant, it gets a twin-turbocharged 4.0L V8 engine. This twin-turbocharged V8 engine is combined with a 48-volt hybrid system and churns out 591 hp and 590 lb-ft. The engine is connected to an 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission that comes standard with the German marque’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system giving it unique driving dynamics to the wagon.

The transmission shifts very smoothly complementing the power delivery by the vehicle. It offers a swift and composed driving experience in city traffic. The driving quality of the RS 6 Avant is decent as it rolls pretty smoothly in city traffic with its firm and direct steering. The acceleration of this wagon is impressive and takes almost 3.5 seconds to cover the 0-60mph run and 11.5 seconds on the quarter-mile drag.

The RS 6 Avant is the least powerful of the competition but manages to pull out a very quick 0-60 MPH run of just 3.5 seconds and a quarter-mile of 11.5 seconds. The times are quick but not as quick as the rivals’, especially the Panamera’s sub-3-second 60 MPH run and the Mercedes-AMG’s 11-second quarter-mile run. All three wagons come equipped with a V8 unit and while the Mercedes-AMG is the most powerful, the Porsche is the torquiest. 

The 2022 Audi RS 6 Avant offers similar fuel efficiency figures as its outgoing model with figures ranging up to 15 MPG in the city, 22 MPG on the highway, and 17 mpg on combined usage with its standard all-wheel-drive system. The car gets a 19.3-gallon fuel tank, the smallest among its key rivals thus hampering its overall range with covering around 289 miles in the city, 424 miles on the highway.

Talking about fuel efficiency, the 2022 Audi RS 6 Avant is right behind Mercedes-AMG E which offers a single mile extra per liter while the Porsche Panamera gets similar figures as the Audi. A smaller fuel tank and not-so-great fuel economy of the RS 6 Avant take a toll on its overall range, which remains the lowest in the segment, while the Panamera Turbo S Sport Turismo manages a combined range of 402 miles.

The 2022 Audi RS 6 Avant can seat up to 5 people comfortably inside its spacious and feature-loaded cabin. The cabin features a sophisticated design with upscale material used. The interior looks eye gouging with available Valcona leather upholstery available in two color options, Black or Cognac Brown with contrasting stitching. The front row seats offered are comfortable and supportive with plenty of legroom. Coming over to the second row the headroom available is impressive but the legroom could feel a bit compromised.

Inside the cabin, the buyer gets standard features like 10-way power-adjustable heated and ventilated RS Sport front seats, four-zone automatic climate control, Audi virtual cockpit, and can opt for ambient LED lightings, Multi-contour seat package, 18-way power-adjustable seats with heating and ventilation facilities, and much more. In the trunk, the Wagon gets 30 cubic feet of cargo capacity.

The in-cabin space offered by the 2022 Audi RS 6 Avant is the most spacious among its rivals with the Mercedes falling short by a few inches. Currently, interior specs for the Porsche aren’t available. In terms of cargo space offered the Mercedes outshines other competitors in the segment with 35 cu-ft of space and Porsche gets the least cargo space of 18.3 cu-ft. That said, some of the interior features that make the RS 6 Avant’s a nice place to be in are:

• 10-way power-adjustable RS Sport front seats
• Heated and Ventilated seats
• Valcona leather upholstery
• Four-zone automatic climate control
• Ambient LED lights
• Heated steering wheel with steering-mounted controls
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The Audi RS 6 Avant gets a dual-screen infotainment system with a 10.1-inch screen on the top with getting the controls for all the infotainment systems and the lower screen gets the control for vehicle settings like climate control. This system offers connectivity like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth streaming, SiriusXM, Radio, Wi-Fi along with a standard 16-speaker Bang and Olufsen 3D Premium sound system. The sound system can be upgraded to a 19-speaker Advanced sound system with the executive package for a better sound experience.

Some of the features offered with the infotainment system are mentioned below:

• Dual central display
• Apple CarPlay
• Android Auto
• SiriusXM
• Wi-Fi Hotspot
• 16-speaker Bang and Olufsen 3D Premium sound system
• Audi Connect

The Audi RS 6 Avant boasts an aggressive and sleek design boasting a bold road presence all along. It gets a honeycomb mesh grille with LED headlights giving it an appealing look from the front. The RS-roof spoiler and Rs-specific front and rear numbers contribute to its RS exclusive appearance. In the rear LED taillights with an animation sequence dual oval RS dual exhaust tips to add up to the overall aggressive stance of the vehicle. The Wagon is offered in several color options with the Nardo Grey being the standard color.

The RS 6 Avant can be equipped with 22-inch black wheels along with the black accents in the available Carbon package and 22-inch black wheels along with sports exhaust in the Black Optic package giving it an impressive look from the sides.

Talking about the external dimensions, the 2022 Audi RS 6 Avant is the smallest among its competitors in terms of length and width measuring 196.7 and 76.8 inches. The Mercedes is the lightest and the smallest in this lot, yet it features a longer wheelbase than the RS 6 Avant. In this lineup, the Porsche gets the longest wheelbase of 116.1 inches, thus it gets better stability around corners. That said, the Audi looks the most striking and some of the highlighting features are:

• 21-inch wheels
• 22-inch Black wheels (optional)
• RS-specific Singleframe front grille
• LED Matrix Headlights
• Dynamic DRLs
• Rear Spoilers

The 2022 Audi RS 6 Avant hasn’t been crash-tested by the authorities but is built on the same platform and structure as the A6 Allroad making it the best the segment has to offer. In the crash tests done by the authorities, the A6 model earned an overall 5-star rating from NHTSA and the highest rating of ‘Good’ by IIHS for its 2021 year model. It comes standard with many safety and driver assistance features like Audi Pre-Sense, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and many more. Some advanced safety features on offer include:

• Blind-spot monitoring system
• Audi Pre-Sense: Front and Rear
• Audi side assist
• Top-view camera system
• Adaptive cruise control
• Automatic emergency braking
• Hill hold assist

2022 Audi RS 6 Avant Vs 2022 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S Wagon

The 2022 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S is priced higher at about $1000 than its outgoing model at $113,500. With a price slightly higher than the RS 6 Avant it offers a similar engine but better performance specs than the Audi along with best-in-class EPA figures. Talking about the interior, the Audi offers a slightly spacious cabin with its top-class interior built quality. The Audi RS 6 gets the Quattro AWD system thus gets superior driving dynamics and better handling around tight corners. Although Audi performs impressively in the ride quality part, Mercedes gives it a hard time with its lavish interior and performance figures. 

2022 Audi RS 6 Avant Vs 2022 Porsche Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo

In the 2021 year model, it saw updates to its headlights and steering wheel design and in the 2022 year model, it might see a few more changes to its exterior and an updated infotainment system. The Porsche priced highest in the lineup gets a similar engine to the RS 6 Avant but delivers far superior engine output of 620 hp and 604 ft-lbs of torque, the best in class. In terms of fuel economy, it is at par with the Audi although coupled with its largest fuel tank on offer it provides the best range the segment has to offer. Interior specs are not available but cargo space offered is quite less as compared to the rivals.

With the 2022 year model, the Audi RS 6 Avant the brand offers an improved version of the wagon with updates in its styling and suspension offering better looks and an improved driving experience. The RS 6 Avant offers impressive driving dynamics with decent engine output complemented by its smooth transmission. The engine offered by the Audi is not the best so if someone is looking for a performance-oriented vehicle and for people looking for a wagon with a spacious and well-equipped cabin with decent fuel economy, then the Audi would be a smart choice for them.