2024 Audi RS6 Avant

Starting at $126.895


HIGHSMuscular bodywork, as quick as many supercars, trunk space galore.

LOWSPoor fuel efficiency, high starting price, iffy climate-control touchscreen.

VERDICTIt may not be cheap, but the RS6 Avant's spacious long-roof body and face-melting performance make it a unique jack-of-all-trades.

BY CALEB MILLER AND ERIC STAFFORD

Overview

You might think that 591 horsepower would be enough for the Audi RS6 Avant, but apparently, it was not. For 2024, Audi decided to crank the dial, replacing last year's RS6 Avant with a new Performance model that promises a ludicrous 621 ponies. The new variant also weighs less, so acceleration should prove sufficiently brutal. And yet, the RS6 Avant's search for more power changes nothing about its impressive practicality, comfortably seating five in an interior replete with rich materials and plenty of trendy technology. There's plenty of space to store cargo behind the power rear liftgate, too. The RS6 Avant remains a niche choice adrift in a sea of performance-oriented SUVs like the BMW X5 M, as the station wagon's only true competitor comes in the form of the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo. While the curvaceous look of the Porsche may appeal to some, the RS6 Avant's brawny, hard-edged design is also one of its biggest selling points. We like it so much that we gave it an Editors' Choice award again for 2024.


What's New for 2024?

The RS6 Avant is offered only in the new Performance trim for 2024, boosting the V-8's horsepower and torque while making some revisions to the chassis. The Performance model also sheds several pounds, wears new 285-width Continental Sport Contact 7 tires, and adds some new colors. There's also a special Bronze Edition variant that wears glossy carbon-fiber exterior trim, bronze stitching throughout its leather interior, and a Bang & Olufsen stereo system. Audi has also given the Bronze Edition model unique 22-inch bronze-colored wheels, a sport exhaust system, and a special suspension tune. Only 75 will be made and they cost $159,695 each