2022 Audi RS 6

　　

2022 Audi RS 6 Review

byAlex NishimotoCorrespondent

　　Alex Nishimoto has worked in the automotive industry since 2007. He was a staff writer for MotorTrend for 10 years and since then has contributed to CNET, PRI, AutoWise and other publications.

　　, rating written byAlex NishimotoVehicle Test Editor

　　Reese Counts has worked in the automotive industry since he started as an intern at zzdcar in 2015. He has written or edited thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Reese is a vehicle test editor at zzdcar and has also contributed to Autoblog. Reese has also been featured on Yahoo! Finance, Engadget and AOL reviewing cars and covering automotive technology, auto shows and more. Reese learned to drive in his father's C4 Chevrolet Corvette and now owns his grandfather's 1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. A love for cars runs deep in his family.

　　The general public didn't rejoice or even take notice when it was announced that the Audi RS 6 was returning to the U.S. and only as a wagon, but for car enthusiasts it was a pretty big deal. You see, automotive enthusiasts have a thing for fast wagons, and the RS 6 Avant is one of the most potent wagons on the planet.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2022 Audi RS 6 4dr Wagon AWD (4.0L 8cyl Turbo gas/electric mild hybrid 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$260/mo  for RS 6 Base

　　RS 6 Base

　　4dr Wagon AWD (4.0L 8cyl Turbo gas/electric mild hybrid 8A) (Most Popular) - $116,500 MSRP

　　vs

　　$198/mo

　　Avg. Large Car

　　Packing the same 591-horsepower twin-turbo V8 as its RS 7 and RS Q8 siblings, the Audi RS 6 delivers supersedan performance with the added benefit of extra cargo room and a sleek long-roof silhouette. High-performance wagons are a rarity these days, but the RS 6 does have some competition in the Mercedes-AMG E 63 S wagon and Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo. Check out our in-depth Expert Rating below to see if the RS 6 Avant is the uber-wagon for you.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Great

　　8.6

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

9.0/10

　　How does the RS 6 drive? Few cars will make you giggle quite as much as the RS 6. For starters, it sprints from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds. That's quicker than most dedicated sports cars we test and roughly on par with rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz E 63 wagon. Braking and handling performance are equally impressive. Few cars on the road feel as athletic and sure-footed as the RS 6, which is somewhat shocking given this Audi's nearly 2.5-ton curb weight. We wish there was a bit more steering feedback, but there's enough there to feel confident at any speed.

　　More broadly, the RS 6 is a peach to drive around town. The 4.0-liter V8 is smooth and powerful and pairs well with the smooth-shifting transmission that always picks the right gear. The brakes are strong and easy to control for smooth stops. In our emergency braking test, our RS 6 test vehicle stopped from 60 mph in just 109 feet. The RS 6 is stunning in its all-around competence.

　　

Comfort

9.0/10

　　How comfortable is the RS 6? The engineers at Audi Sport have worked some real magic here. Despite our test car's optional 22-inch wheels, the ride was smooth and relaxed, with most road imperfections smoothed out or at least well muted. Put the RS 6 into Dynamic mode and the air suspension and adaptive dampers stiffen up, but even then it's not backbreaking. Helping comfort are the RS 6's supportive but comfortable seats. We'd like a bit more adjustment, but we found both the front and rear seats to be pretty excellent. 

　　The RS 6 is surprisingly quiet too, making it far more inconspicuous than you might expect. The interior is whisper-quiet even on the highway. Even noise from the twin-turbo V8 is toned down compared to what you might expect. We liked the standard four-zone automatic climate control system too.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below