2026 Audi A6 First Test: On the Right Track

Audi is on a mission to reinvent itself. A onetime luxury car darling whose luster has diminished somewhat over the past decade, the brand is hoping its latest models can reignite buyers’ passion. We’ve seen some sultry new sports cars, but the first model to hit the road in the brand’s new product offensive is the 2026 Audi A6.

The midsize luxury sedan is now longer, wider, and more powerful than before. It also trades its four-cylinder engine for a V-6 and gains Audi’s new infotainment system and augmented reality technology, both of which earned MotorTrend Best Tech awards earlier this year.

With all these updates, is the 2026 Audi A6 ready to make its mark in the executive sedan segment? Can Audi compete with established rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5 Series?

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Treating Occupants Right

Step inside the new A6, and everyone in the cabin will be impressed by what they see and touch. Audi has elevated the quality of the materials throughout the interior, along with the craftsmanship used to bring everything together. The brand that became the benchmark for interior design and quality is back on task.

Rather than install one enormous glass panel housing multiple screens, however, Audi opted for a single panel with two displays, plus an optional screen for the front passenger. We still think that extra screen is one too many, but its discreet placement in the dashboard makes it easy on the eyes. The surrounding design elements also blend well with the rest of the cabin.

After seeing what Mercedes-Benz has done with its interiors, where a single glass panel stretches from pillar to pillar, we’re glad Audi chose a different approach. The A6 delivers the expected technology while leaving room for design and craftsmanship to shine through.

The front occupants aren’t the only ones being treated well. The rear seat offers generous leg- and headroom, giving adults plenty of space to settle in comfortably. Rear passengers don’t get their own screens, but we doubt many will miss them.

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Our Audi A6 test car was equipped with the Prestige package and a brown interior, a combination we particularly liked. In a time when black-on-black cabins are everywhere, the brown interior gave the A6 a more distinctive vibe.

We’ve already spent plenty of time discussing Audi’s new infotainment system, and the experience was just as impressive this time around. The system puts user experience first, and the 14.5-inch screen is easy to read, with a clean layout and well-spaced menus.

Audi’s AI assistant can also help with a variety of tasks, from navigating to a destination to adjusting the cabin temperature.

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2026 Audi A6 Quattro (Sport) Steel Suspension

Ride and Drive

The Audi A6 is available with two suspension setups: a steel-spring suspension geared toward a sportier ride and an air suspension focused more on comfort. We sampled both back to back and found that each is well suited to a different type of driver.

As expected, the air suspension delivers the smoother ride, keeping most road imperfections from reaching the cabin. Some bumps still make their way inside, but the air springs quickly settle the body and dissipate the motion.

The steel suspension, by comparison, makes the ride feel sportier and firmer. Over the same bumps, we felt more vibration, but the impacts disappeared quicker. Both setups were comfortable and well suited to a vehicle like the A6.

Regardless of which suspension you choose, the 2026 Audi A6 is powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 producing 362 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. Its seven-speed dual-clutch transmission responds quickly, but we found the engine’s power delivery somewhat restrained by lackadaisical pedal tuning.

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2026 Audi A6 Quattro (Prestige) Air Suspension

And that’s the case even with the transmission in S mode and Dynamic drive mode engaged. “The engine has plenty of power, but the computer won’t give it to you until you’re almost flooring it,” features editor Scott Evans said.

Is It Worth It?

With the A6 facing some of the toughest competition in the luxury car market, we’re glad to see Audi turning its midsize sedan into a more complete contender. Along with adding power, technology, and interior space, Audi has made safety a priority. The A6 is one of the few vehicles to earn an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award, making it a strong performer in that area.

The 2026 Audi A6 is available in a single trim with several packages, making it relatively easy to add the features you want. That approach also makes it easier to consider the car’s value. The A6 Quattro starts at $65,495, but the price can climb quickly with options. Our car, equipped with air suspension and the Luxury package, came in at $77,820. Another model we tested with the Sport Plus package was $80,720.

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We wouldn’t call the A6 a standout value, but when you compare price and standard equipment against its competitors, it becomes a compelling option. The Mercedes-Benz E450, for example, starts at just over $75,000 before you even dive into the options.

This new Audi A6 advances the nameplate markedly, and we hope for similar advancement with other new models. We’re also eager to pit the A6 against our 2025 Car of the Year, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, in a head-to-head comparison, where we expect a much more competitive battle than the outgoing A6 could have managed.

Photography byWilliam Walker

Deputy Director of Photography

Like many of my coworkers, my love for cars was cemented at a young age, thanks in part to Hot Wheels, car magazines, and every car poster I could afford when the book fair set up shop in my elementary school library. While most kids went straight for Where’s Waldo? and Goosebumps, I was torn between the poster of the Lamborghini Countach and the ’32 Ford hot rod with airbrushed flames on the cowling. In high school, I worked at Bergstrom's Antique Autos, a historic garage in Port Townsend, Washington. Surrounded by nearly a century of automotive history, I immersed myself in cleaning, sorting, and selling car parts and memorabilia. I also spent countless hours flipping through vintage car magazines and can comfortably say that I've looked through every Motor Trend, Car & Driver, Hot Rod, and Sports Car Graphic up until the early 1980s. Around the same time, I picked up photography—naturally, with cars as my main subject. Despite my high school photography teacher's advice to branch out, I stuck to my passion and attended every car show I could find. This led me to the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California, where I earned a bachelor’s degree with a focus on automotive photography. I began my career at Motor Trend as a photography intern. After freelancing for a few years, I joined the Motor Trend team full-time in late 2010. My passion for cars and photography continues to fuel my work, and I hope it shines through in every shot.

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