Model research hub
Audi A6
The Audi A6 is a luxury executive sedan built since 1994, now in its sixth generation, and its recall counts peaked in the 2019 to 2021 redesign years: 7 recalls on the 2019, 9 on the 2020 and 11 on the 2021. The 2023 and 2024 have one recall each, and the 2026 A6 starts at $65,395 with a 362-hp V6 and all-wheel drive.
What the Audi A6 is and who buys it
Wikipedia (opens in a new tab) describes the A6 as an executive car made by Audi since 1994, now in its sixth generation, the successor to the Audi 100, offered as a sedan and an Avant estate. Car and Driver (opens in a new tab) says that where BMW offers the 5 Series in four-cylinder 530i, six-cylinder 540i and plug-in 550e forms, Audi relies on one powertrain for its latest A6: a 362-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic driving all four wheels. Kelley Blue Book base prices for the 2026 A6 are $65,395 for the Premium, $69,895 for the Premium Plus and $74,095 for the Prestige.
Best and worst A6 model years
Federal recall counts fall in two waves. The 2015 to 2018 cars have 2 to 4 recalls each, with the 2018 having only 2 complaints. The 2019 redesign has 7 recalls and 114 complaints, the most complaints of any year, the 2020 has 9 recalls including tires and suspension, and the 2021 has 11, the most of any year, covering the electrical system, backup camera, seat belts and tires. The 2022 has 5, the 2023 and 2024 have one each, both for the backup camera, and the 2025 has 2.
The redesigned car's problems are documented. VinSpectorAI (opens in a new tab) lists 2019 (114 complaints), 2020 and 2017 as its years to avoid, and The Weekly Driver (opens in a new tab) cites a recall of 2019-2020 A6 vehicles equipped with mild-hybrid technology and 2.0 TFSI engines. What-Breaks (opens in a new tab) says cars built between May 2017 and March 2020 with the 48V mild-hybrid system are covered by recall 27H2, for moisture entering the starter-generator, and calls the 2021 to 2025 A6 a be-careful generation for a high-voltage battery recall, hybrid gearbox problems and timing chain stretch on the 2.0-liter engine.
How it compares
Car and Driver says the 540i runs $3,755 more than the $65,395 entry-level A6 at a $69,150 base price. In its four-car test with the Genesis G80 and Mercedes E450, the 4,316-pound BMW 540i was the quickest to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds, while on a 75-mph highway test the A6 averaged 38 mpg, beating its EPA highway estimate by 9 mpg and just edging out the 540i. The EPA rates the 2026 A6 at 23 to 24 mpg combined as a mild hybrid.
Questions buyers ask
Which Audi A6 years have the most recalls?
In federal data the 2021 A6 has 11 recalls, the 2020 has 9 and the 2019 has 7, and the 2019 has the most complaints (114).
What engine does the 2026 Audi A6 have?
Car and Driver (opens in a new tab) says a 362-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and all-wheel drive, the only powertrain on the latest A6.
Research map
Every major decision path.
The 2026 Audi A6 is built around 2.0L turbo four-cylinder (45 TFSI) or 3.0L turbo V6 (55 TFSI), rated at 261 / 335 horsepower across its midsize luxury sedan body style.
Explore this topic →02Trims and equipmentThe 2026 U.S. lineup has 3 trims.
Explore this topic →03Towing and capabilityThe 2026 A6 seats 5 and is a Midsize luxury sedan.
Explore this topic →04Safety and ownershipNHTSA recalls, complaints and crash ratings for the 2026 A6.
Explore this topic →Current model year
2026 Audi A6
Premium and Premium Plus offer either the 261-hp turbo four or 335-hp turbo V6; Prestige is V6-only.
Read specifications, trims, answers and sourcesModel-year archive
5 indexed Audi A6 model years.
| Model year | Trims | Open record |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Audi A6 | 2026 record → | |
| 2025 Audi A6 | 2025 record → | |
| 2021 Audi A6 | 2021 record → | |
| 2020 Audi A6 | 2020 record → | |
| 2019 Audi A6 | 2019 record → |
Background and safety record
What public sources say about the Audi A6.
The Audi A6 is an executive car manufactured by the German company Audi since 1994. Now in its sixth generation, the successor to the Audi 100 is manufactured in Neckarsulm, Germany, and is available in saloon and estate configurations, the latter marketed by Audi as the Avant.
- Safety
- As part of the Audi A6 Avant launch in the UK, BBH London, Knucklehead, The Whitehouse, The Mill produced the 'Hummingbird' TV commercial, directed by Daniel Barber. The commercial premiered during the ITV1's coverage of the Rugby World Cup. The commercial was to imagine what a bird designed by Audi would look like and to reflect the car's ultra-lightweight technology.
- Awards
- Audi A6 allroad quattro won Auto Bild Allrad's All-Wheel Drive Car of the Year under the Crossover category.
- Engines
- In 2005, the A6 won the World Car of the Year award, and has also won the Practical Caravan "Towcar of the Year" awards, due to its array of towing features such as adjustable suspension height and damping, and the presence of a 123 Trailer Stability Programme.
- Body styles
- In some specific European markets (like France), facelift models (2016 and onwards) received a never before offered 1.8 TFSI (190 PS) petrol engine. Models paired with the 7-speed automatic S tronic gearbox have an "ultra" tag added at the end of their name. A6L with 2.0 TFSI (180 PS) was sold as A6L TFSI in China.
- Transmission
- All variants can come with either a 7-speed S-Tronic DCT or an 8-speed "Tiptronic" automatic.
- Production
- Following the launch of the new A6, Audi officially stopped production of the A6 and A7 TDI vehicles using V6 TDI Gen2 evo EU6 engines due to an investigation on newly discovered emissions cheating software.
Source: Audi A6 (Wikipedia); safety and recall figures from NHTSA.
Audi A6 at a glance
- Production
- 1994–present, 2000–present (China)
- Class
- Executive car (E)
- Body style
- 4-door saloon/sedan, 5-door Avant (estate)
- Layout
- Longitudinal FF / F4 layout (quattro)
- Predecessor
- Audi 100
Recent recalls (2 campaigns across the latest model years)
- December 2025, Seat Belts:Rear/Other:Retractor. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2025 SQ6 E-Tron, SQ6 Sportback E-Tron, Q6 Sportback E-Tron, A6, A5, A6 Sportback E-Tron, Q6 E-Tron, S5, and S6 Sportback E-Tron vehicles. The automatic locking retractor may fail to engage when a child… Consequence: An improperly secured child seat can increase risk of injury during a crash.
- December 2025, Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2026 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply… Consequence: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Year by year
The Audi A6 across 12 model years.
| Model year | Combined MPG/MPGe | EPA annual fuel cost | EPA records | NHTSA recalls | NHTSA complaints | NHTSA overall rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Audi A6 | 23–24 | $3,300–$3,450 | 2 | 5 stars | ||
| 2025 Audi A6 | 25–26 | $3,000–$3,100 | 3 | 2 | 5 stars | |
| 2024 Audi A6 | 25–26 | $3,000–$3,100 | 3 | 1 | 5 stars | |
| 2023 Audi A6 | 24–27 | $2,850–$3,250 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 stars |
| 2022 Audi A6 | 23–26 | $3,000–$3,350 | 3 | 5 | 5 stars | |
| 2021 Audi A6 | 22–26 | $3,000–$3,500 | 3 | 11 | 15 | 5 stars |
| 2020 Audi A6 | 22–27 | $2,850–$3,500 | 3 | 9 | 24 | 5 stars |
| 2019 Audi A6 | 25–27 | $2,850–$3,100 | 2 | 7 | 114 | 5 stars |
| 2018 Audi A6 | 23–28 | $2,750–$3,350 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 stars |
| 2017 Audi A6 | 24–28 | $2,750–$3,250 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 5 stars |
| 2016 Audi A6 | 24–30 | $2,750–$3,250 | 4 | 3 | 51 | 5 stars |
| 2015 Audi A6 | 21–29 | $2,750–$3,700 | 4 | 4 | 22 | 5 stars |
Year-to-year changes
What changed in the Audi A6, one model year at a time.
| Step | EPA records | Combined MPG/MPGe, midpoint | Added | No longer listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 to 2026 | 3 to 2 | 25.5 to 23.5 | Labels: A6 Sedan; Engines: 3L 6-cyl SIDI | Labels: A6 quattro; Engines: 2L 4-cyl SIDI; Mild Hybrid |
| 2023 to 2024 | Labels: A6 Allroad quattro | Labels: A6 Allroad | ||
| 2022 to 2023 | 24.5 to 25.5 | Labels: A6 Allroad | Labels: A6 Allroad quattro; Drives: 4-Wheel Drive | |
| 2021 to 2022 | 24.0 to 24.5 | Labels: A6 Allroad quattro; Drives: 4-Wheel Drive | Labels: A6 Allroad | |
| 2020 to 2021 | 24.5 to 24.0 | |||
| 2019 to 2020 | 2 to 3 | 26.0 to 24.5 | Labels: A6 Allroad; Size classes: Midsize Station Wagons | |
| 2018 to 2019 | 3 to 2 | 25.5 to 26.0 | Engines: 2L 4-cyl SIDI; Mild Hybrid, 3L 6-cyl SIDI; Mild Hybrid | Labels: A6; Engines: 2L 4-cyl SIDI, 3L 6-cyl SIDI; Transmissions: Automatic (S8); Drives: Front-Wheel Drive |
| 2017 to 2018 | 26.0 to 25.5 | |||
| 2016 to 2017 | 4 to 3 | 27.0 to 26.0 | Engines: 3L 6-cyl; Fuels: Diesel | |
| 2015 to 2016 | 25.0 to 27.0 | Transmissions: Automatic (AM-S7) | Transmissions: Automatic (AV-S8) |
Buying used
What the Audi A6 recalls and complaints are about.
| Model year | Campaigns | Systems recalled | Warnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | seat belts (rear/other); back over prevention (sensing system) | None |
| 2024 | 1 | back over prevention (sensing system) | None |
| 2023 | 1 | back over prevention (sensing system) | None |
| 2022 | 5 | electrical system (instrument panel); engine and engine cooling; equipment (electrical); 2 more | None |
| 2021 | 11 | electrical system; air bags; suspension (rear); 7 more | None |
| 2020 | 9 | electrical system (starter assembly); air bags (frontal); air bags; 6 more | None |
| 2019 | 7 | electrical system (starter assembly); air bags; electrical system (instrument panel); 4 more | None |
| 2018 | 2 | air bags (sensor); fuel system, gasoline (fuel injection system) | None |
| 2017 | 3 | seat belts (pretensioner); air bags (sensor); fuel system, gasoline (fuel injection system) | None |
| 2016 | 3 | air bags (sensor); electrical system (wiring); fuel system, gasoline (fuel injection system) | None |
| 2015 | 4 | engine and engine cooling (cooling system); air bags (sensor); electrical system (wiring) | None |
| System | Complaints | Share of all complaints | Worst model year |
|---|---|---|---|
| electrical system | 126 | 50% | 2019 (84) |
| engine | 61 | 24% | 2019 (32) |
| unknown or other | 27 | 11% | 2019 (11) |
| steering | 22 | 9% | 2019 (12) |
| power train | 22 | 9% | 2019 (15) |
| air bags | 19 | 8% | 2016 (8) |
Trim by trim
Every 2026 Audi A6 trim side by side.
| Trim | Drive | Engine | Horsepower | Torque (lb-ft) | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Combined mpg | Base price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium TFSI | AWD | 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo) | 362 | 406 | 4,310 | – | 23 | $65,395 |
| Premium Plus TFSI | AWD | 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo) | 362 | 406 | 4,310 | – | 23 | $69,895 |
| Prestige TFSI | AWD | 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo) | 362 | 406 | 4,310 | – | 23 | $74,095 |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for the 2026 model year; base price is KBB's national base price where its list carries the trim by the same name. A dash means KBB lists no figure.
Specifications by year
Power, weight and towing for every Audi A6 model year.
| Model year | Trims | Engines | Horsepower | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Fuel tank (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo) | 362 | 4,310 | – | 19.3 |
| 2025 | 5 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo) | 248–335 | 4,101–4,266 | – | – |
| 2024 | 5 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (MHEV, Turbo) / 3.0-liter V6 (MHEV, Turbo) | 261–335 | 4,101–4,266 | – | 19.3 |
| 2023 | 5 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 3.0-liter V6 (MHEV, Turbo) | 261–335 | 4,101–4,266 | – | 19.3 |
| 2022 | 5 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo) | 261–335 | 4,101–4,266 | – | 19.3 |
| 2021 | 8 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo) | 248–335 | 4,101–4,266 | – | 19.3 |
| 2020 | 6 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo) | 248–355 | 4,101–4,266 | – | 19.3 |
| 2019 | 5 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder / 3.0-liter V6 | 335 | 4,266 | – | 19.3 |
| 2018 | 7 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 3.0-liter V6 (Supercharged) | 252–340 | 3,957–4,144 | – | 19.8 |
| 2017 | 5 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 3.0-liter V6 (Supercharged) | 252–333 | 3,957–4,277 | – | 19.8 |
| 2016 | 6 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 3.0-liter V6 (Supercharged) / 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo Diesel) | 240–333 | 3,957–4,277 | – | 19.2–19.8 |
| 2015 | 6 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / V6, Turbo Dsl, 3.0L / V6, Sprchrgd, 3.0L | 220–310 | 3,957–4,178 | – | 19.2–19.8 |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for each model year. A range covers every trim KBB lists that year; a dash means KBB lists no figure.
Model-year recall record
Audi A6: which model years carry more or fewer federal safety recalls.
Fewer recalls than this model’s own average
- 2024 Audi A6 : 1 recall on file (average across published years is 4.4).
- 2023 Audi A6 : 1 recall on file (average across published years is 4.4).
More recalls than this model’s own average
- 2021 Audi A6 : 11 recalls on file, most commonly affecting electrical system and backup camera.
- 2020 Audi A6 : 9 recalls on file, most commonly affecting electrical system and airbags.
- 2019 Audi A6 : 7 recalls on file, most commonly affecting electrical system and airbags.
| Model year | Federal recalls on file | Complaints on file | Recalls most commonly affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | not available | ||
| 2025 | 2 | not available | seat belts, backup camera |
| 2024 | 1 | not available | backup camera |
| 2023 | 1 | 2 | backup camera |
| 2022 | 5 | not available | electrical system, engine cooling, equipment, backup camera |
| 2021 | 11 | 15 | electrical system, backup camera, seat belts, tires |
| 2020 | 9 | 24 | electrical system, airbags, tires, suspension |
| 2019 | 7 | 114 | electrical system, airbags, brakes, backup camera |
| 2018 | 2 | 2 | fuel system, airbags |
| 2017 | 3 | 20 | fuel system, airbags, seat belts |
| 2016 | 3 | 51 | fuel system, electrical system, airbags |
| 2015 | 4 | 22 | engine cooling, electrical system, airbags |
Method: recall counts and their affected components come from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: Recalls API, queried by exact make, model and model year. Complaint counts come from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: Complaints API, same query pattern. Data pulled 2026-09-04.
Known gap: the NHTSA complaints API did not return data for Audi A6 model years 2022, 2024, 2025 when queried for this page: the request itself failed upstream, not returning a genuine zero. Those years are marked "not available" above instead of shown as clean; recall counts for those years are unaffected and come from the separate recalls API, which returned data for every year listed.
Check open recalls by VIN for one particular vehicle.
Q01Is there a best year to buy a Audi A6?
Recall count alone can't answer that: it says nothing about a specific vehicle's price, mileage, accident history or maintenance record. What federal data can say: 2024, 2023 carried fewer recalls than this model's own average, while 2021, 2020, 2019 carried more. See the model-year table on this page for the exact counts and what they cover.
Q02Which Audi A6 model years should I watch for recalls?
The 2021 Audi A6 has 11 federal recalls on file, most commonly affecting electrical system, backup camera, seat belts; The 2020 Audi A6 has 9 federal recalls on file, most commonly affecting electrical system, airbags, tires; The 2019 Audi A6 has 7 federal recalls on file, most commonly affecting electrical system, airbags, brakes. Always confirm the open/completed status of every campaign for the specific VIN: a recall on this list may already be repaired on the vehicle in front of you.
Q03Which Audi A6 model years have the cleanest federal recall record?
The 2024 Audi A6 has 1 recall on file; The 2023 Audi A6 has 1 recall on file: below this model's own average of 4.4. A shorter list on file as of this page's data pull is not a guarantee against a future recall.
Q04What are common recall-related problems on the Audi A6 by model year?
2025: seat belts, backup camera. 2024: backup camera. 2023: backup camera. 2022: electrical system, engine cooling, equipment, backup camera. 2021: electrical system, backup camera, seat belts, tires. 2020: electrical system, airbags, tires, suspension.
Q05Why do some Audi A6 model years show "not available" for complaints?
The NHTSA complaints API did not return data for Audi A6 model years 2022, 2024, 2025 when queried for this page: the request itself failed upstream instead of the count genuinely being zero. Recall counts for those years are unaffected; they come from a separate NHTSA endpoint that returned data for every year listed.
Diagnosing one of these symptoms? The recalled systems above map to this site’s own ownership desks: general, evidence-first guidance that applies regardless of whether the specific vehicle in front of you was ever part of a recall campaign: Engine and cooling, Climate and electrical, Buying, records and recalls, Brakes, tires and steering.
2021 Audi A6 owners specifically: see Climate and electrical and Buying, records and recalls and Brakes, tires and steering.
2020 Audi A6 owners specifically: see Climate and electrical and Buying, records and recalls and Brakes, tires and steering.
2019 Audi A6 owners specifically: see Climate and electrical and Buying, records and recalls and Brakes, tires and steering.
Compared with
Models this Audi A6 is most often compared with.
Nearest Audi models
Other Audi models.
Frequent questions
Answers with their conditions intact.
Q01How many trims does the 2026 A6 come in?
The 2026 Audi A6 (midsize luxury sedan) comes in 3 trims: Premium, Premium Plus, Prestige.
Q02What are the 2026 A6 trims?
The 2026 Audi A6 trims are Premium, Premium Plus, Prestige, listed from the entry Premium up to the top Prestige.
Q03What engine or powertrain does the 2026 A6 use?
The 2026 Audi A6 is built around 2.0L turbo four-cylinder (45 TFSI) or 3.0L turbo V6 (55 TFSI), rated at 261 / 335 horsepower across its midsize luxury sedan body style.
Q04How much horsepower does the 2026 A6 have?
The 2026 Audi A6 is rated at 261 / 335 horsepower (2.0L turbo four-cylinder (45 TFSI) or 3.0L turbo V6 (55 TFSI)).
Q05Is AWD or 4WD available on the 2026 A6?
The 2026 Audi A6 is offered with Standard AWD.