2023 Audi S6 Review

Trims

2023 Audi S6 trim comparison

Starting MSRP

$74,795

$79,495

$83,595

MPG

Engine

Drive Type

Automatic Emergency Braking

Basic Warranty

Horsepower

Blind Spot System

Surround View Camera

Adaptive Cruise Control

Remote Engine Start

Parking Sensors

Multi-Zone Climate Control

Premium Audio

19 city/26 hwy

2.9L V6 S/C and Turbo

AWD

4 yr / 50k mi

444 hp

Engine Type

Fuel Type

Horsepower

Horsepower RPM

Torque

Torque RPM

Engine Displacement

Engine Configuration

Cylinders

Aspiration

Variable Valvetrain

Valvetrain

Number of Valves

Compression Ratio

EPA City Fuel Economy

EPA Highway Fuel Economy

EPA Combined Fuel Economy

Start/Stop System

Regenerative Braking

Gas

Premium Unleaded

444 hp

5900 rpm

442 lb-ft

2700 rpm

2.9 L

V

6 cylinder

Supercharged and Turbocharged

Double Overhead

24 valve

10.0

19 MPG

26 MPG

22 MPG

Reviewed by Nicole Wakelin

Overview

The Audi S6 is a sports sedan with a heavy dose of luxury that includes a roomy and comfortable interior with eye-catching materials. This is refined luxury, so there's no flash, but rather a consistent sense of quality everywhere you look. It's designed for those who want a bit more oomph than what's available in the Audi A6. It has a high-tech interior with screen interfaces that are striking but perhaps a bit much for those who are not tech-savvy. The star of the show is its 444-horsepower V6 engine that makes this an aggressive and engaging sedan that belies its somewhat sedate exterior styling. Competitors include the 429-horsepower Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 if you want an even more refined and luxurious interior or the more powerful 523-hp BMW M550i if performance is your priority.

Positives

Strong performance. Beautiful interior. High-tech infotainment system.

Considerations

Unexciting exterior styling. Too many screens.

Verdict

The Audi S6 sedan has more power, performance, and excitement than its relatively mild-mannered [Audi A6](/overview/audi/a6/) counterpart. It's also quite high-tech, but the expanse of screens may be a turnoff for some.

What's New for 2023

The Audi S6 expands to include a new Premium trim that offers an available Convenience package. The Executive package adds adaptive cruise assist with lane guidance, a power trunk lid, and LED interior lighting. A new Audi Sport stitching package adds a black interior with red contrast stitching and black seat belts with red edging. The Premium Plus now has LED interior lighting, heated rear seats, an interior leather package, and a suite of driver-assist features.

Trims and Pricing

The 2023 Audi S6 is available in three trim levels: Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige. The Premium Plus is the most popular, however, we recommend the Prestige. We'll explain why.

Premium

Priced from $73,795 (including a $1,095 destination fee) this trim includes a standard 444-horsepower twin-turbo V6, along with an eight-speed automatic transmission and Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system.

Premium Plus

Starting at $78,495, the Premium Plus adds a 16-speaker premium sound system, quad-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, and 21-inch wheels.

Prestige

Stepping up to the Prestige ($82,595) just makes sense. If you're buying a car as special as the S6, you might as well get all the bells and whistles. The S6 Prestige adds driver-safety features such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and head-up display. Matrix-design LED headlights, soft-close doors, a power-operated trunk, a leather-wrapped dashboard, and heated rear seats are also standard. A 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo system is available.

Engine and Performance

Pop the hood on a 2023 Audi S6, and you'll see one of the world's great V6 engines, a twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter producing 444 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. Those are big numbers for this class, more than the Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53, and you can feel it. Audi says the S6 accelerates from zero to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds. That's not as quick as the V8-powered BMW M550i, but driving an S6 is its own brand of fun. The Audi's engine isn't just powerful, it's smooth and refined, and it sounds great, as a high-performance sedan should. Its eight-speed automatic transmission and Audi's quattro all-wheel drive are tuned to perfection, and the S6 glides easily around turns and feels composed on the road. Drivers can select between driving modes to give the Audi enhanced performance in different situations.

Fuel Economy

Few who buy such an expensive high-performance sedan are worried about fuel economy, but the S6 might surprise you. The Environmental Protection Agency rates the 2023 Audi S6 to deliver an estimated 19 mpg in city driving and 26 mpg on the highway. The Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 is rated 22/29 mpg city/highway, and the BMW M550i returns 17/25 mpg city/highway.

Interior

Inside, the Audi S6 is warm, inviting, and modern. The cabin is spacious for five passengers, with a back seat that offers more headroom than the BMW M550i and more legroom than the Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53. The front seats are sportier than you'll find in most luxury sedans, with deep side bolsters adding lateral support. They are extremely comfortable. The seats are heated and covered in leather, as is the steering wheel. The cabin is trimmed in carbon-fiber twill accents and stark brushed metal. The S6 has more cargo capacity than the Mercedes-Benz E 53 AMG, but the BMW M550i has a larger trunk.

Infotainment and Connectivity

The 2023 Audi S6 includes one of the industry's best infotainment systems and offers a configurable digital gauge cluster. Audi's infotainment system features crisp graphics and a dual-touch screen setup with a 10.1-inch upper and an 8.6-inch lower screen stacked above the center console. Both screens are touch-sensitive and let users access numerous vehicle settings and multimedia choices. It isn't intuitive at first, but you get used to it. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, wireless device charging, voice command, a Wi-Fi hotspot, satellite radio, and HD Radio are included.

Safety

Because it's based on the Audi A6 the S6 offers exceptional safety. The 2023 A6 has not been tested, but the 2022 A6 received the highest overall five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) and it's been awarded a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The Mercedes-Benz E-Class matches those ratings, but the BMW 5 Series does not.

The S6 comes with several advanced safety features, including adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlights, lane-keeping assist, a surround-view parking camera, parking sensors, and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

Audi S6 vs. the Competition

The 2023 Audi S6 is a fantastic blend of practicality, sportiness, and luxury. Audi's meticulous attention to detail is found throughout the vehicle, creating a unique driving experience beyond the sedan's intoxicating acceleration and handling. The S6 is a special car, packed with timeless design, exhilarating performance, and standard all-wheel drive, ensuring traction in all weather and situations. Although the Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 sedan is quicker than the Audi, and the V8-powered BMW M550i will blow the doors off either one of them, the Audi S6 is one of the world's premier luxury sport sedans.

Audi S6 vs. BMW 5 Series

Audi S6 vs. Mercedes-Benz E-Class

TrueCar Expert Review Methodology

TrueCar works with a select group of automotive industry experts who test-drive nearly 300 vehicles per year. TrueCar's experts grade the vehicles on key attributes including driving dynamics, comfort, interior design, technology, storage, and efficiency. Our experts also judge recent model updates, pricing and value, trims, options, comparable vehicles, and safety assessments (as provided by the NHTSA and IIHS) to inform their recommendations and help car shoppers choose a vehicle that is right for them.

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