Audi A6 vs Volkswagen Passat

Audi A6

Audi’s executive saloon.

Volkswagen Passat

Volkswagen’s large family car.

First car

Second car

Pick this one if…

Audi A6

Pick the A6 for quattro, the 530-litre boot and the frugal 2.0 TDI — but the climate controls are touchscreen-only.

Best engine: The mid-range 2.0 TDI diesel for the best balance of economy and torque — or the 2.0 TFSI petrol.

Read the full guide

Pick this one if…

Volkswagen Passat

Pick the Passat for a roomy, refined family car with a huge boot and strong diesels for long distances.

Best engine: The 2.0 TDI (150 hp) or 1.5 TSI (150 hp).

Read the full guide

Performance

EA888 45 TFSI · Petrol vs 2.0 TDI 150 · Diesel

	Audi A6	Volkswagen Passat
Power	245 hp Winner	150 hp
Torque	370 Nm Winner	340 Nm
0–100 km/h	6,0 s Winner	8,7 s
Top speed	250 km/h Winner	220 km/h
Power-to-weight	148,5 hp/t Winner	98,0 hp/t
CO₂ emissions (WLTP)	160 g/km	109 g/km Winner
Consumption (WLTP)	7,1 L/100km	4,2 L/100km Winner

Dimensions & space

	Audi A6	Volkswagen Passat
Boot	530 L	586 L Winner
Boot (seats folded)	—	1.152 L
Wheelbase	2,92 m Winner	2,79 m
Length	4,94 m	4,77 m
Width	1,89 m	1,83 m
Height	1,46 m	1,46 m
Seats	5	5

Powertrain & tech

	Audi A6	Volkswagen Passat
Platform	MLB Evo (longitudinal)	MQB (transverse, shared with the Superb/A4)
Drive	Front-wheel drive · All-wheel drive	Front-wheel drive · All-wheel drive
Engine family	EA888 petrol · EA288 diesel · plug-in hybrid	EA211/EA211 Evo petrol · EA888 Gen 3 petrol · EA288 diesel · GTE PHEV
Fuel	Petrol · Diesel · Plug-in hybrid	Petrol · Diesel · Plug-in hybrid
Transmission	7-speed S tronic (DSG)	6-speed manual · 7-speed DSG
Euro standard	Euro 6d-TEMP (early) · Euro 6d (later)	Euro 6
LEZ access	Euro 6 diesel allowed in the LEZ (Brussels/Antwerp/Ghent)	Euro 6 petrol/diesel allowed in the LEZ (Brussels/Antwerp/Ghent)

Reliability & watch-outs

Known issues

Audi A6

S tronic (DSG) mechatronics are the best-known weak point, especially on diesels
EA288 diesels: AdBlue/SCR needs attention with mainly short trips
Direct-injection TFSI petrols: carbon buildup with lots of short trips

Volkswagen Passat

DQ200 DSG (dry clutch) on smaller engines
Water pump/thermostat module
AdBlue/DPF on 2.0 TDI (short trips)

Pros

Audi A6

quattro optional — standard on the 3.0-litre engines
530-litre boot
48V mild-hybrid standard on most engines

Volkswagen Passat

Huge cabin and boot (Variant: 650–1,780 l)
Refined comfort and high-speed stability
Strong towing (up to 2,000+ kg braked)

Cons

Audi A6

Touchscreen-only climate controls (no physical buttons)
S tronic/tiptronic only — no manual gearbox

Volkswagen Passat

Pre-facelift infotainment dated
1.4/1.5 TSI less torquey than the 2.0 TDI

Driving experience

Audi A6

As a model line, the A6 steers accurately with light, consistent weighting and stays quiet at motorway speeds. Front-drive versions feel light and easy; quattro adds strong traction out of corners (standard on 3.0-litre engines, optional on 2.0-litre models). The 2.0 TDI is strong and frugal, the 45 TFSI is smooth, and the 3.0 TFSI is genuinely quick. The S tronic shifts quickly. It is tuned for comfort over sharp handling.