2008 Audi A6 Avant

Although reviewers don't recommend the 2008 Audi A6 Avant wagon as often as its less-expensive sisters -- the Audi A4 Avant wagon (*est. $32,000 to $39,400) and the smaller, sportier Audi A3 wagon (*est. $25,930 to $34,915) -- they generally like the Audi A6 Avant. It's truly a premium car, reviewers note, with one of the nicest interiors on the market and lots of luxury touches – and some practical ones, such as standard electronic stability control. In fact, road-testers say 2008 Audi's A6 Avant's traction and handling are quite impressive. Crash tests rank the A6 models, along with other Audi wagons, as some of the safest wagons on the road. Acceleration is ample, testers say, as is passenger and cargo room – which is nearly identical to that of the Audi A4 Avant, except rear passengers in the Audi A6 Avant get two and a half inches more leg room. Reliability has improved to average lately for the Audi A6. But for up to $17,000 less and better fuel economy, reviewers tend to favor the similar Audi A4 Avant wagon. Although the Audi A6 Avant's 20 mpg mixed fuel economy is about on par with the BMW 3-Series wagon (*est. $34,200 to $36,100) and better than the Mercedes-Benz E-Class wagon (*est. $55,700 to $85,800), the A6 Avant is not recommended nearly as often as those top-rated luxury wagons.

Although it is brief, the Kiplinger's Personal Finance review of the 2007 Audi A6 Avant station wagon is quite useful because it compares the Audi A6 Avant with other wagons and minivans, and then goes on to provide detailed information car buyers need: fuel economy, price, expected resale value and the expected cost of service and insurance over time. Since the 2008 Audi A6 is little-changed from the 2007 model year, this article is still applicable. About.com's ranking of Top 10 Cars for Moms includes the Audi A6 Avant wagon, listing its best mom-friendly features and some drawbacks (though reviewer Aaron Gold doesn't tell us which model year he's reviewing). Reviews at the Institute for Consumer Automotive Research and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rank the entire 2008 A6 line against other cars, but they don't specify the wagon version. ConsumerGuide.com provides a detailed road-test report on the 2008 Audi A6 line, and CarCritic.com's brief report provides the most salient details about the Audi A6 line and concludes with buying advice.