We already got a good look at the new Audi A6 Avant and how it compares to the 5 Series Touring. But, we’re only now laying eyes on the sedan version that will accompany the wagon. Inside and out, the A6 sedan largely mirrors the enhancements and changes seen in the Touring model. But how does it hold up when placed side to side with its primary competitor, the BMW 5 Series?
Exterior Design
The 2026 Audi A6 grows relative to its predecessor. At 196.5 inches (4.99 meters), it’s two inches longer, but retains an identical wheelbase as the last A6 we saw. The 5 Series manages to stretch three inches longer than the Audi, but stays competitive thanks to a commensurately longer wheelbase. The two are roughly the same width.
New aesthetic details on the 2026 Audi A6 sedan include a wider grille and narrower headlights and a more aerodynamic front bumper design. In fact, according to Audi, the 2026 Audi A6 sedan is the most aerodynamic combustion-powered model the brand has ever brought to market, offering a drag coefficient of 0.23. Improvements elsewhere include a single tail light stretching the width of the trunk and wheels measuring up to 21 inches, like the 5 Series. We think the 5 Series sedan, like its Touring brother, is the more restrained design. The large grille and narrow, eyebrow-like LED strips in the headlights give the A6 sedan a more immediately aggressive look.
Interior Design
Inside, the 2026 Audi A6 sedan mirrors the improvements made in the Touring model. You’ll find up to three touchscreens, something that (currently) BMW doesn’t offer. However, trunk capacity is a bit reduced: the Audi touts 492 liters (17.76 cubic feet) of trunk space, trailing the BMW’s 521 liters (18.4 cubic feet). Both cars offer a 40/20/40 split-folding rear bench and amenities like a panoramic glass roof. Compared to the last A6 Sedan we saw, the 2026 Audi A6 sedan gets a smaller gear selector, squared-off steering wheel, and more extensive ambient lighting. Both car’s cabins go pretty light on the buttons, although the 5 Series still retains a physical iDrive controller, making it preferable for those that desire even a little physical control.
Performance
When it comes to performance, the 2026 Audi A6 sedan is at a disadvantage, because we don’t yet have specifics on high-performance models. Technically, we don’t have firm numbers on the version bound for the United States’ shores at all. What we do have is Audi’s word that three powertrains will be available, at least for most of the world. The entry-level model touts a 2.0-liter gas unit good for 201 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. An available diesel unit, which definitely won’t arrive Stateside, makes the same horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque.
The A6 sedan will also be available with a familiar 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder. Here, it makes 362 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. This will apparently be the only version of the A6 that makes it to US shores, making it significantly more powerful than the base 5 Series we get. But, it will lag behind the B58-powered 540i, which makes 375 horsepower. Either way, in the global marketplace and on paper, the Audi directly parallels the 5 Series. Though, we expect the 5er to be the more dynamic of the two.
Technology
With an available tri-screen display, there’s no shortage of screens in the 2026 Audi A6 sedan. An 11.9-inch instrument cluster joins a 14.5-inch center touchscreen, with the passenger’s display measuring 10.9 inches. The Audi sources Bang & Olufsen sound, which will likely be right there with the BMW’s Bowers and Wilkins. The two will very likely offer nearly identical technical capabilities, largely boiling down to personal preference. However, if your passenger must absolutely have a screen of their own, only the Audi will suffice.
Audi’s A6 sedan reveal stipulates that the United States-bound model will have its own, separate release later this year. But we don’t expect drastic changes between the rest-of-world models and what the US will ultimately see. After seeing both the Avant and the sedan, which would you take? And, more importantly, is either worth considering over the 5 Series?
