Compare the2022 Toyota AvalonVS 2021 Audi A6

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Avalon are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The A6 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Avalon has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats (WIL), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WIL system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The A6 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Avalon Limited/Touring offers optional Rear Cross-Traffic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The A6 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Avalon has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the A6’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Avalon has a standard cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Cross-path warning costs extra on the A6.

Both the Avalon and the A6 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Avalon is safer than the Audi A6:

	Avalon	A6
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	302	354
Neck Injury Risk	25%	41%
Neck Stress	180 lbs.	228 lbs.
Neck Compression	64 lbs.	98 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Avalon is safer than the Audi A6:

	Avalon	A6
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.8 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	156 G’s	174 G’s
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	686 lbs.	716 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	267	395
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	39 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the Avalon 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the A6. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the A6 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Avalon for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the A6.

There are over 4 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Avalon’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Avalon’s reliability 18 points higher than the A6.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota 19th in initial quality. With 48 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 32nd.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 29 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 20th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in reliability. Audi is ranked 14th.

Engine

The Avalon’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 53 more horsepower (301 vs. 248) than the A6 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Avalon’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 40 more horsepower (301 vs. 261) than the A6 Sport 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Avalon gets better mileage than the A6:

			MPG
Avalon
		XLE 3.5 DOHC V6	22 city/32 hwy
		3.5 DOHC V6	22 city/31 hwy
A6
	AWD	3.0 turbo V6 Hybrid	22 city/29 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Avalon uses regular unleaded gasoline. The A6 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Toyota Avalon, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the A6.

Chassis

The Toyota Avalon may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 pounds less than the Audi A6.

The design of the Toyota Avalon amounts to more than styling. The Avalon has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .27 Cd. That is lower than the A6 (.29) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Avalon get better fuel mileage.

The Avalon Touring uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The A6 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Avalon has 5.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the A6 (104.3 vs. 99).

The Avalon has .8 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more front shoulder room, 2.9 inches more rear legroom and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the A6.

Cargo Capacity

The Avalon has a much larger trunk than the A6 (16.1 vs. 13.7 cubic feet).

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Avalon owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Avalon will cost $2670 to $6550 less than the A6 over a five-year period.

The Avalon will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Avalon will retain 41.63% to 42.3% of its original price after five years, while the A6 only retains 39.04% to 40.15%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Avalon is less expensive to operate than the A6 because it costs $109 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Avalon than the A6, including $270 less for a water pump, $308 less for a muffler, $56 less for front brake pads, $378 less for a starter, $1256 less for fuel injection, $111 less for a fuel pump, $67 less for front struts and $3 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Toyota Avalon will be $21975 to $30465 less than for the Audi A6.

Recommendations

The Toyota Avalon has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

	Avalon	A6
Consumer Reports® Recommends	TRUE	TRUE
Car Book “Best Bet”	TRUE	FALSE