Compare the2023 Audi A6 AllroadVS 2023 Lexus RX

The A6 Allroad’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The RX doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the A6 Allroad and RX have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The A6 Allroad has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The RX’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the A6 Allroad. But it costs extra on the RX.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the A6 Allroad Prestige helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The RX doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the A6 Allroad and the RX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear 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, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the A6 Allroad its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 128 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The RX has not been fully tested, yet.

The A6 Allroad’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the RX’s (12 vs. 6 years).

There are over 25 percent more Audi dealers than there are Lexus dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the A6 Allroad’s warranty.

The A6 Allroad’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 89 more horsepower (335 vs. 246) and 136 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 233) than the RX 350h’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The A6 Allroad’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 60 more horsepower (335 vs. 275) and 52 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 317) than the RX 350’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the A6 Allroad gets better fuel mileage than the RX 350 AWD (21 city/30 hwy vs. 21 city/28 hwy).

Both the A6 Allroad and the RX have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All A6 Allroads have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. The RX 350h/500h doesn’t offer a way to disable start/stop.

The A6 Allroad has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the RX 350h/500h’s standard fuel tank (19.3 vs. 17.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The A6 Allroad has 1.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the RX 350’s standard fuel tank (19.3 vs. 17.8 gallons).

The A6 Allroad offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The RX doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The A6 Allroad’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The RX doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the A6 Allroad’s standard front brake rotors are larger than those on the RX:

For better traction, the A6 Allroad has larger tires than the RX (245/45R20 vs. 235/60R19).

The A6 Allroad’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the RX’s standard 60 series tires. The A6 Allroad’s tires are lower profile than the RX’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the A6 Allroad has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the RX.

The front and rear suspension of the A6 Allroad uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the RX, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The A6 Allroad has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The A6 Allroad’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The RX doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the A6 Allroad’s wheelbase is 3 inches longer than on the RX (115.2 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

The A6 Allroad is 8.4 inches shorter in height than the RX, making the A6 Allroad much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

The design of the Audi A6 Allroad amounts to more than styling. The A6 Allroad has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .29 Cd. That is significantly lower than the RX (.35) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the A6 Allroad get better fuel mileage.

The A6 Allroad has .2 inches more front legroom and .9 inches more rear headroom than the RX.

The A6 Allroad has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the RX with its rear seat up (30 vs. 29.6 cubic feet). The A6 Allroad has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the RX with its rear seat folded (63.8 vs. 46.2 cubic feet).

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the A6 Allroad easier. The A6 Allroad’s trunk lift-over height is 27 inches, while the RX’s liftover is 31 inches.

The engine in the A6 Allroad is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the RX. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the RX Premium/Luxury/500h F Sport, the A6 Allroad Prestige offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle and climate settings and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the A6 Allroad to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The RX doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The A6 Allroad has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the RX.

The A6 Allroad Prestige offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the RX.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Audi A6 Allroad has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the RX.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Audi A6 Allroad and the Lexus RX, based on reliability, safety and performance.