Every Audi High-Performance Wagon, Ranked

There are some who will argue that the RS 3 Sportback is a hatchback and not a wagon, but we’re going to count the five-door variant for our current purposes (the three-door is, undeniably, a hatch). This RS model, which didn’t debut until near the end of the base A3’s second generation in 2011, may be the smallest entry on this list, but it still packs a punch. Under the hoo,d you’ll find a potent 2.5-liter straight five that makes 335 hp and 332 ft lbs of torque, which is more than enough (and then some) for a vehicle of its stature. Add in Quattro all-wheel drive, and you have yourself a compact that can hold its own.

It may not be as stylish as a predecessor, but the B7 RS 4 Avant shows just why Audi’s RS wagons have so many fans. Sure, its look—like that of most of the marque’s cars during its era—is on the generic end of the design spectrum, but the second version of the model, which debuted in 2006, can really move. It’s powered by a naturally aspirated 4.2-liter V-8 mated exclusively to a seven-speed manual that makes up to 414 hp. The wagon also featured what was at the time the latest version of the Quattro all-wheel-drive system.

The first RS 3 Sportback made enough of an impression for Audi to bring it back in 2015. It returned from its three years away from the spotlight with a more defined look that featured a more aggressive front fascia and sharper lines. The powertrain also got a boost, with the straight five now kicking 362 hp and 343 ft lbs of torque to all four wheels.

The third iteration of the RS 4 Avant shows that refinement is sometimes better than reinvention. The B8 is a better vehicle in nearly every aspect than its predecessor, the B7. It’s got a sharper exterior, and its naturally aspirated 4.2-liter V-8 makes 444 horses. The increase in output is enough to push the wagon from zero to 60 mph in just 4.2 seconds. The one drawback is that it was no longer available with the manual gearbox that had been the exclusive transmission option during its first two generations.

The flagship of Audi’s lineup of RS wagons, the RS 6 Avant, made its debut in 2002. It was one of two body styles available for the most potent version of the A6. The model’s too-smooth shape hasn’t aged as well as its predecessors, the RS 2 and first-gen RS 4, but it was still an undeniable beast, thanks to a 4.2-liter biturbo V-8 that makes 438 hp. It was also, until earlier this decade, the only RS wagon ever officially sold in the U.S., something we’re glad is no longer the case.

If the RS 3 Sportsback is a hatch, rather than a small wagon, its third iteration is the hottest of them all. A refreshed version of the youngest member of the RS wagon family debuted in 2024 and features a stiffer chassis and a 2.5-liter inline-five that makes 401 horses. All that oomph is split between all four corners by a seven-speed dual-clutch S-Tronic gearbox. The four-door puts all that strength to good use, as it’s able to sprint from zero to 60 mph in just 3.6 mph on its way to a top speed of 155 mph.

The difference between the first and second RS 6 Avant generations is anything but subtle. The C6, which debuted in 2008, four years after the C5 went out of production, featured bolder lines, a more defined shape, and, most importantly of all, a lot more power. That’s because this wagon has a 5.0-liter V-10 that makes 564 horses, easily making it the most potent Audi up until that point. Some automakers would have been content to stop there, but the best was yet to come.

The third time was the charm for the RS 6 Avant. The model’s first two iterations were available as a wagon and a sedan, but by the time the C7 debuted in 2013, Audi decided it was time to focus on the former exclusively. Technically, this version of the vehicle, which has a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8, is less powerful than its V-10 predecessor—it made 543 hp compared to 564 hp—but it is faster. It can spring from zero to 62 mph in less than four seconds and can reach a top speed of 155 mph.

The RS 4 Avant may be smaller than its younger sibling, the RS 6, but that doesn’t mean it is lacking in power. The latest generation, the B9, debuted in 2018, and shows exactly why the model has been around in various forms since the last century. It features a redesigned exterior that’s as stylish as it has been since its boxy earlier days, along with a 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V-6. That mill may have two fewer cylinders than its predecessor, but it still produces 444 hp and an increased 443 ft lbs of torque.

The third-gen RS 4 Avant’s Nogaro Selection Limited Edition model may be more of a design package than an individual model, but it sure looks good. To celebrate 20 years of the RS 2 Avant, Audi released an exclusive variant finished in Nogaro Blue, one of the colors most associated with the original vehicle. In addition to the finish, the four-door also came with black trim, red brake calipers, and a blue Alcantara interior. It was also rare, with only around 200 examples leaving the factory in 2014.

There’s a lot to love about the C8 RS 6 Avant, but the best feature, without question, is that it’s actually available in the U.S. Audi brought the model’s first generation stateside, but none of the successive iterations (or any version of the RS 2, RS 3, or RS 4) until the fifth debuted in 2020. But that’s far from all that makes the C8 special. It also pairs a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 with a 48-volt mild hybrid system. The duo pumps out 584 hp and 590 ft lbs of torque, which is enough to push the vehicle from zero to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds and to a top speed of 174 mph when spec’d with the Dynamic package. If it weren’t for the more powerful variants that would follow, it would be in the running for greatest RS of them all.

Each RS 6 Avant, by virtue of being a RennSport model, is a high-performance build. This didn’t stop Audi from eventually releasing a higher-performance version. The first of these, dubbed the Plus, arrived towards the end of the initial C5 generation. The exclusive variant looks almost identical to the base version, aside from a Black Optic trim package, but features a more powerful V-8 that pumps out 467 hp. That extra bit of oomph was clearly enticing, as the 999-vehicle production run quickly sold out.

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This one is here because, aside from its direct predecessor, the RS 2 Avant, it’s the next best-looking Audi performance wagon. Don’t get us wrong, the first RS 4 Avant is an excellent vehicle, but it’s been eclipsed, and then some, since its debut in 1999. Still, the gloriously boxy estate’s Cosworth-developed engine, a 2.7-liter biturbo V-6, has plenty of pep, able to produce a respectable 370 hp and 325 ft lbs of torque, which is routed to all four wheels via a six-speed manual.

This decade has seen Audi do plenty to make up for all that time that its high-performance wagons was kept out of reach of American enthusiasts. In 2021, one year after the C8 RS 6 Avant made it to our shores, the brand released the RS Tribute Edition, a 1-of-25 celebration of the very first RS wagon that was exclusive to North America. Like the B8’s Nogaro Selection Limited Edition, it’s more of a design package than a mechanically distinct variant, but few will complain once they see its Nogaro Blue finish, aggressive aero kit, and 22-inch silver-cast aluminum wheels. Good things really do come to those who wait.

Here where it became clear that it was more accurate to call the RS 6 Avant a superwagon than a mere sports wagon. Released towards the tail end of the C7 generation, the original RS 6 Avant Performance was a true speed machine, plain and simple. Sure, it had the same V-8 as the standard model, but a revised ECU map boosted output to 589 hp and 553 ft lbs of torque, an incredible amount for an estate. It can accelerate from zero to 62 mph in just 3.7 seconds and, when equipped with the Dynamic Plus performance package, hit a top speed of 190 mph.

Rarely is a model name so apt. The C8 RS 6 Avant Performance takes everything that was loved about the standard version of the wagon and adds more power. Specifically, its hybrid-assisted 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 has been retuned to make 613 hp and 627 ft lb of torque, bumps of 29 hp and 37 ft lbs of torque, respectively. Thanks to the added oomph, the longroof can sprint from zero to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds and hit a top speed of 190 mph when equipped with the Dynamic Plus package.

The fifth-generation RS 6 Avant GT is for those who don’t think the Performance variant is hardcore enough. Inspired by Audi’s 90 IMSA GTO race car, the high-performance model comes covered in a racing-inspired livery and features even more carbon-fiber aero elements than before. Thanks to the latter feature, the estate weighs 33 pounds less than the Performance model, enough of a difference to shave a tenth of a second off its zero-to-60-mph time. It’s also rare, with only 660 examples rolling off the line in 2025, the one year it was in production.

The RS 2 Avant isn’t the most powerful Audi wagon, but, more than three decades on from its debut, it’s hard not to view it as the very best. It’s easy to see why the first RennSport model continues to have such a hold on enthusiasts. In addition to looking gorgeous, the boxy estate featured engineering by none other than Porsche. Thanks to the sports car maker’s contributions, the vehicle’s 2.2-liter turbocharged inline-five produced 311 hp and 302 ft lbs of torque, which was routed to all four wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. Less than 3,000 examples rolled off the line during the 16 months it was in production, some of which have finally begun to make it to our shores via import over the last decade.