Last year Audi improved its A6 by using the same 4.2-liter, V-8 engine that powers the sporty Audi S4. For 2006, Audi has a new Avant wagon that uses a less powerful engine but provides a spacious and versatile cargo area and achieves three extra miles to the gallon on the highway.

The Avant, like other Audi models, sports the now traditional Audi trapezoidal-shape, single frame radiator grill that takes up most of the real estate between the Bi Xenon adaptive headlights that swivel up to 15% as the car turns a corner. The headlights came courtesy of a $2,500 Premium Package that also included a BOSE sound system, memory seats and mirrors, auto dimming interior mirror and other features.

Our test drive also included a $3,800 Technology Package with a navigation system using voice recognition, an XM Satellite radio and an advanced key that unlocks the driver’s door as your approach and allows you to start the car without inserting the key. The last of the A6’s three package options is a Cold Weather Package that adds a ski sack and heated rear seats. Our tester also added 18-inch alloy wheels for $900 and a power opening/closing tailgate for $450 that could be height adjusted so as to not hit the ceiling in a parking garage. The end result was a sedan with high-end luxury - leather seating surfaces, real wood inlays, 12 way power seats - combined with sport utility-like space versatility. Seats fold down with a 60/40 split, expanding cargo space from 20 cubic feet to 58.6. Two rails in the luggage area have lockable, sliding load-retaining lugs to fit items of various sizes. A telescoping arm and retractable cargo strap also help configure a way to secure odd shapes. The load floor also can be reconfigured. A shallow storage space exists underneath the floor above the spare tire. A6’s (there is an S-line with lots of exterior changes and the 4.2 A6 with the bigger 4.2-liter engine) all use a Multi-Media Interface for many interior controls. Similar to BMW technology, it controls navigation and audio.

Drivers may notice navigation data is at least five years old - a problem in rapidly growing urban areas. A rear window mesh shade is a nice touch. The ride is smooth (a sports suspension choice provides sharp road feedback) and quattro’s all-wheel drive, combines with electronic stabilization, yields firm control. Loaded with safety features, A6’s receive the highest front and side-impact ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The new look suggests power combined with elegance.