Audi A6 vs. Tesla Model S
iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the Audi A6 and Tesla Model S contrasts the two cars across a broad spectrum of vehicle specifications to determine which car is better. In addition to comparing pricing and specs, iSeeCars uses all the ratings, rankings, and insights from its comprehensive analyses of each vehicle model, including calculations of reliability, safety, depreciation, value retention, and the vehicle's projected lifetime recalls (based on analyzing over 25 billion data points). This in-depth evaluation is used to identify which vehicle represents a better overall choice for shoppers who are considering both the Audi A6 and the Tesla Model S.
When we compare the Audi A6's and the Tesla Model S's specifications and ratings, the Audi A6 has the advantage in the areas of typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars, and resale value. The Tesla Model S has the advantage in the areas of reliability, interior volume and base engine power. The Audi A6 and Tesla Model S have the same overall quality score. Based on this comparison of the Audi A6's and the Tesla Model S's specifications and ratings, the Tesla Model S is a better car than the Audi A6.
Pricing: A used 2025 Audi A6 ranges from $47,998 to $71,140 while a used 2025 Tesla Model S is priced between $59,824 to $89,996.
Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the Audi A6 loses 60.9 percent of its value and the Tesla Model S loses 65.1 percent of its value. This means the Audi A6 retains 4.2 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the Tesla Model S.
Quality Rating: The iSeeCars Overall Quality rating for the Audi A6 and Tesla Model S is 7.5 out of 10. This results in the Audi A6 being ranked 6 out of 20 Best Luxury Midsize Cars and the Tesla Model S being ranked 1 out of 34 Best Electric Cars.
Reliability Rating: iSeeCars’ Reliability Rating for the Audi A6 is 7.5 out of 10. For the Tesla Model S the reliability rating is 8.2 out of 10. This gives the Tesla Model S a slight advantage in reliability compared to the Audi A6.
Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the Audi A6’s base engine makes 261 horsepower, and the Tesla Model S base engine makes 670 horsepower. The A6 is rated to deliver an average of 26 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 598 miles. The Model S is rated to deliver an average of 127 miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent (MPGe), with a highway range of 402 miles.This gives the Tesla Model S the advantage in fuel efficiency and the Audi A6 the advantage in maximum range. The A6 uses premium unleaded, and the Model S uses electricity.
Passenger Space Comparison: The Tesla Model S, a electric large car, has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front head room, front shoulder room, front leg room, and cargo space. The Audi A6, a midsize car, has the advantage in the areas of rear shoulder room and rear leg room. The Audi A6 and Tesla Model S are comparable in regards to rear head room.
Safety Ratings: The Audi A6 has an average safety rating of 5 out of 5 Stars based on NHTSA's crash test ratings.
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
59135 - 78929
Starting MSRP:
58100
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
79467
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
42140 - 200195
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
-
Starting MSRP:
79990
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Electric Large Cars)
145898
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Electric Large Cars)
79990 - 340000
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
58757
Price Range:
47998 - 71140
Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
80683
Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
43661 - 144992
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
# Good or Great Deals:
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
79022
Price Range:
59824 - 89996
Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Electric Large Cars)
107806
Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Electric Large Cars)
79022 - 127781
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
# Good or Great Deals:
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
35532
Depreciation %:
0.61156182
Resale Value $:
22568
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
0.49394848
Category Depreciation Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
0.39819597 - 0.61156182
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
Depreciation %:
Resale Value $:
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Luxury Electric Large Cars)
0.59259308
Category Depreciation Range:
(Luxury Electric Large Cars)
0.5924518 - 0.66450392
Audi A6 Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
7.5 / 10
Reliability:
7.5 / 10
Retained Value:
7.1 / 10
Safety:
8.0 / 10
Tesla Model S Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
7.5 / 10
Reliability:
8.2 / 10
Retained Value:
6.8 / 10
Safety:
Not available
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Audi A6
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
10.7
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
13.2
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
9.4 - 22.1
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.045
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Tesla Model S
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
16.3
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
N/A
Category Life Expectancy Range:
N/A
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.191
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
1.9696536471404869
Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
3.0
Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
1.5 - 35.8
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
154.36318137929226
Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Electric Large Cars)
6.9
Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Electric Large Cars)
1.8 - 154.4
Audi A6 Rankings
Ranking
2 out of / 20Ranking
4 out of / 20Ranking
4 out of / 20Ranking
4 out of / 16Ranking
6 out of / 20Ranking
6 out of / 20Ranking
6 out of / 20Ranking
9 out of / 20Ranking
9 out of / 16Ranking
10 out of / 20Ranking
14 out of / 20Ranking
20 out of / 20Tesla Model S Rankings
Ranking
1 out of / 34Ranking
1 out of / 34Ranking
1 out of / 25Ranking
1 out of / 25Ranking
1 out of / 2Ranking
1 out of / 2Ranking
2 out of / 34Ranking
2 out of / 25Ranking
2 out of / 25Ranking
2 out of / 25Ranking
3 out of / 34Ranking
6 out of / 25Ranking
7 out of / 25Ranking
10 out of / 34Ranking
10 out of / 25Ranking
10 out of / 25Ranking
13 out of / 34Ranking
13 out of / 22Ranking
15 out of / 34Ranking
15 out of / 34Ranking
19 out of / 28Available Body Styles
Sedan
Available Body Styles
Sedan
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Available Drivetrain Options
Electric
Audi A6 Trim Levels
quattro Premium 45 TFSI, quattro Premium 55 TFSI, quattro Premium Plus 45 TFSI, quattro Premium Plus 55 TFSI, quattro Prestige 55 TFSI
Tesla Model S Trim Levels
Base, Plaid
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
4 years
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
8 years / 150000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
4 years / 50000 miles
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
5 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
261 hp @ 5000 rpm
Torque:
273 foot-lbs @ 1600 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.064 hp per pound
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
670 hp
Torque:
723 foot-lbs
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.147 hp per pound
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
2 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
24 / 31 / 26
MPGe:
Not applicable
Range (city/hwy):
463 / 598 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Premium Unleaded
Battery Size/Capacity :
Not applicable
Maximum Charging Rate:
Not applicable
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
Not Applicable
Engine Configuration:
Not Applicable
Number of Cylinders:
Not Applicable
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
Not applicable
MPGe:
127 / 116 / 124
Range (city/hwy):
402 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Electricity
Battery Size/Capacity:
100 kWh
Maximum Charging Rate:
14 hours (240V)
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Heated Seats
Standard
Internet Radio:
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
Standard
Navigation System:
Standard
Paddle Shifters:
Standard
Parking Sensors:
Standard
Power Lift Gate:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Satellite radio:
Standard
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Wifi:
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Available
Automatic Parking:
Available
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
Available
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Massage Seats:
Available
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Roof Rack:
N/A
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
N/A
Apple CarPlay:
N/A
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Heated Seats
Standard
Internet Radio:
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
Standard
Navigation System:
Standard
Paddle Shifters:
N/A
Parking Sensors:
Standard
Power Lift Gate:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Satellite radio:
Standard
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Wifi:
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Standard
Automatic Parking:
Available
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
Standard
Heated Steering Wheel:
Standard
Massage Seats:
N/A
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Standard
Air Suspension:
Standard
Captain's seat:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
Standard
Quad Seats:
N/A
Roof Rack:
Available
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Driver Attention Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Lane Keeping Assist:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
Available
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Available
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Available
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Driver Attention Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Lane Keeping Assist:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
38 inches
Front Leg Room:
41.3 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
57.8 inches
Rear Head Room:
38.1 inches
Rear Leg Room:
37.4 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
56.5 inches
Cargo Space:
13.7 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
99.0 cubic feet
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
39.7 inches
Front Leg Room:
42.4 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
58.4 inches
Rear Head Room:
38.1 inches
Rear Leg Room:
35.5 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
55.1 inches
Cargo Space:
28.2 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
120.3 cubic feet
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
4101 lbs
Width:
83.1 inches
Height:
57.4 inches
Length:
194.4 inches
Wheelbase:
115.1 inches
Ground Clearance:
4.2 inches
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
4560 lbs
Width:
86.2 inches
Height:
56.3 inches
Length:
197.7 inches
Wheelbase:
116.5 inches
Ground Clearance:
5 inches
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
19.0 x 8.5 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
245/45R19
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
19.0 x 9.5 inches
Wheel Type:
painted aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
255/45R19
Exterior Colors
Black
Brilliant Black / Mythos Black Metallic
Blue
Firmament Blue Metallic
Brown
Madeira Brown Metallic
Gray
Chronos Gray Metallic / Manhattan Gray Metallic
Silver
Florett Silver Metallic
White
Arkona White / Glacier White Metallic
Red
Not available
Exterior Colors
Black
Solid Black
Blue
Deep Blue Metallic
Brown
Not available
Gray
Stealth Gray
Silver
Lunar Silver
White
Pearl White Multi-Coat
Red
Ultra Red
Interior Colors
Beige
Pearl Beige w/ Agate Gray Stitching
Black
Black
Brown
Okapi Brown w/ Steel Gray Stitching
White
Not available
Interior Colors
Beige
Cream
Black
Black
Brown
Not available
White
Black and White
