2006 Audi A6 Avant Quattro

If your idea of luxury transportation combines sport and utility--and you don't want a truck--the Audi A6 Avant quattro deserves your consideration.

Cargo capacity is a useful 20.0 cubic feet; fold the rear seats, and the space grows to 58.6. A cargo-management system centers around rails that run the length of the rear bay and incorporates four adjustable tie-down rings and a telescoping rail system that can be configured to keep packages secure. The rear deck's opening height can be programmed electronically to accommodate low garage ceilings.

There's one powertrain choice: Audi's 3.2-liter, 255-horse FSI fuel-injected V-6 backed by a Tiptronic six-speed automatic. Quattro all-wheel drive is standard. A power moonroof and heated front seats, optional on A6 sedans, also are standard on the Avant.

The Avant offers a solid, quiet, satisfying ride and handling persona and adequate, if not flame-throwing, acceleration. The interior design, using high-quality materials, is handsome and beautifully finished. Audi plans to bring about 2500 A6 Avants here per year, a modest number that should find ready demand.