Lexus IS 300 AWD vs Audi A6 Avant: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the A6 Avant hits 100 km/h in 7.00 s versus 7.70 s for the IS 300 AWD. At this point, the A6 Avant leads by 0.70 s and sits roughly 28 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the A6 Avant is doing 117 km/h against 122 km/h for the IS 300 AWD. The gap is 0.92 s. The gap widens compared to the 0-100.

At 400 metres standing start, the A6 Avant crosses the line in 15.02 s versus 15.66 s. The 0.64 s gap represents roughly 27 m of track - two to three car lengths.

Past 400 metres, the situation changes. The IS 300 AWD maxes out at 210 km/h while the A6 Avant keeps accelerating towards 238 km/h. At 600 metres, the gap has dropped to 0.31 s.

Around 816 metres, both vehicles are level. This is the inversion point: the IS 300 AWD overcomes its launch deficit thanks to a 28 km/h higher top speed.

At 1,000 metres, the IS 300 AWD finishes in 27.75 s versus 27.98 s. The 0.23 s delta shows an extremely tight race.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the IS 300 AWD is capped at 210 km/h, the A6 Avant at 238 km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

With two combustion powertrains, the difference comes down to power-to-weight ratio (7.08 kg/hp vs 9.80 kg/hp) and transmission (Automatic vs Automatic).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 11.76 seconds. The 0.70 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.