Is the Audi This autumn E-Tron too small in your wants, whereas the Q8 E-Tron is simply too massive? Properly, look no additional than the 2025 Q6 E-Tron, the most recent electrical Audi crossover designed to separate the distinction between its bigger and smaller siblings. That’s not precisely probably the most thrilling introduction, nevertheless it’s true, and it’s additionally precisely how Audi pitched the Q6 E-Tron to us in its presentation.
Make all of the “similar sausage, completely different lengths” jokes you need, nevertheless it’s a wise, pragmatic strategy to filling out the lineup. Particularly since, if we’re going to run with the outdated cliche, I’d argue the standard of the sausage is way more necessary than the truth that you will get it in several sizes. Additionally, as the Q6 E-Tron is Audi’s first automobile to trip on the brand new Premium Platform Electrical structure collectively developed with Porsche for the Macan EV, it’s our first style of Audi’s reformulated recipe.
Whereas it didn’t wildly alter my understanding of what an electrical crossover might be and discombobulate my mind within the course of, the Q6 E-Tron did show to be a really competent, well-rounded luxurious crossover that ought to promote effectively when it arrives within the U.S. as a result of, on the finish of the day, it’s an Audi that simply so occurs to be electrical.
Full Disclosure: Audi wished me to drive the 2025 Q6 E-Tron so badly, it paid for my flight to Bilbao, Spain, offered a shuttle to the lodge in Donostia-San Sebastian, put me up in a pleasant room and offered extra wine and Iberico ham that I might deal with. Audi additionally graciously allowed me to e-book a later return flight in order that I might take pleasure in just a few days in Spain by myself. It didn’t, nonetheless, pay for my lodge keep after the press journey formally ended. That was all on me.
For individuals who aren’t acquainted, let’s get the fundamentals out of the way in which first. The Q6 E-Tron makes use of a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup that makes 422 horsepower in every day driving, however there’s a launch management mode that quickly offers you 456 hp. Weighing in at 5,269 kilos, it’ll hit 60 mph in a claimed 4.9 seconds. It additionally packs a 100-kWh battery, 94.4 kWh of which is usable, that gives an Audi-estimated vary of 307 miles.
If that’s not sufficient energy for you, and also you’re keen to sacrifice some vary and a bit extra of your money, there’s additionally the SQ6 E-Tron, which makes 483 hp (or 509 hp with launch management). It’s somewhat heavier, although, weighing in at 5,324 lbs, nevertheless it’ll hit 60 mph in 4.1 seconds. It’s actually faster, however that further acceleration additionally drops Audi’s estimated vary to 276 miles. In the true world, the decrease vary in all probability gained’t be a lot of a priority, however the individuals do like to see vary figures that begin with a 3.
Seems-wise, the entrance finish is busy, however the Q6’s total design is sort of good-looking. The actual star of the present is the inside, although. It isn’t fairly as flashy as a few of its rivals, nevertheless it’s extremely comfy, well-designed, and properly laid out. The controls had been straightforward to grasp, though I’d have most well-liked just a few extra bodily buttons or knobs. The squared-off steering wheel would possibly really feel odd at first, nevertheless it’s truly a really good factor to carry, and it consists of one in every of my favourite options when driving out of the country I’ve by no means visited earlier than — a velocity limiter.
I don’t know the way many individuals within the U.S. will truly use the velocity limiter, nevertheless it’s a type of options I completely love. Don’t wish to threat a dashing ticket, particularly in a spot the place you don’t communicate the language? Simply set your most allowed velocity, and also you’re good to go. It’s particularly useful on roads the place the turns are too tight to securely use cruise management. Audi’s actually not the one automaker to supply it, however I find it irresistible, I used it so much and I need extra individuals to learn about it. Don’t fear, adaptive cruise management and all the opposite necessary superior driver help techniques are there, too, I simply didn’t get to make use of them fairly often as a result of a lot of the drive route befell on winding again roads or going via numerous Basque villages. The surroundings was completely attractive, and Donostia is arguably probably the most stunning place I’ve ever seen, although, so it’s laborious to be mad that Audi didn’t have us do a three-hour freeway drive.
So far as tech that individuals truly care about goes, the Q6 has a flowery new digital structure that guarantees to be quicker and extra highly effective, in addition to Audi’s newest Android-based infotainment system. The motive force will get a crisp 11.9-inch OLED show and a 14.5-inch OLED heart touchscreen mixed in a single curved panel. In case you’re fearful that there usually are not sufficient screens, Audi will fortunately promote you a ten.9-inch LED passenger show that makes use of the magic of science to make itself invisible to the motive force, and it truly works fairly effectively. This was my first time having a passenger in a automotive with a passenger display screen, and I used to be shocked at how helpful he discovered it. It can even let the passenger watch movies whereas the automotive is in movement.
One other helpful piece of tech is the augmented actuality head-up show. Not solely does it have all of the options you’d count on from a contemporary HUD, nevertheless it additionally tasks navigation directions in entrance of you, which was, once more, very useful in an unfamiliar nation. It could be laborious to consider, however my Basque is definitely considerably worse than my Spanish.
Regardless of the U.S. model providing greater than 400 horsepower, the Q6 E-Tron that I drove didn’t truly really feel all that fast in common driving. A part of that, after all, comes all the way down to physics. In any case, 5,200 kilos is lots of kilos to maneuver round. The way more necessary half is that the European model we drove solely made 382 hp. The additional 40 hp would have been appreciated, however I’m additionally undecided that tells the entire story. I believe the insulation and refinement that make the Q6 E-Tron such a calming, quiet automotive to drive additionally find yourself making it really feel slower than it’s. It’ll nonetheless stand up and go while you want it to, and the American model ought to really feel faster. I simply don’t need anybody to stroll into the supplier for a take a look at drive anticipating to be blown away by the acceleration. Supposedly, there’s an RSQ6 E-Tron coming that ought to scratch that itch.
One concern that I bumped into, and apparently a number of different journalists skilled as effectively, seems to be some sort of bug within the native navigation system that will get triggered by a cellphone having Apple CarPlay or Android Auto on within the background and randomly deletes your drive route. Audi promised it might be mounted by the point the Q6 E-Tron goes on sale within the U.S., however the first time it occurred, we had been on the mercy of no matter route the GPS selected for us as we tried to get again to the lunch location we’d simply left to have Audi repair it.
Sadly for my drive accomplice and me, there have been lots of marked roads within the space that aren’t truly roads, which led to some sudden adventures and attainable trespassing. We did ultimately make it to the lunch cease so they might program the drive route again in, however not earlier than being instructed to drive up a sketchy two-track that had me grateful Spain doesn’t have America’s gun tradition. It wasn’t a very difficult highway, however I nonetheless put the automotive in Off-Street mode simply to make sure, and I can now let you know the Q6 E-Tron can drive up a grassy hill with no issues. That’s additionally in all probability the utmost quantity of off-roading anybody’s ever going to do in one in every of these, however hey, at the least now you realize.
So far as vary goes, primarily based on the numbers I noticed, I wouldn’t be shocked if the Q6 E-Tron ended up beating Audi’s estimate in real-world driving. Allegedly, the improved effectivity of the brand new electrical motors alone is nice for an additional 25 miles of vary, and you’ll inform Audi’s labored laborious to ensure it’s a usable every day driver — only a common Audi crossover that you simply don’t must put gasoline into.
U.S. pricing has but to be introduced, however in Europe, the Q6 E-Tron begins at €74,700, whereas the SQ6 E-Tron begins at €93,800. Nonetheless that finally ends up shaking out on this facet of the Atlantic, it’s in all probability secure to imagine the overwhelming majority of patrons can cost at house, so the one purpose vary ought to ever be a problem is if you wish to go on a 500-plus-mile highway journey. In that case, discovering working, out there chargers might be a a lot greater concern than how far it may go on the freeway with out charging. The excellent news is that Audi’s navigation system can plan a route for you with chargers alongside the way in which. It’s not essentially new know-how, nevertheless it’s good to not have to fret as a lot about discovering a close-by charger by yourself. Additionally, it may cost at as much as 270 kW, so if you will discover a quick sufficient charger, you’ll be again in your manner very quickly. 135 miles in about 10 minutes actually isn’t unhealthy, and you’ll cost from 10 to 80 % in a claimed 21 minutes.
At this level, you’ve in all probability observed I haven’t actually mentioned a lot about dealing with. That’s principally as a result of it’s largely not the purpose of this automotive. Not each electrical crossover must be the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. I’d say it’s competent, and it didn’t really feel utterly unsuited for the tight, winding roads we spent a lot time on, however I additionally didn’t ever really feel the need to push it more durable. Particularly since, whereas the Q6 E-Tron is typical and even small by American SUV requirements, it’s fairly giant for European roads, and there’s nonetheless no approach to get round its weight. I don’t even know the place I’d have tried to get it to slip if I’d wished to within the first place.
As a luxurious automotive, although, the Audi Q6 E-Tron is superb. You simply get in and drive, and also you don’t have to actually give it some thought. It places you comfortable even whereas coping with the stress of making an attempt to get un-lost in Spain. And that’s a very good factor. I say let luxurious automobiles be luxurious automobiles. Not every thing has to lap the Nürburgring in lower than eight minutes.
Audi says it expects deliveries to start within the fourth quarter of this 12 months “with further variants to comply with in 2025.” Count on U.S. pricing to be introduced nearer to that point.
