Audi Q6 e-tron review

It's been a busy time for Audi launches, and the flood of new models began with the car we're reviewing here – the Audi Q6 e-tron.

So what exactly is the Q6? Well – as the Q in its name suggests – it's an SUV, but this one's fully electric. Officially, it slots between the Audi Q4 e-tron and the Q8 e-tron in the German brand's range. Unofficially? The Q8 has been axed, leaving the Q6 with some rather big boots to fill.

That means it’s fighting on two fronts. Entry-level versions will go toe-to-toe with the next BMW iX3 and the ever-dominant (in sales at least) Tesla Model Y. Meanwhile, pricier long-range Q6s will need to fend off the Mercedes EQE SUV and Polestar 3. No pressure, then.

Still, the fundamentals look strong. It sits on an all-new car platform shared with the Porsche Macan Electric, has cutting-edge battery tech, and promises competitive charging speeds.

Time to find out if the Audi Q6 e-tron can deliver a knock-out punch to rival electric SUVs...

The term Q-car was used for sensible-looking models with rapid performance long before Audi started building Q-badged SUVs, but it suits the Q6 e-tron well. You see, the Q6 is surprisingly quick for what looks like a sensible SUV.

Even the slowest version, the single-motor Sport – which, like most versions, has rear-wheel drive – officially does 0-62mph in seven seconds. At the other end of the scale, the dual-motor, four-wheel drive Sport quattro slashes the sprint time to 5.9 seconds – and that's hot-hatch territory.

Yet, because the Q6 is so smooth and quiet, acceleration never feels as dramatic as the numbers suggest. The scenery flies by at an increasing rate, but rather than the neck-snapping rush of a sports car, it’s more like the seamless surge of a jet taking off.

That’s why we’d plump for the single-motor Performance – the Goldilocks option. With 322bhp, it’s not quite as powerful as the Sport quattro (383bhp), but it feels no less punchy, and hits 62mph in 6.6 seconds.

Plus, the Performance has the longest range of the lot: 393 miles compared with 382 miles for the Sport quattro and 326 miles for the Sport. (The Sport has a 75.8kWh usable capacity battery, while the Performance and Sport quattro get 94.9kWh ones.)

With that kind of range on tap, it helps that the Q6 is a relaxing long-distance companion. On the standard 19in wheels of Sport trim, road noise is well contained (the 21in wheels on Edition 1 versions introduce a bit of a drone), and its side windows generate less wind noise than the frameless ones in the Porsche Macan Electric.

Add in a composed high-speed ride – one that makes a Tesla Model Y feel like a farm cart – and the Q6 is a supremely comfortable way to while away the miles.

Around town it’s a different story. The ride turns brittle over urban scars and potholes, reminding you that this is still a hefty electric SUV on conventional steel springs.

Ah, but surely there’s an air suspension option, like on the closely related Macan? Nope. That's reserved exclusively for the performance-focused SQ6. That’s a problem because it means the Macan is not only sharper to drive than the Q6, but, with air suspension fitted, also more comfortable.

Still, ask the Q6 e-tron to get you from A to B (where B happens to be on the other side of a mountain pass) and it will do so with calm precision. It's not as agile as a Polestar 3 and doesn't have the feelsome steering of a Macan, but it always goes exactly where you point it and body lean is relatively well contained.

What’s more, its regenerative braking system is well-judged. The adaptive setting automatically adjusts how quickly the car slows when you lift off the accelerator, based on traffic and road lay-out. You can override it using paddles behind the steering wheel, and the brake pedal delivers far smoother, more predictable stopping power than the spongy one in the Mercedes EQE SUV – although the Macan remains the benchmark.

“Strangely, the now sold out Launch Edition spec cars came on air suspension, which you can’t have on any other Q6. I think it’s a shame as the ride quality around town was far more impressive than the cars on conventional steel springs." – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

If you’ve owned an Audi model that was launched before about 2018, you’ll have been lucky enough to enjoy build quality and interior materials that put rivals to shame. If you’re hoping for the same with the Q6 e-tron, you’ll be a little disappointed.

These things are relative of course, and the Q6's interior does look really swish, with dramatic ambient lighting and up to three big screens. It’s just a shame that while the dashboard is covered by either faux leather or suede, the hard and hollow plastic underneath is very obvious when you touch it.

Likewise, the tops of the doors are covered in a thin layer of squidgy plastic, which is certainly better than nothing. However, the attempt is more in line with the efforts of Kia or Land Rover than Polestar, Porsche – or, indeed, the team in charge of Audi interiors a few years ago.

The driving position is harder to fault. You feel like you’re in a big SUV, hovering high above the road with a penthouse view of where you’re headed. The seat is comfortable and really supportive, although you don’t get fully electric adjustment unless you go for range-topping Edition 1 trim (it's standard on a Polestar 3 or Porsche Macan Electric). 

We mentioned the trio of screens, and the first is an 11.9in Virtual Cockpit behind the steering wheel. Next to that, behind the same curved pieces of glass, there’s a 14.5in infotainment touchscreen, which is bright, quick to react to touches and easy to use. In fact it’s one of the best infotainment screens in the electric SUV class.

In Edition 1 models, there’s another 10.9in touchscreen in front of the passenger. Because the main infotainment screen is angled towards the driver, it’s harder for the passenger to use – and the second screen solves the problem. It’s also polarised, so the driver doesn't see what’s displayed on it and get distracted.

You might even argue that there’s a fourth display on models with the Sound & Vision Pack: a head-up display beams your speed, warnings and animated navigation directions on to the windscreen. The pack also brings an upgraded sound system, with a speaker in the headrest to deliver navigation instructions and warning messages.

“Audi’s old infotainment system, with its physical rotary controller, was less distracting to use on the move than the touchscreen-based system in the Q6. That said, I love that the dashboard is curved towards the driver making the screen easy to reach.” – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

The Audi Q6 e-tron is a sizeable SUV (almost 4.8 metres long) and just as practical as you might be hoping – as long as you don’t need more than five seats. You see, like it's main rivals, it's a five-seater only. 

Still, two or three passengers are really well catered for in the back. The seating position is comfortable (far more so than in a Tesla Model Y) and there’s more than enough leg and head room. Frankly, even the smaller Audi Q4 e-tron can accommodate two six-footers with space to spare, and the Q6 does it in an even more opulent fashion.

(If you want an electric seven-seater your options include the similarly priced Kia EV9 or the cheaper Mercedes EQB and Peugeot e-5008.)

The Q6 has 526 litres of boot space – so a little less than the closely related Porsche Macan Electric (540). That still beats the Mercedes EQE SUV (520 litres) and Polestar 3 (484 litres), and in truth all these cars are so spacious that they can easily swallow a couple of pushchairs, a set of golf clubs or enough luggage for a week away.

There’s a respectable amount of underfloor storage for the charging cable and the rear seats split in a handy 40/20/40 arrangement, so you can fold down the narrower central section and slide through longer items, while still leaving room for two rear passengers.

If you fork out an extra few hundred quid, you’ll gain a second 64-litre front boot under the bonnet, as well as some extra interior storage cubbies and a lockable glovebox. We’d argue this is a must-have option.

“The front boot is massively useful because it saves you having to throw a dirty charging cable in the main boot with your luggage, but I can’t help thinking that it should come as standard.” – Stuart Milne, Digital Editor

At a glance, the entry-level Audi Q6 e-tron looks like strong value, undercutting the face-lifted Tesla Model Y in its Launch Series trim. However, that’s largely because its rivals – including the Model Y – don’t offer a smaller battery option.

A more meaningful comparison comes with the single-motor Q6 Performance, which is the sweet spot of the range. It’s more expensive than a Model Y but slightly more affordable than an entry-level Porsche Macan Electric or a Polestar 3 Long Range Single Motor. In that company, the Mercedes EQE SUV stands out for all the wrong reasons, demanding a significant price premium.

Crucially, the Q6 is predicted to hold its value better than most electric SUV rivals, although not as well as the Macan, which is expected to depreciate at the slowest rate.

Of course, the Q6 arguably appeals most as company car because all electric cars attract a very low BIK tax rate. In short, it's far cheaper than any petrol, diesel or even plug-in hybrid alternative – and the difference in tax compared with direct rivals is so small that it’s unlikely to play a big part in your decision-making.

Charging capability is another area where the Q6 makes a strong case for itself. It has a maximum charging speed of up to 270kW, matching the Macan and outpacing the EQE SUV (170kW), Polestar 3 (250kW) and Model Y (250kW). In optimal conditions, a 10-80% charge can take as little as 21 minutes, although half an hour is more realistic.

The cheapest trim for the Q6 is Sport, and that gets you everything you’ll probably want, including 19in alloy wheels, keyless entry, adaptive cruise control and an EV heat pump. Upgrading to mid-spec S line brings bigger alloys, sportier styling touches and a flat-bottomed steering wheel, but nothing of any real substance.

Finally, there’s Edition 1 trim, which brings even bigger wheels, a second touchscreen for the front passenger, electrically adjustable front seats, matrix LED headlights and a module that can add an electronic soundtrack as you accelerate for a bit of drama.

The Q6 did well when it was tested for safety by Euro NCAP. It was awarded five stars out of five, with particularly strong scores for adult and child occupant protection (91% and 92% respectively).

Reliability, however, is less of a known quantity. It did not feature in the 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey but Audi’s overall performance was disappointing: it finished 24th out of 31 brands, behind all the key rivals.

“The optional Sound and Vision Pack isn’t cheap but it introduces a superb augmented-reality head-up display and 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo, and ups power of the USB-C sockets to 100W – perfect for charging an iPad or laptop.” – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

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