Audi Q6 e-tron long-term test: report 3

The car Audi Q6 e-tron Sport Performance Run by Stuart Milne, digital editor

Why it’s here It’s the first model based on Audi’s newest platform, so we’re seeing what lies ahead for its next-gen EVs

Needs to provide a sumptuous and tech-laden appeal in line with its price, and slot straight in to family life

Miles covered 3817 Price £64,230 Target price £64,230 Price as tested £68,665 Official range 389 miles Test range 266 miles

14 March 2025 – Putting the 'kar’ in karaoke

“I got chills, they're multiplying, and I'm losing control. 'Cause the power you're supplying... it's electrifying,” sang John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. And my Audi Q6 e-tron has, rather worryingly, given me the ability to create an all-new rendition of the entire Grease soundtrack – all while I’m parked up and charging.

That’s because I’ve discovered the Stingray Karaoke app, which can be downloaded to the car via a convenient internet connection. It displays song lyrics against a backing track when the car is parked, and those same lyrics can be shown on a passenger’s smartphone on the move.

As a committed karaoke-phobe, it’s multiplying those chills, but it does make a lot of sense for families – or wannabe Mick Jaggers – who find themselves at a loose end when using a public charger.

But if you (Can’t Get No) Satisfaction from that, then all is not lost because there’s a wide range of other apps that are free, although some require a subscription. The Vivaldi web browser makes it easy for me to catch up on the latest goings-on at whatcar.com, the YouTube app is great – and there’s even a Mario Kart-like racing game that's fun (if awkward) to play.

Some apps are chunky downloads, so I connected to my home wifi on my driveway rather than eating through my mobile data allowance.

However, the prospect of paying £10.99 to have a themed wallpaper in the infotainment background is rather alarming. I’ve not seen this since the days of Nokia mobile wallpapers in the late 1990s. You can’t complete the purchase on the infotainment screen because it bounces you into the My Audi app for payment, but that's no bad thing. The app is easy to use and provides information on charge levels, driving data, the car's location, whether it's locked, plus the car's manual.

The car's apps are slick, as long as your phone’s internet connection is up to snuff, and there are mechanisms in place to prevent you from being distracted by the screen when you’re driving. 

It’s a shame, then, that only the top-of-the-range Edition 1 models have the extra passenger-side screen to display the apps permanently, and it’s not even an option on lesser versions including my Sport trim model.

So is all this a bit gimmicky? Perhaps. But given the relatively limited number of public chargers that can really stretch the Q6 e-tron’s 270kW charging speed – and the potential to charge from 10-80% in 21 minutes – it’s likely I’ll be spending an awful lot longer plugged in than that. Go greased lightnin'...

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