Audi Q6 e-tron review

Audi Q6 e-tron verdict

The Audi Q6 e-tron is a perfectly good premium SUV. The technology, powertrain and build-quality are all of a very high standard, but there’s nothing about this electric SUV that really makes it stand out from an increasing number of rivals, except its sheer size. The upside of the Audi Q6 e-tron’s large stature is plenty of space, but urban driving and parking will prove rather challenging at times.

Details, specs and alternatives

As its name suggests, the Audi Q6 e-tron slots between the Q4 e-tron and Q8 e-tron in the brand’s electric SUV line-up. However, this ostensibly mid-size SUV is actually 4mm wider than the Q8 e-tron, so it’s a very sizable car for the class.

Underneath, the Audi Q6 e-tron sits on Volkswagen Group’s Premium Platform Electric (PPE), and this features an 800v architecture. Because of this tech, the 94.9kWh battery can be rapid-charged at speeds of up to 270kW, which means a 10 to 80% top-up takes as little as 21 minutes. When it is fully charged, Audi claims the Q6 e-tron can cover up to 381 miles.

All standard versions of the Q6 e-tron are fitted with a dual-motor powertrain with 383bhp and a combined 658Nm of torque. Alternatively, if you’re in a real hurry, there’s also a sportier SQ6 e-tron variant with 510bhp at its disposal. If that still isn’t enough, a hardcore RS Q6 e-tron is also on the cards, but this is only a maybe for now. A sleeker Sportback coupe version of the standard car will be arriving in the near future, too.

It’s the regular model which Audi believes will be the biggest seller, though, and this comes with the choice of three trim levels; Sport, S Line and Edition 1. The entry-level car is well kitted out with plenty of upmarket features including three-zone climate control, heated front and rear seats, ambient lighting, acoustic glass and a 14.5-inch OLED touchscreen with Audi’s MMI navigation plus system.

Moving up to S Line trim adds in some extra sporting flavour with larger alloy wheels, exclusive exterior trim, stainless steel pedals and an upgraded steering wheel. The range-topping Edition 1, meanwhile, takes things a step further with matrix LED headlights, memory function door mirrors, Dinamica sports seats, red brake calipers and a 10.9-inch passenger display. If you’re eyeing up the hotter SQ6 e-tron, this is only available in Edition 1 trim.

With prices starting from over £64,000, the Audi Q6 e-tron is going head-to-head with mid-size premium SUV competitors such as the BMW iX3 and Porsche Macan Electric.

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The Audi Q6 e-tron is a sizable car, and underneath it lurks an equally sizable 94.9kWh battery pack. Audi claims an official maximum range of up to 381 miles for the standard Q6 e-tron, dropping slightly to 357 miles for the hotter SQ6 e-tron.

We saw a steady real-world range of 300 miles when testing the standard car, so visits to the charger should be reasonably few and far between.

When you do plug it in, the Q6 e-tron’s 800V architecture allows 270kW DC rapid charging, and this means the battery pack can be topped up from 10 to 80% in only 21 minutes. If you’re hooking up at home using a 7.4kW wallbox charger, expect to wait for around 15 hours for a full charge from 0 to 100%.

If you’re in need of a quick “splash and dash”, Audi claims that 150 miles of range can be added to the Q6 e-tron in only 15 minutes, just as long as you can find a suitably powerful charger.

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By premium SUV standards, pricing for the Audi Q6 e-tron is pretty average with a starting sum of around £65,000. In comparison, the BMW iX3 also kicks off from around the same figure, although the entry-level Porsche Macan Electric commands closer to £70,000.

Things are a bit less average when it comes to insuring the Audi Q6 e-tron, though, as it resides in insurance groups 49 and 50. Regardless of which variant you choose, you’ll need to prepare for big premiums.

Things do get a bit better when it comes to day-to-day running costs, though, as a full charge of the Q6 e-tron’s 94.9kWh battery will cost just over £30 at a typical household rate of 30p per kWh. It avoids VED road tax until April 2025, too.

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Take a look at the Audi Q6 e-tron in the metal and its sheer size certainly stands out, so much so that some may doubt its classification as a mid-size SUV. However, it’s the width that’s most noticeable from behind the wheel, and we even found A-roads to be a bit nerve-wracking at times during testing, let alone urban sideroads. Thankfully, visibility isn’t an issue.

Stick to larger roads and this all-electric SUV is a very competent and refined mile-muncher. It’s comfortable and quiet, and there’s a decent amount of shove available when you need it.

More specifically, the standard car’s dual-motor powertrain delivers 383bhp, with 275Nm of torque going to the front motor and 580Nm to the rear. This is good for a 0-62mph time of 5.9 seconds and a 130mph top speed. The only version with extra power is the sportier SQ6 which has 515bhp on tap but the same amount of torque. This reduces the Audi’s sprint time to 4.3 seconds, while its top speed increases to 142mph.

These are pretty strong figures for a 2.3-tonne car, and this considerable weight is kept under a decent amount of control whenever the Q6 e-tron is aimed towards a corner. However, don’t go expecting any driving thrills as it’s better described as composed rather than exciting.

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One of the Audi Q6 e-tron’s biggest party pieces is its interior, and there’s plenty of highly impressive tech and design to be found here. 

The level of quality is typically high, too, and there’s a variety of pleasant materials throughout the cabin including fabrics, metals and even some wood. There are a couple of areas which let the side down, though, such as a flimsy roller on the cupholders and some peculiarly placed door trims. 

Up front are two standard-fit screens which make up Audi’s Virtual Cockpit. In front of the driver is an 11.9-inch display which is a bit fussily laid out, but the excellent head-up display helps to make key info a lot easier to decipher. At the centre is a 14.5-inch touchscreen running Audi’s MMI software, and this is a very responsive system that looks great and is easy to navigate.

An additional passenger display is also fitted as standard to Edition 1 models, as well as being optional on lower spec cars, but this isn’t much more than a gimmick. All of the information that this displays is already available on the centre touchscreen.

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There is one big upside to having a car as big as the Audi Q6 e-tron, and that is having oodles of interior space. Audi’s bespoke EV platform helps to further boost the amount of room on offer, too.

Passengers over six feet tall won’t have any space issues regardless of which seat they find themselves in as there’s plenty of head and legroom for everyone. However, the Q6 e-tron is strictly a five-seater, so those with a large family will have to look elsewhere.

Even when carrying a full house of five people, there’s still plenty of room for their luggage in the back of the Audi Q6 e-tron as it boasts 526 litres of boot space with the rear seats in place. Drop the back row and this increases to 1,529 litres. If you want a ‘frunk’ this is available as an option, but Audi will charge you £500 for the pleasure.

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Euro NCAP is yet to get its hands on the Audi Q6 e-tron, but the amount of standard-fit safety kit bodes well for its future rating. Every variant comes with adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, cross traffic assistance, 360-degree parking assistance and lane-changing assistance as standard. 

As with any brand-new car, it’ll be a while before we can determine the Audi Q6 e-tron’s reliability, but the brand has a pretty strong reputation in general for the build quality and durability of its cars. 

Three Audis appeared in our latest Driver Power rankings, but none of them were electric models. It’s worth noting that the brand itself has also only managed middling scores in our more recent Driver Power manufacturer charts.