Is the Audi This autumn E-Tron too small on your wants, whereas the Q8 E-Tron is just too huge? Well, look no additional than the 2025 Q6 E-Tron, the newest electrical Audi crossover designed to separate the distinction between its bigger and smaller siblings. That’s not precisely essentially the most thrilling introduction, but it surely’s true, and it’s additionally precisely how Audi pitched the Q6 E-Tron to us in its presentation.
Make all of the “same sausage, different lengths” jokes you need, but it surely’s a wise, pragmatic method to filling out the lineup. Especially since, if we’re going to run with the previous cliche, I’d argue the standard of the sausage is far more vital than the truth that you may get it in several sizes. Also, as the Q6 E-Tron is Audi’s first automobile to trip on the brand new Premium Platform Electric structure collectively developed with Porsche for the Macan EV, it’s our first style of Audi’s reformulated recipe.
While 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 needed me to drive the 2025 Q6 E-Tron so badly, it paid for my flight to Bilbao, Spain, offered a shuttle to the resort 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 resort keep after the press journey formally ended. That was all on me.
For those that aren’t acquainted, let’s get the fundamentals out of the best way first. The Q6 E-Tron makes use of a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup that makes 422 horsepower in each day driving, however there’s a launch management mode that briefly 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, but it surely’ll hit 60 mph in 4.1 seconds. It’s actually faster, however that additional acceleration additionally drops Audi’s estimated vary to 276 miles. In the true world, the decrease vary most likely gained’t be a lot of a priority, however the folks do like to see vary figures that begin with a 3.
Looks-wise, the entrance finish is busy, however the Q6’s total design is kind of good-looking. The actual star of the present is the inside, although. It isn’t fairly as flashy as a few of its opponents, but it surely’s extremely comfy, well-designed, and properly laid out. The controls had been simple to grasp, though I’d have most popular just a few extra bodily buttons or knobs. The squared-off steering wheel may really feel odd at first, but it surely’s really a really good factor to carry, and it contains considered one of my favourite options when driving abroad I’ve by no means visited earlier than — a pace limiter.
I don’t know the way many individuals within the U.S. will really use the pace limiter, but it surely’s a kind of options I completely love. Don’t wish to danger a rushing ticket, particularly in a spot the place you don’t communicate the language? Just set your most allowed pace, 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 adore it, I used it loads and I need extra folks to find out about it. Don’t fear, adaptive cruise management and all the opposite vital superior driver help methods 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 happened on winding again roads or going by means of numerous Basque villages. The surroundings was completely beautiful, and Donostia is arguably essentially the most lovely place I’ve ever seen, although, so it’s exhausting to be mad that Audi didn’t have us do a three-hour freeway drive.
As far as tech that individuals really care about goes, the Q6 has a flowery new digital structure that guarantees to be sooner and extra highly effective, in addition to Audi’s newest Android-based infotainment system. The driver will get a crisp 11.9-inch OLED show and a 14.5-inch OLED heart touchscreen mixed in a single curved panel. If you’re frightened that there should 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 really works fairly effectively. This was my first time having a passenger in a automotive with a passenger display, and I used to be stunned at how helpful he discovered it. It will even let the passenger watch movies whereas the automotive is in movement.
Another 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, but it surely additionally tasks navigation directions in entrance of you, which was, once more, very useful in an unfamiliar nation. It could also be exhausting to imagine, however my Basque is definitely considerably worse than my Spanish.
Despite the U.S. model providing greater than 400 horsepower, the Q6 E-Tron that I drove didn’t really really feel all that fast in common driving. Part of that, after all, comes right down to physics. After all, 5,200 kilos is quite a lot of kilos to maneuver round. The far more vital half is that the European model we drove solely made 382 hp. The additional 40 hp would have been appreciated, however I’m additionally unsure that tells the entire story. I think the insulation and refinement that make the Q6 E-Tron such a soothing, quiet automotive to drive additionally find yourself making it really feel slower than it’s. It’ll nonetheless rise up and go if you want it to, and the American model ought to really feel faster. I simply don’t need anybody to stroll into the seller for a check drive anticipating to be blown away by the acceleration. Supposedly, there’s an RSQ6 E-Tron coming that ought to scratch that itch.
One subject that I bumped into, and apparently a number of different journalists skilled as effectively, seems to be some form of bug within the native navigation system that will get triggered by a telephone having Apple CarPlay or Android Auto on within the background and randomly deletes your drive route. Audi promised it will 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.
Unfortunately for my drive companion and me, there have been quite a lot of marked roads within the space that aren’t really roads, which led to some sudden adventures and attainable trespassing. We did finally make it to the lunch cease so they may 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 street, however I nonetheless put the automotive in Off-Road mode simply to make sure, and I can now inform you the Q6 E-Tron can drive up a grassy hill with no issues. That’s additionally most likely the utmost quantity of off-roading anybody’s ever going to do in considered one of these, however hey, not less than now you realize.
As far as vary goes, primarily based on the numbers I noticed, I wouldn’t be stunned 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 may inform Audi’s labored exhausting to verify it’s a usable each day driver — only a common Audi crossover that you just don’t need to 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. However that finally ends up shaking out on this aspect of the Atlantic, it’s most likely protected 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 street journey. In that case, discovering working, obtainable chargers might be a a lot greater concern than how far it might 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 best way. It’s not essentially new know-how, but it surely’s good to not have to fret as a lot about discovering a close-by charger by yourself. Also, it might cost at as much as 270 kW, so if yow will discover a quick sufficient charger, you’ll be again in your approach very quickly. 135 miles in about 10 minutes actually isn’t unhealthy, and you may cost from 10 to 80 % in a claimed 21 minutes.
At this level, you’ve most likely seen 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 tougher. Especially 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 solution to get round its weight. I don’t even know the place I’d have tried to get it to slip if I’d needed 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 essentially give it some thought. It places you relaxed even whereas coping with the stress of making an attempt to get un-lost in Spain. And that’s an excellent factor. I say let luxurious automobiles be luxurious automobiles. Not the whole lot has to lap the Nürburgring in lower than eight minutes.
Audi says it expects deliveries to start within the fourth quarter of this yr “with additional variants to follow in 2025.” Expect U.S. pricing to be introduced nearer to that point.
Source: jalopnik.com