Audi Q6 e-tron SUV (2024 - ) Electric review

The upfront purchase price of the Audi Q6 e-tron is relatively high, uncomfortably close in cost to that of the electric Porsche Macan it shares its mechanicals with, though there’s more choice in the Audi range. The Q6 is, however, usefully more affordable than the Audi Q8 e-tron, a car it arguably outdoes in many areas. Additionally, the Q6 e-tron is generously well-equipped, somewhat justifying the outlay (though charging more for storage under the bonnet up front seems a little tight on Audi’s behalf), while its residual values should be strong, too, reducing the overall cost of ownership. On that score, as with all electric cars, the Q6 could cost pennies to run if you can charge it up on a low electricity rate at home or work. And it’ll go far between charges, too, thanks to a large battery enabling a WLTP range of up to 393 miles. An official efficiency figure of as high as 3.7 miles/kWh allows the 100kWh unit this result, though as ever with an electric car, achieving that will take some prudence on the driver’s behalf. A heat pump is fitted as standard, which should help with efficiency in winter.

As the Q6 e-tron is so new, there’s no reliability data to reassure buyers, though some reassurance should be taken from the fact that it has been developed on a platform specifically designed for more expensive cars in the Audi and Porsche line-ups, rather than one shared with budget models. In general, Audis are quite dependable, if expensive to repair when required. Tempering that of course is the fact that electric cars have fewer moving parts than those with petrol, diesel or hybrid engines, so there is less to inherently go wrong. On the flip side, the Q6’s new software and onboard technology are unproven. Nonetheless, the Q6’s battery pack comes with an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty, while the rest of the car is covered by a three-year warranty – with unlimited mileage in the first two years and a 60,000-mile limit in the third. Owners can purchase longer warranties directly from Audi if they wish.

The Audi Q6 has not yet been evaluated by the benchmark safety body, Euro NCAP, though Audi has a strong record on that score, and it’s expected it will receive a full five-star rating. Inside, there are airbags everywhere, yet the high level of advanced driver assistance technology should mean those won’t be needed by the vast majority of owners. Along with the expected lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control systems, the Q6 gets front emergency brake assist, intersection assist, lane change assistant, rear cross traffic assist, rear turn assist, an exit warning for the doors so you don’t inadvertently open them into the face of a cyclist or another car, and a driver-fatigue monitoring feature.

The interior of the Q6 e-tron is exceptionally comfortable no matter where you’re sitting thanks to high-quality materials throughout and supportive seats. There’s a flat floor in the rear so even those in the middle have plenty of space, though the raised centre seat is less comfortable than the outer two. The adequately sized boot is accessed via an automatic tailgate to further ease life with the car. Aside from that, there is three-zone climate control in the cabin, and seat heating front and rear (again, only for the outer two chairs in the back). Front-seat passengers benefit from four-way lumbar support as well, helping ease aches on longer journeys. On the subject of which, the Q6 proves to be really comfortable on the road, isolating the cabin from exterior noise and bumps in the road to a high standard. Admittedly, our test car featured the optional air suspension – which is standard only on the high-performance SQ6 model – so that will have given the chassis extra capability and the option to vary the ride height and comfort, though we’d expect the standard setup on modest 19-inch wheels to cope well, too.

There are items outside and inside the Q6 e-tron worth delving into here, as Audi has fitted it with its latest lighting and infotainment technology. Externally you’ll find a new generation of LED lighting with plenty of additional features, allowing owners to vary the daytime running light signature to their preference (front and rear) while changing appearance for safety at times as well – for example, flashing red triangles at the rear when the hazard lights are activated. Below the prominent LED units at the front are the main headlights, using matrix technology to maximise illumination at night even when there is oncoming traffic. Inside, the dashboard is dominated by the impressive OLED touchscreen and digital instruments. All this looks especially good at night if you’ve gone for the higher-specification ambient lighting. Another interesting option is a touchscreen for the front-seat passenger, allowing them to interact with the car and stream video. Thankfully the view is obscured from the driver so they can’t be distracted.

Even the entry-level Q6 e-tron has ample performance, which is apt given it’s called the “performance” model. Do be aware, however, that it is the only variant in the line-up to do without four-wheel drive, so it won’t have as much traction in slippery conditions as the models labelled “quattro”. Still, its rear-mounted electric motor can summon up an impressive 326 horsepower at times. The dual-motor quattro version is even faster, with up to 388 horsepower at your disposal, and even though the Q6 is quite a heavy car, it gets up to speed quickly. Just as importantly, it does so in a fuss-free and silent manner, without uncomfortably rapid acceleration that has come to define the fastest electric cars on the road. Drivers of all skill levels will feel confident behind the wheel as the Q6 is stable in all conditions. Those that enjoy higher levels of performance would do well to seek out the range-topping SQ6 variant, which has been developed with quicker driving in mind, better to cope with its ample 517 horsepower when launch control is deployed.