Audi A6 e-tron review

It’s the new, all-electric Audi A6 e-tron, and it’s more slippery than a Mario Kart banana skin. No, seriously. This thing has a drag coefficient of 0.21Cd if you spec the Sportback version with the fancy cameras replacing standard wing mirrors.

Wait, you mentioned the Sportback. Is there another version I can have?

An estate! Well, this is Audi so it’s called an Avant, but hurrah! The MG 5 and Vauxhall Astra Electric Sports Tourer finally have some competition. We jest of course, but big-booted EVs are still in short supply. BMW beat Audi to the punch with the i5 Touring, but to our eyes at least the Audi (pictured above) is the better-looking executive German wagon, a little more svelte of line – and less bulky to be in.

The A6 e-tron’s final design is actually fairly similar to the original concept unveiled back in 2022. It’s aerodynamic without looking like it’s trying too hard (cough, Mercedes EQE, cough). You get a flush, bodycolour grille up front with lots of little Movember-style moustache motifs, and that’s surrounded by what Audi refers to as a ‘black mask’ designed to hide the larger main beam headlights, the front sensors and the inlets for the ‘air curtain’ that guides airflow around the car in the most efficient manner possible.

Have Audi’s designers got an aero obsession? 

The flush door handles and closed, flat floor both help drop the drag coefficient and there are active inlet shutters in the front grille that apparently allow for up to 7.4 miles more range. The fancy camera mirrors (which now fold when the car is locked after many requests from original e-tron SUV buyers) could also get you 7.4 miles further down the road. We’d rather see backwards properly, thanks. Want more A6 e-tron aero chat? You can watch TG stick one in a wind tunnel by clicking these blue words.

There are eight different light signatures to choose from for those daytime running lights (Audi knows how to have fun, doesn’t it?), and the black section on the doors with its e-tron branding is designed to show that the battery – now the heart of the car – lives under the floor. That panel helps break up what is otherwise a very deep flank. The overhangs are fairly short and the wheelbase is almost three metres.

The rear lights can now be used to display warning messages to pesky tailgaters (yep, we see the irony there), Audi’s logo lights up at the rear and there’s the option of a switchable transparency panoramic roof. That’s a £2,375 option, but is pretty cool, the nine slat-like panels that make it up switching from translucent to transparent in sequence.

What else do I need to know?

Well, it probably won’t surprise hugely to learn that Audi is also spinning an SUV (the Q6 e-tron) off the same kit of parts – sensible way of hedging their bets if the Avant doesn’t sell. This PPE platform (you will be tested on this later) also underpins the Macan EV.

That means you get an 800V architecture for 270kW DC rapid charging and motors that are 30 per cent smaller and 20 per cent lighter than in previous all-electric Audis. And it’ll do it – we saw a peak charging speed of 278kW. There’s also a choice of two battery sizes – 75.8kWh for the entry-level A6 e-tron and 94.9kWh for the ‘Performance’ and ‘Quattro’ versions. You might see Audi refer to those as 83kWh and 100kWh packs, but those are gross figures whereas we like to quote the actual usable capacity.

In terms of range, you’ll be able to eke out a little more from the coupe-like Sportback because of its extra slipperiness. The Avant can only manage a drag coefficient of 0.24, although that’s still mightily impressive.

What’s the difference between the models?

The base A6 e-tron gets a single motor with 322bhp and 383 miles of WLTP range for the Sportback and 361 miles for the Avant.

Single motor? In the back? Does this mean it’s a rear-wheel drive Audi?

It is, the first since the R8 RWS if we’ve got it right (we can agree to ignore the Q6, can’t we?). More to the point you can tell – nice clean steering (albeit with zero feel), detectable rear drive characteristics.

Strangely the A6 e-tron Performance isn’t actually the most powerful – think of it as the long-range version with a single motor powering the rear wheels with 375bhp and the larger battery providing 463 miles of range to the Sportback and 437 miles to the Avant.

The A6 e-tron Quattro is the next step up, with twin motors, all-wheel drive and the 94.9kWh battery for 456bhp and 438/417 miles of range depending on body style.

In terms of money the starting point is £63,305, and you’re adding about £7k for the bigger battery and another £5k for the twin motor. The Avant body is £1,800 more.

Isn’t there an S6 as well?

There is, and we’re talking 543bhp and 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds. Unfortunately we’re also talking £98,305.

Hit me with some more performance figures…

The standard A6 e-tron will do 0-62mph in 6.0 seconds flat and tops out at 130mph. Because of the smaller battery it can only rapid charge at up to 225kW. The Performance drops the 0-62mph time to 5.4 seconds, while the twin-motor Quattro will do the same sprint in 4.5 seconds. All get the same 130mph top speed.

Which one would you have?

We’d have a big battery Avant, so the Performance, but would probably steer clear of Quattro. Having driven the rear-drive one on snow and ice using winter tyres, that’s all you need. Still fast, hitting 62mph in 5.4s, and even in cold conditions and keeping up with motorway traffic, easily capable of 280 miles. In S-Line trim, you’re looking at £74,370.

I need a refresh on Audi’s current naming conventions…

Of course you do. Heck, even we’re struggling to understand what’s going on at the moment. Back in July 2024 Audi unveiled the new A5 saloon and Avant – basically a refresh of the old A4 but renamed because odd numbers denote combustion engines while even numbers will be EVs. Except in February Audi reversed its decision. So we should be back to making sense: an A6 is an A6, no matter whether you choose petrol or electric. Expect that to last until the next time the wind changes direction.

Anything else I need to know?

In the UK, Audi reckons 57 per cent of people will go for the Sportback and 43 per cent for the Avant. Wagons are a lot more niche in North America though, so the Avant won’t be offered in the USA or Canada. Sorry folks. In China there will be a locally produced, long-wheelbase A6 L e-tron.

We like the A6 e-tron, not least for the fact that it’s not an SUV. How refreshing. Beyond that it fulfils its brief well, carves cleanly through the air and travels a long way between charges. It’s a handsome machine that doesn’t try too hard to be an aero car, is super-smooth and refined and drives much like the big Audi saloons you’ve seen before. It’s a slimmer, daintier car than the BMW i5, nicer to drive and less puzzling than a Mercedes EQE – and is about 200kg lighter to boot.

The interior is perhaps a tad complex and the rear seats maybe a little short on space for an executive car, but the cabin has a nice ambience and although there are a lot of screens, the design means they don’t dominate. Just avoid any trim level that forces you to have the camera mirrors.