Review: 2025 Audi Q6 e-tron
This new SUV is the near-perfect EV Aussies have been waiting for but one strange detail has car lovers scratching their heads.
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It’s a good day in the office when you’re driving through Tasmania’s rolling countryside, where the roads twist and turn through vineyards and the countryside carries a charm that you don’t quite get anywhere else.
It’s the perfect setting to sample something refined and complex, whether it’s a pinot noir from Pooley Wines or the latest addition to Audi’s electric family: the Q6 e-tron.
Just like a winemaker perfects their craft, Audi has been working on its electric SUV line-up for years, with the Q6 e-tron positioned right in the sweet spot.
A mid-sized luxury EV that promises a balance of luxury, power, and modern technology.
But does it age well or leave a bitter after taste?
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First Pour
Just like a fine wine, the Audi Q6 e-tron is the perfectly balanced mid-tier vintage.
It sits gracefully between the Audi Q4 e-tron and the top-tier grand cru the Audi Q8 e-tron.
It’s the long-anticipated electric counterpart to the popular Q5.
The Q6 e-tron immediately catches your eye with its exterior design, sculpted lines and sleek LED lighting.
Built on Volkswagen Group’s Premium Platform Electric (PPE), a brand new architecture developed alongside the Porsche Macan EV, it benefits from advanced 800-volt architecture, promising fast charging and strong performance.
The Q6 e-tron features a 100kWh battery, one of the largest in this class of car.
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Aromas and Notes
Inside, the Q6 e-tron is the right amount of modern touch with the real star being the technology.
Three digital screens – a 14.5-inch for infotainment, another 11.9-inch digital cockpit and a 10.9-inch screen for the front passenger.
It’s a smart move by Audi, making the cabin feel more hi-tech than a traditional SUV.
The infotainment system is easy to use, with shortcuts on the right for easy access to safety features, augmented reality navigation, and even integrated apps like Amazon Music, Bloomberg and YouTube.
Passengers have the ability to watch a movie or play in a car while you drive. The driver can’t see what they’re up to thanks to a privacy filter but the driver can still hear what they’re doing unless they mute it.
The sound from the passenger screen will play through the main speakers and there’s no option for headphones.
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At first, it sounded distracting but I suppose it’s not different from a child playing a gaming device in the back seat.
The augmented reality heads-up display is futuristic, overlaying Apple Maps navigation onto the windshield.
The graphics move dynamically with your speed, which at first is distracting but you get used to it.
Being an electric vehicle, it’s a nice addition that feels like a natural extension of the driving experience.
How Does it Drive?
Equipped with dual motors and all-wheel drive, it’s clear that the Porsche Macan underpinning has influenced the driving dynamics, it feels athletic yet composed.
The entry level Q6 e-tron offers 225kW of power and 485Nm of torque, the quattro variant offers 285kW and 275Nm, acceleration is brisk at 5.9 seconds from 0-100km/h.
The top-spec SQ6 e-tron is the most impressive, with 360kW and 275/580Nm at the front/rear, which cuts the 0-100km/h run to just 4.3 seconds with launch control.
The Q6 e-tron quattro offers a decent amount of range with 542km (WLTP).
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While the power delivery is effortless, I did find the ride in the Q6 e-tron quattro to be firmer than expected. Having just come from back-to-back BMWs, and in particular the iX, it was an interesting comparison.
Adaptive air suspension is an option on the Performance and quattro for $4900 in the Tech Pro package.
It’s by no means uncomfortable but you do feel more of the road’s imperfections.
The advanced driver assistance features provide a great level of safety without being overbearing.
Functionality
Much like a well-balanced blend, the Q6 e-tron strikes a good mix between space and practicality.
The cabin is spacious and offers generous headroom in the rear.
However, I would have liked and expected more storage in the centre console, a space that now many EVs use for handbags, phones or extra charging ports.
The frunk (64L) and boot space (526L capacity with all seats in place, expanding to 1529L with the rear seats folded) are solid and great for young families wanting the additional space.
A curious feature
In the new Audi Q6 e-tron you’ll find a cigarette bin in the front console, which seems a little odd to me, especially in an era of sustainability. It seems ironic to include something that contradicts the clean energy ethos of an electric vehicle.
It’s like cork particles inside a fine bottle of wine – a puzzling detail.
Pricing
The entry-level Q6 e-tron Performance starts at $115,500 plus on-road costs (ORCs), but there wasn’t one available to drive at the launch.
The Q6 e-tron quattro starts at $122,500 plus ORCs, and the SQ6 e-tron which will set you back approximately $151,400 plus ORCS.
Verdict: 3.5/5
The Audi Q6 e-tron delivers where it matters: design, advanced technology and performance. It might not be the most affordable option in its class but it’s a compelling choice.
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Originally published as Review: 2025 Audi Q6 e-tron
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