Audi A6 e-tron Review

The Audi A6 e-tron is the all-electric executive car sister model to the latest petrol and hybrid-powered Audi A6. Despite the name, the two are entirely different cars, with Audi arguing its bespoke electric executive Audi A6 e-tron is a better-optimised model than cars that offer petrol and electric powertrains in the same design (such as, well, its arch-rival, the BMW 5 Series and BMW i5…). 

The Audi A6 e-tron’s range certainly justifies that. In optimum spec, with the biggest battery, it can cover up to 463 miles between charges. And the latest-generation 800V electrical architecture means it can use ultra-rapid DC public chargers, to go from 10% to 80% charge in a mere 21 minutes. For long-distance drivers, it’s a large EV that could fit very neatly into their lives. 

The Audi A6 e-tron is based on the firm’s latest PPE platform. Interestingly, this is also used by the acclaimed Audi Q6 e-tron electric SUV. It brings the very latest interior technology, including an infotainment system based on Android Automotive OS. As it’s cloud-based, it’s able to receive over-the-air updates, so will be constantly improved. 

Design-wise, the Audi A6 e-tron is a modern and sleek-looking machine, designed with all the latest Audi cues. A real head-turner, it’s particularly striking in popular S line trim, which has the more aggressive appearance that British buyers prefer. An illuminated Audi logo at the rear is a progressive touch too. 

The Audi A6 e-tron is offered in both five-door Sportback, which we’re focusing on here, and an estate version - you can read our separate Audi A6 e-tron Avant review. 

The Audi A6 e-tron is actually the most aerodynamic Audi in history – impressive stuff, from a company famed for its ultra-aerodynamic designs over the decades. The Cd drag coefficient of the Audi A6 Sportback e-tron is just 0.21.

Inside, the Audi A6 e-tron has a suitably futuristic interior. It is dominated by two large OLED screens beneath a single curved piece of glass. This latest infotainment system runs the latest hardware and software, so is packed with features. The interior is also spacious, while the high floor gives it crossover sensations in terms of practicality – and makes the boot easy to access. 

The Audi A6 Sportback drives in that cool, precise way all good Audis do. It is effortless, fuss-free and able to shrug off even the most challenging of roads. It is a brilliant car for covering hundreds of miles at a time – the qualities that have made the best Audi petrol and diesel-engined cars so popular have been successfully carried across to its new electric executive car challenger.

For most buyers, the best all-round choice is an A6 Sportback e-tron performance S line. This combo gives you the longer-range battery and a trim that bolsters the already impressive list of standard kit with a few more little luxuries and some more desirable looks.

When it comes to batteries and motors, the entry-level rear-driven e-tron model still makes sense if you want to keep the price lower, but the e-tron performance version is the one that really suits the A6 e-tron’s premium long-distance brief. It gives you the sort of effortless pace and range that make the car feel properly complete.

The all-wheel-drive quattro is the one to choose if you want the extra traction and stronger performance, but you do sacrifice some range and that extra grunt does drive the price up.

The current A6 Sportback e-tron starts at £63,365 in Sport trim. Step up to the A6 Sportback e-tron performance and prices start at £68,860, while the A6 Sportback e-tron quattro starts at £73,960.

That means the A6 e-tron sits firmly in premium executive-EV territory rather than trying to be a bargain. The appeal is in the way it combines quality, image and everyday polish.

The Audi A6 e-tron has a talented rival in the form of the BMW i5. This is the electric alternative to the BMW 5 Series and, unlike the Audi A6, both BMW models are the same basic car, just with different powertrains. 

The Mercedes-Benz EQE is another rival but, unlike the Audi and BMW, this is only available as a four-door saloon. As for the Porsche Taycan, you can have this as a saloon, sporting estate or crossover-style estate – and the Audi A6 e-tron’s premium pricing means the Porsche Taycan certainly comes into its orbit. 

That's not forgetting the Volkswagen ID.7. It's a more pragmatic choice, ideal if you want a lot of the same long-distance usability without paying for a premium badge.

The Audi A6 e-tron’s 502-litre boot is one of the reasons this body style makes so much sense. It is usefully larger than a conventional saloon boot and the hatchback opening makes it much easier to load bulky items than the sleek roofline first suggests. There is also a 27-litre front boot, which is handy for storing charging cables.

That places the A6 e-tron reasonably well against its key rivals. The BMW i5 offers 490 litres, the Mercedes-Benz EQE has 430 litres, while the Volkswagen ID.7 gives you 532 litres. Against that, the Audi’s 502 litres stands up well, and the hatchback opening gives it a useful real-world practicality edge over more traditional saloon-style alternatives.

Passenger space is also strong enough for this class. Up front, the A6 e-tron feels generous and properly premium, with excellent seat adjustment, good width and the sort of calm driving position that makes it easy to get comfortable over long distances.

Rear space is good rather than exceptional, but it is perfectly usable for everyday family life. Two adults can sit in the back in reasonable comfort, and there is enough legroom for normal journeys without the car feeling tight. Headroom is respectable for something this sleek, though taller adults will still notice the Sportback roofline more than they would in the Avant.

The Audi A6 e-tron is 4,928mm long, 2,137mm wide and 1,487mm high, which makes it long enough to feel genuinely spacious and substantial, but doesn’t feel too massive for everyday use.

The Audi A6 Sportback e-tron’s infotainment is one of the areas where it feels convincingly premium. Even the entry-level Sport trim gets Audi’s digital cockpit instrument display and curved infotainment setup, which gives the cabin a richer and modern feel. Wireless smartphone integration is part of the package, and the whole dashboard design feels clean and up to date.

Higher trims add more of the technology buyers at this price are likely to want. The optional Sound and Vision Pack brings a head-up display, Bang & Olufsen premium sound system with 3D sound, increased charging capacity for USB ports and the ambient lighting package pro with dynamic interaction light. On S line and above, it also adds integrated headrest speakers. Edition 1 includes a high level of kit as standard, while the built-in voice assistant and Audi Connect services make the whole setup feel much more modern than older Audi systems.

The downside is that the A6 e-tron now leans heavily on screens, so some simple functions take more taps than they used to. Even so, the whole setup feels modern, slick and properly in keeping with the car’s premium position.

Material quality is one of the A6 e-tron’s key strengths. The dashboard, switchgear and main touchpoints all feel convincingly premium, and there’s more substance here than you get in a lot of mainstream electric cars.

It’s not all soft-touch perfection, but the overall feel is strong. The A6 e-tron still manages to feel special enough inside to justify the Audi badge and the price that comes with it.

The current Audi A6 e-tron range includes the rear-driven e-tron, the longer-range e-tron performance and the dual-motor e-tron quattro with all-wheel-drive. That gives buyers a sensible spread depending on whether they want a slightly more accessible executive EV, a stronger long-distance car or the added traction and pace of four-wheel drive.The entry-level e-tron is perfectly adequate and still has plenty of pace for a big executive EV, but the performance version is the one that really suits the A6 e-tron’s premium character. It gives the car the sort of effortless performance and long-range ability that make it feel properly complete.

The quattro is the more specialised choice, but it is also the most interesting one in dynamic terms. With 428PS and up to 462PS with launch control, it gives the A6 e-tron the sort of pace that starts to edge into high-performance territory. The trade-off is the extra cost and a slight drop in range.

The A6 e-tron is easy to drive well. The steering is light and accurate enough to make town driving simple, the controls all feel well judged and the whole car has the sort of calm, polished character that buyers in this class usually want.

Around town, the A6 e-tron feels more manageable than its size first suggests and refined enough that it never seems flustered by daily use. Visibility is decent, the driving position is excellent and the rear-driven performance model in particular suits the car’s measured character very well. It has enough punch to feel effortless without making the chassis work too hard.

On the motorway, the A6 e-tron feels settled, stable and impressively quiet, which is one of the reasons it makes such a strong case as an everyday long-distance electric car. The performance version is especially well suited to this kind of use, but even the entry-level car keeps the A6 e-tron feeling grown up on faster roads.

A BMW i5 still feels keener if you actively enjoy driving – fun behind the wheel is not the Audi’s forte. The A6 e-tron’s appeal lies more in the way it blends refinement, comfort and control into something that feels consistently premium. That makes it particularly strong for buyers who want maturity first and excitement second.

The Audi A6 e-tron has a five-star rating from independent safety organisation Euro NCAP rating, which praised its strong occupant protection, and good whiplash protection.  It also features advanced eCall, a system to prevent secondary impacts after a collision and a countermeasure to reduce occupant-to-occupant injuries in far-side impacts. It also scored very well for child-occupant protection.

The current car also comes with a useful spread of safety and driver-assistance technology. Euro NCAP highlights autonomous emergency braking, lane support and speed assistance systems, while Audi also offers a wide range of active-safety features across the range.

The entry-level A6 Sportback e-tron uses an 83kWh battery and supports up to 225kW DC charging, while the performance and quattro models use the 94.9kWh battery and support up to 270kW DC charging. That’s fast charging across the range; in ideal conditions, Audi says a 10% to 80% charge takes 21 minutes, and a 10-minute stop can add up to 192 miles in the performance model.

All versions also support 11kW AC charging, which means home or workplace charging is straightforward if you have the right wallbox. That makes the A6 e-tron easy enough to live with as a daily EV, while the long range and strong rapid-charging performance make it one of the more convincing long-distance electric cars in this class.

The Audi A6 Sportback e-tron comes with Audi’s standard three-year warranty in the UK, made up of two years of unlimited-mileage cover and a third year up to 60,000 miles. That’s acceptable rather than class-leading, when some models offer up to seven or even eight years of coverage.

As an EV, it also benefits from separate battery cover, which adds some reassurance if you are planning to keep the car for the longer term. Servicing is due every two years, rather than annually as in most petrol or diesel cars.

The Audi A6 Sportback e-tron sits in the upper insurance groups, from 43 to 50 (of 50) depending on version. The rear-driven cars sit lower down the spread, while the quattro rises higher, but the premium on any version of the car is likely to be fairly substantial.

All models of the Audi A6 Sportback e-tron cost more than £50,000 to buy, which is the current threshold for the expensive car supplement on electric cars. That means as well as the standard Vehicle Excise Duty (VED or road tax) rate of £200 after the first year, you’ll also have to pay an extra £440 a year for five years from the second tax payment – a total of £640 annually, before dropping back to the standard annual rate after year six.