The midsized Q6 E-Tron SUV is Audi’s first vehicle to use the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture that will be the basis for future Audi and Porsche EVs. It shares elements of its underlying design with the new Porsche Macan Electric SUV and the A6 E-Tron sedan.
Single-motor rear-wheel drive and dual-motor all-wheel-drive versions are offered. The high-performance SQ6 model, which packs a potent 483 horsepower, comes only with all-wheel drive. There’s also a coupe-like Q6 Sportback E-Tron. Each model is fitted with a 100-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack, and according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) estimates, the Q6 models vary from 275 to 321 miles of driving range.
Like the Macan Electric, the Q6 uses an 800-volt architecture enabling rapid battery replenishment at public DC fast chargers, with a maximum acceptance rate of 270 kW. The automaker claims that under optimal conditions, the battery can go from 10 percent to 80 percent charged in about 21 minutes, which would put it among the faster-charging EVs available.
We found the Q6 E-Tron to be quick and quiet, with oodles of smooth electric power, fast charging times, and decent handling. It earned a higher road-test score than most of its direct EV SUV competitors, though it’s not without some faults: The interior looks and feels bland, the ride is stiff, and many of the controls are frustrating to use while driving.
“I like its size—it seems more like a wagon than a hulking SUV,” said a tester. However, several testers felt let down by the Q6, from its drab, monochromatic interior to its stiff ride and some confounding controls. One called it “…just mediocre. It’s boring and uninspiring. It does most things okay, but it doesn't have any character. If it had a Nissan emblem, I would believe it."
“I'm really torn on this car,” said another. “It has some good qualities, such as the strong, smooth power, quiet cabin, and decent handling, but then there are the confusing controls, automation overload, and majorly unsettled ride for a car of this caliber.”
We bought a 2025 Audi Q6 E-Tron Quattro for $75,680—anonymously from an area dealer, as we do with every vehicle we test—for the purpose of this road test review. The Q6 is assembled in Ingolstadt, Germany.
Driving experience
With 422 horsepower on tap (which is bumped up to 456 hp when launch control is engaged), the Q6 is super-quick, leaping from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds. But instead of delivering a harsh, in-your-face acceleration thrust off the line like we’ve experienced in a number of high-powered EVs, the Q6’s delivery feels more measured, mature, and consistent. There’s plenty of strong surge anytime you need it, for example, to zip around a slower vehicle in a two-lane passing zone. But it’s also silky smooth.
The Q6 managed 285 miles during our 70-mph highway-range test, which is competitive but not outstanding. Home charging is relatively quick, at 27 miles of range gained per hour. The Q6 is capable of rapid DC fast charging in public places thanks to its 270 kW maximum acceptance rate, or up to 13 miles of range gained per minute.
The Q6 calms occupants with a quiet, chill cabin. The mood stays serene until you start hitting elevated highway speeds, at which point some wind noise becomes a bit more noticeable. But there’s very little whining from the electric motors, a problem that plagues some EVs, and road and tire noise only occasionally announce their presence on the highway. As one tester said, “You really have little sense of speed based on how quiet the Q6 is.”
The Q6’s handling is quite agile, masking its somewhat considerable curb weight. With little body roll and quick turn in response, the Q6 feels eager through turns, including when we pushed it hard around our track. Testers did note, however, that the steering is short on feedback and very light on center. Another strike against the Q6 is its ride comfort—or discomfort. It’s simply too stiff for a luxury model, lacking the refinement Audis are typically known for.
One of the Q6’s strengths was shown in our braking tests, with short stopping distances on both dry and wet surfaces. The Q6’s brake pedal feel is also among the best we’ve experienced in an EV. We’re also happy that, unlike Audi’s Q4 and Q8 E-Trons, the Q6 has options for “one-pedal driving” and a true coasting mode, the latter of which makes it feel more like a conventional vehicle when you let off the accelerator pedal.
Cabin comfort
Audi cabins often exhibit first-rate assembly, and the Q6 is no exception. Panel gaps are small and consistent, and the few buttons, switches, and latches all have precise action and a solid feel. We were disappointed, however, that our Q6 had so much shiny piano-black trim, which results in a lot of reflection and glare on sunny days, and easily shows fingerprints and scratches. Overall, for a nearly $76,000 SUV, we think the interior should be jazzier.
Nearly every tester was able to find a good position behind the steering wheel. The seats and power steering column have a wide range of adjustability, so both tall and short drivers were able to place themselves in a position where they could easily reach the controls, see out, and have enough leg, arm, and headroom. A few testers did comment that the center console is fairly wide and cut into their right knee room.
The Q6’s front seats are on the firm side, but the side bolsters on the seatback and bottom cushion provide just enough body-hugging support for twisty roads without feeling confined. It’s likely you’ll run out of driving range before you become fatigued from the seats. The rear seat is comfortable, too, with decent headroom and plenty of foot space under the front seats. Knee room will be tight for taller passengers.
The Q6 comes with a generously sized and nicely finished cargo area.
Controls and usability
While the interior design is as restrained as the exterior, it features not one but two giant screens that appear as a single unit: An 11.9-inch instrument display in front of the driver and a 14.5-inch center-mounted infotainment touchscreen, the right side of which curves toward the driver.
The infotainment system comes across as initially overwhelming, and we suggest that any potential buyers request a full tutorial from their dealer. The system mostly uses touch-capacitive controls, with very few physical knobs or buttons. Common tasks, like adjusting the climate system, headlights, or media, require extra attention, and the touchscreen suffers from small text and inconsistent menu structures.
We also weren’t fans of the all-too-easy-to-engage touch-sensitive buttons on the door panel, which not only take care of the usual suspects—door-lock/unlocking and mirror controls—but also handle seat memory, child lock, and headlight buttons. This arrangement pushes the window controls farther back on the armrest, making them awkward to access.
The Q6 offers several options for small item storage, including a decent bin under the center armrest that’s great for keys, a wallet, sunglasses, and more. There’s also an open bin on the center console that houses a wireless phone charger. The charger is near-vertical and holds a phone out of sight when not being used. While slick and secure, it’s easy to forget your phone when getting out of the Q6. The problem is made worse by the lack of any audible “you left your phone behind” reminder, which is common in other Audis and Volkswagens. In fact, the much less expensive Volkswagen Taos has one.
Active safety and driver assistance
Standard active safety and driver assistance features include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking that operates at highway speeds, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic warning, reverse automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams.
Audi Cruise Assist (part of the optional Premium Plus package that was equipped on our test car) combines adaptive cruise control and lane centering assistance, with detailed map data and anonymized data collected from other vehicles. It uses radar, cameras, and ultrasonic sensors to maintain the following-gap distance to the vehicle ahead and allows the Q6 to accelerate, decelerate, and stay within the travel lane at both city and highway speeds, including in traffic jams.
We’re happy to see that both a rear occupant alert system and a belt minder come standard. The former is designed to remind the driver—based on rear-door logic—to check the rear seat when they turn the Q6 off to help prevent children and pets from suffering heatstroke or hypothermia if unintentionally left behind in the vehicle. The rear belt minder alerts the driver if a rear passenger unbuckles their seat belt during the trip. There’s also a feature called “Exit warning” that will alert occupants not to open a door when parked on the street if the system detects a cyclist approaching from behind.