Launch Report: Audi Q6 e-tron provides an important first
27 February 2025
What makes the Audi Q6 e-tron distinct from its predecessors and rivals? What are its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats? Phil Curry, Autovista24 special content editor, answers these questions in a new Launch Report.
Audi’s e-tron branding has been around since the carmaker’s first foray into the battery-electric vehicle (BEV) market. Now, its Q6 e-tron represents another first, with a move to the Premium Platform Electric (PPE).
The BEV will need to combine this new platform with Audi’s brand recognition. That way the carmaker can provide an appealing model while also informing future decisions for its all-electric cars.
Autovista24’s latest Launch Report benchmarks the Audi Q6 e-tron against its key rivals in Austria, France and the UK. This includes a detailed analysis of its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. New price points are also outlined alongside forecast residual values.
Conservative Q6 design
The Audi Q6 e-tron is an important car for the German brand. It is the first to use the PPE framework that has been developed with Porsche. This platform will be used on several new models from both brands in the future. This means the Q6 e-tron is an outlier for the carmaker’s upcoming development.
Audi’s naming convention recently changed, with BEVs now getting an even-numbered label. Therefore, the Q6 is the all-electric equivalent of the Q5 medium SUV. It is a big car, but its styling provides a sporty look and a strong stance.
The brand has decided against a smooth front end, instead adding a fake grill. Narrow LED headlights lead into lines flanking the first quarter of the car. This design continues round to the rear, with a curved bumper and LED light bar. Overall, the car keeps to traditional design cues.
Practical interior
Inside, Audi has removed a number of physical buttons. These have been relocated to the touchscreens installed in the dashboard. The Q6 e-tron has three screens in total.
The driver’s 11.9-inch display sits inside a curved housing connecting it with the 14.5-inch infotainment touchscreen. Meanwhile, a 10-inch screen sits in front of the front passenger’s seat.
Audi has also integrated haptic buttons onto the steering wheel. This is something that parent company Volkswagen Group started to remove from its own-brand models. These can be difficult to use and are easy to catch unintentionally.
There are a few harder plastics used in the interior, with gloss-black surfaces. These do reduce the quality feel and are easy to mark or scratch.
In terms of comfort, there is plenty of room within the cabin for all passengers, with supportive seating, decent legroom and headroom, even for taller people.
When it comes to practicality, the boot space is generous, with 526-litres available. This extends to 1,529 litres with the rear seats folded down. There is also the option of a 64-litre frunk, ideal for storing charging cables.
Q6 charges ahead
Audi offers the Q6 e-tron with two battery sizes, an 83kWh unit, or a 100kWh unit. The smaller battery provides a range of up to 326 miles (524km), according to WLTP figures. This increases to a possible 392 miles with the 100kWh version.
Charging is possible with either DC or AC inputs. To accommodate this, the model features two charging ports, one on either side of the vehicle. The CCS charging port can accept a maximum of 270kW, meaning a 10-80% recharge could be accomplished in 22 minutes.
The PPE platform provides the car with a sporty driving style and smooth power delivery. This provides good acceleration and comfortable cruising speeds. The ride is also comfortable, with the SQ6 models getting air suspension that will help it on poorer road surfaces.
Overall, the Audi Q6 e-tron is an encouraging beginning for the PPE platform. The car itself looks appealing, taking a semblance of modern BEV designs and adding a touch of tradition. The interior is comfortable, although the lack of physical controls could be an issue for some.
View the Autovista Group dashboard, which benchmarks the Audi Q6 e-tron in Austria, France and the UK. The interactive dashboard presents new prices, forecast residual values, and SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis.
