I know it’s fun for car enthusiasts to be frivolous and forget about the plethora of compact and midsize premium SUVs, but this is a very important market. The Audi Q6 E-Tron is here to seduce all compact crossover buyers who are looking for it. for a great electric vehicle. Or, at least, it’s there to attract buyers who think the Q4 E-Tron is too small and the Q8 E-Tron is too big.
Splitting hairs, the Q6 E-Tron is a vital style for Audi. This is the first model that uses the same fully electric platform that underpins the new Porsche Macan, which deserves to recover the advantages of this new architecture at a price that is not so far from the stratosphere.
So does Audi’s newest electric crossover have what it takes to carve out a niche in a crowded market? To see what the Audi Q6 and SQ6 E-Tron are all about, I traveled to a cold, rainy region of northern Spain to drive either variant of Audi’s new crossover.
(Full disclosure: Audi flew me to San Sebastian to drive the Q6 and SQ6 e-tron. The logo provided flights and accommodation. )
At its core, the Audi Q6 E-Tron is an all-electric compact crossover located between the Q4 E-Tron subcompact and the larger Q8 E-Tron. But here’s a little more history. While the Q4 E-Tron is an audited edition of the Volkswagen ID. 4 and the Q8 E-Tron is a regular ICE Q8 with batteries placed underneath, the Q6 E-Tron is Audi’s first SUV on a premium EV-specific platform.
Dubbed PPE (Premium Platform Electric), this platform has officially made its debut in the new Porsche Macan. It has a lot of interesting new features discovered in the Q4 or Q8 E-Tron, such as an 800-volt architecture for fast charging and a step up in efficiency. It also features a new electronic architecture to cope with all the automatic infotainment and ADAS systems that Audi is planning in the future.
But while the Porsche Macan is a sport-oriented Porsche crossover, the Q6 is designed to be smoother and less harsh. It shouldn’t be that expensive, but Audi doesn’t have pricing details yet. Its size and price (theoretical) place it on a par with some important models such as the Polestar 3 or the Cadillac Lyriq. Due to its segment and its new architecture, it is perhaps the most important Audi on the market.
I consider the Q6 to be a strange vehicle to look at. Like most modern Audis, there are plenty of styling cues: surface changes, lines, trim and details carefully incorporated into the interior and exterior. I have a hard time concentrating on anything in particular. Despite the huge wheels, I don’t find the proportions of the car very interesting. It’s not bad, it just doesn’t seem like anything new.
I hesitate to call the car ugly, but I can’t say it’s pretty. I think most Audi enthusiasts will like it, however, at times it seems just as smart (or bad) as the rest of Audi’s crossover lineup. It’s smart that Audi’s designers haven’t gone out of their way to make the vehicle indicate that it’s an electric car. Apart from a slippery grille, there is no evidence that the car is rarely a classic gasoline crossover. For those looking for a stealthy electric vehicle, this is a win.
The PPE platform is a great challenge for the VW Group. We already have the new Macan EV and now the Q6 and SQ6 EV, but this is a platform designed from the ground up to the space, whether for luxury cars or crossovers. It has a smart 800. Volt architecture, capable of powering some motor and battery combinations.
The Q6 and SQ6 in the US market will be available in only two configurations. Both models feature a 12-module battery of 94. 9 kWh (100 kWh gross). Audi claims that the Q6 will travel 500 kilometers on a single charge. The company hasn’t given a figure for the SQ6 and none of the crossovers have an official EPA lineup yet. The battery powers a dual-motor configuration, rated at 422 horsepower (capable of up to 456 horsepower for release bursts) in the Q6, and 483 horsepower (510 horsepower when boosted). ) in SQ6.
The front motor is an asynchronous unit (ASM) that starts when needed, while the rear motor is a permanent magnet design responsible for the Q6’s maximum propulsion. Audi claims 5. 0 seconds to 60 for the Q6, while that figure drops to 4. 2 seconds for the SQ6.
Both models use computer-controlled air suspension. The SQ6 benefits from a stiffer anti-roll bar and a more competitive wheel-tire assembly, but the air suspension is identical. Audi engineers say much of the SQ6’s improved dynamics come from more competitive suspension tuning.
In a word, smooth. Like most other electric vehicles, the Q6 E-Tron is a heavy vehicle and it takes work to create a suspension and chassis setup that can handle relatively high weight without feeling too stiff, tough or soft. Audi has been successful here. Q6 and SQ6 over virtually any and all road imperfections. Coupled with a luxurious interior, Audi’s newest EV crossover looks really expensive, if not downright luxurious, compared to cars like the Polestar 3.
With over 400 horsepower available, both cars made them feel fast on Spanish roads. However, I realized the difference. The Q6 is fast, but the SQ6 is faster, not only on paper but also to the touch. Both cars sometimes have the same dynamic courage, fairly flat corners, and plenty of grip for a compact crossover, but the SQ6 is stiffer and overall. more in tune with the road. In comparison, the popular Q6 is a comfortable cruiser with little sporty intent. If you’re looking for an electric Audi crossover with a bit of driving pleasure, prefer the SQ6.
Unfortunately, the Q6 and SQ6 felt smooth and numb driving. I didn’t come up with that in the luxury Q6, but I was expecting a bit more weight and feel for its SQ6 sibling. Perhaps an RS Q6 E-Tron will satisfy that desire.
There’s a lot to be said for a “normal” electric vehicle, whose driving experience is almost similar to that of a popular petrol car. The user interface and driving dynamics of the Q6 E-Tron are familiar.
If Audi had put their generic 2. 0 TFSI four-cylinder engine under the hood here, they would have had a pretty comfortable (if uninteresting) premium compact ICE crossover. For buyers who find cars like the Tesla Model Y too rudimentary and minimalist, or who find the BMW iX’s styling too hard to swallow, the Audi Q6 E-Tron will be refreshing.
Plus, it looks expensive. In the age of the electric vehicle, many automakers have reduced domestic car prices to offset the additional burden of production batteries. Here, the interior is as charming as any other Audi. The seats are comfortable and supportive, and all plastics are high-quality and comfortable to the touch. There are only a few minor parts, such as the retractable leatherette door of the cup holder, which do not seem to be in line with the rest of Audi’s quality.
I myself make an indepfininishent selection. I don’t necessarily deplore the finish of the physical buttons, because I think a well-executed screen adjustment can be enough. But is Audi succeeding with a primarily screen-based setup? Mmm, almost.
The screens themselves are very responsive and a third screen is added in front of the passenger. Still, I found the interface to be cluttered and text-heavy. There are plenty of features and functions to customize the vehicle’s driving settings, HVAC, and infotainment system, but they’re presented in a format that looks like a huge wall of text.
I can’t attribute this to the fact that this is an Audi electric quirk, as the infotainment system in Audi’s ICE cars is also crowded. At least one driver can opt out altogether and use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
We don’t have an official EPA score for either car. Audi says the popular Q6 E-Tron “achieves more than three hundred miles of diversity in the EPA testing cycle based on initial manufacturer estimates,” but doesn’t provide express figures. It did not announce diversity figures for the US market SQ6.
After about an hour and a half driving the Q6 and SQ6 on a cold, rainy day in Spain, the SQ6 e-tron’s on-board computer claimed the car was achieving 24. 2 kWh per hundred km. This would translate to a consistent 2. 56 miles per kWh. It’s not ideal, but they weren’t ideal conditions. That day was remarkably calm, slightly hovering around 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Most of the driving was quite lively, less lively than if the weather had been dry.
Both cars have a relatively high point of regenerative braking. There are 3 manual settings, a fully automatic mode, and a full one-pedal operation option. A pedal is aggressive, but it’s comfortable and stops temporarily when you release the throttle. He manages to avoid the headache and dizziness of an Uber driver in a Tesla crashing its occupants into the cab.
Audi claims that either car will consume a maximum of 270kW with fast charging and will go from 10% to 80% in just 21 minutes.
There’s a lot to like about the Q6 and SQ6 E-Tron. Even I, a detached user of Audi products, found that both cars are fun on the road, even if they’re not as provocative and impactful as cars from other brands. For example, the Polestar four is more appealing to look at and drive, but its lack of a rear window means it’s not a starter for many buyers. The Audi is less exciting, but also much more familiar.
I think that’s what other people need right now. Buyers are looking for an electric car that just works. People need a car that feels general and doesn’t have any weird caveats that make them wonder, “Can I live with this?” The Audi is general.
Considering that we want more people to get behind the wheel of electric vehicles, that’s not a bad thing.
Contact the author: kevin. williams@insideevs. com
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