2025 Audi A6 e-tron Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The full name of this EV is technically the Audi A6 Sportback e-tron because it’s not a traditional sedan. Instead of a trunk, it’s got a rear hatch, part of a shape that Audi tried to make as sleek as possible to lower aerodynamic drag. The less drag, the farther you can go on a charge. The Audi’s 0.23 coefficient of drag is indeed impressive. While it’s a tick higher than the 0.22 of the Mercedes-Benz EQE, Audi ended up with a less polarizing design than Mercedes.

The other design highlight is a front end defined by stacked lights—thick rectangles serve as the headlights with thinner LED daytime running lights above—and, typically for Audi, an oversized grille. Because this an EV, though, the grille is body color and the surrounds are blacked out—the reverse of Audi’s combustion cars. That emphasizes that the grille is just a styling feature and not actually functional. Because of its lower cooling needs, the e-tron features a compact ducted cooling system that contributes to the car’s low drag coefficient.

The lineup is similar to that of other Audi models. There’s both a standard A6 e-tron and a sportier S6 e-tron, with Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige trim levels for both. A6 e-tron Premium and Premium Plus models come standard with 20-inch wheels that Audi claims are its most aerodynamic yet, but optional 19-inch wheels (part of the Ultra Package) are even better for range. The S6-etron comes standard with model-specific 20-inch wheels, but can be equipped with 21-inch wheels either as a standalone option, or as part of the Black Optic Package, which also adds black exterior trim and darkened Audi badges.

Aside from the wheels, a subtle rear spoiler, and the trademark silver mirror housings of an Audi performance model, there isn’t much to distinguish the S6 from the A6 from the outside. Step inside, though, and the S6 features standard sport seats with Nappa leather upholstery and diamond stitching, plus a squircle steering wheel that looks straight out of the 1980s. The upgraded interior might be worth the price though, as the standard A6 e-tron cabin was a disappointing jumble of plastics that looked and felt cheaper than the materials in the gasoline A5 fastback sedan, which ostensibly sits below this model in Audi’s hierarchy.

Audi is offering three versions of the A6 e-tron in the U.S. for the 2025 model year. The base single-motor, rear-wheel drive (RWD) version produces 362 horsepower (375 hp with launch control). A dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD) Quattro version makes 422 hp (456 hp with launch control), while a sportier dual-motor S6 e-tron version ups output to 496 hp (543 hp with launch control). All three have a 100-kilowatt-hour battery pack with 94.4-kWh of usable capacity.

RWD models can do zero to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds with launch control engaged—quicker than RWD versions of the BMW i5 and Mercedes-Benz EQE—while AWD A6 e-tron models can do the same in 4.3 seconds, according to Audi. The automaker claims the S6 e-tron cuts the time to 60 mph down to 3.7 seconds (again, with launch control), which is quicker than the equivalently-sporty BMW i5 M60 and Mercedes-AMG EQE sedan. The S6 e-tron also has a top speed of 149 mph, compared to 130 mph for other models.

Base models have steel-spring suspension, but air suspension is available on the A6 e-tron Prestige trim level, and a sport-tuned version of the system is standard on the S6 e-tron. Air-spring cars were all Audi provided for this first drive, with both an A6 e-tron and an S6 e-tron providing a comfortable ride on pavement with the smoothness of peanut brittle. Body control was also reasonably good for big sedans with heavy battery packs. However, the S6 e-tron’s sportier suspension tuning didn’t really make an impression, nor did its extra power. It was hard to feel the difference between this model and the AWD A6 e-tron.

Rather than using rubber bushings, which can help dampen vibration, Audi hard-mounts the front subframe and steering rack in all A6 e-tron models to provide better steering feel. The lack of bushings didn’t negatively impact comfort, but nor did it fulfill its intended purpose. Steering feel as still decidedly lacking on twisty roads, and the front wheels responded in a laid back way appropriate for a luxury cruiser, but not a sports sedan. However, that’s because Audi also prioritized stability at highway speeds, and the A6 e-tron certainly exhibited that. Its steadiness was autobahn-appropriate.

When it comes to regenerative braking, the A6 e-tron offers plenty of options. One-pedal driving is available by sliding the shifter toggle from “D” into “B,” you can choose multiple, less-aggressive levels with steering-wheel paddles, or minimize regen and allow the car to coast. There’s also an automatic mode that varies regen based on driving conditions, but we’ve found that these can be a bit unpredictable. Leaving the Audi in one of its higher regen settings was the way to go, as it was easy to modulate speed just by lifting off the right pedal.

The Audi A6 e-tron offers reasonable interior space in both rows, although if you’re regularly carrying rear-seat passengers, the Mercedes EQE and Lucid Air offer appreciably more legroom. Most competitors offer more front headroom as well, which might be related to the Audi’s steeply-raked windshield—part of the A6 e-tron’s wind-cheating styling. That also requires a very deep dashboard, making forward visibility somewhat limited. But the A6 e-tron is far from the only modern car with that issue.

Helping to make the most of the available headroom is a standard panoramic glass roof with electrochromic dimming. This allows the glass roof panel to switch from opaque to transparent at the push of a button—much more convenient than a conventional sunroof. Audi deserves credit for going the extra mile with this feature, as some manufacturers don’t even offer the option of a shade with their glass roofs.

The Audi Sportback design creates an easily-accessible cargo area with 25.9 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats. That’s more than you get in any of the A6 e-tron’s rivals, and folding the second row opens up available cargo space to 39.8 cubic feet. Audi also included a small under-hood storage compartment that’s good for storing charging cables, but it can’t compete with the Lucid Air’s 10-cubic-foot frunk, which is the size of the trunks in many sedans. Utility comes at the expense of visibility, though. The tiny rear window is something we’d expect to see on a convertible, not a hatchback.

Small-item storage space is reasonable for a sedan, thanks to a center-console bin that’s actually usable, cupholders that hold normal-sized beverages, and an angled wireless device charging pad. Designers and engineers accommodated all of this without raising the center console or puffing out the door panels, ensuring the front seats don’t feel claustrophobic.

The A6 e-tron features a curved dashboard display, including an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster, 14.5-inch central touchscreen, and an optional 10.9-inch front-passenger touchscreen, which the automaker calls its Digital Stage. That setup—shared with the Q6 e-tron crossover SUV, as well as the gasoline A5 fastback sedan and Q5 crossover—is underpinned by Audi’s latest Android-based operating system. But unlike certain other automakers, Audi hasn’t had an issue incorporating Apple CarPlay or standalone Android Auto connectivity from the get-go.

Audi’s commitment to this interface pays off—for the most part. The curvature of the combination instrument cluster/touchscreen housing makes everything easy to see and reach from the driver’s seat, and isn’t so tall as to obstruct the view ahead. That required tilting the main touchscreen away from the passenger’s seat a bit, but that’s presumably what the optional third screen is for. Front-seat passengers can play DJ or watch videos (YouTube and a couple of other streaming apps are supported) with a privacy filter to avoid driver distraction.

However, it’s not possible to show navigation maps in the instrument cluster—something Audi itself pioneered with its original Virtual Cockpit units. Our test cars’ passenger-screen menus also had a superfluous icon for regenerative braking, something only the driver can actually adjust, thankfully. And while Audi’s voice recognition system is pretty good—we particularly appreciate its emphasis on helping to find on-screen menus—it’s still not as intuitive as Mercedes’ system.

If you’re trying to speak to someone outside the car, the optional 20-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system includes headrest speakers for taking phone calls, so everyone else in the car doesn’t have to listen to your conversation. Those speakers also pipe in directions when using the navigation system, while an available head-up display shows arrows to ensure that you don’t miss your turn. The HUD can also display warnings from certain driver aids, and remained clear and visible throughout a sunny day of driving.

Standard driver-assist features include: adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, and park assist. A more sophisticated Adaptive Cruise Assist system, with automated lane centering, is part of the Convenience Package on Premium models and standard on higher trim levels.

On cars equipped with a head-up display, the lane-departure warning system will highlight the lane marker, which we found very helpful. However, audio warnings from the various driver aids were issued with a startling beep that proved more distracting than helpful. The car also issued that sudden, loud noise when its forward-facing sensors appeared to be confused by some roadworks, making certain functions temporarily unavailable.

Safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) weren’t available at the time of publication. Note that ratings for the gasoline 2025 Audi A6 do not apply to the e-tron, as it’s a wholly separate model based on a different architecture.

Official EPA ratings were not available at press time, but Audi estimates RWD models with optional 19-inch wheels will go up to 392 miles on a charge. That’s much more than the legacy-automaker competition, although the Lucid Air Pure tops it at 420 miles. Audi estimates 377 miles (on optional 19-inch wheels) for the AWD A6 e-tron Quattro and 324 miles for the S6 e-tron on its standard 20-inch wheels.

The A6 e-tron can DC fast charge at up to 270 kilowatts, which doesn’t push the envelope, but does deliver a 10%-80% charge in 21 minutes, Audi claims. The e-tron can also Level 2 AC charge at up to 9.6 kW, which Audi estimates should be enough for a full charge in 11.5 hours.

Like other Audi EVs, the A6 e-tron is covered by an eight-year/100,000-mile battery warranty that guarantees 70% retention of battery capacity during that period. That’s in addition to four-year/50,000-mile new-vehicle and powertrain warranties matching other Audi models.

Pricing starts at $67,195 for a RWD model in base Premium spec (all prices include a $1,295 destination charge). AWD adds $2,000 to the base price, while the $79,995. Options add a considerable amount to those base prices—our A6 e-tron AWD Prestige test car cost $77,240, while our Prestige-trim S6 e-tron tester cost $88,390—but Audi does at least include a decent amount of standard equipment.

For a couple of grand more, you could have a RWD Lucid Air Pure with more range and sharper handling, while the BMW i5 offers a more traditional sedan look and feel for a similar price to the Audi. On the other hand, the A6 e-tron significantly undercuts the Mercedes EQE sedan in price while offering more range and comparable tech features. In general, with nearly 400 miles of range, the RWD A6 e-tron with the Ultra Package’s smaller wheels is definitely the one to have. It’s a decent value for this segment, while the AWD models’ extra power and performance pretensions don’t really add much to the equation.