Audi A6 Sportback e-tron review: The electric Audi everyone has been waiting for?

Audi offers the A6 e-tron in several variants – as a hatchback sedan called Sportback and as an estate car with the familiar Avant suffix (here is our test report on the A6 Avant e-tron). The range of powertrains extends from the small basic battery (76 kWh net) with rear-wheel drive to the sporty S6 e-tron with over 400 kW of power. We spent two weeks on the road with the dream range combination of a small motor (the rear-wheel drive) and the largest battery (94.9 kWh net).

Simply beautiful, simply Audi

Unlike some of its more dynamic competitors, Audi remains true to its design line with the A6 e-tron: no visual experiments for electric cars. As with the Q8 and the e-tron GT, the grille, lights, roof line, and rear end are unmistakably Audi. The fact that the A6 is electric is not hammered home to the observer, but only gently signalled by black ‘e-tron’ lettering on the black sill.

Even the boot lid no longer bears a variant designation, but simply ‘A6’. Connoisseurs will also recognise the drive system by the two charging flaps on the left and right and by the fact that the non-cooling radiator grille is closed.

Mixed feelings about the interior

Inside, the A6 e-tron presents a mixed picture. On the positive side, the displays are clearly driver-focused. Instead of following the trend of slapping a tablet flat into the centre console, the central screen tilts towards the driver. Passengers get a dedicated front-passenger display, providing a clean separation: fiddling with entertainment on the right, navigation and key vehicle information on the left. In addition to the usual streaming apps, there’s also karaoke and media libraries, ensuring that even on long stretches between charging stops, boredom never sets in.

Although the cockpit is nicely uncluttered, it includes a well-balanced number of physical buttons, such as a real rotary control knob for volume and shortcuts for driver-assistant systems or the 360-degree camera. The start-stop button remains as a nod to nostalgia, but it’s optional. The car starts by pressing the brake pedal and switches off automatically when you get out.

From the gentle closing of the servo doors to the impressive head-up display, the interior is largely enjoyable – so why do we find it ambivalent? Because the feel does not match the test car price of over £95,000. The steering wheel could feel better, the speedometer display could be a little sharper, and a little less glossy, greasy-feeling plastic wouldn’t hurt either.

However, it is not a deal breaker. Interior quality across German brands has been slightly slipping in recent years, so the A6 doesn’t really stand out in its segment – a Mercedes EQE or BMW i5 are in a similar position.

What is unquestionably excellent is space. Audi knows how to make good use of the space available in the front, of course, but also in the back seat and boot – something the car manufacturer from Ingolstadt has always been better at than its Munich-based counterpart. Headroom and legroom are comfortable and suitable for long journeys – only in terms of thigh support and foot position can the A6 e-tron not quite hide the huge battery in the underbody. There is also a frunk again, which is not huge, but offers enough space for various charging cables or smaller bags.

Audi now has software under control

An augmented reality head-up display in the style of VW’s ID series has also found its way into Audi, providing precise information about navigation instructions and the work of the assistance systems. Particularly useful is that the parking assist is fully visible in the head-up display, making manoeuvring much easier.

Thedigital instrument display, on the other hand, still has room for improvement: we miss a navigation map here, and the resolution could be sharper. On the positive side, the steering-wheel controls stand out: navigation destinations, call logs and Spotify playlists can be browsed easily without taking your hands off the wheel or your eyes off the road.

Overall, the software performs well. The infotainment system is logically structured, nothing stutters, and everything responds quickly. The charging planner and navigation system do their job excellently and are highly customisable: risk-takers can lower the arrival limit at charging stations to two per cent and still arrive safely – the range estimate is consistently conservative and hard to beat. No matter how long the route is, even to the North Cape, the system spits out a perfect charging plan after a few seconds.

That said, some features could be more comprehensive. PV users in particular may miss a finer control of AC charging current, as only 8 and 16 amps can be selected– nothing in between. The charging menu in general provides limited information, and Audi foregoes the power forecast familiar from various sister companies. The voice control system can handle all the basics, but quickly gives up when it comes to more complicated tasks. The system cannot answer the question of how many horsepower the car has, but quotes ChatGPT: “I am an artificial intelligence – they don’t have horsepower.”

Solid Level 2 assistants

When it comes to diver-assistant systems, Ingolstadt delivers solid, home-cooked fare: the steering assistant and adaptive cruise control work without complaint, just as you would expect. Whether on the motorway or on country roads, corners are mastered with confidence, acceleration is dynamic, and braking is smooth. We did miss extras such as a lane change function or permanent hands-off capability, but that doesn’t change the fact that the assistance systems are a real relief for the driver and make long-distance journeys more pleasant.

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Values in brackets: With Launch Control

Perhaps we can hope for updates in this area, because the A6 is quite clever: the traffic light assistant knows exactly what speed you need to drive at to zip through the city on a green wave, and the efficiency assistant helps you take your foot off the accelerator pedal in good time to make optimum use of recuperation.

Designed with the driver in mind

One of Ingolstadt’s core competencies remains the chassis in the A6 e-tron – it is simply perfect. It cleverly conceals its size and weight and feels astonishingly dynamic. The car sits firmly on the road, the air suspension can be comfortable and sporty, and potholes and bumps are handled with ease. On the motorway, it drives as if on rails, and the steering is pleasantly light at low speeds, yet always direct and never synthetic in feel.

There is a wide range of recuperation modes to choose from: in D mode, there is coasting, automatic and various levels via shift paddles, and in B mode, there is genuine, crisp one-pedal driving. Not only does this work beautifully and precisely, it also brakes to a standstill without having to switch to the brake pedal. Those who do so will be pleased with the cleanly tuned, easily controllable and, when necessary, very crisp deceleration.

No matter how you drive the A6 Sportback e-tron, one thing remains constant: it is quiet. Whether in the city, where the pedestrian warning system emits a deep, discreet bubbling sound, or at speeds of over 200 kph, where the wind noise remains so gentle that all occupants can still converse in whispers. It also helps that the speed warning buzzer can be switched off at the touch of a button and that there are no other annoying noises – just peace and quiet.

At night, the Matrix LED lights provide unrivalled visibility. Dark country roads become as bright as day, and in heavy traffic, it is a real pleasure to watch the system precisely cut other road users out of the glaringly bright beam. And if it gets too bright – for example, when a town sign flashes back violently – the headlights dim down in a fraction of a second – without impairing overall visibility.

The biggest strength: fast charging, long range

Arguably the most fun, besides the driving dynamics, is the range, which really impresses thanks to 94.9 kWh of usable capacity and moderate consumption. Cruising between the recommended speed and 120 kph limits, the car consumes just 18.1 kWh per 100 km. At an average of 150 kph, including several faster overtakes, consumption rises to a still respectable 23 kWh/100 km. Even at brisk speeds, this allows for over 400 km of real-world range, while a more restrained driving style can achieve up to 520 km.

The second major highlight comes at the charging station, after the battery has been drained: thanks to 800-volt charging technology, the batteries are recharged in record time. Five to 80 per cent is done in 22 minutes, with the factory specification of 270 kW charging power being consistently exceeded by 10 kW. In everyday use, you quickly get used to making optimum use of the sheer power in the first half and keeping the charge level between five and 50 per cent, then each charging stop takes less than 10 minutes.

A nice charging gimmick is the second charging flap, which means that the wall box in your garage at home can never be on the wrong side: the A6 can charge with AC on both sides, DC only on the left. As outstanding as the direct current charging power is, it remains average with alternating current: 11 kW is the maximum. Some may miss a 22 kW charger here – although, out of sheer enthusiasm for ultra-fast DC charging, we left the Type 2 cable untouched in the boot.

Conclusion: a proud car, a proud price

After many years in which Audi only offered SUVs in the fully electric segment, with the exception of the e-tron GT supercar, there is finally a stylish and comfort-oriented saloon once again. And it not only looks fast – it performs accordingly on the road and at the charging station. Minor drawbacks in terms of software or quality do not make it a bad car, but in combination with the confident pricing (test car price: €95,405), they do detract a little from what is otherwise an excellent overall package.

The A6 Sportback e-tron is a good-natured workhorse that will rack up the miles from dawn to dusk without complaint, never compromising on comfort. Anyone who has been happy with the combustion engine version of the A6 will also love the electric version. It doesn’t even have to be the quattro – the rear-wheel drive version also has plenty of power for everyday use, and thanks to the wicked Audi grin, everyone politely clears the left lane for the smaller versions.