2025 Audi Q6 E-Tron and SQ6 E-Tron First Drives: The Porsche Macan’s Sibling Stands on its Own
Premium Porsche parts make for two fine electric Audi SUVs.
Audi has had a toe dipped in electrified waters for a few years, but the luxury brand from Ingolstadt has yet to show the world its killer EV app. Not a great look if the brand’s marketing slogan, Vorsprung durch Technik, essentially means progress through technology. Credit where credit is due, the sleek E-Tron GT is wonderful in most ways, but in essence it’s a rebodied Porsche Taycan. And both vehicles featured a fundamental flaw beyond their tight backseats: the range, especially for the money, was not very good. However, both cars just went through midcycle upgrades that should address that issue. But then there’s the fact that the E-Tron GT is a terrific sedan in an age where no one buys sedans. True, Audi will sell you two batches of electric SUVs—the Q4 and Q8 model ranges—but neither is a class leader. Which brings us to the all-new 2025 Audi Q6 E-Tron and its higher performing sibling, the SQ6 E-Tron. These are two SUVs that better be good for Audi’s sake. We went to Spain’s Basque Country to see for ourselves.
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Defining the Q6
With the addition of the Q6 range, Audi now has compact (Q4 E-Tron family), midsize (Q6), and full-size (Q8 E-Tron family) premium SUV EVs covered. BMW can’t claim that (yet), with the iX being its lone BEV SUV. Mercedes sort of can with its EQB, EQE, and EQS SUVs. However, those in the know are waiting for an electric GLC-Class offering, as the EQB is half-baked.
Keeping with the fine German tradition of one sausage, three-lengths, the 2025 Audi Q6 has a wheelbase that’s nearly five inches longer than the Q4’s, though only not quite an inch stubbier than the Q8’s. The overall length bests the Q4 by nearly seven inches, yet it’s about five inches shorter than the Q8. The thing is that these three SUVs aren’t really the same sausage. The Q4 is built on the Volkswagen Group MEB platform, the Q8 on the group’s MLB platform, and the Q6 on the new PPE platform. Seems overly complex, no? Especially when you consider the E-Tron GT is on yet another architecture (J1). Don’t worry, none of this will be on the test. One more thing if you missed it: Fully electric Audi SUVs start with Q and now end in an even number. Gasoline and hybrid SUVs start with Q and end in an odd number. The current gasoline-powered Q8 will relaunch as the Q7 Sportback (probably) in the not-too-distant future.
Back to PPE, the Premium Platform Electric platform seems to be a very good thing indeed. Developed jointly by Audi and Porsche, PPE is scalable and will allow for a wide variety of vehicles. First up was the new Porsche Macan EV, now followed closely by the Q6 E-Trons, but PPE will also underpin Audi’s electric sedans (beginning with the upcoming A6 and A7, the latter switching to A6 Sportback), Porsche’s three-row crossover, and assuming the rumors are true, the new electric 718 Boxster/Cayman. That might sound difficult to believe but remember: the Q8 E-Tron already rides on the MLB platform, an architecture that underpins both the Audi A4 and the Lamborghini Urus. VW Group is skilled at this sort of platform sharing. PPE is “skateboard” platform that allows for one (rear-drive) or two-motor (AWD) applications. Speaking of scalable, while both are two-row, five-passenger SUVs, the Macan and Q6 have different wheelbases.
Like the Macan, the revised 2025 Audi Q6s sport a 100-kWh lithium-ion battery pack (94.4 kWh usable) and at launch, all variants are AWD. A rear-drive Q6 will follow, as will a more bonkers RSQ6. The two we drove have the same physical motors, so the software is responsible for the differing power outputs of the 2025 Audi Q6 and 2025 Audi SQ6.
In the Q6, the front asynchronous induction motor and the rear PSM (permanently excited synchronous) unit combine for 422 horsepower (with 456 hp available with launch control), whereas (the literal same motors) in the SQ6 pump out 493 hp (509 hp with launch control). Both vehicles put down 631 lb-ft of torque. According to Audi, the Q6 should hit 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, whereas the SQ6 will get there in 4.1 seconds. Also like the Macan, the Q6 and SQ6 sport an 800-volt electrical architecture that allows for quick charging. With a maximum charging speed of 270 kW, Audi claims the Q6’s battery can charge from 10 to 80 percent in 21 minutes. The Q6 E-Tron should have an EPA-rated range of just more than 300 miles, whereas the slightly less efficient SQ6 should go 275 miles on a full charge. If a 400-volt charger is encountered, the PPE battery can do bank charging, where the 800-volt battery is split into two 400-volt batteries with each pulling 135 kW.
How Do They Look?
Despite the front license plate marring the looks of every test vehicle like a face tattoo, the 2025 Audi Q6 and 2025 Audi SQ6 are chiseled and handsome. There’s a stout functionality to the line work, and the stubby front overhang and butched-up rear fenders give off a toughness we bet consumers will like. The flattened headlights provide a modern look, though the massive signature Audi grille (which is a faux grille, because EV) does date things slightly. Seeing how Audi pioneered the mega-mouth-grille trend that took over the car industry like wildfire, you can’t help but wonder if a new face of the brand is coming, or better yet, needed? The Q6’s design is competent and well rendered, but hardly trend setting.
The scene inside is dominated by a large, curving OLED screen. It’s really two screens cleverly blended: a 14.5-inch central screen and an 11.9-inch driver’s display. The passenger also gets a screen, a 10.9-inch regular LED screen that’s not visible to the driver when the vehicle is in motion. We’re quite happy to report the passenger screen is filled with most of the same functionality found on the center screen. We were able to pair a phone with it while the center screen remained set to vehicle navigation. However, the driver won’t spend too much time looking at any of them because Audi’s improved augmented-reality head-up display is simply great. Augmented reality overlays a video game-esque set of graphics right onto the windshield that quite intuitively helps you to navigate. Seriously impressive stuff.
The rest of the interior is sparse—you can thank Tesla’s minimalism for this trend—and while the materials are nice enough, it’s not nearly as good when compared to the competition as Audi’s insides were two decades ago. Big caveat, however—we were over in Spain, driving Euro-spec vehicles. Audi says U.S. models will feature richer materials. Audi also kept a physical volume knob in these cars, but the HVAC controls are all digital, as is everything else. We must say, however, that changing the temperature and fan speed were easily completed tasks.
Let’s Drive
Let’s start in the rear seat, because there was a 6-foot-five-inch, 300-plus pound man riding behind me for two hours. I’m 5-11 and purposely didn’t scooch my seat up any for him. At the end he said he had enough room but was happy to get out. Not bad at all. Nor is the Q6 E-Tron’s ride quality. Both the 2025 Q6 and SQ6 feel like premium vehicles, thanks in part to their standard air suspension. More interesting, they both feel/drive like Audis. Specifically, while navigating a traffic circle at modest speeds, the vibe of the front end, the physical way the steering wheel moved, felt exactly like my old A4 Allroad. The back of the steering wheel even scraped a little against the dash past 45 degrees. This is all quite an accomplishment, considering the same bunch of parts moves the Porsche Macan EV around, and that thing drives and feels like a gas-powered Macan/Cayenne. To underline it, that’s some damn fine tuning, Audi.
Sadly, the Euro-spec 2025 Audi Q6 we drive has different powertrain software than the one coming to the U.S., so power was down by about 70 hp, tempering any driving impressions. Yet even with only 352 hp, the Q6 E-Tron felt adequately powered. “Quick enough” might be the best way to phrase it. The two motors do have approximately 5,200-pounds of vehicle to deal with, but you never forget electric torque is instant, and since there’s only one gear you’re never waiting around for a downshift. But we never confused the regular flavor Q6 for a performance car. It rides well, is quick enough, steers fine, and stops the way you’d expect. Damning with faint praise? You bet.
Speaking of stopping well, Audi programmed five regenerative-braking strategies into the refreshed Q6 and SQ6. Since the Q6 was co-developed with Porsche, it’s boasts a coast mode. Porsche, alone amongst all other automakers, remains dedicated to the specious notion that having a vehicle coast when the driver comes off the throttle is more efficient than regenerative braking, a process that literally puts electrons into the battery. Sure, there are certain situations where coasting will be most efficient, specifically long, uninterrupted highway drives. Anyhow, in the Audi, you can manually control for some regen, slight regen, or no regen by using the steering wheel-mounted paddles. There’s also a clever Auto mode that uses the front camera to look and see if coasting or regenerative braking is more efficient. That said, B mode (pull back on the shifter a second time to enter) is true one-pedal driving, and as far as we’re concerned, the best braking strategy.
One odd thing about Audi’s one-pedal-driving mode is that there’s a slight half-second delay between your foot coming off the “throttle” and the brakes beginning to regen. If you spend enough time one-pedal driving with well-tuned EVs, you learn to finely balance the throttle with the regen brakes. You can’t do that in the Q6 because of this odd delay. In other words, in most EVs you start braking as soon as you begin lifting your right foot. Here you need to wait a beat before the vehicle begins to slow—and the Q6 is coasting for that half second. I asked an Audi engineer why they went with this strategy and was told that’s just how Audi decided to go. Something to do with smoothly blending the friction brakes with the regen braking. You have to wonder how much of the Porsche hand we’re seeing here in this strategy.
What About the Fast One?
Yes, the spicy 2025 Audi SQ6 was more enjoyable to drive than the regular-flavor Q6 E-Tron. Quicker? Absolutely, and while we didn’t get a chance to try and beat Audi’s claimed 4.1-second 0–60-mph run, based on several wide-open throttle pulls, Ingolstadt’s being conservative. In Comfort mode the air suspension and active dampers are soft enough but click up into Dynamic and the ride becomes sportier, more buttoned down. Vehicle motions are better controlled around corners and yeah, the SQ6 E-Tron becomes quite fun to toss around. As it happens, we spent an hour of our two-hour drive dealing with a downpour—the rain in Spain falls mostly in the hills above San Sebastian, apparently. Good news to report back, the SQ6 was unphased, with impressive grip from Pirelli P Zero Elect summer tires.
There we were, trucking along, enjoying ourselves and the 2025 Audi SQ6 when suddenly the computer lady spoke to us. “Warning: you will not reach your destination based on the current state of charge.” Paraphrasing here, but you get the gist. The battery showed 11 percent and we couldn’t find many chargers on the map. A quick call to our Audi hosts revealed the computer is quite conservative. Don’t worry, you’ll make it, they said. We switched into Efficiency mode, and as the driver I decided to scoot along under the speed limit, regen as much as possible (though that lag in coming off-throttle before the regen brakes kick on was annoying in this situation), draft off trucks—basically deploy every hypermiling trick in my arsenal. The result? The battery SOC shot up to 13 percent, and the SQ6 made it back to the hotel with three percent remaining. Point being, even the fast model can be quite efficient when you need it to be.
And So?
Audi did a solid job with its first ever midsize all-electric SUV, as aside from not being impressed by the regenerative-braking programming, what’s not to like? Also, that braking strategy could be reprogrammed tonight via an over-the-air update. That’s the beauty of software-defined vehicles. The 2025 Audi Q6 and SQ6 E-Trons go on sale toward the end of the year, and Audi hasn’t announced pricing yet. Figure we’re looking at a base price of $60,000 for the Q6 and $75,000 or so for the SQ6. We’ve long known the Volkswagen Group is the master of platform sharing, and the way these new Audis are differentiated from the Porsche Macan is another feather in the broader company’s iterative cap. Are they standouts? Do they represent Audi’s killer EV app? No, but both the 2025 Audi Q6 and SQ6 move the needle. Quite literally Vorsprung durch Technik.
When I was just one-year-old and newly walking, I managed to paint a white racing stripe down the side of my father’s Datsun 280Z. It’s been downhill ever since then. Moral of the story? Painting the garage leads to petrolheads. I’ve always loved writing, and I’ve always had strong opinions about cars.
One day I realized that I should combine two of my biggest passions and see what happened. Turns out that some people liked what I had to say and within a few years Angus MacKenzie came calling. I regularly come to the realization that I have the best job in the entire world. My father is the one most responsible for my car obsession. While driving, he would never fail to regale me with tales of my grandfather’s 1950 Cadillac 60 Special and 1953 Buick Roadmaster. He’d also try to impart driving wisdom, explaining how the younger you learn to drive, the safer driver you’ll be. “I learned to drive when I was 12 and I’ve never been in an accident.” He also, at least once per month warned, “No matter how good you drive, someday, somewhere, a drunk’s going to come out of nowhere and plow into you.”
When I was very young my dad would strap my car seat into the front of his Datsun 280Z and we’d go flying around the hills above Malibu, near where I grew up. The same roads, in fact, that we now use for the majority of our comparison tests. I believe these weekend runs are part of the reason why I’ve never developed motion sickness, a trait that comes in handy when my “job” requires me to sit in the passenger seats for repeated hot laps of the Nurburgring. Outside of cars and writing, my great passions include beer — brewing and judging as well as tasting — and tournament poker. I also like collecting cactus, because they’re tough to kill. My amazing wife Amy is an actress here in Los Angeles and we have a wonderful son, Richard.Read More
