[Axe77]

Audi Q6 e-tron Review

Introduction

At a time when electric vehicles in the mass segment are facing a renewed challenge from strong hybrids, the big Germans continue to launch new electric car models with fair gusto. Amongst the mainstream luxury brands, Mercedes and BMW certainly have a higher number of electric offerings than Audi. However, it must be noted that most of the models to date that these brands have offered are developed off an ICE counterpart instead of being BEVs.

The landscape isn’t easy for EVs either. When you assess value, EVs from these brands often don’t offer either the same level of luxury or often even the same level of interior comfort as their corresponding ICE counterparts. For instance, a Mercedes EQS simply is not an electric substitute for an S-Class - it's much closer in comparison to an E-Class. An Audi Q8 e-tron is not the same as a Q8 in size.

The challenge isn’t only from their own ICE counterparts, but also from extremely competent BEVs from mass market brands like Hyundai, Kia and BYD. Models like the BMW iX1, i4 or Mercedes EQB don’t provide nearly the kind of range or even performance that lower priced BEVs like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Kia EV6 provide. All this is telling as we can already see the luxury EV car sales facing a bit of a slow down, with discounts and buy back schemes being generously offered in order to move inventory.

With this backdrop, the Audi Q6 e-tron could well be an interesting prospect, at least among its immediate competitors from luxury brands. In terms of positioning, it slots between the smaller Q4 and the slightly larger Q8, leaning closer in size and positioning to its larger sibling.

More significantly however, it is among the first born electric offerings from the German trio. It is in fact, the first model to hit the market based on Audi’s brand new scalable Premium Performance Electric platform (co-developed with Porsche) with Audi seeing its immediate international competition from the likes of the Tesla Model Y, BMW iX3, Jaguar i-Pace etc.

It has a good enough size to find favour with the premium segment buyer, has the best WLTP range that the broader segment (including one above and below) has offered to date from amongst the German trio, sports well-appointed, tech-laden interiors and is a properly contemporary electric car. We are informed that at launch, Audi will release both the Q6 as well as the SQ6 in India. There is a possibility of a longer range RWD version coming in later too and we were also given a sneak peak into a sportback version, which will be released internationally as a follow through to the SUV.

When launched in India, the Q6 e-tron has to potential to present an interesting size to price to value equation in a niche of its own, sitting between the entry level compact segment and the full size premium segment. If it is priced right, it certainly has all the trappings to make an impact in the luxury electric car space.

[Axe77]

Audi Q6 e-tron Exterior Review

The Q6 is true to Audi’s DNA, sporting a classy, understated design language. The first thing that strikes you is that despite being a ground up model based on a brand new electric platform, the overall design is more evolution than revolution – and that’s a good thing! On just a quick glance, a layperson / non-enthusiast may in fact, need to have a re-look at the badging before determining whether the car is a Q6 or Q8.

At a time when Mercedes and BMW are producing over-the-top designs (BMW overall and Mercedes with their electric cars), Audi continues to produce classically timeless designs that still manage to look contemporary.

The Q6 is shorter in length than the Q8 (4.71 m vs 4.9 m), exactly as wide and a smidgeon taller (1.65 m vs 1.63 m). The result is that where the Q8 has a more estate-like profile viewed from certain angles – more so when the air suspension is at the lower setting, the Q6 holds truer to an SUV profile.

The e-tron badging across the car is subtle – black-on-black lettering on the front, rear and sides and very tiny lettering stating the same on the B-pillars. This isn’t a car that’s trying to scream its green credentials except for its distinctly different front grille. The car looks best when viewed from the front three quarters and even the rear three-quarter profile shows a strong stance. The design is consistently clean, modern and elegant.

The front end is where the e-tron finds the most visible differentiation from its other electric and ICE siblings. While it is unmistakably Audi, it is also unmistakably electric. The area that typically houses headlamps now sports the matrix digital light signature setup while the actual headlights now sit just below these LED lights. Personally, I think the whole customisable digital light signature aspect is a bit gimmicky and definitely something that wouldn't excite me much even if I were to buy a car with this feature. Some of these packages too could be aftermarket purchases. I'm just dreading how much a front bumper shunt could potentially cost a Q6 owner - insurance notwithstanding. On cars with a lighter color such as white, the now inverted face with the new style grille stands out against the black surrounding, but on the darker colors this is more blended in.

The rear design too is extremely clean, with the standout distinctive feature being the customisable OLED rear lights 2.0. Just like the front setup, these can be customised via the MMI as well as the myAudi app. The only overtly visible badging on the rear is the Q6 lettering on the bottom left, complemented only by the subtler self-colored black e-tron badging at the centre.

Viewed side on, the liberation of interior space is evident by the elongated wheelbase, accentuated by the aggressively short overhangs on either side. There is a prominent black panel that draws attention as a visual marker to the heart of this vehicle - the location of its battery. The side profile also shows the key change with the new architecture – the charging ports now sit at the rear of the vehicle, unlike the Q8 where they are at the front. Like the Q8, it carries forward the convenience of providing dual charging ports on either side, one being an AC as well as DC while the other being AC only.

Overall, this is a design which will offend few and please most. Despite being evolutionary, it still manages to look very contemporary and up to date – a big win in my books and one that a more mature audience in particular is likely to appreciate.

One of the most prominent design changes with the digital light signature on top and the headlamps sitting below it. The white car accentuates this design change a lot more than the darker shades:


Clean, fuss-free rear with minimal drama and subtle Q6 badging. Again the highlight are the new customisable OLED tail lights:


Unmistakable SUV silhouette when viewed side-on. Black horizontal insert highlights the location of the battery:


Looks sharp from this angle with the significantly revised styling thanks to the split between the LEDs and the headlamps:


From the rear three-quarters, it looks chunky thanks to the SUV stance and wider rear tyres. Looks great in this Glacier White colour:


Stylish new alloy wheel design with rim sizes ranging from 18" to 21". All our test cars sported Pirelli P Zero tyres with a staggered 21" setup: 285/40/R21 at the rear and 255/45/R21 at the front:


Subtle e-tron badging embossed on the black side panel:


Very subtle badging on the B-pillars:


Charging ports on both sides. LHS sports AC as well as DC ports, while the RHS has an AC port only:


New PPE architecture, co-developed with Porsche, claims better charging efficiency. Maximum charging power of up to 270 kW for DC charging is claimed to generate a recharged range of 255 km in 10 minutes. 10% to 80% charge can be accomplished in 21 minutes:


Audi's new 2D logo makes its way to the Q6 as well:


Simple Q6 badging. No e-tron suffix:


My personal opinion is that the front grille looks better blended in on the darker shades. Here is a look at the Q6 e-tron in the Plasma Blue paint shade ...


...and in Daytona Grey:


Digital light signatures are customisable in eight different configurations:


Similar, there are 8 styles of customisation for the rear lights. There is a stronger element of functionality here though as the rear digital OLED lights can communicate with the immediate surroundings - what Audi calls the Car-to-X feature. Emergency brake on a Q6 and it will light up a warning symbol:

[Axe77]

Audi Q6 e-tron Interior Review

Step into the driver's seat and you see the most significant step forward in the design. The Q6 cockpit feels far more modern than even the Q8. It feels at least a generation ahead in comparison. The cockpit experience is visually dominated by the new Audi MMI curved panoramic display with OLED tech. It comprises an 11.9" Audi virtual cockpit and a 14.5" MMI touchscreen. Another first in the Q6 is the optional 10.9" MMI PID (passenger information display), which is beautifully designed and completely blacked out from the driver’s viewing angle.

The optionally available AR head-up display is also extremely well designed, showing relevant information such as speed, navigation, lane departure etc., which can be suitably adjusted to your seating position for the best viewing angle. Sadly, as with many modern cars, Audi too has lost most button controls and the interface is largely controlled via the MMI or haptic touch buttons. There is also a voice-based command system – the Audi Assistant – but in the short time we had for the drive I could not test it in a meaningful way.

The cabin is well appointed with high-quality material for most part, particularly in the areas that are above the waistline and in the occupants' line of sight or physical contact points. Lower down, the plastics feel a bit more ordinary in certain places. The seats are well-designed and both the front seats have pull-out seatbases that provide enhanced under-thigh support. The grey upholstery of our test car had a duller look but the beige interior that has been pictured below looks plusher and offers a more spacious feel. We expect this to be the upholstery of choice for our market given typical Indian preferences.

The dashboard has a nice soft feel and the buttons too have good haptic feedback. Overall, despite the overload of tech, the design is easy on the eye and fairly intuitive to use.

The rear is where the segment difference between the Q6 and Q8 is more apparent. The latter feels a distinct segment up. Where the front made the Q6 appear a generation ahead of the Q8, the rear is a stark reminder of the segment difference between the two siblings, with the Q6's interior at the back being completely forgettable.

Legroom and headroom both are par for the course and the seats are nicely contoured. Where the front feels extremely contemporary and even special, the rear is a bit... meh! It does get the basics in order though – seating is adequately comfortable for segment. It is definitely better than the Q5. The under-thigh support could definitely be better, but the seatback angle is decent i.e. it is not uncomfortably upright. Just like the Q8, it does not have any recline function. The rear windows get useful manual blinds – something most Indian customers desire. A sunroof has been missed though and it remains to be seen whether Audi will add this for the Indian market.

I keep going back to the Q8 e-tron as the only comparable car. Where the Q6's front was very impressive with its modernity and tech on full display, the rear left me underwhelmed in comparison. Make no mistake, it gets everything right, but there’s no wow factor to it, especially given the experience at the front.

Thoroughly updated and contemporary front facia is a massive step up even from its bigger EV sibling:


Different pieces of information are displayed dynamically by light strips that run across the dashboard from end-to-end. These are called "Interaction Lights":


Free-standing Audi MMI curved panoramic display. 14.5" MMI touch display is the largest ever in an Audi. Optional 10.9" passenger information display was provided in all the test cars:


Head-up display is extremely well-designed with useful information being visible at an adjustable distance. Information displayed includes speed, navigation inputs and more:


Steering has a flat top and bottom and comes with a silver insert. It is soft and comfortable to hold:


Touch buttons have good haptic feedback. Paddle shifters help toggle three levels of regen - off, 1 and 2:


Instrument cluster has a crisp display. Information is laid neatly and can be customised as per user preference:


Driver doorpad is neatly laid out and well finished. It can hold a 1-litre bottle and other knick-knacks:


Controls for the mirrors, lights, seat memory, ORVM and more are placed on the doorpad:


Well bolstered seats look much nicer in this beige trim than the grey interior of our first test car:


Seatbases can be extended for increased under-thigh support:


Centre fascia is tilted towards the driver:


Music is played through a Bang & Olufsen music system with 20 speakers. Sound quality is outstanding. These are the base speakers in the front doors with their separate housing. Four of the 20 speakers are integrated into the headrest, helping create sound zones:


Base of the centre fascia houses a storage space with a removable ashtray, and USB Type-C charging ports as well as wireless charging. Gear shifter has a B mode - toggling down to it activates single pedal driving:


Centre console houses 2 cupholders as well as a storage bin:


The Q6 is the first model to sport Audi's new passenger-side information display (PID) setup:


PID can be adjusted to show different information:


Maps for navigation can also be displayed:


The blanked out passenger display when viewed from the drivers seat - no scope for distraction:


Rather plasticky looking key. Simply does not feel premium to hold - another reminder of the Q6 occupying the premium “mid-size” and not “full-size” segment:


Rear doorpad has the same theme as the front. Door pocket can hold a 1-litre bottle and other items:


Door opening is generous providing for comfortable ingress and egress. The high seating means one does have to 'climb' out of the car. Useful sunblinds have been provided for the rear passengers:


Comfortable and well-contoured rear seat with the right seatback angle. Sadly, like the Q8, this car too misses out on a manual recline function:


Rear seat is best for two adults and a child. I didn't find the seating position knees up at all, but then, I am on the shorter side. Centre armrest has been provided:


Centre armrest houses very 'ordinary' looking cup holders. These are little touches in the rear where the Q8 looks and feels plusher:


A/C vents and temperature control have been provided for the rear passengers. The finish here is again a bit underwhelming:


Useful 526-litre boot with all seats up. There is a useful sliding cover to visually conceal the luggage. Netting is a useful feature to keep smaller luggage pieces in place:


Both sides get nets to hold items, a lever at the rear to fold the seatbacks down and a light:


Under the boot floor are the charger cable and the sub-woofer. What's more significant is that you don't get a spare tyre, not even space saver, something even the Q8 e-tron manages to accommodate:


Folding both rear seatbacks down liberates a whopping 1,529 litres of cargo space:

[Axe77]

Driving the Q6 e-tron

Let's start off with the numbers because they are truly impressive. At the heart of the Q6 e-tron are the brand new electric motors and a newly developed lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 100 kWh. This all-new setup produces a whopping 382 BHP.

The Q6 has a maximum speed of 210 km/h and a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 5.9 seconds (just a hint slower than the Q8 e-tron’s 5.7 seconds). The car's WLTP range is 625 km. Where the Q6 is f-a-s-t, the SQ6 will be blistering. The maximum engine power of the SQ6 is rated at 509 BHP. Its top speed is 230 km/h and the 0–100 km/h (with launch control) is claimed to be 4.3 seconds (that’s M340i territory for equivalent reference)! All this, of course, is at the cost of the range, which is still an astonishing 598 km (WLTP). This is a proper performance car with an actual usable range to boot. At the other end of the spectrum, there is also a ‘performance’ longer range variant which will produce 322 BHP and extend the car’s range to 641 km.

Our drive was organised over a few hours spread across two days in the region around Bilbao and San Sebastian. The route offered a mix of smooth highways as well as some twisty mountain roads, allowing us to experience the car in different kinds of road conditions, albeit all of it on very good quality roads. Since the car was shared between two teams with time also spent on site for photos and technical presentations, drive time per person totalled to a little over a couple of hours. Also, while we drove the Q6 on the first day, due to some mix-up on the second day, the SQ6 that was supposed to be handed to us was inadvertently taken by another team. As a result, unfortunately, our first-hand driving impressions for this report are limited to the Q6 variant only.

Step on the A pedal and the car takes off swiftly and smoothly, without the typical drama associated with an ICE engine. It is extremely smooth, very fast (although it did not feel ‘push back in the seat’ fast – that’s something I’m pretty sure the SQ6 will deliver in spades) and dynamically sorted. The driving modes include off-road, efficiency, comfort, dynamic and balanced modes. The balanced mode in particular is interesting – it learns and adapts to the user’s style of driving.

The regen works extremely well and I toyed around generously between the two regen modes as well as single pedal driving. This takes some getting used to if you're not familiar with it, but it's easy to adapt to reasonably quickly. I was most comfortable driving with level 2 regen which seemed to give me the best feel of driving with the regen braking style of driving. The tech at play is user friendly and even though extensive, never overwhelming. The navigation, speed, etc. is easy to follow via the blue arrows in the head-up display and overall, the entire cockpit experience is excellent.

Whack the throttle and this car is rewarding in a typical electric way. The car delivers its power in a fast but predictable, smooth and linear manner with seamless acceleration across the entire speed range that we operated at on fast highways. The car is fun to drive in the twisties as well but that experience is best reserved for the next section, where we discuss its dynamic prowess.

Overall, drivers will find Q6 performance very sprightly but in a mature sophisticated way. For those looking at that league of performance combined with German all-round sophistication, there is the pricier SQ6 which gives the best performance as well as a respectable range.

Open the bonnet and you are greeted with a clean and clutter-free frunk design, thanks to the placement of the battery at the base:


64 litres of frunk storage:

Suspension

I do not have a lot of experience driving Audis, so I was not sure what to expect from driving the Q6 from a ride, handling and steering perspective. In a nutshell, I was blown away by its dynamic prowess.

The new passive damping system FSD (Frequency Selective Damping) operates and adapts in real-time to ensure top-notch ride comfort on really bad roads as well as managing car movement. The adaptive air suspension with its controlled damping on the other hand suitably compensates for load via level control. The combination of the electronics and mechanical setup translate into an excellent balance between dynamic handling, performance and ride comfort. All this tech and hardware also, of course, makes for, I imagine, expensive repairs or maintenance in the long term. I’d be interested to understand the associated cost of ownership over several years for these high tech setups.

All the test cars were shod with 21" wheels as well as the optional electronically controlled sports air suspension which comes with a continuously variable adaptive damping system. The resultant ride was plush with the only caveat that we really couldn’t test it in conditions that are closer to the appalling roads that our country serves up in spades. I expect the car to be specced with the more practical 19" or 20" wheels in India given our road conditions.

I spent my fair share of time in the back seat as well to get some perspective for the chauffeur driven and it did not disappoint. At the back too, the ride was extremely comfortable. Despite being pushed hard from time to time, the car delivers a really plush ride quality for all passengers, whether at the front or at the back. While we did not drive the SQ6, my understanding is that the entire ride and handling setup is slightly tweaked for a slightly sportier bias.

Coming to the steering – it was absolutely on point, neither too light, nor too heavy and always dead accurate. Select dynamic mode and the car feels nice and taut with a sharp and accurate steering to point and shoot as you please. There is no vagueness in centre whatsoever and even in comfort mode, the steering provides brilliant feedback.

As per Audi, the systems and components making up the chassis are mostly new developments. It was explained to us that the front axle too has a new design, where for the first time the control arms are arranged in front of the suspension arms and in the direction of travel, for both better dynamics and also in keeping with the position of the HV battery. This is claimed to deliver better steering feedback as well as agility, with the steering rack being firmly bolted to the subframe. The rear tyres too are wider and combined with the operation of the twin battery setup, the car has a slight rear wheel-biased torque distribution.

The braking too is brilliant with the brakes providing excellent feedback and integrating seamlessly with the regen. Given the route involved public roads, I did not want to risk simulating any urgent brake test manoeuvres though.

Adaptive air suspension is an optional extra:


The ASM / PSM combo means it's the rear motor which is always working in this Quattro setup. The car has a nice rear wheel bias, unlike most Audis:

Drive and Battery system

Audi explained the new scalable electric drive system as well as the battery architecture that are at the heart of the Q6 and the SQ6.

Audi has made considerable efforts to ensure that these newer designed drives are more compact than existing designs, therefore requiring less installation space. These have also been designed to be about 20% lighter and more efficient. The motors are built in the company's drivetrain plant in Gyor, Hungary – said to be the largest powertrain plant in the world.

Audi has also extracted much superior power-to-weight performance from the PPE electric drives. The ASM drive on the front axle only comes into play when the driver seeks to extract maximum performance – at all other times, it is the compact PSM of the rear axle at play, giving the car the sweet rear wheel torque bias that we spoke about earlier. Audi is leveraging the scalable nature of this powertrain to launch the car in two models with all-wheel drive and two different performance levels - the Q6 and the SQ6. More models will follow such as an entry-level rear-wheel drive variant focussed on longer range and a Sportback version too.

Coming to the battery, the newly developed 100 kW high voltage battery is assembled at Ingolstadt. The battery comprises just 12 modules, with 15 cells per module connected in series. For reference, the Q8 e-tron battery consists of 36 modules and 432 cells. Audi claims that this provides the best balance between range and charging performance. The battery architecture too has increased energy density thanks to its increased nickel content from the 8:1:1 ratio of nickel, cobalt and manganese. The battery is lighter, requires less installation space and can be better integrated into the vehicle’s crash system. The battery management controller (BMC) manages the current regulation. The 800V battery is divided into two partial batteries with half the nominal voltage each, which are charged in parallel to allow for faster charging.

The Audi Q6 e-tron Quattro charges with 11 kW alternating current (AC). A 22 kW version is to follow at a later point. Maximum charging power of up to 270 kW for DC charging generates a recharged range of up to 255 km in around ten minutes; around 21 minutes is enough to recharge the HV battery from 10 to 80 percent during HPC charging. One hopes that we will see faster charging networks becoming more mainstream to make the most of these fast charging abilities.

800V architecture with 2x400 bank charging possible:


Uses an ASM (asynchronous motor) on the front axle and PSM (permanent-magnet synchronous motor) on the rear axle:


Disclaimer: Audi invited Team-BHP for the Q6 e-tron test drive. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event. Also, credit for the images goes to Audi & their team of photographers!

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[PB65]

Just a question. Was this model really needed? That too at a time when every company is pulling back from their EV commitments and targets?

[sh3lby]

Design-wise, rear and side profile looks great, and while the front fascia is definitely better than the übergrilles on BMW i's, it still doesn't appeal the same way as, for instance, the Q8 e-tron does.

Overall seems like a good offering but sad to see them go overboard on screens as well. Plus the MMI theme/font is a downgrade, just looks too generic.

I'm sure it's a thrill to push the pedal down given it's an EV...
Any thoughts on what the pricing will be? I expect it to be in the 80-110L range.

Originally Posted by PB65

Just a question. Was this model really needed? That too at a time when every company is pulling back from their EV commitments and targets?

Ridiculous take, frankly. While it is true automotive companies are pulling back from their EV targets, the competition in different EV segments is still rising, with BMW and Mercedes continually launching new i and EQ models.

Manufacturers have only just started offering their BEV (born EVs), ie EVs on a platform and battery architecture specifically designed for that, and not an ICE converted platform.

While we as enthusiasts may prefer ICE, premium EV offerings will rise (and rightfully so) before the demand falls.
On one side we blame Audi for keeping their India lineup 'outdated' then on the other side when fresh models like the Q6 e-tron are brought in we can't say 'was this needed'.

No offence but the automobile industry and its cars are not like vegetables that go in and out of season. There's tons of market research that these manufacturers do before investing billions into product development.
If you feel this offering is not right now, and that is the consensus, it will show in research and force companies to reconsider.

[PrideRed]

The front reminds me of Kona, that said looks like a good package overall. I like this better than Mercedes EQC. When launched in India, I hope Audi prices this sensibly.

[Kashi053]

Thank you Axe77 for such an in-depth review. Somehow Premium EVs do not interest me anymore and aspirational part is missing.

[mxx]

Great Review.
This is an interesting launch from Audi. I always felt that the Big 3 German EVs were uninteresting, boring and actually had nothing new or great to offer, compared to say Ioniq5 or Kia EV6 or even BYD seal.
Q6/SQ6 changes that. I really like the design too. You know it is an Audi, but has a new sophisticated look. Not like the over designed (sometimes hideous looking) EVs.

[IshaanIan]

I never thought I’d be saying this but the day has finally come where an Audi (that too an expensive one) looks like a Hyundai Kona. If not for the characteristic C/D pillar, this looks almost like a facelifted Kona. Even those customizable lights while innovative, look like something Hyundai would have come up with. Come on Audi you guys need to define yourselves not let the user customize the design of your DRLs because your car now looks like one of those brand less GTA ripoffs such wishy washy design choices can be tried out perhaps in the lower segments like on the Q2 or A3 but on such an expensive model where buyers expect some sort of a statement to be made when they roll up in it? Tsk, tsk, tsk.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by sh3lby

Design-wise, rear and side profile looks great, and while the front fascia is definitely better than the übergrilles on BMW i's, it still doesn't appeal the same way as, for instance, the Q8 e-tron does.

Same here. I too prefer this overall design to the BMW and Mercedes electrics. I too like the profile of the Q8 a lot but in the flesh this is quite nice too. Personally I preferred the overall front look in the darker shade cars.

Overall seems like a good offering but sad to see them go overboard on screens as well. Plus the MMI theme/font is a downgrade, just looks too generic.

I actually found the screens very good and the fonts in particular far nicer than the one on the Q8 e-tron.

Any thoughts on what the pricing will be? I expect it to be in the 80-110L range.

Indeed. My gut feel is also that broad range because I sense they want to be competitive but really don’t want to venture a guess. You can never say what these end up at depending on how they spec it and what not.

Originally Posted by PrideRed

The front reminds me of Kona, that said looks like a good package overall. I like this better than Mercedes EQC. When launched in India, I hope Audi prices this sensibly.

. Never looked at this from a Kona lens at all but now that you’ve said it its in my head too.

It’s a fantastic package overall and at least among the German trio I think this is perhaps THE most comprehensive and compelling alternative (in the broad segment it occupies plus one below and above. It will enter a bit of a white space and I wouldn’t be surprised if some prospective entry level size EV buyers of the German brands would seriously consider stretching a bit for the Q6. Technically too, this seems to provide the best balance of range and performance metrics.

I am also keeping my fingers crossed they price and spec it well. That will definitely be key, because the Koreans etc do pose very competent and compelling prospects in the 50 - 60 lakh EV space.

Originally Posted by mxx

Great Review.
This is an interesting launch from Audi. I always felt that the Big 3 German EVs were uninteresting, boring and actually had nothing new or great to offer, compared to say Ioniq5 or Kia EV6 or even BYD seal.
Q6/SQ6 changes that. I really like the design too. You know it is an Audi, but has a new sophisticated look. Not like the over designed (sometimes hideous looking) EVs.

I think it makes for quite a complete package. Right size, contemporary tech, right combo of range and performance as well as modern battery tech. It certainly gets all the basics on point and more but pricing will be key too.

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

I never thought I’d be saying this but the day has finally come where an Audi (that too an expensive one) looks like a Hyundai Kona. If not for the characteristic C/D pillar, this looks almost like a facelifted Kona. Even those customizable lights while innovative, look like something Hyundai would have come up with.

You’ve all put the Kona in my head too now and I’m trying to disassociate the two.

I wasn’t too taken by the whole LED combo thing, specially since it’s not something inside the car that you can visually interact with or react to. I really do think most people will forget about it in a month if not sooner. Needless tech IMO but I do love with what they’ve done with the interior inside as well as the fact that they’ve not gone over the top outside like some other models.

[AKSarkar1]

After the original Audi Q7 that was offered in India this is probably one of the only luxury SUVs that tugs on my heart strings and also probably one of the few EV SUVs that I would love to own!

Audi outdid themselves with this one! Even the interior seems like to be like a proper do over rather than just a copy paste. Kudos to Audi India!

[Hayek]

Thanks Axe77 for the fantastic review. Funnily, I like the BMW iX’s looks better. How does this car compare with the iX - is it in the same segment, more spacious or less? Think that would probably be its main rival in the near term.

Am surprised they have just a 11 KW AC charger - BMW gives a 22 KW charger which would in my view be more attractive for most customers. The incremental benefit of 250 KE charging in India is too low - when I bought my Ioniq, there were only 3 350 KW chargers in India and I doubt that would have changed materially.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by Hayek

Thanks Axe77 for the fantastic review. Funnily, I like the BMW iX’s looks better. How does this car compare with the iX - is it in the same segment, more spacious or less? Think that would probably be its main rival in the near term.

Hi Hayek,

I haven’t seen the iX from inside but from a segment perspective this will sit between the iX1 and the iX, with the latter going head on against the Q8 e-tron. Here is a picture I took from their presentation when they were outlining the segmentation.

Am surprised they have just a 11 KW AC charger - BMW gives a 22 KW charger which would in my view be more attractive for most customers. The incremental benefit of 250 KE charging in India is too low - when I bought my Ioniq, there were only 3 350 KW chargers in India and I doubt that would have changed materially.

It’s an 11 kW now but a 22 kW will follow through as well. Completely agree with you on the 250 charging speed but I’m hoping over a period of time faster chargers will come through. My observations in the review on both these aspects.

The Audi Q6 e-tron Quattro charges with 11 kW alternating current (AC). A 22 kW version is to follow at a later point. Maximum charging power of up to 270 kW for DC charging generates a recharged range of up to 255 km in around ten minutes; around 21 minutes is enough to recharge the HV battery from 10 to 80 percent during HPC charging. One hopes that we will see faster charging networks becoming more mainstream to make the most of these fast charging abilities.