This A6 Sportback e-tron may well be the first non-SUV that is based on the firm’s PPE platform — as I’ve been repeatedly reminded by Audi’s representatives over the past days — but make no mistake, it’s well late to the party.
You see, we first got our hands on Mercedes-Benz’s closest rival to this A6 e-tron, the EQE, in late 2022. And of course, there’s BMW’s all-electric answer to the executive sedan segment, the i5, which we first drove in November of 2023.
So, is this A6 e-tron a case of better late than never? Or is the slow yet steady poised to win this race?
Something different
Cast your gaze upon the A6 Sportback e-tron and what immediately strikes is that it’s something different.
The Sportback’s coupe-like gently sloping rear roofline is nothing new in the world of electric cars. But the A6 e-tron’s split head light arrangement and that boldly illuminated logo at the rear certainly distinguish this car from the rest of the firm’s lineup.
Ditto its wedge-like silhouette. Make no mistake: This A6 Sportback e-tron isn’t exactly short (in fact, it stands at 35mm taller than the combustion-powered A6 Sedan) but it’s sleek lines still allow it to stand as delightfully poised and planted item.
Something familiar
And its cabin is equally built to impress. Adults seated at the rear should still find enough head room for longer journeys despite that sloping roofline.
And as with the rest of the latest Audis on the market, you sit here facing the firm’s MMI panoramic display. This comprises of an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.5-inch infotainment display.
Navigating through the menus of the latter proves easy enough, although in this A6 e-tron I will have to point out that the air-conditioning screen does take some time to load up when you’ve just started the car — a bother if you last drove the car at night and now need to crank that fan speed right up. Still, the graphics and resolution from the panoramic display all scream quality.
As do the Audi S sport seats available on our ‘Edition 1’ trim test car, which proved mighty comfortable to rest on and served as the perfect accompaniment from which to appreciate the clarity of the car’s Bang & Olufsen premium speaker system.
And there’s physical controls for you to direct the air-conditioning vents, and the controls over the speaker volume and drive mode still get their dedicated buttons on the centre console, touches that are always well appreciated.
Something a little fun
Which all means, of course, less distractions when you’re motoring along on the road.
And you will want to pay attention on your commute. With 210kW to deploy (240kW if you activate launch control), moving off from a standstill always feels effortless.
But where the A6 e-tron really impresses is how it behaves once you’re at speed. The ride here is finely judged for an executive sedan — that is, pliant enough while still deploying enough damping force so unwanted lateral movement is kept well in check.
Combine this with what feels like a low centre of gravity and the net result of this setup is a car that always feels planted, instilling confidence within the driver to take on twisty roads with some speed.
The Audi A6 e-tron also distinguishes itself with its eager turn-in and an accurate steering that also weighs up nicely as you call for more steering angle, although outright sportiness here is hurt by the system’s inability to offer much feedback to the driver.
As with plenty of cars with a substantially raked rear, visibility from the rear windscreen is rather limited, so be sure to check the feed from your cameras before starting any reversing manoeuvres.
We saw the Audi A6 e-tron averaging an energy economy of close to 6.0km/kWh during our drive, which is just a little short of its claimed economy of 6.5km/kWh. At this rate you can expect to be able to cover close to 450km between your charging sessions.
Something a little serious
So, is this most tardy Audi A6 e-tron now the option of choice for those shopping within the executive sedan segment?
At $402,999, this ‘Edition 1’ trim A6 e-tron is currently the most accessible of the trio: The 250kW BMW i5 eDrive40 is asking for $421,888 while the 180kW Mercedes-Benz EQE 300 is asking for a total of $413,888.
Those who really want to compare numbers will, however, will also want to note that the A6 comes with a marginally smaller battery next to these rivals.
Its claimed net battery capacity stands at 75.8kWh, while the i5 sports an 81.2kWh net capacity item and the one in the Mercedes-Benz EQE is stated to offer 90kWh of useable capacity.
Still, here’s the kicker: If you can make do without that extra range and features such as the Bang & Olufsen speakers and a head up display amongst others, this A6 e-tron can also be had in its ‘Advanced’ trim, which starts from just $382,999.
At that price, the A6 e-tron is one irresistible pick. And who cares about arriving late when you show up looking this great?
What we like
- Sporty good looks
- Premium interior materials and infotainment layout
- Both comfortable to sit in while still being dynamically competent
What we dislike
- Battery capacity isn’t quite up to what rivals can offer
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This article was first published in sgCarMart.
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