Audi is at its best when it does audacious things. That line runs from Auto Union's stupendous supercharged V-12 and V-16 race cars in the Thirties to the Quattro system that helped the world go all-wheel drive in the Eighties and which carried Audi to glory in the WRC. Later on, it was Audi that took aluminum construction into the mainstream with the A8 sedan, put Bauhaus design on wheels with the TT, and created a diffusion-line Lamborghini in the R8. Then there's the vicious RS6 Avant, which has done for station wagons what Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture did for cannon fire. Audi is great when it flies its freak flag.
With that maelstrom of awesome behind them, here comes the all-new 2026 Audi A6 and S6 Sportback e-tron models, a pair of... electric sedans. The A6 is the subject here; we'll return to the S6 later.
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The Lowdown
Sportback is Audi-speak for five-door hatchbacks with traditional sedan proportions but the extra utility of a liftback rear. Audi has taken advantage of this form factor's inherent slickness and come up with an exceptionally sleek shape, with a claimed drag coefficient of just 0.23. That's even better than the superslick 1984 Audi 5000.
Underneath that slippery form sits the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture introduced last year as the dedicated base for the Q6 e-tron SUV. While the A6 (and S6) names will also be applied to internal-combustion-powered sedans, those will share very little else in common with this all-electric version.
There are two A6 e-tron variations. There's the single-motor, rear-drive A6 Sportback e-tron with one motor in back providing 362 hp in normal operation and 375 hp with launch control engaged. Those output numbers assume an ideal state of battery charge and ideal ambient weather conditions. So, keep that in mind before bracket racing at the local strip. This is not the first rear-drive Audi, the R8 RWS and GT as well as the base Q6 e-tron preceding it. But the entry A6 e-tron is the first rear-drive Audi sedan we can recall.
A step up from the base A6 Sportback e-tron is the A6 Sportback e-tron Quattro, which adds a second motor driving the front wheels. This delivers a total of 422 hp in normal operation and 456 hp in launch-control mode.
Both versions are juiced by the same 800-volt lithium-ion battery pack with a net 94.4 kWh of zap. Audi says the rear-drive A6 on 19-inch wheels can go up to 392 miles on a charge and that the dual-motor Quattro manages 377 miles. The high-voltage architecture also allows for impressively rapid charging if drivers can find a sufficiently potent fast-charger. With a peak supported rate of 270 kW, the e-tron can add up to 138 miles of range in just 10 minutes under optimal conditions.
Vehicle Tested: 2025 Audi A6 e-tron Quattro
Base Price: $69,195
Price As Tested: $TBC
Location: Montecito, California
More Specs:
Powertrain: Dual-motor, all-wheel drive
Power: 456 hp (system peak)
Torque: 631 lb-ft (system peak)
0-60 mph: 4.3-sec
Battery Capacity: 94 kWh
Weight: 4949 lbs
EPA Range: 377 miles
How Does It Drive?
Low-key to the point of electrical ennui, the single and dual-motor A6 e-trons are so laid back they could be anthropomorphized as "dudes." Don't sweat it, never regret it, let's stop for doughnuts.
Some of this laid-back vibe is the result of a chassis that plants each of the four tires firmly with a five-link suspension designed for discipline. The A6 e-tron is designed to deliver grip, and when driving within the high limits, I never found anything approaching dynamic excitement. Physics play a part here. Even the single-motor base car weighs in at a claimed 4949 pounds—almost twice as much as the 1984 5000S—and that heft works to mute any communication between car and driver.
Audi says the single-motor A6 e-tron will zip to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds and top out at a restricted 130 mph. The company has the dual-motor A6 e-tron Quattro doing 0 to 60 in 4.3 seconds before eventually being truncated by the same 130-mph limiter. Those numbers are impressive in isolation, of course—especially compared with those older Audis powered by internal-combustion engines. But within the wider context of fully electric sedans, they are pretty meh, and the sensory isolation of the rest of the experience saps enthusiasm to push harder.
Of course, it is relatively easy to make EVs feel fast but much harder to make them replicate the visceral thrills of good combustion-powered cars. Sadly, the A6 e-tron makes that point: It definitely can't match the spirit of the punchier all-wheel-drive Audis that have preceded it.
What's It Like to Live With?
There's a button-down elegance to most Audis and that carries over to these new EVs, although with an emphasis switched to digital displays instead of the sort of elegant, classy controls Audi used to specialize in. But the basics are good: It is easy to get in and out, controls are logical, and the interior quality is premium Bavarian steakhouse.
In lieu of direct driving engagement there are screens. Lots of screens. As standard the e-tron gets two that sweep from in front of the driver to the dash center, these containing a configurable digital-instrumentation pack and infotainment functions. There's also an optional 10.9-inch screen that sits in front of the front passenger's position, this including a privacy mesh to stop the driver from seeing it while on the move.
After starting up the A6 e-tron, I felt the irises of my eyes contracting under the digital onslaught. Audi does graphics well, the screens truly are fantastic looking, but deleting one in favor of more driving feedback would be a solid. As in other modern Audis, the number of touch-sensitive panels (and black-plastic trim pieces) also act as a magnet for fingerprints.
Audi hasn't lost its design mojo, and there are still some nice details and classy-feeling materials on display. The A6 e-tron is also decently sized, with room for four in comfort—five at a pinch—and enough headroom in back that it doesn't feel like a squash-roofer like the A7. The A6 in any configuration is a pleasant place to spend time.
Should I Buy One?
The single-motor A6 e-tron starts at $67,195 including a $1295 destination charge. It's only two grand more for the two-motor A6 e-tron Quattro. Those prices are pretty much a tie with the most obvious alternative, the non-M versions of the BMW i5.
But as much as we love sedans, the A6 e-tron stacks the limitations inherent in the body shape on top of those of an EV. This likely isn't a car for those with kids to haul or the need for lots of carrying capacity. Nor is it one for speed addicts or those who like driving for driving's sake. It's a very traditional take on the EV, one that feels a little timid and unadventurous. Audi needs to get back to being radical and doing unexpected things. That's always been Audi at its best.
Highlights and Lowlights
We Love:
Confident exterior styling.
Serenity at all speeds.
Sure-footed handling.
We Don't:
Muted driver feedback.
Too many screens.
Short on killer innovation.
Favorite Detail:
Audi is always on the cutting edge of digital light shows, and the new A6 e-tron family features the first light-up rings on their tails. The taillights can be tweaked to perform various dances, but it's those four, vivid circles glowing red that impress. Finally, an Audi that can be identified from geosynchronous orbit.
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