Should you buy one?

If you’re after a classy-looking electric SUV with a polished driving experience, the answer is a definite yes. The Audi Q6 e-Tron is a welcome addition to the burgeoning Audi electric car line-up and brings impressive technology mixed with everyday usability. 

It’s a good showcase for Audi’s new PPE platform, if not the perfect package it could have been. The real-world efficiency leaves plenty to be desired, and was way off Audi’s claimed figures in our testing. The software also still needs work based on issues we experienced during our testing. We’d argue the new-generation interior isn’t the step forward it could have been here, and it lacks the usability that Audis generally have. 

So the Q6 e-tron might not be the perfect package, but this is a class that – surprisingly – lacks any outstanding competitors. This means that, even with some small faults, it’s a much better electric SUV than the outgoing BMW iX3 and Mercedes EQE SUV.

What we like

We like the way the Q6 drives a lot. It’s a brilliant balance of handling, comfort and refinement that is perfectly judged for a car of this class. It feels polished, and the classy styling suits an executive car in this class. The Q6’s technology and charging speeds are also up there with the very best. 

What we don’t like

The Q6 e-tron’s efficiency is disappointing, and hasn’t addressed a weakness of earlier electric Audis. The interior, and infotainment, also are both now trickier to work than before, and the Q6’s software still needs some work to address various glitches.