2025 Audi A6 and S6 E-Tron First Drive: Spirited Sportbacks

MotorTrend

Audi has assembled all of the right ingredients to build an excellent EV. In our First Drive of the A6 and S6 E-Tron

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00:00Hi, I'm Billy Raybock with Motor Trend, and I just got done driving the 2025 Audi A6 e-tron Quattro.

00:11Why Quattro, you ask? Well, this is the dual motor model that is hitting the heart of the market.

00:17Audi says about 70% of buyers are going to go for this car, and I can see why.

00:22Up front, you have an illuminated Audi badge for the first time ever,

00:25and you can swipe along here and it'll open the trunk hands-free.

00:28Now, you have configurable LED lighting, standard 20-inch wheels with an aero profile,

00:33and you have these really slick, smooth profile door handles.

00:38Audi include this really nice little Easter egg with the branding and the model name on the side of the car.

00:42And if you come over to the rear, you'll notice this model is finished with a lipless spoiler deck lid,

00:49and you have a massive trunk that's great for storage.

00:52The design obviously sacrifices a little bit of panache for the sake of aerodynamics,

00:59but overall, this is a pretty slick-driving, comfortable sedan with a sporty edge

01:03that buyers familiar with what the A6 has to offer will love.

01:06You get really, really good range, close to 400 miles, right around 370 miles of range,

01:14and that's on a standard 20-inch wheel.

01:17So this is a very far-driving car.

01:19It charges at 270 kilowatts, which is incredibly fast.

01:23And Audi says it maintains its charging curve up to 70% at over 150 kilowatts.

01:29So that's an incredibly fast-charging car.

01:30Now, how does it drive?

01:32That's probably all you're wondering.

01:33Well, I have to say, it drives really well.

01:35Audi has sorted out its steering, it's got great on-center feel,

01:39and the ride compliance is excellent, especially for a car on such a large wheel.

01:44How is it such a good driving car?

01:46It has an available air suspension system that can travel a maximum of 1.6 inches in total.

01:51So when you're on the highway, the car lowers all the way for more efficient driving,

01:55and if you want to go on a dirt gravel road like this, it'll raise up,

01:59and you can clear up small obstacles, too.

02:01So it's kind of the best of both worlds, and it captures some of that Audi all-road spirit

02:05that enthusiasts of the brand really love.

02:08And the dual-motor powertrain is incredibly responsive

02:11and delivers really smooth and linear acceleration.

02:15Overall, I'm very impressed with this car and how it handles and rides.

02:18It has great on-center feel, smooth acceleration, and very linear delivery.

02:22And I think that buyer is going to love the way that it balances sportiness and luxuriousness.

02:26However, if you want a car with a little bit more of a sporty edge,

02:30Audi has one more car in its stable that's a little bit more powerful than this,

02:34and that is the Audi S6 Sportback.

02:36Let's go check that out.

02:37This is the 2025 Audi S6 e-tron.

02:47Let's take a closer look at what makes this car different from the A6 Quattro.

02:51To start, you've got much more powerful motors.

02:53This car is pushing out about 100 more horsepower than the A6.

02:57It's also got bigger brakes up front, larger discs, and six-piston calipers.

03:01And you can't see it, but this car has a different suspension setup that's stiffer and sportier.

03:06However, it's an adaptive setup, so it can change to your tastes as you drive.

03:10Finally, this car has a little spoiler on the rear that kind of signals how sporty it is.

03:14And of course, Audi buyers love their S badges,

03:17and this car has the red rhombus and the S6 badge.

03:21So, that's the basics of what makes the S6 different than the A6.

03:27I just finished driving the 2025 Audi S6.

03:31And I can tell you that it is a markedly different experience than the A6 Quattro that I drove earlier.

03:36To start, this car is way more powerful than the A6.

03:39The acceleration is smooth, linear, and very responsive.

03:44The same great steering carries over.

03:46Audi's done a great job making it feel more direct and communicative of what the road's doing underneath you.

03:50Now, one of the other things this car does differently,

03:52it's got bigger brakes up front, and the suspension's a little bit stiffer.

03:56So, if you prefer a sportier ride, then the S6 might be more of your taste.

03:59If you want a little bit more comfort on day-to-day driving,

04:02then the 20-inch wheels and the softer suspension setup on the A6 might be more to your taste.

04:08Pros and cons.

04:09What are the advantages and disadvantages of the different A6 and S6 models?

04:12Well, to start, these cars charge really fast, and they have incredible range.

04:16This S6 has over 300 miles of range,

04:19which is excellent for a sporty sedan in the mid-sized luxury EV space.

04:22What do I not like?

04:23Well, there's too much piano black inside the interior,

04:26especially on the door card console.

04:28Like, those switch gears, it's too easy to scratch,

04:30and I'm already seeing some scratches on these cars.

04:32So, that might be something to watch for if piano black is something that you'd like to avoid.

04:36The infotainment, while the screens look amazing with the OLED displays,

04:38I do think that they're a little bit hard to navigate,

04:41and those who are less familiar with new tech might have a tough time navigating them.

04:45So, which one's better?

04:49Well, it depends on what you want.

04:51If you want a mid-sized luxury sedan that's just a daily driver,

04:53I think the A6 Quattro will serve 99% of people perfectly.

04:58However, if you like a little bit more sporty, edgy, or driving experience,

05:01then the S6 is that stealth hot rod that the gas car was as well.

05:05So, Audi's got a great product here with the PPE models,

05:08and although they're not quite perfect,

05:10they do deliver a stellar experience in the mid-sized luxury sedan segment.

05:15So, there you have it.

05:16Stay tuned for more content and read our story at Motortrend.com.

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