One of the big advantages of platform sharing, as pioneered/popularised by the Volkswagen Group decades ago, is that makers can take greater risks because there’s less cost involved in developing new models if they use familiar bits underneath.
That kinda goes double for EVs, which take platform-sharing as we know it and turn it up to 11. At the extreme, they really can be just “skateboards” of battery and motor-tech wearing different top hats.
The downside is that different EVs from one brand can feel… samey. The upside is… this, actually: the awesome-looking Audi A6 Avant e-tron.
It’s an SUV world as we all know, and passenger cars can be a hard sell. Whether the Audi A6 e-tron would even exist without the VW Group’s Premium Platform Electric (PPE) and two sister SUVs, the Audi Q6 and Porsche Macan, it’s hard to say. But having populist siblings to provide these new-gen underpinnings sure did help.
So we’ve been here before. We’ve reviewed both the Audi Q6/SQ6 e-tron and Porsche Macan, and even got a little early taste of the A6 Avant e-tron back in May, with a left-hand-drive example (but on local roads) in go-faster S6 specification.
The upside of extensive platform sharing is… this, actually: the awesome-looking Audi A6 Avant e-tron.
It might surprise you to learn that the A6 Avant e-tron is actually more expensive than the equivalent Q6 e-tron. Our A6 is the middle S line quattro version at $167,990, which is $12k more expensive than the Q6 in the same trim. Or consider this: for another $2k you could have the SQ6 e-tron.
In the A6 Avant’s defence, it’s a bigger (by which we mean longer) car, although the Q6 still serves up an extra 24 litres boot space (526l) thanks to the roof height.
The A6 e-tron is great at switching between being luxury transport and an astonishingly rapid A-to-B express.
So you’re probably not buying the A6 e-tron based on the numbers. You’re buying it because it looks cool and, let’s face it, because it’s not an SUV. We’re okay with that.
Despite being “only” an A6, this e-tron is plenty fast enough with 340kW (maximum in launch mode) and 275Nm/580Nm front/rear. It’ll rocket to 100km/h in 4.7 seconds, which is only 0.6sec slower than the max-attack S6 e-tron.
Audi’s Avant and SUV styling is notoriously conservative. The A6 e-tron stands out by being a bit more edgy.
But does it feel the same as the Q6 e-tron? Pretty much, yes. Which is no bad thing because the Q6 is a great drive anyway. You’re not getting a huge advantage in centre-of-gravity by being so much lower, because all the weight (battery weight, that is) is down the bottom in either car, anyway. But by sitting nice and low it just feels sportier.
The A6 has a slightly longer wheelbase (by 57mm), so it stands to reason it’ll ride a little better, but be a snip less agile in tight turns. But when we’re talking 2.3-tonne-plus EVs, there’s not a huge amount in it.
Thanks to adaptive air suspension and drive modes that do feel quite different as you cycle through them, the A6 e-tron is great at switching between being luxury transport and an astonishingly rapid A-to-B express.
Inside, the A6 e-tron will be familiar if you’ve been in any of Audi’s new-generation wagons or SUVs. The widescreen instrument panel/infotainment setup, neatly curved so even the left-hand side is within arm’s reach from the driver’s seat, is pretty much identical to the SQ6 e-tron we reviewed back in August.
Yes, you’re sitting much lower to the ground, but everything’s just squeezed vertically a bit.
Oddly, the petrol models are almost the same inside… but not quite. We happened to have an SQ5 SUV at the same time as the A6 e-tron and while most of the cabin was carryover, it had the small panel that houses the drive-mode button and start/stop further away from the cupholders, which also lacked the sliding cover of the e-trons. Weird.
As an aside, there’s also a combustion-engine version of the A6 (yes, still called the “A6”) on another shared platform called PPC (premium platform combustion), although it’s not currently sold in NZ; we might see it in limited numbers next year in the Sportback body shape. But PPC is what the Q5/SQ5 is also built upon. So the same arguments about sharing and caring we opened with still apply.
We really have gone off-topic, haven’t we? Back to the A6 e-tron, Audi’s digital-tastic dashboard and infotainment centre remains a remarkable combination of complex appearance and surprisingly intuitive operation. It’s all very easy to work around and the response of the touch screen is quick and precise.
Also still loving the upsized head-up display (30% larger than the previous generation of Audi models) and functions like the speed-limit graphic animation that floats back and forth as the camera identifies new signposts.
But the more we drive this family of cars, the less we like the haptic/touch panel on the driver’s door, which is a confusing cluster of 15 different controls that looks and feels messy. A shame when the rest of the car’s OS is so well-configured.
It’s very sumptuous and you can always add some surprise-and-delight tech, like our car’s panoramic glass roof with switchable transparency via nine different panels; expensive at $5000, but just the kind of cool vorsprung durch transparency that suits this car.
In fact, although you can order the roof separately, on our car it was part of the $10k Vorsprung Package, which also includes a higher-grade B&O sound system with 3D and headrest speakers, dark detailing (including door handles) and a swivelling trailer hitch.
Yeah, let’s just call it $178,990 by the time we’ve added the 21-inch RS wheels.
Audi’s Avant and SUV styling is notoriously conservative (very true of the Q6 e-tron, Q5 and A5). The A6 e-tron stands out by being a bit more edgy, and as a result it’s a bit more polarising.
Like we said, everything else being equal (and so much is compared to the Q6 e-tron SUV), you’re probably buying this particular model for style above anything. Sleek station wagons are super-cool among enthusiasts these days.
So the A6 Avant e-tron has the potential to conquer a few daring buyers from other brands; and if the more conservative brand types aren’t convinced, they can stick to their SUVs. Everybody’s happy.
How much is the Audi A6 Avant e-tron S line quattro?
Our mid-range S line quattro model is $167,990, a whopping $23k more than the rear-drive S line but an even more whopping $35k cheaper than the SQ6 version.
What are the key statistics for the Audi A6 Avant e-tron S line quattro?
The dual motors make 340kW maximum in launch mode (315kW in normal driving and 275/580Nm torque front/rear. The S line quattro can hit 100km/h in 4.7 seconds.
Is the Audi A6 Avant e-tron S line quattro efficient?
It looks good on paper with 17kWh/100km and a range of 625km, but it's more of a performance vehicle. Drive it as intended and don't expect more than 500km from a full charge - which is still useful.
Is the Audi A6 Avant e-tron S line quattro good to drive?
This platform has proved its worth in SUV models like the Q6 e-tron and Porsche Macan Electric. So yes, it's an accomplished drive, with lots of adjustment available via the drive modes and adaptive air suspension.
Is the Audi A6 Avant e-tron S line quattro practical?
In the sense that's a large wagon with a 40/20/40 split rear seat, yes, very much so. But worth noting that despite a wheelbase that's longer than the Q6 e-tron SUV, it has 24 litres less cargo space. More rear legroom, through.
What do we like about the Audi A6 Avant e-tron S line quattro?
It looks pretty sensational (if not trad-Audi), especially if you go for a fashion colour like our Siam Beige. It's effortlessly fast and the digital ergonomics are pretty good. Wagons are just cool.
What don’t we like about the Audi A6 Avant e-tron S line quattro?
It's a lot more expensive than the related Q6 e-tron, despite offering less cargo space. The messy haptic-touch panel on the driver's door undermines the ergonomics, not as much dynamic character as Audi's new-gen combustion-engine models.
What kind of person would the Audi A6 Avant e-tron S line quattro suit?
An Audi fan who wants to combine the brand's proud heritage of cool Avants with the latest EV technology.