2025 Audi A6 and S6 E-tron First Drive Review: Which Electric Sportback Should You Buy?

• The A6 and S6 Sportback E-tron are new four-doors in Audi’s expanding EV portfolio.
• The single-motor RWD A6 boasts the longest range of any electric Audi yet.
• With 543 hp, the S6 Sportback E-tron Quattro seems enticing, but is it really worth nearly six figures?
• Here's why the A6 E-tron Quattro is the model to get.

A6 E-tron Quattro: Initial notes

Adding a second electric motor on the A6's front axle bumps power output up from 375 horsepower in the standard A6 Sportback E-tron to 456 hp in the Quattro. This model's 4.3-second 0-60 mph time feels quicker in real life, at least when judging by the punch to my gut every time I push the pedal to the metal. But the A6 E-tron Quattro's ride quality winds up as the more salient performance metric, given the Prestige trim's optional air suspension that works hard to absorb road bumps while minimizing body roll.

The A6 is a worthy companion for hours spent cruising along mountain ridges and ripping up tight canyons, all the while its aerodynamic shape improves range and — in conjunction with acoustically glazed front windows — reduces wind and road noise spectacularly well. Audi's put a lot of work into revamping its steering setups as of late, and the proof is in the A6: It communicates grip through corners without transmitting too much road chatter on straightaways. 

What do you get in the S6 E-tron Quattro?

The S6 Sportback E-tron only comes in a dual-motor Quattro configuration with 543 hp. The main noticeable difference between it and the A6 E-tron Quattro comes down to a marginally harsher ride, likely due to its larger wheels and thinner tire sidewalls as much as its lowered suspension and stiffer sway bars. 

Luckily, the S6's sport seats fit my frame perfectly; I'm 6 feet, 1  inch tall with long limbs. The bolsters snug my hips and torso into place without ever impinging on my thigh or shoulder room. Do I need sporty seats, though? Well, despite the S6's improved cornering capability and harder pulls out of corners, my conclusion is that the measurable performance gains versus the A6 Quattro become somewhat irrelevant.

For comfortable and capable commuter EVs, the details that affect daily driving matter more. In that regard, adjustable regenerative braking allows both the A6 and S6 to go from true coasting to full one-pedal driving with the flick of a paddle. Audi modulates the blend between regen and friction brakes well, but I prefer the near-max regen setting rather than full one-pedal driving for the utmost smoothness.

A6 vs. S6: Spot the differences

Design-wise, telling the A6 and S6 apart requires a keen eye. The cars occupy a similar footprint to the gas-powered A5 and S5, with the convenience of a hatchback that offers truly cavernous trunk space. With the rear seats folded, there's a whopping 39.9 cubic feet of cargo capacity. Both cars also have small frunks for secure storage.

Both vehicles rely on a 94.4-kWh lithium-ion battery running on 800-volt electrical architecture, the latter of which allows for a maximum charge rate of 270 kW. More importantly, the charge rate will stay above 150 kW until the batteries reach at least 70% charged.

A focus on thermal management of the battery cells and motor, combined with a slippery aerodynamic drag coefficient of just 0.23, leads to that 392-mile range for the single-motor A6. The A6 Sportback E-tron Quattro, when similarly equipped with the no-cost Ultra package, still achieves an EPA estimate of 377 miles. By contrast, though, the S6 on 20-inch wheels only ekes out 324 miles on a full charge.

The A6 Sportback E-tron Quattro: Happy in the Goldilocks zone

So, which to choose? I’d skip the RWD A6 Sportback and go for the quintessential all-weather confidence — and performance — of the dual-motor Quattro. The front motor only sacrifices 15 miles of range anyway. So it’s hard to argue against a lightly optioned A6 Sportback E-tron Quattro, with just the Warm Weather package’s helpful headrest speakers and ventilated seats. 

A "base" S6 Quattro stiffens up the ride but never to the point that the sport seats become a pain to live with. I balk at the thought of range dropping by a full 20% versus the RWD A6, though. In any case, I certainly can’t justify the Prestige pack on either car, with its glass roof and the passenger dash screen that takes the unnecessary cake since every front-seat rider has a smartphone these days. 

Pricing for the S6 Prestige sure creeps up quickly, too, pushing near $90,000 with ease. The OLED screens don’t get any bigger, meanwhile, and plenty of cheap piano-black plastic belies that price point, attracting fingerprints and smudges immediately even if the S6's carbon-fiber dash trim helps a bit. That price also puts you in BMW i5 M60 territory, and the Bimmer's more mature styling lends enough presence to justify its higher price tag than Audi's smoothed-out VW aesthetic.

Between the A6 and S6, there's just not enough to differentiate between the lower and higher performance versions. Starting at $67,900, the A6 Sportback E-tron Quattro occupies the happiest just-right zone between price, range, performance and perceived luxury.

Photos by Michael Teo Van Runkle