Audi Q6 e-tron test bench | Springboard or precipice?

Some manufacturers are slowing down this forced electric transition. Others are questioning more than ever the will or realism of those who are imposing it. Not Audi. Judging that the transition to this energy source is inevitable, the Ingolstadt firm is keeping its foot pressed on the accelerator. And is multiplying the number of battery-powered vehicles. Soon, the GT, the Q4 and the Q8 will be alongside the Q6 in dealer showrooms. A decisive model for the future of the brand.

As its registration number suggests, this utility vehicle slots in — due to its size and prices — between the Q4 and the Q8. It is courting the same clientele as BMW (iX), Cadillac (Lyriq) and Mercedes (EQE), to name just these three.

To stand out from the crowd, Audi is counting on its traditional attributes, but also on the technical architecture of the Q6. This was designed in partnership with Porsche. This is the second collaboration between these two manufacturers who orbit in the same galaxy (Volkswagen). This reminder is not free, because this PPE platform will also be used by the most exclusive brands (read the most expensive and most exclusive) of the group. This means that Bentley and Lamborghini will also have access to it. We can therefore understand the importance of this architecture.

Two flavors

For its Canadian debut, the Q6 e-tron comes in two flavors: the Q6 and the SQ6. The latter is the spicier of the two. It is also the more expensive ($100,045). Of the two, the “regular” Q6 version ($83,899) seems at first glance to be the smarter choice. However, the SQ6 version has several arguments in its favor. Starting with a more extensive list of standard features. The entry-level Q6 only offers one exterior color at no cost (the other four cost $890). And we are also surprised that the heated steering wheel, for example, is sold as part of a $2,350 options package. In the end, we turn to the Progressiv and Technik versions.

The Tecknik is probably the most interesting choice since it is the only version, apart from the SQ6, to offer an adaptive suspension. Considering the weight of an electric vehicle and the rigidity of its chassis, this is an asset for anyone who has to deal with a road network as uneven as ours. But the price at which the Q6 Technik is displayed ($92,945) brings it dangerously close to the SQ6.

So compared to a Q6 Tecknik, the SQ6 may seem to be just a style exercise. And power too, since the SQ6 is adorned with more exclusive equipment and displays higher performance, at the cost of lower efficiency (autonomy and consumption). That said, Q6 and SQ6 have an identical recharge time. The waiting time is 21 minutes on a fast terminal (between 10% and 80%).

The SQ6 accelerates harder, goes faster, but is that the important thing? Especially since this does not make it more agile on a winding road, despite the multiple parameters offered by the Drive Select computer tool. The latter allows you to modify certain components (the steering, for example), but this does not really have an impact on the dynamics of the vehicle whose pace seems a little too stilted. The solution lies, we think, in the adoption of a four-wheel steering system. Judging by the smile of the Q6's chassis manager when we asked him about this possibility, there is no doubt that this electronic aid was considered. It could be offered the day when the manufacturer with the intertwined rings creates, with the help of its sports antenna (Audi Sport GmbH), an RS version. And that day, visibly, is not far away.

While Audi seems to be trailing Porsche in this area (four-wheel steering), it will nevertheless garner the approval of electric fans for its device that allows driving using only one pedal. A little treat that Porsche refuses to offer to buyers of the Macan EV.

Atmosphere, atmosphere

This Audi marks, more than any other, a break with the past. The number of screens is increasing and the controls are scattered (see our boxes). The idea of ​​mixing the headlight and fog light switches with those for the windows and mirrors seems absurd to us, however. The quality of the materials remains one of the strong points of this interior. However, to get a full view, the buyer of the “basic” versions will have to dig into their savings again to benefit from the augmented reality head-up display or to illuminate it with a panoramic sunroof.

The driving position is pleasant and easy to find. The bucket seats are comfortable and provide adequate support, but nothing more. In this area, the SQ6 does better. In the back, the seat clearance compares favorably with the competition. The trunk volume, on the other hand, is a little behind the competition. There is another storage compartment in the front (commonly called the “frunk”) and this one is perfectly suited to accommodate the power cables.

The light signature of this electric utility vehicle is a differentiating factor that Audi is not a little proud of. It is possible to compose sophisticated patterns. By crossing these supports, the lighting creates droplets, streaks, pixelated or homogeneous lines. These transformations are carried out using the application myAudi or directly in the vehicle, via the multimedia system's touchscreen. Unfortunately, in Canada, these advances are reserved only for the most expensive versions of the range and are essentially limited to the headlights. The law prohibits the lights from giving the pyrotechnic show of which they are capable, even if they allow communication with their immediate environment in order to improve safety. Indeed, they can warn other road users of accidents and breakdowns, with warning symbols. Progress cannot be stopped, you say?

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