2025 Audi A6 Sportback E-Tron Review: Luxury EV Meets Tech Overload

I’ll admit it—I went into the 2025 Audi A6 Sportback E-Tron Quattro expecting to be frustrated. As a die-hard car enthusiast with limited exposure to EVs, the idea of a hyper-connected, screen-heavy electric luxury sedan sounded off-putting. I prepared to deal with a frustrating charging infrastructure, overwhelming tech, and maybe even a sterile driving experience during my week long. Instead, I came away impressed.

Of course, the entire EV experience (whether it’s positive or negative) doesn’t fall on the automaker’s shoulders. But in this case, I was genuinely pleased with the Audi’s real-world range and comfort and how seamlessly it handled long drives and daily use. Yes, it’s loaded with more tech than I knew what to do with, and yes, some of that tech borders on gimmicky, but it also represents what modern luxury looks like in the EV era: long legs, cutting-edge efficiency, and a refined driving experience that makes even skeptics like me pay attention.

The Basics

The A6 Sportback E-Tron is one of the first production cars on Audi’s new PPE (Premium Platform Electric) architecture, shared with Porsche. It stands as a flagship midsize luxury EV sedan, with pricing starting at $65,900 and well-equipped models like my tester climbing past $75,000.

Audi leans into the “car first, EV second” mindset, unlike some futuristic EVs that wear their electrification on their sleeve, the A6 E-Tron embraces familiar Audi design cues—low, wide proportions, a sharp Sportback roofline, and subtle detailing. It looks sophisticated, not shouty.

I’d describe the A6 Sportback’s silhouette as that of a professional, practical sedan. The overall design isn’t exactly striking, but it avoids being boring. From the outside, the Sportback shape is the star. The long roofline tapers into a hatch that hides a massive cargo area—easily the most practical trunk in its class. I was able to slide my 5’8” surfboard into the trunk with the rear seats folded. Audi claims a tiny frunk too, though it’s more glovebox-sized than meaningful. Slim headlights with customizable digital light signatures add a techy flourish up front.

Step inside, and you’re greeted by screens—a lot of them. The main infotainment display dominates the dash, angled heavily toward the driver, while a separate screen sits in front of the passenger. Add Audi’s Virtual Cockpit gauge cluster, and you’re surrounded. For some, that’s cutting-edge; for me, it bordered on suffocating. Even climate controls live on touch surfaces. Of all the data we’ve seen about people being sick of touch screens, you’d think at least the essentials would exist with the simple press of a button.

Still, this is Audi, and fit and finish deliver. The cabin feels luxurious, with generous space and high-quality materials and textures all around. Wood-inspired inserts on the doors and dash keep things upscale, while customizable ambient lighting wraps around the cabin and adds a special touch. Rear seat room is generous, and the panoramic “zebra glass” sunroof—with its electronic tinting—is more party trick than practical, but undeniably cool, too.

Driving the 2025 Audi A6 Sportback E-Tron

On the road, the A6 E-Tron is precisely what you want a luxury EV to be: quiet, composed, and comfortable. The dual-motor setup delivers instant, effortless thrust, more than enough for merging and passing with its 456 peak horsepower and 631 lb-ft of torque. The adaptive suspension glides over bumps, keeping the car settled without ever feeling too floaty. Audi’s Adaptive Cruise Assist proved intuitive, with error-free lane centering and consistent distance management from vehicles ahead. Add in heated and ventilated seats, and you’ve got a ride that makes 200 miles disappear without fatigue. 

Some of my favorite tech features were Audi’s voice assist and the 360-degree camera. As an active Siri user, it was handy to use voice commands to quickly lock in directions or check the weather. And in tighter city spaces, having cameras all around made parking effortless—no excuses for sloppy parking jobs now.

It only makes sense to expect more weight with more tech. While EVs are heavier than ICE cars, this is a tank. The dual-motor Quattro weighs in at 5,192 pounds, while even the RWD model comes in at 4,949 pounds. Audi’s adaptive air suspension system and big EV torque help mask the weight, but you’ll never forget you’re lugging around the equivalent of two Honda Fits.

A few more gripes that could fade with time: the regenerative braking system offers multiple modes, including one-pedal driving, but transitions felt awkward and inconsistent. The turning radius is frustratingly wide, making city driving in San Diego a chore. Visibility is compromised, too, due to chunky C pillars and a small rear window. As for the head-up display, it projects an augmented arrow onto the road that shifts with your position. Speed in a HUD is fine; this, however, was more distracting than helpful. Thankfully, the feature is easy to toggle off.

Range, Charging, and Efficiency

Here’s where the A6 E-Tron really surprised me. Audi advertises up to 392 miles of range in its most efficient single-motor guise, or about 377 miles in the dual-motor Quattro I tested. Knowing it’s among the longest-range EVs on the market, I felt far less anxious about range as a novice EV driver. After just a couple of days, the nerves were gone. Time for my first real trip out of town.

On a 180-mile round trip from San Diego to Santa Ana, range was never a concern. I drove all day in both cities without hunting for chargers or nervously watching the percentage drop—even with the AC running. Charging was effortless, too. Thanks to the A6’s 800-volt architecture, it supports up to 270 kW fast charging. Audi claims 10 to 80 percent in just over 20 minutes, which matched my real-world experience. At an Electrify America station, plug-and-charge worked seamlessly—no unnecessary apps, just plug, pay, and wait. Pretty similar to a gas station stop, just with a little more sitting.

Quick Verdict

The Audi A6 Sportback E-Tron delivers on its promise of being a luxury electric sedan for the modern era. It’s smooth, comfortable, and capable of long distances without fuss, while also offering the kind of tech-heavy interior and futuristic flourishes that buyers in this segment expect.

At the same time, that tech can be overwhelming. From electronic door latches to endless menus, it sometimes feels like Audi buried usability under novelty. The sunroof doesn’t open, visibility is just OK, and I’d trade some of the screens for a few good old-fashioned buttons. But those complaints don’t overshadow the fact that this is a well-executed, highly refined EV.

I left the A6 E-Tron with a genuine appreciation for what it represents. It’s not just about keeping up with or beating Tesla anymore—it’s about pushing Audi luxury into the electric age.