Audi A6 e-tron review

We’re actually going to start this section with something on the outside of the A6 e-tron – those digital wing mirrors.

We were never able to get on with the first-generation versions in the old e-tron SUV, but Audi says it has listened to criticism and moved the screens further up to help you glance at them in the A6. The housings also now fold when parked to protect the cameras from damage and to allow owners to quickly check whether their car is locked.

And yet, we still find the cameras tricky to use. In poor conditions they do still show a clear view of the road behind, but your eyes need a second to adjust to a digital display, so a quick glance is still tricky, and the way the screen is positioned on the driver’s side is like looking at a flat screen TV when you’re sat in the corner of the living room. Is the extra range worth it? We’re not sure we’d bother.

Even if you don’t spec the fancy mirrors, the A6 e-tron still gets plenty of screen action inside. The digital dial display is an 11.9in monitor and sits in the same curved panel as the giant 14.5in infotainment screen. If you’ve gone for the Edition 1 trim then you’ll also get a 10.9in touchscreen that allows your front seat passenger to change the radio station or alter the destination in the navigation. Could be good for a bit of mischief.

You’ll have noticed that there’s no physical climate controls. In fact, there aren’t many proper buttons at all. You get a busy panel on the driver’s door for mirror adjustment and memorised seat positions etc, and we’re pleased to see a physical volume knob on the centre console, but otherwise you’ll mostly be using the screens or the capacitive buttons on the steering wheel. Thankfully the touchscreens themselves seem to be fairly responsive, although the menus are a little complicated at times. Still easier to operate than the i5’s minimalist interior though.

The optional augmented reality head-up display is a bit too busy for our liking and the new AI digital voice assistant still struggles with accents.

What about away from the dashboard?

Well, the seats are supremely comfortable, although you do sit a little high thanks to the battery being housed under the floor. We appreciate Audi making a saloon (well, Sportback) and estate in the electric era, but we’d still like to sit a little lower.

Anyway, there’s a leather-free interior option and plenty of soft touch materials all round including fabric stretched across the dash. There are fancy soft close doors too, plus the option of an excellent Bang & Olufsen sound system (although we’d avoid the additional headrest speakers) and all the usual quality that you’d associate with an Audi interior. It feels very well put together.

How are the rear seats?

Again, you sit a little high in the rear seats, although more irritating here is that your feet are also raised so taller passengers will be less comfortable than they would be in a combustion-powered A6. Headroom is okay though – particularly in the Avant which is 40mm taller than the Sportback.

It can be a little dark in the rear, so if you want to be kind to back seat passengers we’d suggest the ‘Cardamom Beige’ seat colour and the panoramic roof with its switchable transparency panels.

And boot space?

Both the Avant and the Sportback claim 502 litres of boot space, but if you fold the rear seats flat that’s upped to 1,422 litres in the estate and 1,330 litres in the saloon/large hatchback thing. You get a handy 27 litres of frunk space too, and to open the bonnet you just wave your hand above the four rings while the key is in your pocket. Magic.