Audi Gives the New Q6 and SQ6 e-tron the Sleek Sportback Treatment
Audi revealed the new 2025 Q6 e-tron Sportback with a swoopy roofline at the 2024 Paris auto show.
The powertrains and interior design are identical to the standard Q6 e-tron SUV.
The SQ6 e-tron Sportback, with a punchier 509-hp powertrain, also joins the regular Q6.
The so-called "coupe SUV" emerged in the 2000s among the luxury crossover segment and has only proliferated in the world of EVs, where the sloping roofline can help eke out a few extra miles of range. Earlier this year, Audi launched a new compact electric crossover, the Q6 e-tron, and since it already builds fastback versions of its smaller Q4 e-tron and larger Q8 e-tron, it only makes sense that Audi has now announced the Q6 e-tron Sportback, arriving in the United States next year.
A Coupe-Like Q6 and SQ6
All of the Q6's styling changes occur north of the shoulder line. The redesigned roof sits 1.4 inches lower and curves downwards as it reaches the SUV's rear end, where it meets a small lip spoiler that incorporates the rear brake light. The rear end is otherwise identical to the standard Q6 e-tron SUV, with a full-width light bar and a chunky rear bumper. The cabin is also the same as the non-Sportback models, albeit with less cargo room, featuring an 11.9-inch digital gauge cluster, a 14.5-inch central touchscreen, and an optional 10.9-inch screen for the front passenger.
Under the skin, the Sportback models share their battery and powertrains with their more conventional counterparts, riding on the Volkswagen Group's new PPE architecture that also forms the basis for the Porsche Macan EV. The 94.4-kWh battery pack is expected to achieve a similar EPA range estimate as the standard Q6 e-tron, with Audi predicting a result of around 300 miles. The 800-volt electrical system will allow for DC fast-charging at up to 270 kW, with the battery able to go from 10 to 80 percent in a claimed 21 minutes.
The Sportback will only be offered with all-wheel drive; a single-motor, rear-drive setup is reserved for the standard Q6 e-tron. The Sportback version's dual-motor powertrain makes up to 456 horsepower, and the model has a claimed top speed of 130 mph. It will also be joined by a more potent SQ6 e-tron Sportback variant, which also packs two electric motors but makes a peak of 509 horses. The mightier model also has a higher claimed top speed of 143 mph. Audi says that full performance metrics will be revealed closer to the on-sale date.
U.S. sales are expected to kick off in either the spring or summer of next year, with full details expected to be announced at some point in 2025. We expect the Q6 and SQ6 e-tron Sportback models to be priced a bit higher than their more square-shaped siblings. For context, the standard 2025 Q6 e-tron starts at $65,095, while the SQ6 e-tron starts at $74,195.
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