The Audi S6 Sportback E-tron proves that sedans still matter

Last year, Audi announced that it gave its all-EV-by-2033 scheme the boot, and alternatively will connection a operation of gasoline, hybrid, and electrified propulsion. There’s nary uncertainty still immoderate uncertainty among bigger automakers — particularly those nether the Volkswagen Group umbrella — erstwhile it comes to specified a (now prior) commitment. Even so, what it’s presently offering connected the EV beforehand is alternatively good, and fits into the German brand’s under-the-radar accelerated sedan contented rather well.

I precocious discovered this successful the 2027 Audi S6 Sportback E-tron. A transverse betwixt a sedan and a wagon successful position of its rearward shape, there’s nary hulking Quattro all-wheel thrust strategy to messiness pinch chassis balance, conscionable a centrifugal connected each axle, large artillery successful the middle, monolithic powerfulness output, and coagulated chassis tuning. Starting astatine $80,895, here’s really this electrified accelerated sedan look shines.

The Audi S6 Sportback E-tron rolls retired pinch 800V architecture and a 100kWh (94.4kWh net) battery. Peak powerfulness is rated astatine 543hp and chiefly comes from the rear motor, which enables a rip to 60mph successful 3.7 seconds. Audi says it’ll complaint from 10 to 80 percent successful arsenic small arsenic 21 minutes, aliases 11.5 hours if it’s plugged into a 240V level 2 setup wherever juice is fed astatine 9.6kW.

Peak scope is rated astatine 326 miles; by comparison, the comparable BMW i5 M60 will recreation astir 45 less miles, possesses 50 much hp, runs a akin 0–60 time, and costs a fewer expansive more. During my stint successful the Audi, I traveled 295 miles astatine an mean of 2.4 miles per kWh, meaning I saw conscionable 226.56 miles of range. A mighty difference, though; my mean velocity was conscionable 19mph acknowledgment to overmuch of my driving staying wrong the Los Angeles basin, positive a fistful of road and mountain-road blasts thrown successful for bully measure.

Much to my surprise, I saw its 270kW highest charging complaint astatine my section Electrify America position during 1 visit, past arsenic overmuch arsenic 194kW during another. For maximizing charge, the S6 has 3 levels of regenerative braking: Two are toggled via paddle shifters, whereas full-on one-pedal driving (OPD) is done by putting it successful B mode. All 3 felt smooth, and OPD was conscionable right; not excessively fierce and capable to smoothly slow down and extremity successful normal regular driving pinch ease.

The S6’s seats and driving position were rather good, though rear-seat passengers whitethorn consciousness squished owed to the Sportback body’s sloping roofline. Cargo measurement starts astatine 26 cubic feet and maxes retired astatine 39, and its ample hatch makes loading and unloading easy.

The lion’s stock of my tester’s $13,595 successful options mostly pertained to its added luxury and tech, for illustration much luxurious Audi exclusive interior materials, positive a elaborate heads-up display, upgraded exterior lighting, and a surface for the beforehand passenger. Otherwise, the driver has entree to Audi’s latest MMI via 14.5-inch halfway infotainment surface that’s a lag-free and easy-to-swipe-through experience.

Multi-link suspension pinch sport-tuned aerial suspension is modular connected the S6 E-tron, arsenic are 20-inch wheels pinch all-season tires. My tester sported the $2,000 Black Optic package, which gives it 21s pinch grippy Michelin summertime tires — though there’s a bully chance these sound a fewer miles disconnected of its EPA-estimated range. Whether successful the damper assemblies’ Comfort aliases Dynamic setting, thrust value was rather bully complete LA’s astir sadistic streets, and velocity bumps were dealt pinch peculiarly well. The moreover firmer Dynamic Plus was coagulated and amazingly agreeable, too. Squeaks and rattles complete specified cursed surfaces were negligible, though the aforesaid can’t beryllium said for driveway clearance scrapes — luckily, there’s immoderate reassuringly important integrative connected the underside of the beforehand bumper.

But the existent trial came connected LA’s freeway system, arsenic that’s wherever immoderate bully accelerated German sedan should flourish — and the S6 did conscionable that. Wind sound was virtually nonexistent, and it felt very good planted and confident. (It ought to beryllium for weighing complete 5,200 pounds.) In town, steering was excessively light, albeit nicely nonstop successful its response, and thankfully it became much weighted astatine road speed. The S6’s 16.4:1 steering ratio was good matched for its size and heft, and it ne'er felt excessively darty while making split-second lane changes. It whitethorn beryllium down connected powerfulness compared to its BMW rival, but its numbers were still much than ample and its progressive powerband instilled confidence. Going measurement beyond the velocity limit bolstered this assurance moreover further.

Then, connected the winding roads of Angeles National Forest conscionable northbound of Los Angeles, the S6 behaved peculiarly well. Due to its chassis equilibrium and rear-biased powerfulness output, location was ne'er immoderate inkling of understeer, which is characteristic among galore Audis of yore. Its tires gripped up good and assemblage rotation was fundamentally nonexistent successful peculiarly lateral-G-heavy corners. With traction / stableness power unopen off, each signs pointed to the S6 being capable to grounds legitimately nosy oversteer, which is simply a invited trait. If only I could revisit specified enthusiasm connected a section racetrack. Finally, its brakes don’t look for illustration overmuch compared to remainder of this hefty sedan’s dimensions, but they capably shaved disconnected speed, particularly pinch B mode aiding successful the effort.

Audi’s proven that the luxurious and accelerated German sports sedan look applies to EVs, too, successful the latest S6 Sportback E-tron. Over 300 miles of scope (ideally) and bully charging velocity is simply a coagulated starting point, and its wide equilibrium of comfortableness and athleticism makes it 1 of the champion large accelerated sedans that I’ve ever driven.