All I Want for Christmas Is an Audi SQ6 e-tron 360 kW: A Luxury Electric SUV Review from Winchester to the Wilds of Surrey

A Proper Festive Audi SQ6 SUV Test, Puddings Included

Christmas markets are serious business. They involve crowds, mulled beverages of dubious potency, artisanal objects you absolutely do not need, and heroic quantities of food. Which is precisely why the Audi SQ6 e-tron was dispatched on a pilgrimage to Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market, followed by a late lunch at The Ivy. If a luxury electric SUV cannot cope with medieval streets, carrier bags full of homemade mead, chocolate and bière brewed méthode champenoise, plus a dangerously relaxed driver, then it has no place in a British driveway.

This was not a gentle potter. This was a full festive rehearsal for Christmas excess. Très sérieux.

A New Platform, A New Attitude

The SQ6 e-tron sits on Audi’s new Premium Platform Electric, developed in close collaboration with Porsche. This matters. It separates the SQ6 from the more mass market Volkswagen Group underpinnings and places it firmly in the grown up luxury EV segment. Think less clever repurposing, more bespoke tailoring.

Audi needed this. Since the first e-tron in 2021, the brand has been excellent but occasionally a little polite. The SQ6 is where Audi remembers how to be properly confident again.

Audi SQ6 Key Specifications at a Glance

On paper, the Audi SQ6 e-tron reads like a festive overachiever with something to prove. Power comes in at a very healthy 360 kW, or 490 PS, rising to a mildly outrageous 517 PS if you engage launch control and feel mischievous. Zero to 62 mph takes just 4.4 seconds, which feels faintly inappropriate for something capable of carrying a family, a dog and several weeks’ worth of Waitrose indulgence. Top speed is a perfectly adequate 143 mph, range stretches to a reassuring 357 miles, and efficiency sits at a commendable 4.3 miles per kWh. The usable 94.9 kWh battery charges from 10 to 80 percent in around 21 minutes on a high power charger, just enough time for a coffee, a croissant and some quiet reflection on modern progress. The only figure that raises an eyebrow is the kerb weight, a majestic 2,350 kg. Yes, it weighs as much as a small château. We will come back to that.

Exterior Design, Gravitas at Last

Audi has finally given one of its SUVs proper presence. The front grille is larger, more assertive, and faintly intimidating. It looks like it might politely ask an HGV to move out of the way, and fully expect compliance.

The pronounced wheel arches and flared alloys nod to Audi Quattro rally heritage without becoming cosplay. The sculpted waistline creates beautiful reflections and an impression of motion even when parked. At the rear, sharp creases lead the eye neatly into the brake lights. The overall effect is butch, confident and just aggressive enough to discourage tailgaters.

Could it use a little more flair? Perhaps. But this is a luxury SUV, not an opera singer. Gravitas suits it.

Interior, Bentley Levels of Calm

Step inside and Audi quietly reminds everyone that interiors are still very much their domaine réservé.

The seats are upholstered in soft Nappa leather in a sumptuous velvet red, diamond quilted and frankly beautiful. They are as comfortable as they are elegant, and deserve their own exhibition catalogue. Grey suede across the doors, dashboard and centre console adds texture and warmth. The effect is luxurious without shouting about it.

Rear passengers are treated to vast space. Three can travel in genuine comfort, or two can recline with the central armrest, cup holders and the vague impression that champagne should be involved. The boot is enormous at 514 litres and 1,517 litres with the rear seats down, swallowing shopping, luggage and later a six foot Christmas tree with only one rear seat folded.

There is some hard plastic, yes, but it is discreet and well integrated. At this level you always notice, but you also forgive.

Comfort, Ambience and the Art of Feeling Good

The massage seats offer several programmes and intensities, ideal for long journeys or gently kneading away the existential dread of December traffic. The steering wheel pulls far forward, allowing me to find a near perfect driving position regardless of stature or festive overindulgence.

Ambient lighting deserves special mention. An LED strip runs across the dashboard, with infinite colour and theme options. It works emotionally. It sets a mood. It reminds me of carefully arranged candlelight before romantic liaisons. How a car makes you feel matters, and Audi understands this très bien.

Seat heating, back and base, plus a heated steering wheel, transform cold mornings into indulgent moments of smugness.

Screens, Buttons and Digital Sanity

The wide curved central screen controls most functions, but Audi has wisely retained physical buttons for essentials like drive modes, start stop, ESC and hazard lights. Steering wheel controls manage the rest. Apple CarPlay does not hijack the entire system, which is cause for genuine celebration.

The interface is fast, intuitive and logical. For once, I did not miss having more buttons. This is progress, not punishment.

The Bang and Olufsen sound system is superb. Clean, powerful, perfectly balanced. Christmas music has never sounded so acceptable.

Suspension, The Star of the Show

Let us talk about the air suspension. It is extraordinary. Possibly the finest suspension currently fitted to any luxury SUV.

I deliberately took the SQ6 over some of the worst roads in my area, potholes large enough to qualify for oil exploration licences. The Audi simply flowed over them. At speed. Calmly. Without drama.

Grip and road holding are exceptional. Yes, the battery weight helps, but it does not explain the composure, the smoothness, the way the car breathes with the road. Luxury is not softness, it is control. This suspension delivers that in spades.

In Comfort mode it is effortlessly fast. Efficiency mode is more than sufficient for daily driving. Dynamic mode is properly exciting. Acceleration builds so smoothly that I had to consult the speedometer to confirm reality. When you floor it, the response is immediate and ferocious, yet utterly composed. Corners are taken with alarming pace for something this large.

Off road mode raises the ride height by 45 mm and will handle far more than most owners will ever attempt. Keep the steering in Sport mode for best feedback, whatever drive mode you choose.

Performance, Slightly Ridiculous and Utterly Brilliant

Electric torque arrives instantly. From zero mph. The SQ6 will embarrass most things at the lights, including cars with far more cylinders and far less dignity. It feels faintly wrong that a two and a half tonne SUV can out accelerate a Ferrari, but progress waits for no one.

Who needs such performance? Nobody. Who enjoys it? Absolutely everyone.

One pedal driving using the paddles is the best way to manage energy. The left paddle offers two levels of regeneration, the strongest being quite assertive. Within minutes it becomes second nature. Switch off heating or air conditioning if range anxiety strikes and you can claw back up to 20 percent. A useful party trick.

Technology That Actually Helps

Adaptive cruise assist is now genuinely excellent. Level 2 autonomy that works. It keeps you in lane, accelerates smoothly, adapts speed to traffic and is easy to adjust. It shines on motorways and A roads. Full marks.

The front passenger gets their own screen, controlling navigation, music and ambience, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Three infotainment screens plus a clear head up display provide all necessary information. Without the HUD, I would have had no idea how fast I was going. 100 mph feels like 30, even on battered country roads.

The car switches itself on and off automatically when you enter or leave. The start stop button feels ceremonial, which I rather like.

Headlights are excellent. High beam illuminates the landscape with biblical enthusiasm. I trust Audi’s engineers have calibrated them responsibly. I will save my rant about modern headlights for another day.

Cameras front, rear and overhead mean parking is effortless and you may inadvertently learn intimate details about neighbouring gardens.

Wireless phone charging is finally done properly. A sideways clip holds the phone securely and charges it without fuss. Bravo.

Charging is impressively fast. On a 160 kWh charger, 25 minutes delivered nearly 200 miles. The dual motor setup, with asynchronous induction at the front and magnets at the rear, is clever and efficient. The front motor disengages when not needed, reducing drag. I love these thoughtful details. Progress, again.

Christmas Trees and Conclusions

After Winchester, we collected our Christmas tree from Hans Christmas Andersen in Surrey. Madam chose. Always the fastest method. Giant chocolate crêpes followed. The tree fitted easily in the SQ6 with minimal seat folding. A triumph.

The Audi SQ6 e-tron delivers phenomenal acceleration, ride comfort and refinement. For once, this is an electric SUV that feels genuinely engaging. Audi has balanced luxury, technology and performance with remarkable finesse.

It is large. More suited to grand European touring than tight British villages. Yet it handles UK roads, potholes and all, with the calm authority of a grandmaster.

Alongside the Q8, it sits at the top of the luxury electric SUV tree. Suspension worthy of Bentley and Rolls Royce, performance to embarrass sports cars, and comfort that makes long journeys a pleasure.

On the road price

£93,980 GBP

A serious amount of money. Also, a serious amount of car.

Joyeux Noël.

More information at

https://www.audi.co.uk/en/models/q6-e-tron/sq6-e-…