Plenty of Vorsprung durch Technik
Audi has thrown a lot of different in-car tech at the Q6. Much of it has been seen before, but rarely in such advanced iterations. The augmented reality head-up display is a significant improvement on the version found in the cheaper Q4 e-tron, with a brighter color display that was still very visible even with polarized sunglasses.
Similarly, a passenger infotainment screen isn't exactly novel. But here, its 10.9-inch screen uses active shuttering so that to the driver, it appears black even if the passenger is watching video. If Audi makes the option cheap enough, we might see it catch on, but the fact will remain that a front-seat passenger can use both the main infotainment system or their own smartphone without distracting the driver.
The infotainment looks recognizable as a flavor of Audi MMI, here with that UI layer on top of Android Automotive OS. The automaker has taken a big step forward with its voice control tech, together with supplier Cerence. To boost its ability to understand natural speech, there's ChatGPT integration, which runs on Audi's Azure cloud. The voice recognition was sensitive enough to discriminate between requests from driver and passenger (triggered by saying "hey Audi")—some commands like changing the drive mode from comfort to dynamic are only available to the driver.
While it sounds a little frivolous, I have to applaud the use of the speaker built into the driver's headrest if you pick the sport seats. This delivers the turn-by-turn directions, which, together with the augmented reality HUD and its helpful floating blue arrows pointing the way, makes unfamiliar roads a breeze. The AR HUD also integrates with the car's advanced driver assistance systems and will overlay lines on lane markings, changing color to signal a lane departure warning.
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Audi is calling the new driver+infotainment screen the "Digital Stage." The OLED screens are bright, and the touchscreen was responsive.Audi
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You can put full-size adults back here and they'll be comfortable, even on a twisty road.Audi
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The SQ6 e-tron interior has some Mustafar vibes.Audi
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I don't love this trend, but I believe that Audi will at least offer the passenger screen for a more reasonable price than we've seen from automakers in the past.Audi
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If it wanted to, Audi could write a software update that restored the map view to its Virtual Cockpit.Audi
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There's 30.2 cubic feet (855 L) of cargo volume here, or 60.2 cubic feet (1,705 L) with the rear seats folded flat. And the Q6 (and SQ6) can tow up to 4,400 lbs (1,995 kg).Audi
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There's also a frunk.Audi
Curiously, though, there's no view to show a moving map on the main instrument display. Audi pioneered this feature back in 2015 with the very first "Virtual Cockpit" in its then-new TT-S coupe. But in the Q6 (and SQ6) the map will only appear on the 14.5-inch OLED touchscreen to the right of the driver, never the 11.9-inch OLED, which Audi is still calling Virtual Cockpit.
Another feature we'll do without will be the interesting OLED tail lights. As Ars covered previously, in other markets like Europe, these feature animations on startup and shutdown and can even display hazard symbols if the car senses danger. But they also don't conform to the rigid and outdated Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, which prohibit any such things. Instead, US-market Q6s will only be able to switch between eight static design themes.
US deliveries are not destined until Q4 2024, so we'll need to wait until closer to then to find out the exact pricing. Audi told Ars that it considers the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E as competitors, but if we had to guess, we'd expect the Q6 e-tron quattro to start somewhere around $65,000, with the SQ6 e-tron somewhere in the 70s. Since the EVs are built in Europe, they will only be eligible for the IRS clean vehicle tax credit if leased.
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