Written by Ted Welford Published: 27 August 2025

Overview

Should you buy an Audi A6 e-Hybrid?

We rather like the new Audi A6, but we don’t think the plug-in hybrid is the version you should choose for one reason – its small boot, especially on the saloon. But if boot space isn’t a priority, there are plenty of reasons to consider it. The latest hybrid system is impressively smooth and refined, and a far larger battery means the e-Hybrid’s electric driving range is much longer than its predecessor. 

It’s also important to spec the A6 e-Hybrid wisely. Our test car’s combination of sports suspension and large alloy wheels was not a good mix, and we highly recommend sticking with the smallest alloys or upgrading to a top-spec version and optional air suspension for maximum comfort.

What is it?

The A6 is one of Audi’s core products, and though it might not sell in as large numbers as it once did, it remains one of the best saloon cars and best estate cars you can buy. Audi introduced its new sixth-generation A6 in 2025, bringing significant advancements, not least to its interior, which features new wraparound screens and a range of state-of-the-art tech.

Launching with petrol and mild-hybrid diesel engines, Audi has now introduced an A6 e-Hybrid model, which will appeal to the company car segment due to its lower emissions and reduced taxation. The plug-in hybrid is expected to be the most popular version, too, mirroring its key rivals, the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class, in that respect. 

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While the A6 e-Hybrid carries over the same engine as its A6 TFSI e PHEV predecessor, the key difference is a far larger battery, which offers 45% greater capacity than before, helping to give the new A6 a longer electric range. Audi claims up to 64 miles, which we’ll assess as part of this review. Find out more about how we test cars at Parkers. 

Audi’s plug-in hybrids have never exactly been at the top of their game, but is the new A6 e-Hybrid finally the car to topple Mercedes and BMW in this respect? Read on to find out the answer. 

What’s it like inside?

The new Audi A6’s interior is quite different to its predecessor, which is quite unusual for the German manufacturer, which isn’t known for its radical change. The previous A6’s interior had twin touchscreens, one controlling climate settings and another for the nav and media functions, but this has now all been rolled into one big 14.5-inch display. 

It’s very responsive and generally easy to use, but we think Audi has included too many functions within it – not least the temperature and fan controls. The same could be said for the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class, though. Audi has rolled out the same interior onto its other new cars – including the Q5 SUV and electric A6 e-tron – and it should be said that the more time we spent with it, the better the experience gets. 

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On the whole, the A6’s interior quality is still quite good, with higher-spec models lavished in plenty of suede and leather throughout. Look closer, however, and there are some signs of cost-cutting, which we don’t think is a good thing on a car with a basic price of more than £60,000. The cheap-feeling, touch-sensitive steering wheel are a particular weak point and are a backwards step compared to the previous A6’s more logical buttons. 

Comfort

Comfort is a high point of the Audi A6, not least because electric and heated front seats are fitted as standard, with electrical lumbar adjustment also included. The seats also offer extendable front seat squabs, and with plenty of steering wheel adjustment, it makes it a very easy car to get comfortable in. 

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Audi has also worked to improve refinement on its new A6, with redesigned door and window seals contributing to 30% improved sound insulation. It all makes this A6 e-Hybrid a very refined car to travel in and ideal for longer journeys. 

Audi A6 e-Hybrid boot space and practicality

Squeezing a large plug-in hybrid battery into the body of a conventional car nearly always results in a loss of boot space, but the boot on the A6 e-Hybrid takes a particular hit compared to the petrol and diesel variants. 

With the battery sitting directly under the boot floor, the usual storage beneath is lost and it leads to a particularly flat and shallow boot on the saloon, especially. We couldn’t even stand a car cleaning bucket upright in it. We’re yet to try the Avant estate as a plug-in hybrid, though its more useful boot opening will make it more practical. In terms of numerical losses, the saloon’s boot shrinks from 492 to just 354 litres and 503 to 404 litres on the Avant estate. A BMW 5 Series or Mercedes E-Class are both more useful in this respect.

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While two adults will have no trouble sitting comfortably in the rear seats, there’s not quite as much space in the back as you might expect. Anyone sat in the middle rear will also be disappointed by the lack of room for their feet, owing to the excessively big transmission tunnel. 

Safety

The Audi A6 should prove to be a particularly safe car, being awarded a five-star rating by Euro NCAP when it was tested in 2024. High scores were recorded in all areas, with families likely to be reassured by the fact its highest score was in the child occupant test (88%).

Even as standard it’s equipped with a whole range of driver assistance kit, with features including surround view cameras, adaptive cruise control and front cross traffic alert, which will brake the car automatically if it thinks you’re pulling out into danger (an obstructed driveway, for example). 

Top-spec Edition 1 models also get a more advanced adaptive cruise control setup, as well as blind spot monitoring and a highly advanced feature called ‘proactive occupant protection’, which can ‘prepare’ the car for an impending impact by measures such as tensioning the front seatbelts and closing the windows. 

Audi A6 e-Hybrid engines

The A6 e-Hybrid’s powertrain is broadly carried over from its predecessor, the A6 TFSI e. It pairs a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with en electric motor housed within the seven-speed S tronic automatic gearbox. All e-Hybrids also come with quattro all-wheel-drive. 

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It’s noticeably more powerful than the standard petrol and diesel A6s, putting out 295bhp and 450Nm of torque (pulling power). That allows for a 0-62mph time of six seconds, and a top speed of 155mph. Driving on electricity alone, it’s also able to manage 87mph before the engine would turn on. 

What’s it like to drive?

We like a lot of things about the way the A6 e-Hybrid drives, but it has one key issue, which we’ll explore shortly. Let’s start with the hybrid powertrain, which is excellent. It’s smooth, quick when you need it to be but also very refined. You can often tell when it transitions from running on electric to petrol power but it’s always without hardly any intrusion. You can decide whether you want the car to start in EV in hybrid mode, and if you’re predominantly doing journeys less than 20 miles, we’d default to using it on EV as there’s enough performance for day-to-day driving. In its hybrid setting we found the engine far too keen to turn on, which will drive up your running costs. 

The other great thing about the e-Hybrid is that it comes as standard with four-wheel steering, which wasn’t available on the conventional A6 at the time of writing. The A6 has never been a small car, but it’s now around five metres. Without four-wheel steering, we imagine it feels a bit of a tank to drive, but it’s impressively manoeuvrable and gives it the turning circle of a far smaller car. This steering also improves agility at higher speeds, giving the A6 a keener turn-in through the corners and the body stays particularly flat, despite the additional weight of the battery. 

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But you need to choose your A6 carefully, as our test car’s combination of large alloy wheels and sports suspension equated to an overly stiff ride. It was never uncomfortable, but could be quite jarring on broken surfaces at lower speeds. We would strongly recommend choosing an A6 on the standard 18-inch alloy wheels, or if you want some bigger rims, make sure to choose the impressive air suspension setup, which is only available as an option on top-spec Edition 1 cars. 

Audi A6 e-Hybrid charging and running costs 

The A6 e-Hybrid’s net 20.7kWh battery is considerably larger than its predecessor, and as a result enables an electric range of up to 64 miles for the saloon and 63 miles for the Avant estate. It’s almost double what the previous A6 offered, and though longer than the BMW 5 Series’ range, it’s a few miles behind what Mercedes claims from its plug-in hybrid E-Class. 

In the real world we were getting between 40 and 45 electric miles at a time, which isn’t bad for a car of this size. Over around 400 miles, including regular home charging and a 130-mile journey, we averaged more than 100mpg. Even with the battery depleted, you can still get around 35-40mpg too. 

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As for charging, the A6’s onboard AC charger has been increased from 7.4kW to 11kW, meaning it can now be charged with three-phase electricity, with a full recharge taking 2.5 hours. Unlike the Mercedes E-Class, though, you won’t be able to use CCS rapid chargers, though this is a very expensive way of running a plug-in hybrid and therefore it’s not too much of a loss to not have it included. 

What models and trims are available?

The e-Hybrid is available with the same Sport, S line and Edition 1 trim levels as the standard A6. Standard equipment is generous by Audi standards, with heated, leather and electric seats included alongside a 14.5-inch touchscreen, surround view cameras and matrix LED headlights. 

The S line is predominantly a trim level you’ll buy for its looks, gaining sports suspension, 19-inch alloy wheels, revised bumpers and privacy glass. The top-spec Edition 1 then gains 20-inch alloys, a black exterior styling package, leather and suede seats and additional driver assistance features. 

What else should I know?

The A6 comes with Audi’s standard three-year, 60,000-mile warranty, with service intervals every two years or 19,000 miles, whichever come sooner. The plug-in hybrid battery is also separately covered for eight years, which is mandatory across the EU on all hybrid and electric vehicles. 

Prices for the e-Hybrid are a lot more expensive than regular versions of the A6 – it’s roughly £10,000 more than a petrol model and £6,000 more than the diesel. You’ll also pay £2,000 more for an Avant over a Saloon, with starting prices of £63,705 and £61,735 respectively.