Why the 2025 Audi A6 e-tron Avant Is the Electric Wagon America Needs

RosalindSci/Tech2025-07-235870

Why the 2025 Audi A6 e-tron Avant Is the Electric Wagon America Needs originally appeared on Autoblog.

The Electric Wagons America Won't Get

The electric age has well and truly arrived with models of all shapes and sizes available across a broad range of budgets. Alas, carmakers still position their most attractive models towards the premium and luxury end of the market, which is exactly where Audi's gorgeous new wagon sits. This is a body style increasing in popularity in Europe but that remains relatively elusive to US buyers save for a handful of raised Allroads and Cross Country variants. In its defense, Audi offers more wagons than any other brand with the A4 and A6 Allroad, plus every enthusiast's favorite performance allrounder—the legendary RS6 Avant.

View the 1 images of this gallery on the original article

Last year I had the pleasure of driving the wonderful VW Arteon Shooting Brake and hoped that brands and buyers alike would taper their obsession with SUVs and see wagons for what they are: the smarter, better-looking alternative.

Related: 2025 Audi A6 and S6 Sportback E-Trons revealed with aero, tech top of mind

I later spent a thrilling couple of hours with the BMW i5 Touring (another beauty the Bavarians don't think Americans would buy) and I recently had the pleasure of spending a week with Audi's competitor. These are arguably the two most complete electric wagons in the world right now, but unless you're living in Europe, you probably won't see either at the school run. Both are rare beasts: electric wagons designed with intent rather than compromise. Both are also off-limits to American buyers, which says everything about where the market is and how little it values a shape that, for many, still does everything better than an SUV.

Having defined what executive estates should be, the Germans have taken different approaches to their electric successors. Where the BMW i5 Touring's design remains close to its ICE-powered counterpart, the Audi A6 e-tron Avant leans full-tilt into a new EV aesthetic and is the result of what happens when Audi engineers are given a wind tunnel, a blank sheet of paper, and a reminder that SUVs aren't always the answer.

View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article

Design That Works

Exterior

Unlike certain pretenders (we're looking at you Subaru Outback) the A6 e-tron Avant is unmistakably a wagon. Long, low, and smooth enough to earn a 0.24 drag coefficient, the A6 Avant's slippery shape doesn't shout for attention with unnecessary creases or bulges but its inherent elegance is hard to ignore. The front wears Audi's now-familiar closed-off grille, flanked by blade-thin digital matrix headlights that project custom animations and atop a distinctive S line bumper. Out back, a digital OLED light bar flickers into life with pixel art animations that has become a signature Audi design feature alongside illuminated rear rings.

At each corner sit striking 21" Audi Sport wheels, boasting a 5-arm dynamic design in black metallic housing red brake calipers accentuating the sporty profile. The silhouette is clean with no visual noise. Just a form that clearly understands its function: to carry people and things long distances in quiet comfort, and to look quietly superior while doing it.

View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article

Interior

Slide inside and you're treated to an interior that is textbook Audi: restrained, well-built, and tech-forward. Three digital displays dominate the dashboard: an 11.9-inch driver's screen, a 14.5-inch main infotainment interface, and a front passenger display that feels like a high-tech party trick—gimmicky, yes, but also weirdly useful on long hauls if you're happy for bored teenagers to take charge of the tunes via the DAB radio or Spotify, delivered masterfully via the B&O sound system.

The materials are exactly what you'd expect in a six-figure electric wagon: soft leathers, precision-milled switchgear, and surfaces that glow subtly in the dark with ambient lighting profiles. Space is generous, rear headroom is decent even with the sweeping roof, and visibility is solid thanks to the long windows and a low cowl. The Dinamica black sport seats look and feel superb, and rear passengers are well looked after, with no complaints voiced on long journeys.

View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article

I was also impressed by the A6 e-tron's panoramic glass roof that incorporates an innovative switchable transparency feature. With the familiar flick of the sunroof control, the glass dynamically adjusts its opacity, creating the impression of opening and closing by selectively illuminating blocks of light.

Instead of traditional side mirrors, the A6 e-tron Avant employs advanced virtual door mirrors, using discreetly mounted cameras to project crystal-clear images of what's happening behind you onto door-mounted screens. Though it requires a slight adjustment of muscle memory to stop instinctively looking out the window, once acclimated, I found this setup offered a notably superior experience in visibility and overall driving comfort.

Trunk space? With the seats up, you get 17.7 cu.ft, which is enough for an entire weekend away. And if you're happy to allow your cutting-edge estate to be used for hauling duty, fold the seats flat and you're working with over 50 cu.ft of space.

Refined Road Manners

Here's where the A6 e-tron Avant earns its keep. I drove this around London and a 4-hour round trip drive down to Brighton with my family of five. And what might sound like a recipe for fatigue turned into the most comfortable motorway run I've had in recent memory. The ride is serene, even on 21-inch wheels, with air suspension soaking up everything from expansion joints to wayward cats-eyes. Wind noise is practically nonexistent, and the electric drivetrain hums along, contributing to a serene commute.

It's fast, too. The single, 375-hp motor allows for a 0–62 mph time in the mid-fives and delivers power in a calm and measured manner, with acceleration building progressively. The rear-wheel-drive versions are more range-focused, but still punchy enough for daily duty. The A6 e-tron delivers 417 lb-ft of torque instantly, making overtakes as effortless as flicking a switch.

View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article

Steering feels sharp and responsive, especially with rear-wheel drive handling the turning duties. It's accurate but not particularly exciting. Even without all-wheel drive, the car sticks to corners confidently. In short, the electric A6 is smooth, capable, and quietly competent. The car handles everything while you enjoy the ride.

Compared to the BMW, the Audi is more relaxed. The i5 Touring feels sharper to drive, especially in xDrive form. BMW's chassis tuning is better sorted for corners, with a tauter feel and more steering feedback. But on a long drive, especially with passengers, it's the Audi that soothes rather than stimulates. With adaptive cruise and lane-keeping engaged, it's essentially an executive lounge doing 70 mph. And when you're carting kids, bags, snacks, and the residual stress of escaping the city, that's exactly what you want.

Advanced Tech Package

Audi's PPE platform is the real star here. It enables 800-volt architecture, which translates into blistering 270 kW DC fast-charging capability. That's 10–80% in just over 20 minutes, enough time for a toilet break and a quick snack. The 100 kWh battery in higher trims returns over 430 miles WLTP. Even the entry model with an 83 kWh pack gets more than 360 miles.

The Launch Edition model tested sits in the middle at 402 miles but in the real world, with mixed driving and full family load, I saw close to 350 miles of range. Not bad, considering the size and pace of the car. Charging infrastructure in the UK is finally catching up, and the Audi's ability to gulp down electrons at top speed means you'll spend less time at chargers and more time actually going somewhere. At home, an 11 kW onboard charger means an overnight top-up is easy.

Infotainment is slick, responsive, and now features ChatGPT integration. Ask it about the nearest charging station or the best fish and chips in Brighton, and the nuanced response might surprise you. Other features include wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, AR heads-up display, and enough USB-C ports to charge an office.

Driver assistance tech is comprehensive: adaptive cruise, lane centering, 360-degree cameras, and remote self-parking. It's not quite full autonomy, but it makes dense traffic and tight parking bays feel less intimidating.

View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article

The American Tragedy

The Audi A6 e-tron Avant represents everything right about electric estates. Smooth, quiet, efficient, and infinitely more sensible than the SUV plague. It delivers genuine space and comfort without the bloated proportions or tippy handling that comes with sitting too high off the ground. While the BMW i5 Touring might edge it for driving engagement, the Audi's minimalist elegance and serene highway manners make it the superior daily companion.

Here's the predictable frustration: Americans can't have it. The wagon stays in Europe while we get the Sportback, which is essentially the same car with a sloped roof and slightly less cargo space. It's a decent consolation prize that mirrors the wagon in performance, efficiency, and that understated good looks, but it's still a compromise.

Both versions offer a refreshing alternative to the SUV obsession. At around $80,000 for a well-equipped Sportback, it's not cheap, but it delivers on the promise of premium electric mobility without the usual EV quirks.

The real shame is that this practical, stylish, genuinely efficient machine will reshape European driveways while American buyers remain stuck choosing between bloated crossovers. In a rational world, this would be the car leading our electric transition, but apparently, we prefer our progress six inches higher than necessary.