The Audi A6 Is A Jack Of All Trades For 2026

The latest Audi A6 model lineup has just grown by one variant. On top of the gas-powered A6 and the all-electric A6 e-tron made possible by Audi’s naming flip-flops, there will also be a pair of plug-in models.

Audi calls these ones e-hybrid quattro. They’ll be available in two different power outputs when the fuel-sipping long-range PHEVs go on sale in Europe, and Audi says that the models will deliver up to 66 miles of range. That’s an impressive figure for any PHEV.

More Power, Even More Range

A new battery inside the all-new models is the reason for that increased range. The old car held just 14.1 kWh of cells; the new one gets 20.7 kWh usable capacity. It can charge more quickly as well, with 11 kW L2 capability. The new battery pack boosts range from 34 miles to 66 miles on the WLTP cycle, showing that Audi has made some other efficiency gains as well.

The battery itself is only slightly larger than before. That’s helped by each cell holding 46 percent more energy than before, as well as a new cell-to-pack design where the pack doesn’t have multiple battery modules, just raw cells. It lets them pack more cells in the same space.

Audi will sell the e-hybrid quattro Avant (wagon) and sedan with two power levels. Both get a 2.0-liter TFSI turbo-four; the lower-power model makes 295 horsepower, the higher one 362. Yes, those figures are the same as the new A5 PHEV, which isn’t much of a surprise as the two share a platform. It’s also the same power levels offered on the last-gen car. 141 horsepower comes from the motor, and the low-power model offers a total of 332 lb-ft to 369 lb-ft of torque for the high-power car. That quicker one will do 0-62 mph in 5.3 seconds.

Much of the range boost comes from improved regenerative braking. Audi says it can recover energy automatically based on navigation information without needing a route programed. It can also deliver three different levels of regen through the steering wheel paddles. Audi claims 88 kW of regen, allowing for regenerative braking to cover 90 percent of all deceleration.

Standard Four-Wheel Steering And A Quiet Cabin

Four-wheel steering is standard. Audi says that this, along with the dual-clutch transmission, plays a big part in the driving experience. An available sports suspension will also help, thanks to nearly an inch of lowering and tighter springs and dampers.

Because the car can run at up to 87 mph on electric power, Audi has worked to make the PHEV models quieter. The company says the cars have 30 percent better sound insulation versus the old A6, with tighter window and door seals. Audi will also offer acoustic glass on the rear doors, not just the fronts.

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Pricing for the new A6 plug-in starts from 65,800 euros ($74,510) in Germany for the sedan, or 68,300 euros ($77,340) for the wagon. The high-output one costs 75,050 for the sedan ($84,984) and 77,550 ($87,815) for the Avant, with both high-power (and priced) cars coming with the S line package as standard. Orders open in Germany on May 8, with no word yet on whether Audi is sending the cars to the U.S.