Taking a Gap Year
It’s not often that a manufacturer takes a model out for a gap year, especially if it’s still a pretty fresh model in the market. Well, that’s exactly what Audi did for the A6 Sportback e-Tron and the Q6 e-Tron. It’s odd given that global markets will be getting it, and the German automaker was rather proud of the changes they made to those two models.
So, for those looking to buy either of those two cars, you either have to get remaining stocks of the 2025 model year or go for the 2027 version. That said, you don’t have to wait too long for it.
Audi
What Audi Said
According to Automotive News, an Audi spokesperson said the timing and availability of the updates meant a very abbreviated 2026 model year. Instead, the new batch of cars coming to America will be labeled as 2027.
“Rather than initiating a very short model year run of 2026 vehicles, we elected to skip that model year and introduce the 2027 model year in the U.S early with new features,” said the spokesperson via e-mail. With that, the cars will arrive in showrooms by the second quarter of this year. Not too long a wait, then.
Changes for 20…27
The big news for the Q6 and A6 Sportback e-Tron is the return of some physical buttons. It’s the same arrangement found in the updated A5 and Q5, and should improve ergonomics and user experience. Of course, those aren’t the only changes to the 2027 model.
Advanced driver assists get an upgrade, too, and there’s a sport differential for the punchier S6 e-Tron. The parking assist features have been expanded, and the cars can now switch lanes semi-autonomously. Additional standard features have been added.
For pricing, the Q6 e-Tron starts at $65,796, while the A6 Sportback e-Tron carries a base price of $67,996.
Audi
