Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron vs Subaru Forester
A detailed look at how two of Australia's most popular SUVs compare on price, running costs, safety, and everyday livability.
Subaru Forester scores higher, 76 vs 71
Prices are RRP before on-road costs unless stated otherwise. Always confirm with the manufacturer or dealer before purchasing.
Data checked: specs 27 Sep 2026, price 29 Oct 2026
Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron
20 of 27 standard · 5 optional · 2 no dataFrom
$97,935
RRP, before on-road costs
- Body
- SUV
- Fuel type
- Electric
- Engine
- Electric
- Power
- 185kW
- Energy use
- No data
- Safety
- ANCAP ★5 · 2024
- Boot (seats up)
- 511L
Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Subaru Forester
18 of 27 standard · no option data · 9 no dataFrom
$45,990
RRP, before on-road costs
- Body
- SUV
- Fuel type
- Petrol
- Engine
- Petrol
- Power
- 136kW
- Economy
- 7.9 L/100km
- Safety
- ANCAP ★5 · 2024
- Boot (seats up)
- 496L
Top CarSorted Score, 76 vs 71
Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
$97,935RRP
- with the Subaru Forester's standard kit: $97,935 (nothing to add; 2 with no data, not charged)
$45,990RRP
- no option data for this car
Printed option prices only. A pack is counted once and makes the figure a floor when it carries no printed price. Nothing is inferred from the other car.
Price and cost per week
Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron Sportback
$97,935
RRP, before on-road costs. Checked 24 June 2026
$110,548 drive-away in VIC, as published by Audi Australia
About $488 a week in repayments ($110,548 drive-away; assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a.). An estimate, not a loan offer.
Subaru Forester AWD
$45,990
RRP, before on-road costs. Checked 29 Oct 2026
$45,990 drive-away in NSW, as published by Subaru Australia
About $189 a week in repayments ($45,990 drive-away; assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a.). An estimate, not a loan offer.
The Subaru Forester starts $51,945 lower on RRP.
On-road costs (stamp duty, registration, CTP and dealer delivery) depend on your state and the dealer; ask for a written drive-away price before you sign.
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Ways to buy
For the 2 cars on this page.
Finance
From ≈$189/wk(≈$821/mo)
Estimate on the Subaru Forester at $45,990 drive-away; assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a. Not a quote or an offer of credit.
Compare real car-loan ratesDriva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Novated lease
Paid from pre-tax salary with the running costs inside the lease. What it comes to depends on your salary and the term.
Novated lease quoteWork out a lease on the Audi Q6 Sportback e-tronDriva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link. Opens apply.driva.com.au in a new tab.
Safety Rundown
Both the Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron and Subaru Forester hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating, tested 2024. Adult occupant protection scored 91% for the Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron and 83% for the Subaru Forester.
Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. We can confirm 9 of 10 key ADAS systems on the Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron, against 7 on the Subaru Forester.
Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 7 in the Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron and 9 in the Subaru Forester.
Driver assistance, as the manufacturer lists it
Driver assistance, system by system. We can confirm 9 of 10 key systems on the Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron and 7 on the Subaru Forester.
Swipe across. Tap a feature to see what it does and each car's source.
StandardOptional: printed price, +pack or NCO (no-cost)No, not offeredNo dataCounts beside each car use the same colours; ? is no option data.
From each manufacturer's Australian equipment list. No data means that car's document does not say. The drawings are our own illustrations of how each kind of system works.
Recalls on our record
Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron
None open on our record
Subaru Forester
- REC-006737 · published 7 Oct 2026Due to a manufacturing defect in the intermediate case of the transaxle, cracks may develop in the support section of the parking pawl.Year range on the notice: 2026
- REC-005831 · published 20 Nov 2023The front drive shaft may not meet manufacturing specifications and the outer race of the front driveshaft may crack.Year range on the notice: 2023
- REC-001604 · published 2 Jun 2021The rear stabiliser bracket bolts may not have been sufficiently tightened during production.Year range on the notice: 2017 - 2020
- 9 more on the model page.
A recall covers the builds its notice lists, not every car of a model. Check your VIN at vehiclerecalls.gov.au.
Charging times
How long each takes to charge, from a household power point to a DC fast charger, estimated from battery size and the car's own maximum charge rates.
How long to charge
75.8kWh usablePublic DC
50kW charger · 0–80%
Ultra-rapid DC
up to 225kW · 0–80%
Estimates from usable battery size and the car's max charge rates (11kW AC, 225kW DC). Real times vary with temperature, starting charge, charger output and the charging curve.
Feature Showdown
The Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron features a 14.5-inch touchscreen paired with a 11.9-inch digital dash, while the Subaru Forester gets a 11.6-inch display and 4.2-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.
The Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron stands out with power tailgate, Bang & Olufsen audio and ambient lighting — features our data doesn't list for the Subaru Forester. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.
Interior trim differs: the Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron gets synthetic leather upholstery while the Subaru Forester offers cloth. Climate control is 3-zone in the Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron and 2-zone in the Subaru Forester.
Equipment few rivals have, on either carShowHide
Drivetrain
The Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron uses a Electric producing 185kW and 450Nm of torque, sent through a single-speed to a RWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 7.6 seconds.
The Subaru Forester responds with a Petrol making 136kW and 247Nm, paired to a cvt driving all four wheels.
The Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron has the clear power advantage at 185kW vs 136kW. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.
Space & Comfort
The Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron measures 4,771mm long on a 2,899mm wheelbase, 116mm longer than the Subaru Forester at 4,655mm (2,670mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron generally means more rear legroom.
Boot space is 511L in the Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron and 496L in the Subaru Forester, giving the Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron a 15L advantage.
For towing, the Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron leads with a 2,000kg braked capacity vs 1,800kg. That 200kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.
Neither U-turns in one sweep on a 7 m local street (both need a three-point turn); the Subaru Forester's turning circle is 0.8 m tighter, 10.8 m against 11.6 m kerb to kerb. The street estimate is indicative, worked from the published turning circles.
Cost to own
We do not hold a like-for-like fuel or energy figure for both cars, so we do not cost them against each other.
Warranty: 5 years / Unlimited (Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron) and 5 years / Unlimited (Subaru Forester). Capped-price servicing: no data (Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron), 5 years (Subaru Forester).
Where each one leads
The Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron: more power (185kW against 136kW), the bigger boot with the seats up (511L against 496L) and the higher braked towing limit (2,000kg against 1,800kg).
The Subaru Forester: the lower starting price ($45,990 against $97,935).
The Verdict
Subaru Forester scores higher, 76 vs 71
The Subaru Forester scores 76 to the Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron's 71 on the CarSorted Score, and leads 1 of the 4 spec rows that separate them, at the lower price. The biggest gaps: performance (Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron ahead by 17 points), value (Subaru Forester ahead by 15 points), technology (Subaru Forester ahead by 15 points).
Ways to buy
For the 2 cars on this page.
Finance
From ≈$189/wk(≈$821/mo)
Estimate on the Subaru Forester at $45,990 drive-away; assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a. Not a quote or an offer of credit.
Compare real car-loan ratesDriva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Novated lease
Paid from pre-tax salary with the running costs inside the lease. What it comes to depends on your salary and the term.
Novated lease quoteWork out a lease on the Audi Q6 Sportback e-tronDriva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link. Opens apply.driva.com.au in a new tab.
Common questions
Which is cheapest, Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron and Subaru Forester?
The Subaru Forester is the cheapest at $45,990 before on-road costs. That undercuts the Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron by $51,945.
Which is safest?
They are evenly matched on crash rating: Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron and Subaru Forester all hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating (tested 2024). Compare the active-safety features above to separate them.
Which has the most boot space?
The Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron has the largest boot at 511L with the seats up.
Which can tow the most?
The Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron has the highest braked towing capacity at 2,000kg.
Which is the most powerful?
The Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron makes the most power at 185kW.
Track the Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron & Subaru Forester
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How to read this page. Prices, specifications, ANCAP ratings, warranty, the CarSorted Score and the verdict come from our records for the grades shown, sourced from the manufacturers' Australian documents, and change when those records change; the date each was last checked is printed under the headline. Prices are recommended retail prices before on-road costs unless marked drive-away. A plug-in hybrid's fuel figure is labelled with its basis: with a full battery (the certified combined figure) or as a hybrid (battery depleted). Charging and running costs are estimates on the stated assumptions. Always confirm price and specification with the manufacturer or dealer before you buy. CarSorted does not accept payment for recommendations.
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