Audi Q4 e-tron Advanced Review
21 Oct 2024|4,311 views
What We Like
Solid range
Comfortable and easy to drive
Sensible, easy-to-use cabin
Competitively priced
What We Dislike
Air-con is rather weak
Muted personality may not be for everyone
The launch of the Audi Q4 e-tron range (which includes both this 'standard' SUV variant as well as the Sportback) represented the brand's entry into the premium electric compact SUV segment.
And it's a crowded space - besides the obvious German competitors such as the BMW iX1 and Mercedes-Benz EQA, as well as other European options like the Volvo EX40 and MINI Countryman Electric, we've also seen new brands (mostly Chinese, expectedly) trying to make headway into this segment.
While the recent naming conventions of Audi models can be confusing, understanding the Q4 e-tron actually isn't so complicated - in many ways, it's an electric Q3.
The underlying architecture is obviously different, but the general size and shape of the car has lots of similarities.
Visually, the Q4 e-tron is easily distinguishable as an Audi. It has a marginally more elongated shape than a typical compact SUV, but otherwise it's quite a standard boxy SUV.
Some interesting additional storage spaces in the cabin include a shelf under the centre console, as well as a cubby hole in the door card
Inside, it retains a lot of the expected Audi character. Some may find it a little too subdued and low-key, especially compared to the more flashy offerings of its competitors. Personally, I quite like the simplicity of it. The infotainment is fairly simple and straightforward to operate, and the digital dashboard offers a range of customisation, but once you have it set up in your preferred layout, you can basically leave it as is. And as I use Apple CarPlay (connected wirelessly), I didn't find myself having to access the infotainment system much, if at all.
While there are still light touches of flair like ambient lighting, the cabin is otherwise quite muted. The palette is a mix of black and greys (and chocolatey-brown on this test car), and materials are a combination of pleasing leather and slightly-tacky plastics.
The cabin may be a little muted, but it scores high on functionality thanks to a general ease-of-use, and the fact that a flat rear floor provides comfortable seating for three in the rear
Don't mistake that for being underwhelming, though. From a functionality perspective, the Q4 e-tron scores well. The all-electric architecture allows for a flat floor, which means that three adults will comfortably fit in the relatively commodious rear seats. The 520-litre boot is a good size (easily fitting a couple of bulky guitars and pedalboards), and all in all the car is very family-friendly.
Issues? The air-con is weak sauce. I had it turned up to almost full for quite a lot of my test drive. And I still don't like the capacitive controls on the steering wheel.
The first thing to note about how the Q4 e-tron performs on the road is that there's plenty of performance on tap, relative to its competitors (many of whom have made intent effort to get into the Cat A COE segment).
The electric motor produces a very healthy 210kW (282bhp) and 545Nm of torque, which makes for very brisk and effortless driving. Power is doled out progressively, so passengers are never going to feel shock (or annoyed) when you step hard on the accelerator. Not that you really should be doing that much - the Q4 e-tron is most in its element when driven gently.
The rear-wheel drive setup also affords the car a good level of agility, while the compliant suspension makes for smooth-going drives.
You can use the paddle shifters to toggle different levels of regeneration (indicated by the green bar beside 'D'), or else let the car do it automatically. Or, you can turn it off if you prefer
The Q4 e-tron also gets a rather sizeable 82kWh battery, which has a quoted range of 466km. When I first picked up the car, the on-board computer indicated 527km of range at 95% charge (too optimistic, obviously). Through three days of driving, I clocked an efficiency figure of about 5.1km/kWh, which would have put me at around 420km on a full charge. That's a very healthy number, and one achieved quite easily too considering I had the air-con blasting almost throughout.
The honest truth is that the Q4 e-tron isn't the most exciting, and I will concede that some may even say it's a little bit boring. It's very capable and well-mannered, but dressed up in a suit of slightly-dull greyness that's definitely not going to set hearts racing. It's… rather German.
And that's okay. These sorts of cars - compact SUVs (electric or not) - aren't exactly pulse-racing. You just want them to do the job well, and the Q4 e-tron certainly does.
Amidst a crowded and competitive field, the Q4 e-tron makes up for its lack of outright sparkle with high levels of competency and functionality, as well a competitive performance-to-dollar value at its particular price point. So, as Audi's entry into the premium electric compact SUV segment, I think the Q4 e-tron acquits itself well.
Here are other premium electric compact SUVs to consider:
Mercedes-Benz EQA takes on the Volvo XC40 Recharge
A pleasant ride and drive meet raised usability from a new infotainment operating system in the BMW iX1
The iX2 is a capable, functional and practical electric crossover for buyers who want sharper styling, and a compact SUV that's not so ordinary
What We Like
Solid range
Comfortable and easy to drive
Sensible, easy-to-use cabin
Competitively priced
What We Dislike
Air-con is rather weak
Muted personality may not be for everyone
The launch of the Audi Q4 e-tron range (which includes both this 'standard' SUV variant as well as the Sportback) represented the brand's entry into the premium electric compact SUV segment.
And it's a crowded space - besides the obvious German competitors such as the BMW iX1 and Mercedes-Benz EQA, as well as other European options like the Volvo EX40 and MINI Countryman Electric, we've also seen new brands (mostly Chinese, expectedly) trying to make headway into this segment.
While the recent naming conventions of Audi models can be confusing, understanding the Q4 e-tron actually isn't so complicated - in many ways, it's an electric Q3.
The underlying architecture is obviously different, but the general size and shape of the car has lots of similarities.
Visually, the Q4 e-tron is easily distinguishable as an Audi. It has a marginally more elongated shape than a typical compact SUV, but otherwise it's quite a standard boxy SUV.
Some interesting additional storage spaces in the cabin include a shelf under the centre console, as well as a cubby hole in the door card
Inside, it retains a lot of the expected Audi character. Some may find it a little too subdued and low-key, especially compared to the more flashy offerings of its competitors. Personally, I quite like the simplicity of it. The infotainment is fairly simple and straightforward to operate, and the digital dashboard offers a range of customisation, but once you have it set up in your preferred layout, you can basically leave it as is. And as I use Apple CarPlay (connected wirelessly), I didn't find myself having to access the infotainment system much, if at all.
While there are still light touches of flair like ambient lighting, the cabin is otherwise quite muted. The palette is a mix of black and greys (and chocolatey-brown on this test car), and materials are a combination of pleasing leather and slightly-tacky plastics.
The cabin may be a little muted, but it scores high on functionality thanks to a general ease-of-use, and the fact that a flat rear floor provides comfortable seating for three in the rear
Don't mistake that for being underwhelming, though. From a functionality perspective, the Q4 e-tron scores well. The all-electric architecture allows for a flat floor, which means that three adults will comfortably fit in the relatively commodious rear seats. The 520-litre boot is a good size (easily fitting a couple of bulky guitars and pedalboards), and all in all the car is very family-friendly.
Issues? The air-con is weak sauce. I had it turned up to almost full for quite a lot of my test drive. And I still don't like the capacitive controls on the steering wheel.
The first thing to note about how the Q4 e-tron performs on the road is that there's plenty of performance on tap, relative to its competitors (many of whom have made intent effort to get into the Cat A COE segment).
The electric motor produces a very healthy 210kW (282bhp) and 545Nm of torque, which makes for very brisk and effortless driving. Power is doled out progressively, so passengers are never going to feel shock (or annoyed) when you step hard on the accelerator. Not that you really should be doing that much - the Q4 e-tron is most in its element when driven gently.
The rear-wheel drive setup also affords the car a good level of agility, while the compliant suspension makes for smooth-going drives.
You can use the paddle shifters to toggle different levels of regeneration (indicated by the green bar beside 'D'), or else let the car do it automatically. Or, you can turn it off if you prefer
The Q4 e-tron also gets a rather sizeable 82kWh battery, which has a quoted range of 466km. When I first picked up the car, the on-board computer indicated 527km of range at 95% charge (too optimistic, obviously). Through three days of driving, I clocked an efficiency figure of about 5.1km/kWh, which would have put me at around 420km on a full charge. That's a very healthy number, and one achieved quite easily too considering I had the air-con blasting almost throughout.
The honest truth is that the Q4 e-tron isn't the most exciting, and I will concede that some may even say it's a little bit boring. It's very capable and well-mannered, but dressed up in a suit of slightly-dull greyness that's definitely not going to set hearts racing. It's… rather German.
And that's okay. These sorts of cars - compact SUVs (electric or not) - aren't exactly pulse-racing. You just want them to do the job well, and the Q4 e-tron certainly does.
Amidst a crowded and competitive field, the Q4 e-tron makes up for its lack of outright sparkle with high levels of competency and functionality, as well a competitive performance-to-dollar value at its particular price point. So, as Audi's entry into the premium electric compact SUV segment, I think the Q4 e-tron acquits itself well.
Here are other premium electric compact SUVs to consider:
Mercedes-Benz EQA takes on the Volvo XC40 Recharge
A pleasant ride and drive meet raised usability from a new infotainment operating system in the BMW iX1
The iX2 is a capable, functional and practical electric crossover for buyers who want sharper styling, and a compact SUV that's not so ordinary
Also read our comparison article on:
Audi Q4 e-tron vs MINI Countryman SECar Information
Audi Q4 e-tron Electric 45 Advanced 82 kWh (A)
$282,999
CAT B|Electric|5.29km/kWh
Horsepower
210kW (282 bhp)
Torque
545 Nm
Acceleration
6.7sec (0-100km /hr)
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- Familiar Style
- Ample Capability
- Going Sensibly