Audi Q4 e-tron Electric

Pros:

1) Fuss free, understated car with very practical design

2) Range is above average

3) interior is very spacious, decent boot space

4) Typical Audi in many sense in many it's not (see cons)

Cons:

1) Lacking myaudi app integration and indifference from Premium auto sales and after sales team

2) Base model is too pricey for the features that you get- cheap plastic interiors, non-premium upholstery, basic lighting with redundant continuous beam at the tail which can't be turned on

3) Sub-standard music system

4) Knocking from the HV battery when you enter the car, which apparently can't be fixed

5) Drum brakes in the rear

In short, I bought into the brand equity of Audi as I don't like the design of popular Chinese EV and Teslas. But Chinese EVs are worth bang for the buck.

At the moment of writing, BYD & Hyundai and their compatriots are already outselling Teslas here and are already a very common sight. Nothing against Chinese/Korean/Singapore-made EVs but that's not what I was looking for in an EV. I was looking out for a proper car (SUV) to move on to after two Q5s (the whole backstory is in the reviews) that happens to be an EV, and to not lose out on the government rebates while the COE prices became rather stable.

Intriguingly, the timing of this purchase came almost by chance, starting from a random signup of the test-drive at its launch outside ION Orchard. Frankly, I wasn't ready to take the EV plunge at this point, but the initial launch discounts were too hard to miss out on (#FOMO). The moment the deposit was placed and nerves soothed, I embarked on a 2-week crash course on EVs, batteries/chargers and, specifically, Q4 e-tron reviews, all courtesy of YouTube. Anxiety levels gradually dropped after hours of video watching and setting up all the charger apps, as well as anything else relevant to a good preparation for that big step towards owning an EV.

Finally, the big day to swap my 2018 Q5 for the Q4 e-tron. For now, I have clocked about 300km so I am ready to review this car. It's in Edition One spec which is hard to find online in different countries, the closest being the Black Edition. This is not the S-line version with the S-line grille but it has S-line interior trim. Note that this current version (not sure about future batches) comes with the comfort suspension without the 6k optional adaptive suspension that can be toggled via drive select and with 15mm lowered height. Reviews suggested that the lowered height and wheels larger than 19 inch feel harsher, so this wasn't a bad combination.

The 20k difference between Edition One and Advanced trim is not easy to justify just on looks or functions alone, but as a whole package it is still reasonably priced in comparison to those in the same bracket and OMV range (about 60k). I would give the Advanced trim a 5-star rating on value for money and riding comfort.

I hope this review of the Q4 e-tron will give prospective buyers a keener insight into this car which might not be found anywhere else on the Internet.

In all truth, I have become an Audi loyalist. So if you are one, this is the car to get, unless you're waiting for the Q6 e-tron to arrive in 2025.