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.

1) Smooth and controllable power delivery and supple suspension, both specifically tuned to feel like the way an Audi should. Takes little effort to reach 3-digit speeds at 75% power output because there is no accompanying engine note. There are moments when I miss a sweet-sounding engine that gives you all those aural cues.

2) Exterior embellishments such as blacked-out components and awesome 21" wheels (actually I think 20" are sufficient) make it just about stand out from the regular crowd. Oh wait! Those matrix LEDs that glide on startup and locking. A definite crowd-pleaser, reminiscent of Knight Rider's K.I.T.T (Yes, I am from that era).

3) Heads-up display is useful, especially with safety information even if not using navigation (which is in augmented reality).

4) The use of the MEB platform provided a very spacious 2nd row without the central tunnel enough for 3 adults to sit comfortably.

5) Even without quattro, the rear-wheel motor drive and lowered centre of gravity (due to battery placement) make this car highly manoeuvrable in tight spaces (due to smaller turning radius) and with less body roll than the other Q-series cars.

6) Dual-tiered boot floor makes for flexible load carrying compared to a single level, so organising the boot is easier.

7) MMI pro works really well and wireless Apple CarPlay (my first experience) allows me to use Waze on the 11.6" screen, avoiding the need to prop my phone up. Who needs other navigational tools?

8) Interior design feels fresh and modern and the ambient lighting can help you show all your moods via 30 colours.

9) A good range of safety features, including the paddle shifters for 3 levels of regenerative braking. These as well as the B mode help to slow the car down and charge the battery without having to use the physical brakes (more in the next section). The pre-sense system increases the tension of the seat belts when on the move, enhancing the feeling of safety.

10) Numerous cubby holes for bottles, though they are only able to take smaller bottles roughly 1-litre capacity or less.

11) The current ratio of EV chargers to EVs is still rather favourable to owners. Should be a cinch as long as you plan to charge whenever convenient and not when it's low and a fast charger is required. Hopefully, electricity prices remain much lower than petrol prices.

1) That on-board unit for ERP 2.0! Not Audi's fault but every new car owner will attest to the annoyance at not getting the barriers to open at car park entrance/exit. Takes up space everywhere in the cabin too. Thanks, LTA, for spoiling the feel of any luxury car.

2) The brake feeling is not the most natural or confidence-inspiring. As an EV, clearly, it has been designed more for regeneration of energy, which is the reason for the rear drum brakes. I'm sure Audi has a high level of reasoning behind all of these, but so far I have been less than confident in driving fast or hard (compared to previous ride) due to the brakes, which makes driving a more stressful experience than it needs to be. Hopefully, it gets better over time when I'm more familiar with the situations in which the e-brakes activate. On the straight, the car will slow down on its own such that minimal physical braking is required (just the last part) but not so accurately on curved roads. Automatic mode is best as the car will decide for you, but I haven't been able to trust the system fully yet. I suspect the same will go for anyone sitting in a semi-autonomous EV. When and how much do you trust the system? I hope the car manual has further details on how the system works.

3) Leather and interior quality is a notch below my previous Q5s, feeling more like a Q3. All that matte black is attracting fingerprints as is the touchscreen MMI.

4) Tiny glove compartment due to the inability to place the fuse box on the driver's side. Left-hand drive design inflexibility. Then there is no driver's side compartment like the previous two Q5s.

5) The charging socket door is rather basic like a normal fuel compartment door. I don't feel comfortable leaving it open so wide while charging. Audi could have taken the design from the original e-tron which folds parallel to the body.

6) Wireless Qi-enabled charger has a problem detecting phones with a thick case (including metal items). Mine just refuses to charge.

7) Besides COE, there's road tax and higher insurance premiums. Argh. SG problem. Why do we pay high road tax for EVs? The rebates are a one-time incentive that might end up as part of a dealer's profit margin, leaving owners with no other incentives to keep going.

Overall, it's just the first 2 dislikes while the rest are just me nitpicking really. Thanks for reading!