Audi EX90 Reviews

The least-expensive Audi in Australia will gain a series of upgrades in the coming weeks, to make it a more appealing value-for-money proposition in the face of stiffer competition and shrinking market share.Likely to be called the A1 Sportback ‘Life Cycle Edition’, the changes are set to add an S-Line-style body kit, similar to the Black Edition sold in the UK, delivering a more athletic look.The move might also bring sports seats, blacked-out exterior and interior trim, extra equipment, unique wheels and even a firmer suspension tune for improved dynamic responses.Better still, pricing is expected to remain around the same as today’s (solely petrol-powered four-cylinder) versions, which kick off from less than $40,000 before on-road costs for the 35 TFSI with a 1.5-litre turbo and about $51,000 for the 40 TFSI with a 2.0-litre turbo.Costs and timing have yet to be announced, but Audi Australia Product Manager, Matt Dale, said the MY25 updates prove there is still life in the ageing premium supermini.“We do have a Life Cycle Edition there, which the (Audi product development) team has done a fantastic job on, and which is to come out shortly,” he told CarsGuide.“That is a new and exciting product for us, because visually, we're changing the look and feel of that car to a sportier appearance.”Now in its seventh year of availability, the second-generation A1 since 2010 is nearing the end of its production run, with no direct successor for it nor the closely-related Q2 light SUV in sight.Instead, it has been widely speculated Audi will eventually replace both from about next year or in 2027 with an electrified compact crossover that will sit beneath the Q3 in the Ingolstadt brand’s vast model range. It might even revive the hallowed A2 badge if some reports are to be believed.Back to the MY25 Life Cycle Edition, Audi’s aim is to revive flagging sales against newer rivals, from the redesigned Mini Cooper range that also includes the new Aceman EV series, to the updated and closely-related Volkswagen Polo.Last year, volume nosedived 62 per cent compared to 2023 figures, resulting in just 176 registrations, against 1559 for the Mini Cooper and 2154 for the Polo.Audi said it will stand behind the A1 for as long as the premium B-segment supermini is made available in Australia.“It is a popular stepping stone to the Audi brand… it is an important car for us,” Dale said.But there is a more prudent reason for the A1 to hang around, thanks to highly economical and efficient powertrain options that help keep the corporate average carbon-dioxide emissions average down in line with the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) that came into effect on January 1 this year.“The A1 helps us with NVES, because the A1 as it stands at today with the latest engine technology, that's well below the first two years of the NVES strategy,” Dale admitted.“That car actually pulls credits for us.”For how long supply for Australia can maintain remains to be seen, but with improved styling and specification, the MY25 Life Cycle Edition might end up being a vibrant last hurrah for the (relatively affordable) Audi.

The Q4 e-tron 55 is the more-expensive version, and – like the base 45 rear-wheel drive – the 55 is offered in two body styles: a boxy and more-family orientated SUV wagon and racier Sportback.Taking aim at higher-end versions of the BMW iX1, Mercedes-Benz EQA, Polestar 4, Volvo EX40 and Tesla Model Y, the Q4 e-tron 55 has two electric motors – one on each axle. This provides it with all-wheel drive that Audi famously markets as quattro.Being a flagship, the 55s are well equipped, with heated and electric front sports seats with driver’s side memory settings, a 360-degree camera, Matrix LED headlights, dynamic indicators, three-zone climate control, an electronic instrument display, an 11.6-inch touchscreen, full wireless multimedia connectivity, eight-speaker premium audio, satellite navigation, folding/heated/kerb-side-view exterior mirrors, automatic parking, a gesture-controlled powered tailgate, roof rails and 20-inch alloy wheels.AEB, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control and front, side and curtain airbags are also fitted as part of an extensive safety package. The Audi has earned a five-star ANCAP crash-test rating.However, no spare wheel is available. Owners must make do with a fiddly tyre-repair kit.Over the rear axle of the 55 is a permanently excited synchronous motor. Paired with another electric motor over the front axle, it delivers a combined 250kW of power and 545Nm of torque to all four wheels via a single-speed transmission, for a 0-100km/h sprint of 5.4s, on the way to a top speed of 180km/h.Every Q4 e-tron for Australia leverages an 82kWh Lithium-ion battery pack, nestled within a 400-volt EV-only architecture dubbed MEB, offering 77kWh of useable capacity.The Sportback 55 brings the most range to the table, with 503km, versus the 55 SUV’s 488km. Similarly, the combined average consumption figures are 17.5kWh/100km (Sportback 55) and 18.1kWh/100km (55 SUV).Note that Audi offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, with six years of roadside assistance and eight years/160,000km coverage for the battery. Service intervals are every 24 months or 30,000km.

Fitting in between the smaller Q3 and larger Q5, the Q4 e-tron is Audi’s answer to the BMW iX1, Mercedes-Benz EQA, Polestar 4, Volvo EX40 and Tesla Model Y.The 45 comes in two body designs – an upright SUV wagon and swoopier Sportback coupe SUV so beloved by the German luxury brands.Equipment levels are sufficient if not spectacular, as the company wants to keep the entry-level Q4 e-tron under the Federal Government’s luxury car tax.Standard items on the 45 SUV include heated front seats, three-zone climate control, an electronic instrument display, LED headlights, an 11.6-inch touchscreen, full wireless multimedia connectivity, premium audio system, electric driver’s seat adjustment, navigation, folding/heated/kerb-side-view exterior mirrors, automatic parking, a gesture-controlled powered tailgate, roof rails and 19-inch alloy wheels.On the safety front you’ll also find AEB, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, full stop/go adaptive cruise control and front, side and curtain airbags.Note that the Sportback 45 adopts the S-Line package, bringing with it 20-inch alloys. But it costs more. And still on wheels, there is no spare wheel, just a tyre-inflation kit.All Q4 e-trons feature a permanently excited synchronous motor, positioned on the rear axle and driving the back wheels via a single-speed transmission.The 45s produce 210kW of power and 545Nm of torque, for a 0-100km/h sprint of 6.7s, on the way to a top speed of 180km/h.A MacPherson-style strut sits up front, while a four-link independent rear suspension set-up is out back.Built on a 400V architecture, the Q4 e-tron uses an 82kWh Lithium-ion battery pack, offering a useable capacity of 77kWh. The combined average figures are 16.9kWh/100km (Sportback 45) and 17.4kWh/100km (45 SUV), while the former boasts a WLTP range of 540km, compared to 524km in the latter.Finally, Audi offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, with six years of roadside assistance and eight years/160,000km coverage for the battery. Service intervals are every 24 months or 30,000km.

If you're late to a party, make a splash. And that's what Audi wants to do with the endlessly-delayed Q4 e-tron - a luxury medium-sized EV alternative to the BMW iX1 and iX2, Polestar 4, Mercedes-Benz EQA, Volvo EX40 and more. The wait means Audi has improved the car, offering compelling range, refinement, drivability and safety, in a spacious and elegant package. This could be Audi's best buy.

The most economical car argument is still a valid one, despite the fact that oil prices have stabilised around the world.

Audi’s rival to swoopy ‘coupe’ SUV veterans like the BMW X6 has been given a refresh and it's already on sale in Australia.It’s the more style-focused sibling to the Q7, forgoing the third row of seats, and is available with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant for even more differentiation.Given the opportunity to sample the updated large SUV coupe at its Australian launch, we’re checking in with the near seven-year old model to see if its updates can keep it competitive with rivals.

The Audi Q7 is still in its second generation, but an update to its design and some tech tweaks are aimed at keeping it in line with rivals, even as it nears a decade on sale. Is it up to the task?

Audi has reversed the confusing model naming scheme that it assigned two years ago, bowing to feedback from its customers and dealers, the brand said.

Electric off-road SUVs don’t have to be spiritless, according to Audi.At least that’s the gist of its recently-unveiled Q6 e-Tron off-roader concept that the brand is calling a “highly emotive” reimagining of Quattro, which is Audi-speak for its trademark four-wheel drive system.Poised as a potential vehicle in Audi’s future line-up, the concept EV could be unlike anything we have seen from the brand before, should it make production.Its 160mm lift and 250mm wider track compared to a regular Q6 e-tron make it look more like a monster truck rather than a luxury European SUV, while its Audi-developed portal axles give it genuine off-road ability.In fact, Audi said the prototype can comfortably climb gradients of up to 100 per cent — or 45 degrees — a feat typically reserved for souped-up V8 off-roaders such as the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series, Nissan Patrol Warrior and Land Rover Defender Octa.According to Audi, its off-road capability is a product of its powerful, fully-electric dual-motor powertrain, which delivers a total output of 380kW.In addition, Audi’s house-made portal axles enable a claimed power increase of 20 to 30 per cent to each wheel, while increasing available torque at the wheel by 50 per cent.Unlike regular axles, portal axles are integrated into the wheel hub assembly and are offset from the centre of the wheel to enable significantly more ground clearance.That means Audi had to fully rework the pre-existing suspension links from the Q6 e-tron, the SUV on which the concept is based.The result is a combined maximum torque to all four wheels over a 10-second peak is quoted by Audi at a staggering 13,400Nm, an increase of 4400Nm from the regular Q6 e-tron.Given the Q6 e-tron serves as the basis for the off-road concept, it too is built on Audi’s all-new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) modular EV platform, which it jointly developed alongside Porsche.The idea behind the Q6 e-tron off-road concept is to prove how versatile the PPE platform can be, and with a gaping void left by the departure of the A4 and A6 Allroad from the brand's line-up, it suggests Audi is genuinely serious about future off-roaders.

Australia’s new car market rose very slightly in volume in 2024 compared to 2023 - but it wasn’t good news across the board.