Audi Q4 E-Tron Reviews

After three months living with the Audi Q4 e-tron, is this electric SUV at the top of the pack or behind its newer rivals?

The Audi Q4 e-tron proves good things come in small packages. It’s been a working theory of mine that, the bigger the electric car the less it makes sense. Smaller in the electric car world is better, at least until game changing solid-state battery tech comes along.

Audi's electric cars have come a long way in a short time, and its newest and smallest electric car might just be the pick of the litter.

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.