The Cupra Born, Skoda Enyaq iV, Volkswagen ID.3 / ID.4 / ID.5 and this Audi Q4 E-Tron are all the same under the skin. So what should we write about the most expensive of the bunch? It drives the same, loads the same, but luckily it stands out in one way: its interior is a lot nicer than that of the Enyaq and ID.4.
What stands out about the Audi Q4 E-Tron (2021)?
You can argue about taste, but we think the looks of the Audi Q4 E-Tron are better than that of the Skoda Enyaq iV and Volkswagen ID.4. The single-frame grille suits him well. And the clearly extended wheel arches give it broad shoulders, making it less stretched out than the Enyaq and ID.4.
We never thought we would write this again, but we actually think the coupé variant of the Q4 E-Tron is even more beautiful. Most SUVs with a sloping roofline are not quite right, but the Q4 Sportback E-Tron is really a handsome appearance.
What’s good about the Audi Q4 E-Tron?
We previously wrote down our first impressions of the Skoda Enyaq iV and Volkswagen ID.4. And these broadly correspond to our opinion of the Audi Q4 E-Tron. The plug-in SUV is comfortable, quiet, smooth, fairly economical with energy and has a surprisingly small turning circle. You only notice that it is heavy on cobblestone roads or when you cross a speed bump. To keep the extra kilos in check, the Audi is firmly damped, which makes the chassis restless on unevenness.
We drove the Q4 40 E-Tron S Edition with rear-wheel drive, 204 hp and a 77 kWh battery. On paper, this version has a range of 493 kilometers. You can read what it achieves in practice in our range test.
The big difference between the Enyaq, ID.4 and Q4 E-Tron lies in the interior of the latter. Audi uses a more traditional dashboard, which is more in line with its other models. There is a beautiful digital instrumentation and an easy-to-operate infotainment system. The big advantage, as far as we’re concerned, is that Audi uses physical buttons for the most important functions, not those blood-irritating touch keys and sliders that Skoda and Volkswagen fiddle with.
The Q4 E-Tron has the smallest trunk of the bunch. Although a load volume of 520 to 1492 liters is still more than enough. In the back seat, the passengers have nothing to complain about. Even a six-foot Auto Review editor has head and knee room over it. And yes, the Audi can pull a trailer, just like the Enyaq and ID.4. The maximum draw weight is set at 1000 kilos.
What could be done better with the Audi Q4 E-Tron?
The MEB models of the Volkswagen Group can quickly charge with up to 125 kW. That in itself is fine, but in the current market only good for a position in the middle bracket. For the price of the Q4 E-Tron – or even less – you can get a Volvo XC40 Recharge (150 kW), Ford Mustang Mach-E (150 kW), Hyundai Ioniq 5 (220 kW) or Kia EV6 (240 kW). More expensive is the Tesla Model Y, which even comes up to 250 kW.
Furthermore, it is mainly details on which the Audi could be improved. The angular steering wheel is not nice if you have to transfer and the touch buttons on the steering spokes are difficult to operate blindly. You’ll curse them the umpteenth time you mute the radio or turn on the voice control when all you want to do is change the volume. We also miss a button to switch off the lane assistant. When you start the Q4 E-Tron, it is turned on every time. To turn it off, you have to dive into the infotainment system.
When will the Audi Q4 E-Tron come and what will it cost?
The Audi Q4 E-Tron has been on the market for some time now. It is available as an SUV and as a coupé SUV, in four engine variants. The Q4 35 E-Tron is the only one with a smaller battery (52 kWh), the rest have 77 kWh. The delivery program of the Q4 E-Tron is as follows:
- Q4 35 E-Tron (170 hp, 52 kWh) – from 48,155 euros
- Q4 40 E-Tron (204 hp, 77 kWh) – from 52,675 euros
- Q4 45 E-Tron Quattro (265 hp, 77 kWh) – from 57,295 euros
- Q4 50 E-Tron Quattro (299 hp, 77 kWh) – from 64,675 euros
- Q4 35 Sportback E-Tron (170 hp, 52 kWh) – from 50,205 euros
- Q4 40 Sportback E-Tron (204 hp, 77 kWh) – from EUR 54,725
- Q4 50 Sportback E-Tron Quattro (299 hp, 77 kWh) – from 66,725 euros
The different versions of the Skoda Enyaq iV and Volkswagen ID.4 are between 2000 and 8000 euros less expensive.
What do I think of the Audi Q4 E-Tron?
Do you want an Audi Q4 E-Tron, Skoda Enyaq iV or Volkswagen ID.4? The decision probably depends on which one you like best and which fits within your (lease) budget. As befits the ranking of the Volkswagen Group brands, the Audi is the most expensive, with the Skoda and Volkswagen at an appropriate distance. Another decisive factor could be the interior. That of the Q4 E-Tron is more user-friendly than that of the Enyaq and ID.4, with more physical buttons.
If you are looking for an electric SUV that will charge you off your socks, then you are better off with the competition. At about the same price level as the Audi are the Kia EV (77 kWh, 52,098 euros) and Hyundai Ioniq 5 (73 kWh, 46,500 euros), both of which are well above the 200 kW charging speed. Tesla asks a lot more for its Model Y (64,000 euros) and is the fast-charging champion in the segment, with no less than 250 kW.