Audi Q4 e-tron review

The Audi Q4 e-tron we're reviewing here is the cheapest way into an all-electric Audi – but does that mean it's a good choice of electric SUV?

Well, it seems many people think so: at one time the Q4 e-tron was the brand's most popular electric model. Plus, while it's closely related to the Skoda Enyaq and Volkswagen ID 4, it promises more upmarket tech, polish and plushness for a small price premium.

That's a potentially attractive combination to many buyers, but let's not forget that there are several other electric SUVs you'll want to consider too. They range from the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 to the Tesla Model Y and Volvo EX40.

Read on as we put the Audi Q4 e-tron to the test against the best electric SUVs and rate it in all the important areas, including performance, practicality and price…

The entry-level Audi Q4 e-tron – the 40 – has a 201bhp motor driving the rear wheels and can get you from 0-62mph in a respectable 8.1 seconds. That’s slightly quicker than an entry-level Ford Explorer or Hyundai Ioniq 5. With 282bhp and a 6.6 second 0-62mph time, the 45 is noticeably punchier. A Tesla Model Y RWD is still quicker, but this is our favourite version.

If you live in a particularly weather-beaten part of the UK, you’ll be pleased to know you can spec your Q4 e-tron 45 with quattro all-wheel drive. If you crave more poke, there's the 55 Quattro, which produces 335bhp and can accelerate from 0-62mph in a hot-hatch rivalling 5.4 seconds. However, from behind the wheel it doesn’t feel a whole lot faster than the 45, and the Volvo EX40 Twin Motor and the Model Y Long Range are even quicker.

The all-wheel-drive versions have an official range of around 320 miles – just 18 miles down on the rear-wheel-drive 45 version. The entry-level 40 has the lowest official range of 251 miles due to its smaller 59kWh battery (other Q4’s have a 77kWh one). Those ranges are about the same as you get from a VW ID 4 but the EX40 Extended Range can travel a bit further (up to 355 miles).

The Q4 e-tron generally feels supple around town, plus it breathes with the road at higher speeds without becoming floaty. Sport models on the smallest 19in wheels and comfort suspension are the comfiest, isolating against bumps the most effectively.

S line models on 20in wheels with stiffer sports suspension have a touch more fidget and can amplify bumps enough to mildly jostle occupants in their seats when pottering around town and going over pockmarked roads at speed.

For context, it won’t be as supple as the very best petrol SUVs, simply because the heavy battery pack requires stiffer suspension to hold it up. That said, the Q4 is more settled than the equivalent EX40, less jarring than a Ford Mustang Mach-E and is better controlled than larger-wheeled versions of the VW ID 4.

There's a fair bit of body lean when cornering, but the Q4 e-tron grips strongly and its accurate steering gives you the confidence to hustle it along. The unnecessarily heavy Dynamic setting doesn’t really add to the experience.

Rear-wheel-drive 45 models have a very tight turning circle for a car of this size, which is a real boon when you're parking and manoeuvring. Four-wheel-drive models are less manoeuvrable because the extra mechanical gubbins up front prevents the wheels from being able to turn as sharply, so spinning the car round is slightly less convenient.

The Q4 e-tron isn’t quite as hushed as the more expensive Genesis GV60 but it is better at shutting out road noise than key rivals such as the Mustang Mach-E and Volvo EX40. There’s also very little motor whine.

Wind noise is minimal unless there’s a heavy crosswind, in which case you hear it gusting around the windscreen pillars.

Many electric cars – including the Mach-E – can be hard to stop smoothly because they struggle to blend their normal friction brakes with the regenerative braking. The Q4’s brake pedal is better than a VW ID4’s, if not quite as consistent as an EX40’s.

"The Q4 is one of the most hushed electric cars at this price. At motorway speeds there's a small amount of wind and road noise but generally I found it to be very quiet." – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

While you’ll still be looking up at Range Rover drivers in traffic jams, you sit quite high in the Audi Q4 e-tron, plus there’s a wide range of adjustment to help you get settled, including electrically adjustable lumbar support.

As a bonus, the climate controls are conventional switches, which are far less distracting to use when you're driving than the touchscreen icons you get in the Skoda Enyaq and Volvo EX40, let alone the touch-sensitive panels of the VW ID 4.

The Q4 has a configurable 10.3in digital driver’s display called the Virtual Cockpit as standard. If you tick the option box for the Technology Pack Pro you also get a head-up display, which projects sat-nav direction arrows on to the windscreen so they appear to be on the road ahead. It's a pricey extra, and not really worth the extra cost.

The long sloping front windscreen pillars can sometimes obscure your view at junctions, but large side windows help with over-the-shoulder visibility. Front and rear parking sensors come as standard, as well as a rear-view camera, but you’ll need to add the pricey Technology Pack Pro for a 360-degree view display.

Powerful LED headlights are standard across the range, with adaptive matrix versions available as part of the Technology Pack.

Above the climate controls sits an 11.6in infotainment touchscreen. It's not quite as big as the screen in the Skoda Enyaq (13in) and it’s not as configurable, but the menus are quite easy to navigate around and get used to.

You also get a DAB radio, sat-nav, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, two USB-C ports and a three-year subscription to online services such as Google maps, and weather and hazard alerts. Amazon Alexa is integrated into the system, allowing you to manage calendars, shopping lists and your Amazon smart devices at home, all through voice commands.

A bassy 10-speaker Sonos sound system with a 580W amplifier is available as part of the Technology Pack and has little trouble drowning out the low levels of noise filtering through from the outside world.

The electric SUV class includes some seriously plush and pricey models, including the much bigger and more luxurious BMW iX – and the Q4 fares a little above average in this area.

It feels classier than a Ford Mustang Mach-E, Skoda Enyaq or VW ID 4 despite featuring some hard black plastic on the doors and centre console. The materials used in the Volvo EX40 feel even more upmarket and sturdy.

"A few years ago, Audi was head and shoulders above just about every rival for interior quality, and the Q4 is far from cheap-feeling inside, but I found there was a fair amount of hard plastic." – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

You’ll have plenty of head and leg room in the front of the Audi Q4 e-tron even if you’re well over 6ft tall, plus the car is wide enough that there’s no danger of the driver and front passenger banging elbows.

You get a huge storage bin between the front seats, along with two cupholders and a generous stowage area at the base of the dashboard. The door bins are a good size.

Rear-seat passengers are very well catered for, with the Q4 e-tron offering much more knee room than the Volvo EX40 and more head room than the Ford Mustang Mach-E.

Overall, it’s roomier than both those rivals, and is also a match for the closely related Skoda Enyaq. Even a central rear passenger will be reasonably comfortable because the floor is completely flat (in the EX40 there’s a transmission tunnel to straddle over).

All versions of the Q4 Sportback now come with a 40/20/40 split-folding rear seatback as standard (it used to be limited to top-spec versions), meaning it’s slightly more versatile than rivals that have a 60/40 split and a ski hatch, such as the EX40, Enyaq and ID 4. 

Sadly, the seats don’t slide, recline or do anything else that’s particularly clever. Passenger seat-height adjustment is standard across the range.

The Q4 e-tron's boot space matches the 520-litre capacity of the Audi Q5 and comes with a powered tailgate. We managed to fit in seven carry-on suitcases when we tested it, which is a lot, although the Tesla Model Y took nine cases in its rear boot and one in its front one.

If you specify a height-adjustable boot floor (part of the optional Function Package) and set it to its highest setting, there's no step up to the folded seats, making it easier to slide in big heavy loads. It also lets you keep the charging cable beneath the floor away from your luggage, and adds a 12V boot-mounted power socket and nets to stop smaller items sliding around.

"The rear seats are comfy with plenty of head and leg room, while the long, tall boot – accessed with a standard powered tailgate – provides plenty of storage. It was certainly more than enough for a weekend away with the family." – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

The Audi Q4 e-tron costs a bit more than an equivalent VW ID 4 and about the same as a Skoda Enyaq but both those rivals have cheaper versions available. As with all electric cars, the Q4 is cheap to run as a company car because it's in a very low BIK tax band.

Four-wheel-drive versions have a maximum charging speed of up to 175kW, against 165kW for the 45. That means it's possible to do a 10-80% in less than half an hour if you can find a quick enough public charger. A full charge using a 7kW home EV charger takes about 12 hours.

Even our favourite entry-level Sport trim is decently equipped, getting 19in alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control, keyless entry, three-zone climate control and heated front seats.

Upgrading to S line brings 20in wheels, silver exterior highlights, privacy glass and additional ambient interior lighting. Black Edition has black exterior highlights, 21in alloy wheels and paddles behind the steering wheel that let you quickly change the regenerative braking strength.

An EV heat pump is optional on all versions, and you can add a Comfort Package that brings a heated steering wheel and electric seat adjustment with memory function.

The Q4 e-tron finished seventh out of 16 electric SUV models in our 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey. Meanwhile, Audi finished in a disappointing 24th out 31 brands, behind Kia, Volkswagen and Volvo.

The Q4 e-tron’s battery warranty lasts for eight years or 100,000 miles (whichever comes first) and Audi covers the rest of the car for three years or 60,000 miles. That’s nothing special when you consider that the main warranty of the Kia EV6 stretches to seven years or 100,000 miles.

The Q4 e-tron was given a full five stars for safety after it was tested by Euro NCAP. It scored 93% for adult occupant protection and 89% for child occupant protection.

Audi gives you lots of safety equipment as standard, including lane-departure warning and an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system that can detect pedestrians and cyclists as well as other cars.

Unless you go for the range-topping Vorsprung model, you have to pay extra for blind-spot monitoring and a system that warns you if another vehicle is passing behind you when you’re reversing out of a parking space.

"When we compared the Q4 e-tron with the Mercedes EQA I found the Q4 better to drive and more practical. I think it's worth the extra outlay." – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

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