Audi E-tron GT review

If you think the Audi E-tron GT is yet another electric Audi SUV with ‘e-tron’ in its name, think again. Instead, it's best to see this car as an answer to the question: “What would the Audi R8 have been like if it was electric?”

In other words, the E-tron GT is an electric performance car. But it’s also worth noting that it shares a lot of its tech with the Porsche Taycan. And if you go for the range-topping version and engage launch control, it can accelerate as quickly as an F1 car. Yes, really.

Audi E-tron GT video review

Still, as impressive as such searing pace is, there aren’t many opportunities to make use of it in the real world. So, in true Audi style, the E-tron GT aims to be more than just ferociously fast and great to drive; instead, its mission is to combine that excitement with comfort and usability.

What’s new?

- October 2025: We add an E-tron GT to our long-term test fleet to see what it’s like to live with

- August 2025: New entry-level E-tron GT quattro model introduced, with 576bhp

- August 2024: Facelift brings refreshed design front and rear, plus new seats, retuned suspension, a bigger battery and a new layout for the digital instruments

- April 2021: First E-tron GTs delivered

- October 2020: E-tron GT is unveiled

How fast is it and which motor is best?

Even the entry-level quattro version of the Audi E-tron GT is properly fast, so it’s the one we’d go for. It has two electric motors, giving it four-wheel drive and a total of 496bhp in normal driving.

That said, it initially builds speed comparatively gently so that it’s easy to drive the car smoothly in stop-start traffic. It’s only when you push the accelerator harder (or engage launch control, which ups power to 576bhp) that you’re pinned back hard in your seat.

The S and RS variants are even quicker, while at the top of the line-up you find the RS Performance, which packs 738bhp as standard and a colossal 912bhp when you engage launch control.

It’s hugely fast and can rocket you to 62mph from a standstill in a similar time to an F1 car, which means it is one of the fastest-accelerating cars on sale. Even when you switch to its most docile Efficient mode, it remains brisk; you’d need to go for the more expensive Porsche Taycan Turbo S to go even quicker.

Is it agile and is the ride comfortable?

Let’s move on from the numbers to the nuances of handling. Here, the E-tron GT and the closely related Taycan feel like two peas from the same pod – albeit with the Taycan tuned for agility, and the E-tron GT prioritising ride quality. The Hyundai Ioniq 6 N does feel more focused than both, but this big Audi is still a brilliantly handling electric car.

The steering is direct and accurate; it allows you to place the car exactly where you want it on the road and feel some sense of the surface tingling your fingers.

Four-wheel steering (introduced with Vorsprung trim) gives the E-tron GT extra agility at slow speeds and greater stability on motorways.

Vorsprung versions of the RS E-tron GT also get an Active Air Suspension system, which almost entirely eliminates body lean, and reduces nosediving under braking. We tried it on a test track and it was very impressive.

No matter which version you go for, though, the E-tron GT is remarkably comfortable. Its standard air suspension does a fantastic job of keeping the car composed (and you comfortable) when you're cruising at high speeds. Meanwhile, around town, bumps are smothered with an effectiveness that belies the model’s staggering performance credentials. 

Cars with Active Air Suspension are even more polished, but since the differences are relatively small, we wouldn’t spend the premium just to get it.

Is it quiet and how easy is it to drive smoothly?

The regenerative brakes of many electric cars are a bit of a pain; they replenish the battery with energy as you slow down, but can make it hard to judge how hard you need to press the brake pedal. Fortunately, the E-tron GT’s are among the best around; most of the time you almost forget you're driving an electric car.

The E-tron GT is also a quiet motorway cruiser. There’s little in the way of wind noise and it’s more hushed overall than a Tesla Model 3 Performance. Despite a small amount of road noise, it’s more subdued than it is in an equivalent Porsche Taycan and when you combine this with its more forgiving ride, the E-Tron GT has the edge over the Taycan for long distance comfort.

What’s the range and efficiency like, and how quickly can it charge?

Less outrageous than the acceleration – though still very respectable – is the E-tron GT's range from a full charge of the 97kWh (usable capacity) battery.

As you might expect, the least powerful version, the quattro, can travel the farthest, with an official range of up to 384 miles. That's not quite as far as the longest-legged Taycan, but it's still competitive. If you’re taking it easy, you can expect the quattro to deliver at least 300 miles, while in faster versions, 275 miles is more likely.

As for charging, there's a Type 2 port on each front wing for overnight top-ups, while the one on the driver's side can also accept a CCS rapid charge.

From a powerful enough public charger, it can pull in a massive 320kW for short periods. That makes the E-tron GT one of the fastest-charging electric cars on the market; getting the battery from 10-80% charge can take just 18 minutes in ideal conditions.

“I’ve been living with an E-tron GT quattro for several months, and more than 300 miles between top-ups is perfectly realistic, even in winter.” – Steve Huntingford, Editor

What does the interior look like and is it well made?

While a lot of modern cars have virtually banished buttons and gone for a minimalist look, there are plenty of them on the dashboard of the Audi E-tron GT. Not only do these help to maximise its usability, but they’re also beautifully damped and engage with a satisfying click.

The news isn’t so good when it comes to the quality of the materials. It’s not that they’re poor - they’re still better than what’s being used in many newer budget-feeling Audis - it simply isn’t as upmarket as what you get in a similarly-priced Porsche Taycan.

Is the driving position comfortable and is it easy to see out?

Unlike many electric cars, the Audi E-tron GT has a low-slung and sporty driving position; you sit much closer to the road than in, for example, a Mercedes EQS or Tesla Model 3.

The relationship between the pedals, steering wheel and seat are spot-on, too. Plus, there's loads of adjustment to help you get comfortable, and the front seats are both super comfy on long motorway journeys and super supportive when you're taking the twistier, more scenic route.

Visibility is mostly fine at the front; the low dashboard and bonnet are easy to see over and while the pillars are chunky, they are positioned away enough to make it easy to look around them. Elsewhere, the side window line is quite high, while the slim rear-view mirror, shallow rear screen and tapering roofline stops you seeing very much of whatever is out the back.

To compensate, front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera are standard. Meanwhile, the optional Technology Pack includes a 360-degree camera.

Are the dashboard and infotainment system easy to use?

The E-tron GT’s infotainment screen isn’t huge at 10.1in, but its resolution is good, the operating system is fairly intuitive and most of the icons are a decent size. What’s more, you get plenty of standard features, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring.

Usability is further enhanced by the presence of physical climate control switches, which can be operated by touch alone – unlike their screen-based equivalents in the EQS and Taycan, which force you to look away from the road. 

The E-Tron GT also has the edge over the Taycan by having conventional air vents and not ones that require delving into a touchscreen in order to adjust the direction they point in. Perhaps the only weak point in the E-tron GT relates to its touch-sensitive steering wheel buttons, which are overly sensitive.

In addition to the infotainment screen, there’s a 12.3in digital driver's display behind the steering wheel (which Audi calls a Virtual Cockpit) that’s clear and easy to configure. It’s one of the better systems to come from Audi, offering a wider range of layouts and configurations than you’d find on the latest models. There's a screen for the sat-nav map and even a function that tells you the maximum rate of charging you can expect when you plug in, based on the state of charge of the battery and its temperature.

Arguably, the only thing it misses out on over the Taycan is a range of shortcut keys surrounding the screen that allow you to adjust the suspension and other various vehicle settings. Even so, there are physical buttons for these on the lower console.

“The touch-sensitive steering wheel controls are annoying. I found it easy to accidentally turn up the stereo volume when going around corners.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Edito

How much space does it have for people?

There's lots of head and leg room in the front, and the interior, like the rest of the Audi E-tron GT, is wide, so you won’t be bumping elbows with your front passenger. Meanwhile, in-car storage is good, with only the small, awkwardly placed wireless phone charging tray being less than ideal.

Access to the front seats is also fine, but it’s a different story when it comes to the back; you have to contort your feet past the small gap between the front and rear seats. Meanwhile, the ceiling that curves down quite low to the side of the car means you have to duck to get in or out of it. Cars with Active Air Suspension have a neat party trick: it will quickly raise the car’s ride height to help with access when you open any of the doors.

Space is all relative, though – this is a low-slung performance car and not a luxury limo, after all – and once you’re in the back, you'll find a good amount of space for a pair of six footers. There isn’t much room to tuck your feet underneath the front seats to help you fully stretch out, but there is a generous amount of leg room on offer. There’s also a good amount of head room spare with the panoramic glass roof fitted. 

Being a rear middle passenger will be less fun. That’s because you’ll have to sit on a narrow section of the seat base and, with it being slightly raised, you’ll likely have your head pressed up against the ceiling. Meanwhile, your legs will have to straddle a tall and very wide transmission tunnel.

How much room is there for luggage?

The 350-litre rear boot is big enough for a buggy or a set of golf clubs, and there's a small amount of underfloor storage for charging cables. Meanwhile, the fact that you can fold down the E-tron GT’s rear seats in a 40/20/40 split boosts versatility.

There’s also a front storage area (under the bonnet) that’s usefully deep, so you can throw a few more soft bags in there – or alternatively use this area for delicate items of shopping that you don't want sliding around the main boot space.

There's no estate car version to rival the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo and Taycan Sport Turismo, though. Those models offer more boot space along with better access to the load bay.

“Given Audi’s glorious history of building fast estates, I find it strange that there isn’t an E-tron equivalent of the Taycan Cross Turismo or Sport Turismo.” – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

How much does it cost and what equipment do you get?

The Audi E-tron GT is expensive, that’s for sure – but it costs about the same as a Porsche Taycan, despite getting four-wheel drive as standard, whereas the entry-level Taycan is rear-wheel drive.

For private owners, the E-tron GT is predicted to lose its value as quickly as the Porsche Taycan, which will be a big contributing factor to the overall running costs.

The E-tron GT arguably makes most sense to business users rather than private buyers, then. Like all fully electric cars it attracts a low BIK tax rate – although clearly not everyone will find such a fast and expensive car on their list of company car options.

Standard equipment includes adaptive cruise control, three-zone climate control, heated and electrically adjustable front seats, leather upholstery and a panoramic glass sunroof.

Is it reliable and how long is the warranty?

We don’t have much information on the E-tron GT’s reliability, but in the 2025 What Car? Reliability Survey, Audi finished a disappointing 22nd out of 30 brands.

The three-year, 60,000-mile warranty is also a little disappointing by modern standards (for example, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N gets five years and 100,000 miles of cover). However, like all electric cars, the E-tron GT has a separate eight-year, 100,000-mile battery warranty.

How safe is it, and is it easy to steal?

The E-tron GT hasn't been crash-tested by Euro NCAP, but the five-star rating awarded to the closely related Taycan bodes well. Plus, you get a lot of standard safety aids to help you avoid having a crash in the first place.

As you’d expect, the E-tron GT comes with a Thatcham Category 1 alarm and immobiliser system.

“I’d go for the entry-level E-tron GT, but add the Technology Pack, because this brings lots of desirable extras, including a Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system and a driver’s head-up display.” – Steve Huntingford, Editor

Buy it if…

- You want an electric car that combines fun handling with superb comfort

- You need your performance car to be practical as well as fast

- You like physical switches, instead of everything being controlled through a touchscreen

Don’t buy it if…

- One of your main reasons for going electric is low costs 

- You want an interior that feels special

- You value the reassurance of a long warranty

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