Audi Q4 e-tron First Drive Review: Little SUV with Big Space & Sporty Dynamics
Audi’s Q4 e-tron and Q4 Sportback e-tron are smaller than a Q5, but boast the passenger room of a Q7! They also drive really well.
The Audi Q4 e-tron and Q4 Sportback e-tron represent the next step in Audi’s transition to an all-electric and carbon-neutral future. The luxury arm of the Volkswagen Group is going to be producing stunning gasoline-powered cars and SUVs for quite a while, of course. But the final NEW internal combustion vehicle will debut no later than 2026.
The Q4 e-tron siblings are (and will be) Audi’s most affordable all-electric SUVs. Call them approachable premium. As members of AudiWorld know well, the 2022 Q4 e-tron models have been out for quite some time. But it was a strange model year for a few reasons. First, Audi configured every US-bound unit and sent them off to dealers to sell them (a throwback to the pre-pandemic days). Meaning, customers couldn’t custom-order them. Next, the base drivetrain wasn’t available. And then the Federal Tax Credit went away.
This has led to some consumer frustrations — as members have discussed and debated in the Q4 section of our forum.
But the great news is that the 2023 model year build & price configurator is live on AudiUSA.com. It’s honestly the best place to learn exact pricing and options for what you want. And you can currently head over to your local Audi dealership to order one. 2023 model year vehicles should start being available in the next few weeks.
What do YOU think of the Q4 e-tron and Q4 Sportback e-tron?
Click HERE to join the conversation!
A Quick Disclaimer
Audi invited AudiWorld along with a couple dozen media outlets and influencers to drive the Q4 e-tron in southern California. Audi provided us with hotel and accommodations. Also worth noting, although we were mostly briefed on 2023 Q4s, we drove 2022 models and only had a few hours for testing and driving. So consider this more of a first look than a full review.
2023 Audi Q4 Pricing & Models
In 2023, Audi plans to offer three different models as well as three trim levels. Naturally, there will be optional packages as well. Every Q4 features an 82kWh battery pack, of which owners have access to about 77kWh. (The extra is left to preserve the overall battery health during the vehicle’s lifespan.)
The Q4 40 e-tron starts at just under $50,000. This rear-wheel-drive configuration boasts 201 horsepower. Standard features include 19-inch wheels, leather seating surfaces, a panoramic sunroof with sunshade, a 10.25″ digital gauge cluster, and an 11.6″ MMI touch display infotainment system with Wireless Apple Car Play and Android Auto. Range tops about at 265 miles. It will be available in Premium and Premium Plus trim levels.
NOTE: while the 2022 and 2022 model years are mechanically identical, 2023 models feature a few changes. The largest MMI screen in Audi history — 11.6″ — replaces the smaller 2022 screen (which you’ll see in this review). All Q4 50 models will feature S-line badging. And a few other small changes.
Next up with have the Q4 50 e-tron, which starts at just under $55 grand and can be ordered as a Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige trim level. Power jumps to 295 horsepower courtesy of a dual motor quattro all-wheel-drive system. Range drops to 236 miles per charge, but these models will hit 60mph in under six seconds. 19″ 5-arm wheels are standard.
Lastly, the Q4 50 Sportback e-tron starts at just under $58,000 for a no-option Premium model. Premium Plus and Prestige are also available. For those unfamiliar, Sportback SUVs offer a more car-like sloping roofline versus the standard SUV boxy shape. The Sportback shares the same 295 horsepower as the e-tron, but it’s slightly more efficient with 242 miles of range. Sportbacks also feature standard 20″ wheels.
The Tax Credit Question
Based on an AudiWorld member question, I asked if there was any talk of adjusting Q4 pricing after the Inflation Reduction Act goes into effect next year. The context is that the new law requires North American sourced battery materials and assembly to qualify for up to a $7,500 rebate, along with other hurdles like income caps. This means the Q4 will no longer qualify.
What Audi said was that they can’t comment on the pricing and the rebate other than to say what’s on the 2023 Audi.com configurator is the official pricing and that Audi “tends to keep their pricing consistent.” (I took that to mean within a given model year.)
Will the loss of the tax credit, coupled with the Q4’s premium pricing over the Volkswagen ID.4 hurt sales? It’s really hard to say in this market where there’s still more demand than available product. What do you think? Let us know HERE!
Charging
As our testing was limited to a couple of hours on one day, we didn’t get to experience much in terms of real-world charging. But here’s how it breaks down per the manufacturer —
All Q4 variants charge at the same rate and can be charged at up to 150kWh when using DC fast charging. In perfect conditions, this translates to about 36 minutes to go from 5% to 80%. (Charging slows above 80% on most EVs to protect battery life, so it’s costly and slow to charge above 80% on a fast charger.) Audi also includes 250kWh of Electrify America credits so customers can try out DC fast charging for themselves. However, Electrify America’s Plug and Charge feature is, at the time of publishing, not available in any Q4.
However, Audi expects that most folks will be charging at home, so they include a charging cable with every Q4. (Side note for those less familiar: some folks refer to these cables as chargers, but EV chargers are actually built into the vehicles themselves.) The included cable is good for 40 amps or 9.6kW which will charge a Q4 from 0% to 100% in 9 hours.
If customers have room to install a wall-mounted box/cable (and in their electrical system), they can install an 11.5kW system which will charge a Q4 from 0% to 100% in 7.5 hours
Interior Amenities (So Much Room for Activities)
Stepping into the Q4 is an interesting experience. There are hints of other Audis — a little Q5 in the dash, a little A3 in the gear selector and center console — but at the same time, it’s completely new. For starters, the interior space is surprisingly large for a compact SUV. In context, the Q4 looks more like a Q3 or Q5 on the outside. But inside, it’s like stepping into a Q7 in terms of passenger space.
How is this achieved, you ask? By removing the gasoline-powered drivetrain and quattro components, Audi engineers pushed the electric motors into the front and rear axles. And the battery pack goes into the floor/vehicle structure. Which leaves lots of space for seats. At six-feet tall, I could easily sit behind myself with more room than the SQ5 and the A6 Allroad.
Cargo space is also surprisingly roomy and the 40-20-40 fold-down rear sitting is a lovely bit of ergonomics for hauling gear.
The technology is all current-gen Audi, with a large customizable digital gauge cluster and the MMI touchscreen infotainment system. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included, as well as (with certain trims and packages) adjustable interior lighting, a head-up display with Augmented reality, and even customizable daytime running lights.
[No, that’s not a joke. In Prestige models, owners can select one of four different daytime running light configurations. My favorite is the checkered flag, reminiscent of the RS 3 we recently reviewed.]
The only thing I didn’t love was the optional Sonos 10-speaker radio system. It’s not awful by any means, but is a bit harsh up top and a touch muddy on the low end. For best results, I recommend going into the settings and turning off some of the optional processing. And I’d love to see ventilated seats as an option for Premium Plus and Prestige models.
Overall, the Q4 is modern and comfortable and well-equipped.
Regen (4 Modes)
Before we get into the driving experience, we should talk about the Q4’s multiple regen modes. Like all BEVs, the Q4 e-tron uses regenerative (regen) braking to do most of the vehicle’s deceleration. In short, the electric motors slow the Q4, turning themselves into generators in the process, recouping some of the energy spent on acceleration and maintaining speed.
The result is a mode, or style of driving, called one-pedal driving where — for most of the time — the driver simply presses the accelerator pedal to go, and lifts their foot to slow. The traditional hydraulic brakes are, therefore, preserved for emergency stops and, as we experienced, full stops at red lights.
One-pedal driving is a bit of a love-it-or-hate-it experience. Some folks find regen braking too aggressive at times… Which is why Audi smartly added four different levels of regen. In standard Drive mode, one can adjust from zero to moderate regen using the steering wheel’s paddle shifters. And there’s a B mode, on the transmission gear selector, that’s the most aggressive (and therefore most efficient).
I mostly drove in B mode and it feels like the engine braking on a high-end sports car while driving on a track. Overall, I enjoy one-pedal driving, but I did come away with two concerns —
- The standard hydraulic brake pedal feels VERY squishy, which isn’t particularly inspiring.
- And, unlike some other EVs, Q4 regen doesn’t stop the vehicle fully, instead allowing the vehicle to coast at approximately two mph. To be fair, some folks might like this approach, which is closer to a conventional car. But other EVs tend to regen all the way to a full stop.
Driving Dynamics
What does Audi mean to you? How do you define the brand and its vehicles? For me, I think of three things. Strong visual designs. Luxurious, ergonomic interiors. And sporty driving dynamics. To be fair, I spend most of my time in the S and RS world, so I’m a bit spoiled. But that performance heritage trickles into the rest of the company’s vehicles. Case in point, the Q4 e-tron and Q4 Sportback e-tron.
As with all EVs, they’re a little heavy at around 4,800 pounds. But the secret sauce is in the low center of gravity. The heaviest part of the SUV? That battery? Yeah, it’s in the floor. So the Q4 dips and dives into corners with lots of balance and a surprising amount of grip, making it feel more like a 4,000 lb. SUV.
Toss in 295 horsepower and 339 ft.-lbs. of instant torque, and it’s very zippy as well. Not fast in a world where the RS6 Avant exists (or even compared to the SQ5). But the power-to-weight ratio is quite good and the Q4’s sub-6-second 0-60 time is a spec sports cars from back in the day would have been happy to hit. Steering feels a bit numb, but it’s direct, and the wheel’s light in the hand. Bursts of quick acceleration are fun — especially at stoplights and highway passing — but again, this isn’t an overly fast car. Which I’d argue is a great thing for first-time EV buyers. This is an SUV where you can have a bit of fun, but it’s not going to kill you.
In short, the Q4 offers a dynamic driving experience that feels very sporty at times. But also one that can be driven slowly and gently without any sense of compromise. Well done, Audi.
Quirks and Bugs
As with any step forward, sometimes engineers go too far (or not far enough). In that sense, I encountered a few features one could describe as quirky, buggy, or frustrating. Not deal-killers, mind you. Just little things I hope to see evolve and improve.
First, I’d like to see more Apple CarPlay integration on the driver’s gauge cluster. Overall, CarPlay works wonders on the MMI screen, but lacks the ability to place Apple Maps direction onto the gauges or head-up display. To be fair, Audi is debating the issue internally, but cites privacy concerns (for Audi and the customers) about letting Apple intrude too far into the system. As someone who reviews lots of Fords that do integrate CarPlay more fully, it’s a nice feature for customers.
And although Audi’s nav system has come a long way over the years, I’d argue Apple’s system is a little better.
Speaking of the head-up display, let’s talk about its “augmented reality.” Not only does the head-up display show data like vehicle speed, and local speed limits, but it also projects objects (like arrows and such) onto the windshield to help with navigation. (It’s actually a similar idea to what Audi can do with Matrix LED headlights in other parts of the world.)
The goal is to keep the driver’s eyes on the road as much as possible.
The problem, in this iteration at least, is that it’s clunky and hard to see in the bright sunlight. Other journalists reported seeing random dot shapes during their drives. I didn’t, but couldn’t understand why an arrow had to fly around in my vision when I was driving straight through an intersection. This… needs some more development.
And if you’re wearing sunglasses, like all HUDs across most brands, polarization makes HUD reflections impossible to see in the windshield. We should probably revisit this topic at night.
Lastly, one of our members recently asked a question about why the Q4 turns itself off when put into Park. For reference, the Q4 also powers down anytime a driver gets out of their seat (there’s a sensor).
Audi’s goal was to make life easier. Simply get in and put the SUV in gear and go. Or, simply exit the vehicle to turn everything off.
The annoyance, for a feature that can’t be turned off as I write this, is systems one might want to keep running — air conditioning and the radio come to mind — also power down, which can be disruptive. For me, I needed to photograph the Q4’s interior with the dash on. Or pop out of the car to take a photograph on the road. So one can imagine how stopping to pick up curbside goods, grabbing the mail, or all sorts of little daily activities could be interrupted by the need to press a bunch of buttons and then wait for settings to restart and phones to reconnect.
Final Thoughts
Although evaluation time was short — and limited to the outgoing model year — I’ve come away with mostly positive Q4 e-tron impressions. As our members pointed out, there are a handful of frustrating quirks and missing features. But overall, the Q4 is a terrific mix of smart internal ergonomics, modern technology, and a sporty driving signature.
The only real questions left to debate, I’d argue, are price and range.
Is this vehicle worth a premium over the Volkswagen ID.4? (Which I’ve yet to drive, so I can’t help in that regard, sorry.) And do you drive, say, under about 200 miles per day and have access to at-home charging?
If that range fits your needs, the Q4 is a terrific little SUV that feels quite big on the inside.
2023 Audi Q4 e-tron Quick Specs
Q4 40 e-tron
- Base MSRP (including destination & delivery): $50K
- Horsepower: 201
- Range (miles): 265
- MPGe (city/highway/combined): 112 / 94 / 103
- Rear-wheel-drive
- DC fast charging 5%-80%: 36 minutes
- Trim Levels: Premium, Premium Plus
Q4 50 e-tron
- Base MSRP (including destination & delivery): $55K
- Horsepower: 295
- Range (miles): 236
- MPGe (city/highway/combined): 97 / 87 / 93
- Quattro all-wheel-drive
- DC fast charging 5%-80%: 36 minutes
- Trim Levels: Premium, Premium Plus, Prestige
Q4 50 Sportback e-tron
- Base MSRP (including destination & delivery): $58K
- Horsepower: 295
- Range (miles): 242
- MPGe (city/highway/combined): 100 / 89 / 95
- Quattro all-wheel-drive
- DC fast charging 5%-80%: 36 minutes
- Trim Levels: Premium, Premium Plus, Prestige
