In the Volkswagen family, new products often come in threes. It’s the same for SUVs. It is therefore not surprising to see land on the market, in the space of a few weeks, a Skoda Enyaq Coupe, an electric Q4 Sportback or even a coupe version of the ID.4, the aptly named ID. 5. If the three models are built on an identical technical platform (MEB), they display many differences, in terms of equipment, type of driving and, of course, price. After taking the wheel of Skoda’s coupe SUV and a few days before testing its VW cousin, we suggest you take a detour to Audi. As we don’t like to do things by halves, it’s in a sumptuous setting, where electric cars are queens, that we chose to test it. Direction Norway and more precisely the region of Bergen for the test of the Q4 Sportback e-tron.
The key model to take off the electric at Audi?
This Q4 Sportback e-tron is not Audi’s first electric vehicle, far from it. The brand with the four rings is starting to have a substantial catalog, which certainly leans towards the SUV side (since the first e-tron of the name), but which also includes one of the most striking models of the moment with the e- tron GT RS. In addition to the electric motorization, these zero emission representatives of Audi share another point in common, that of displaying a particularly salty price. It is therefore not surprising to see the German brand trying to attract new customers by lowering the price of its entry ticket for electric. What is surprising, however, is the model that was chosen to make this change in strategy.
Indeed, the Q4 Sportback e-tron ticks all the fashionable boxes right now. It is both an SUV, a coupé and a 100% electric car. Suffice to say, that from the moment Audi does not commit a crippling fault of taste on its design, it is almost sure to sell a slew of them. However, despite all its advantages in terms of seduction, it is the manufacturer’s least expensive electric vehicle.
Its price, starting at 44,750 euros, even positions it below its fraternal twins from Skoda and Volkswagen, at least as long as you don’t look too closely at the list of equipment. No matter, the main thing is not there, from the point of view of Audi, which has with this version a model eligible for the full rate ecological bonus (the amount of the vehicle must be less than 45,000 euros for activate the 6,000 euro bonus).
Design: cut, but not offset
This cut style is obviously the strong point of this Q4. In fact, the whole thing is very coherent. From the first glance, the Audi style is obvious with, in particular, this full grille, which seems to take a few centimeters with each new model. However, although it incorporates several familiar elements, such as the Matrix LED lights (optional) or the thin roof bars, the Q4 e-tron manages to impose a rather singular style inherited from the eponymous concept presented in 2019 at the Paris Motor Show. Geneva.
This work on the design is not done for the pleasure of the eyes alone. The plunging curves of the Q4 are also the best way for Audi to improve its drag coefficient and by extension the vehicle’s aerodynamics. With a Cx of 0.26, a very low score for an SUV, the contract is fulfilled, as evidenced by the consumption of the car, we will come back to this.
This consumption, precisely, could also be disturbed by the choice of tire size. Audi goes so far as to offer a 21-inch mount, aesthetically striking but which will still reduce the autonomy by about forty kilometers… On this point, the future buyer will have to decide between design and efficiency.
A few changes on board, but no revolution
As usual, Audi relies on its MMI system to bring the cabin to life. It expands as it becomes available and now includes an augmented reality head-up display, as with VW’s cousins. On the interface side, there are quite a few new features compared to previous versions of the OS. This is still one of the best on the market, just like an MBUX from Mercedes, even if it is time to revise its design somewhat.
Aesthetically, the cabin evolves somewhat with a central console, very pretty, but impractical, like the induction charger difficult to access. The 11.6-inch central screen, slightly oriented towards the driver, reinforces this impression of being in a cockpit. As for the physical keys located just below the screen, they are all shortcuts to the most common settings on board (air conditioning, heated seats, defrost, etc.)
The double-flat steering wheel, as at Peugeot, incorporates tactile buttons with haptic feedback on either side. The first are used to configure the instrumentation screen and to launch the driving aids. The others are dedicated to media and the vehicle’s voice assistant. In both cases, they are relatively unpleasant to use. They are proof that the systematic use of touch is not always the best choice. At least not when it is a source of handling errors or an approximate feeling.
Finally, to get a glimpse of the latest novelty on board, you don’t have to open your eyes but listen. Indeed, Audi has decided to entrust the audio system of its Q4 e-tron Sportback to Sonos. Regulars of the brand, including us, will easily recognize the sound signature of the American. For the others, this system based on ten loudspeakers which will impress even if it mainly puts the spotlight on the mediums and slightly ignores the bass.
On the road, what does it look like?
Audi cannot reinvent its SUV based on the same platform as its previous models (MEB). If the choices of motors and/or batteries are constrained by the VW group’s platform, each brand has a slight leeway. The Q4 e-tron Sportback not only flaunts a design and a system ofinfotainment different from those of Skoda or Volkswagen. Indeed, each brand can act on a few settings and thus change the “typing” of driving. Consequence: while the Enyaq coupé, the ID.5 and the Q4 Sportback have a lot in common, the sensations behind the wheel of each of the three vehicles can differ. And that, Audi intends to exploit it. Allegedly more upscale and sportier than its “cousins”, the brand with the four rings has opted for firmer settings in terms of suspension and steering. In fact, driving in the Q4 Sportback e-tron gives the impression of being more dynamic than on the other electric SUVs in the group.
Be careful, this does not mean that Audi’s electric SUV offers a real differentiating driving touch, which would allow it to rise above the fray of electric vehicles. This is still an exception that only a few models such as the Porsche Taycan or the Renault Mégane e-Tech have managed to touch. No, despite a more dynamic setting, the latest e-tron offers a fairly neutral behavior which also allows it great versatility.
Autonomy: the good surprise
Audi is not really at the party when it comes to addressing the subject of autonomy. Quite heavy and imposing, its previous electric SUVs showed barely average consumption averages. As for its luxury sports car, the RS e-tron GT… let’s just say that autonomy is at best a secondary criterion for its customers, even if paradoxically its performance in this area is relatively correct.
Suffice to say that when we got behind the wheel of this Q4 Sportback we weren’t particularly optimistic. However, in recent weeks, Audi has rolled out an update to its recent electric vehicles. An evolution of its software which improves… autonomy.
He took it well since our ride in Q4 e-tron allowed us to see real progress. Our 16 kWh/h per 100 km average is not necessarily representative of the consumption of this SUV for two reasons. On the one hand, there is the beauty of the Norwegian landscapes which forced us to drive in a contemplative way. But there is also the typology of these roads between the fjords, winding national roads not conducive to speed. We therefore have little indication of the consumption of the Q4 e-tron Sportback on the highway, except for a few kilometers on the expressway during which our consumption indicator was close to 22 kWh, again a good performance.
In the end, the aerodynamics of this Q4, but also a better software management of the batteries allow it to be the reference in terms of consumption at the firm with the four rings.
Is the cheapest electric Audi a good deal?
When it comes to options, Audi is like a casino. The future owner can bet as he sees fit, in the end it is always the bank that wins. Indeed, if the base price of this Q4 Sportback e-tron is particularly aggressive for the German brand, it is also because its list of standard equipment is relatively small. In other words, to have a level of comfort worthy of an Audi, the future owner will have to put his hand in the wallet. Given the price of each option, and the packs, the final price can quickly explode.
There are plenty of options. Even what appears to be basic and standard with the majority of manufacturers comes at a high price with Audi. An example ? GPS! In fact, navigation is obtained via the “MMI Navigation Advanced” pack. Admittedly, there is always the possibility of ignoring this option and being content with Waze or Google Maps on your smartphone, but all the same… What must be deduced from this is that this floor price of 44,750 euros, will only very rarely correspond to the final price indicated on the invoice.
Trial Verdict
Finally, is this electric Audi eligible for the ecological bonus really credible? By its design, its performance or its significantly improved autonomy, the Q4 e-tron Sportback appears to be a great success. Above all, there is its price which can lower the final bill to 38,750 euros (to which it is still possible to add a conversion premium). But beware, this price only gives access to an “entry-level” version that is particularly low on equipment. And for good reason, with the same level of equipment, the VW ID.5 and Skoda Enyaq Coupé become more interesting than their counterpart at Audi.
Ultimately, this Q4 e-tron coupe appears above all as an opportunity to drive an electric Audi at a lower cost. But the most demanding users will always be able to blame it for a certain lack of driving character, a ridiculous level of equipment or even a lack of technological ambition.
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