Audi Q4 e-tron | Preview Drive

5 July 2021 Redazione News, Tested

Words and Images by Alessandro Marrone

I find myself in the beautiful embrace of the mountains that draw the Brenta Dolomites, between Pinzolo and Madonna di Campiglio, immersed in a still unspoiled nature that seems to stop time and chase away the frenzy of a daily life that over the decades has put the purity of Mother Nature to the test. In this context deliberately devoted to safeguarding the environment, Audi unveils the first SUV born on a platform – called MEB – created for 100% electric vehicles, currently shared with three other models of the VW group. The Q4 e-tron is thus added to the e-tron and e-tron Sportback introduced back in 2018, bringing with it all the experience acquired over the years, enhancing every single aspect concerning the car and therefore not just the product itself, but an optimized production phase, up to an assured second life for the batteries that aims to solve the long-standing problem once the car has completed its life cycle.

And so, driving it along a route that includes urban centers, motorways and several kilometers along these wonderful mountain roads that smell of speck and fruit cake, I immediately notice how much Audi has concentrated its energies to create an electric car that can allow you to travel without the typical range anxiety that plagues a big portion of electric cars. We in fact get 520 kilometers in WLTP cycle as declared by the manufacturer with fully charged batteries, a little less (487) for the 50 version of our test, which as a top of the range has two engines, each of which is responsible for providing traction to the respective axle. The Q4 e-tron, even if it fits among the compact SUVs, offers great space on board, thanks to its 4 and a half meters long – 2.76 meters of wheelbase – and the ability to accommodate five adults and luggage with no problem at all. Aesthetically immediately recognizable thanks to the futuristic style emphasized by the front grille with closed louvers and details such as lower air intakes, flat underbody (ok, you can’t check this) and rear diffuser, the Q4 e-tron gets a surprising cx of 0.28, which not only favors better management of the available range, but harmonises the driving experience ​​when you ask the over 2 tons of weight to adopt Dynamic mode and take advantage of the power and torque delivered by the two electric motors. The 0-100 kph takes just under 6 seconds, while top speed is electronically limited at 180 per hour.

The combined horsepower is 299 here, with a latest generation quattro AWD which in normal driving – or in the two-wheel drive versions – is dispensed only on the rear axle. The 460 Nm of torque are – as is customary in the world of electric cars – always and immediately available, obviously accentuated according to the driving mode that will be adopted among the five at your disposal. Acting on the button located on the raised console, where we also have the gear selector, you enter the menu that allows you to intervene on the steering and suspension response, powertrain, quattro drive and efficiency. The touch screen in the center of the dashboard is the widest available in the Audi range thanks to its 11.6 inches, communicating with the one in front of the driver, obviously equipped with Virtual Cockpit, in the latter case, manageable through the new buttons on the steering wheel, also completely new, a four-spoke resembling those of the Audi 80 of the 90s, but with a squared crown in both the lower and upper portion, so as to ensure optimal visibility even of the new head-up display, projected 10 meters away as if providing directions on a 70-inch screen. Wow, that’s a lot of stuff.

In addition to a refined design and a drivability that does not seem to be bothered by dirt paths, let alone by urban centers forbidden to traffic, the Q4 e-tron is the result of a careful analysis of that fundamental detail that in many cases can discourage the purchase of an electric car, i.e. the charging times. In this case, the 82 kWh battery takes just 10 minutes to recharge 130 km from a fast charging stations and it is precisely here that this premium electric SUV proves to be truly suitable for the real world. The Q4 e-tron is available starting at € 45,700 for the 35 with 170hp and rear-wheel drive, while for the 204hp 40 e-tron you need at least € 51,100. The 50 of our preview test is currently the top of the range and with its 299 horsepower and quattro all-wheel drive starts at € 62,100.