AudiQ4 50 e-tron

　　

2024 Audi Q4 e-tron Review

byMark TakahashiCorrespondent

　　Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the zzdcar YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.

　　The 2024 Q4 e-tron is the least expensive electric vehicle in Audi's lineup, slotting under the Q8 e-tron SUV and e-tron GT sedan. Compared to the Q8 e-tron, the Q4 measures about a foot shorter in length, though passenger and cargo space is only marginally smaller. Underneath, it shares some of its underpinnings with the related Volkswagen ID.4, but the Q4 e-tron has a luxurious interior design with premium materials to justify its price. There's also a sleeker Sportback version that is reviewed separately. For 2024, the Q4 e-tron returns with only minor additions.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below

　　

Audi Q4 e-tron EV Insights

Trim:Q4 e-tron Premium

　　Premium 4dr SUV w/40 (electric DD) - $49,800 MSRPPremium Plus 4dr SUV w/40 (electric DD) - $54,500 MSRPPremium 4dr SUV AWD w/50 (electric DD) - $55,200 MSRPPremium Plus 4dr SUV AWD w/50 (electric DD) (Most Popular) - $59,900 MSRPPrestige 4dr SUV AWD w/50 (electric DD) - $62,200 MSRP

　　

Range

　　265 miles

　　EPA Estimated Range

　　EV batteries lose 1-2% of range per year. Est. range for this car is 225 miles after 8 years.Electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Recurrent's study of 15,000 EVs.

　　Estimated range mapThis map is a visual representation of the possible one-way and round-trips by this vehicle (on a full charge) from the geometric center of Rutland, North Dakota. The depicted ranges are based on the estimated new vehicle range value provided by the EPA, rounded down to miles for one-way and miles for round-trip. Actual range will vary depending on the condition of this vehicle’s battery pack, how you drive, driving conditions and other factors.Map display generated using: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © Recurrent contributors | Recurrent

　　from 58067

　　

EV Battery Warranty

　　8 yrs or 100,000 milesThe federal government requires that EV batteries be warrantied for a minimum of eight years or 100,000 miles. The EV battery warranty includes replacement if your battery capacity drops below a certain percentage of the original capacity.

　　

Charging at Home

　　9 hours

　　Total Charging Time (240V outlet)

　　SAE ComboStandard port for most electric models. Supports Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast charging.

　　Plug Type

　　

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

　　$400

　　Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.

　　Utility EV Charger Offer

　　$400

　　Restrictions: Otter Tail Power offers EV owners a rebate of up to $400 towards the installation of a Level 2 charging station. To qualify for this rebate, the customer and/or charging station must meet the following requirements: Receive electricity from Otter Tail Power.

　　To learn more, visit Recurrent

　　

Cost to Drive

　　$69/mo

　　Q4 e-tron

　　vs

　　$183/mo

　　SUV Avg.

　　Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　

Am I Ready for an EV?

　　EV ownership works best if you can charge (240V) at home or at work This typically means a 240V home installation, but you could also have a similar setup at your office or other places your car is already parked for several hours each day. Don't expect a regular household outlet (120V) to suffice unless you've got a plug-in hybrid, in which case overnight charging at home is feasible.

　　If you can’t charge at home, charging at a charging station could take at least 10x longer than at a gas station With public charging infrastructure still in its infancy, the user experience can be maddeningly inconsistent. Tesla owners tend to rave about the reliability and speed of the company's proprietary Supercharger stations, but rival DC fast options have thus far been plagued by technical issues and overcrowding. It's an evolving landscape and our best advice is to do your research on the available options for the EV you want to buy.

　　Adding a 240V home charging system could cost up to $1,600 or more If your existing electrical service can handle the additional demands of EV charging, you may be able to add Level 2 charging at home for less than a grand, including installation. But your costs will multiply if you need to upgrade your electrical panel or add a dedicated circuit.

　　

zzdcar spotlight: Spacious and sensible

Even though the Q4 e-tron is quite a bit smaller than the Q8 e-tron on the outside, its interior is surprisingly accommodating, as pointed out in our Expert Rating below. You can easily fit 6-footers in the rear seats and you're only taking a 15% hit to cargo capacity. Even the coupe-like Sportback model won't force many sacrifices. Unlike some other EVs, the Q4 isn't a drag-race demon right off the line. It accelerates more like a conventional SUV, and while slower than some rivals, it's still plenty quick for the majority of drivers. As much as we like the rush of acceleration, it reduces range and the novelty wears off quickly.

　　

Competitors to consider

Among small electric SUVs, the Audi Q4 e-tron has a handful of direct rivals. The Tesla Model Y gains an advantage for range and performance, but it comes up short in regard to comfort and build quality. We're more partial to the Mercedes-Benz EQB, though the range isn't much better than the Audi's. It seems as though the new Volvo EX30 may be the EV to beat in 2024, as its low price and high range will be difficult to match. Outside of the luxury class, we'd also consider the Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Q4 e-tron's corporate cousin, the Volkswagen ID.4.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　7.7

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

7.5/10

　　How does the Q4 e-tron drive? The Q4 50 e-tron, which is what we tested, feels quick and has tidy and responsive handling. It's also a champ in parking lots and at U-turns thanks to its incredibly tight turning radius. So why does it lag behind much of the pack here? Ultimately, the Q4 just doesn't offer the kind of power or strong regenerative braking to match its peers.

　　With the Q4 50 e-tron, you get an additional front electric motor for a sizable boost of speed and traction over the single-motor rear-wheel-drive 40 e-tron model. At our test track, the 50 e-tron accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.7 seconds. That's quick by most measures, but the Q4's current direct competition is over a second quicker.

　　Regenerative braking, the process by which a vehicle can use its motors to slow and recoup some of its spent energy, is lighter in the Q4 than we'd like. You can dial the strength up or down depending on your preferences using the steering wheel paddles, though we'd wish the strongest setting was more aggressive. There is also no full one-pedal driving, in that the Q4 will not come to a complete stop using regen braking alone. For some experienced EV drivers, this will be a disappointment. Our measured panic-stopping distances from 60 mph were also a bit longer than expected for a luxury electric vehicle.

　　

Comfort

7.5/10

　　How comfortable is the Q4 e-tron? The Q4 delivers an acceptable level of comfort across the board but won't likely wow you in any particular way. Its greatest quality is a quiet cabin. Our test vehicle had the optional sound-reducing windows, and noises entering the cabin were minimized exceptionally well.

　　Disappointingly, the ride quality and the seats do little to impress. The front seats lack lateral support and feel just a tad flat. Seat ventilation is not currently an option. We initially thought the Q4 did an admirable job of softening bumps in the road, but on some bumpier sections of highway, it didn't mask its movements all that well, resulting in a busy, choppy ride.

　　The climate control is easy to set and did a good job of maintaining our target temperature in testing. The air vents are simple and manually adjustable, though the position of the driver's side vents point directly at your hands when they're on the wheel.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below