2023 Audi Q4 e-tron Review: Making Progress
Without setting any new standards, the Audi Q4 e-tron nevertheless makes progress.
Perry Stern
Review QuickTakes:
The Q4 e-tron SUV is new to the Audi lineup and is now the lowest-priced EV that the German luxury automaker offers. With this new entry point into the brand's EV offerings, Audi hopes that the Q4 e-tron will be the impetus that brings in new buyers. Not only should this new model help grow Audi's electric vehicle sales, but the Q4 e-tron will also be instrumental to the brand reaching its goal of having EVs comprise 30 percent of its U.S. volume by 2025. By 2026, Audi expects that every new model it introduces will be fully electric.
Audi invited me to Oceanside, California so that I could experience its newest EV firsthand. Having driven other Audi e-tron models, I was looking forward to seeing how the entry-point to the company’s electrified lineup compared.
Perry Stern
Audi sold the Q4 e-tron in small quantities for the 2022 model year, and the 2023 version hadn't yet arrived in the U.S., so the Q4 e-trons that I evaluated were 2022 models. Mechanically, the 2022 and 2023 models are identical, and the changes for the 2023 model year were purely cosmetic for dual-motor models.
A new single-motor version of the Q4 e-tron was introduced for 2023 as well, which pairs a less-powerful motor with the same battery pack as the dual-motor version for a longer EPA estimated range — 265 miles instead of 236 miles. That model was unavailable for evaluation, so impressions from this review pertain to dual motor models only.
Audi provided two vehicles to test: the Q4 e-tron Prestige and the Q4 Sportback e-tron Prestige, each equipped with the more powerful dual-motor powertrain.
2023 Audi Q4 e-tron Review: The Design
There's no mistaking the new Q4 e-tron for anything other than an Audi, thanks to its signature Singleframe grille emblazoned with the four-rings logo. With no need for airflow to cool an internal-combustion engine, the grille is solid with a stylish pattern. Audi offers optional LED matrix headlights with a unique feature: the driver can choose from four patterns for the daytime running lights.
Perry Stern
Audi offers the Q4 e-tron in two body styles – SUV and Sportback – the latter of which exhibits a sportier aesthetic. But it's simply visual – both versions are identical up front and below the window line. The primary difference is the roofline, which slopes more dramatically downward in the Sportback. The easiest way to tell the difference is by looking at the rear spoiler placement. On the SUV, it sits above the back window, whereas on the Sportback, Audi places it below the window.
Just because the Q4 e-tron is the lowest-priced electric Audi doesn't mean they scrimped on the interior. Leather and wood trim are standard, giving the Q4 e-tron a premium feel. The nicely integrated display screen and piano-black center console where the gear selector, start button, and multi-function volume/tuning knob reside further enhance the look. I liked how Audi kept the climate controls separate for quick access.
Is a steering wheel still a “wheel” if it's not round? In the Q4 Sportback e-tron, the optional steering device (or wheel, if you must) features a flat top and bottom and a large opening in the upper half. It looked odd, but the design didn’t hinder visibility of the gauges. Multiple controls on the wheel for audio, communications, and screen configuration were easily accessible and clearly displayed. The non-traditional steering wheel is only available as part of the Black Optic Plus package on Sportback models.
Perry Stern
Front seats are both stylish and comfortable, with tasteful contrast stitching. Bolsters on the seat back and bottom offer good support without feeling tight. Even after several hours behind the wheel, I found the seats quite comfortable.
Audi took advantage of the Q4 e-tron's electric powertrain to present a flat floor in the rear seat. I found the rear-seat legroom quite good, even with the front seats occupied. I had plenty of headroom (I'm 5'8") in the SUV and Sportback, the latter getting about an inch less rear headroom due to the sloping roof design. Even the back middle seat isn't much of a penalty box. Again, thanks to the flat floor, there's no need to straddle the typical hump found in vehicles with a traditional engine and driveline sending power to the rear wheels.
Perry Stern
On paper, the Q4 e-tron Sportback has more cargo space than the SUV – surprising as the cargo areas appear almost identical. You can find additional storage below the floor, which is an excellent place for storing the charging cable. For added versatility, you can fold the 40/20/40-split rear seats, which means you can transport longer items without giving up the two outward seats in the rear. The Q4 e-tron does not have any storage under the front trunk, or "frunk," like some other EVs.
2023 Audi Q4 e-tron Review: The Technology
The large integrated infotainment touchscreen display in the Q4 e-tron is angled toward the driver, but the angle isn't so extreme that the passenger can't see it. Audi uses large icons that make easy work of navigating through menus, even while driving. I appreciated the fixed menu on the left that provided quick access to features like audio, navigation, and communications. There are almost no hard buttons, the only exception being the climate controls.
It's possible to simply use your voice to operate many vehicle functions. You can activate the voice recognition system by pressing a steering wheel button or simply saying, "Hey, Audi." I was able to set the navigation destination and change the radio station by asking Audi to do it for me, and the system worked flawlessly. I've never been a fan of voice-activated systems, but I will admit that the system in the Audi worked well enough to make life easier behind the wheel.
Perry Stern
Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard, and I had no issues connecting my Android phone. After the first pairing, Android Auto seamlessly loaded every time I returned to the car, as it should.
Audi equipped the Q4 e-tron I drove with the automaker's virtual cockpit digital instrumentation, allowing the driver to configure the display in various ways. You can change the three screen sections to show directions, the trip computer, speedometer, power meter, battery status, and more. The display can also show the navigation map between the gauges.
Audi equipped the vehicles I tested on this drive with the latest advanced driver assistance technology, including automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control with lane keeping assist. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) evaluated the Q4 e-tron and found that all the Audi's systems work to prevent or lessen an accident and that the car performs at the top level in the event of a crash, earning this new EV a Top Safety Pick+ rating – the highest awarded by the IIHS.
Perry Stern
I tested the SUV's adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assist. The system was easy to activate, displaying a visual readout of the chosen speed, allowing me to see if the car in front of me had slowed. In stop-and-go traffic, the Q4 e-tron successfully slowed itself and came to a complete stop. It then accelerated automatically when the car in front started moving again.
My only complaint about the adaptive cruise control is that as speed increased, the gap behind the car in front became large enough that other cars could cut in. This caused the Audi to quickly reduce its speed and, in the process, created another gap for another car to cut in. This was especially frustrating during an extended traffic jam, causing me to turn the system off and drive manually.
The augmented reality system is one of my favorite features of the new Q4 e-tron. With a destination set in the navigation system, I received the normal voice prompts for turns with visual reference from the center display. In the head-up display, navigational directions appeared to float 30 feet out in front of the vehicle with an arrow directly over the road where I was supposed to turn.
2023 Audi Q4 e-tron Review: The Drive
For my test drive of this new Audi, I drove the 2022 Audi Q4 e-tron 50 Quattro in both SUV and Sportback configurations. Because the two body styles drive identically, I won't differentiate between the two. That said, the Sportback is slightly more aerodynamic, which gives it a slightly longer range.
Perry Stern
With 295 hp on tap, the Q4 e-tron feels quick off the line – faster than the numbers suggest. Both motors engage immediately, so there is no wheel slip – just immediate, strong acceleration. As is often the case with an electric vehicle, the peak torque is always available – even accelerating from 60 mph pushed me back in the seat. Always having power available is one of the reasons I'm a big fan of EVs, and the Q4 didn't disappoint in this respect.
Cruising on the highway in the Q4 e-tron is quite pleasant. Even at 75 mph, the ride is quiet and comfortable – not an uncommon trait for an Audi. I did hear a bit of road noise, but nothing intrusive, as I quickly forgot about it once I turned on the premium audio system. With supportive seats and a suspension pliable enough to keep the ride smooth, the Q4 would make a great road trip car, assuming there were enough charging stations on the way to your destination.
Perry Stern
One disappointment is that Audi does not offer the Q4 e-tron with one-pedal driving. One-pedal driving uses more brake regeneration to slow a vehicle when lifting off the throttle, allowing a driver to operate an EV with a single pedal in most situations – a feature I've grown to enjoy in an electric vehicle. Audi engineers say they want to keep the driving experience familiar for new EV buyers, and one-pedal driving would be too much of a change.
I was surprised by how well the Q4 handled the twisty, uneven roads outside Temecula, California. I put the gear selector in 'B,' which provided the highest level of regenerative braking and made it possible to slow enough for a turn without needing to move my foot to the brake. When hard braking was required, the Q4 slowed quickly without jittering over the rough road surfaces. With power delivered to all four wheels, I had good traction even on the uneven pavement, providing a confident ride. Steering feedback was excellent, and with high levels of torque always available, the Q4 was quite fun to drive – a pleasant surprise for this type of family vehicle.
During my evaluation, I drove the Q4 e-tron about 60 miles total in various driving conditions, ranging from high-speed highways to twisty back roads to stop-and-go traffic. The driver information display showed 243 miles of range, with a 95-percent battery charge remaining when I departed. When I returned, it showed 170 miles remaining, indicating the displayed range was very accurate. Range estimates on EVs are often thrown off by enthusiastic driving, so the drop I saw in the estimated range compared to actual miles traveled was a pleasant surprise.
Perry Stern
During my drive, the trip computer showed I achieved 2.8 miles/kWh energy consumption. That translates to 35.7 kWh per 100 miles, making my drive slightly more efficient than the official EPA rating of 36 kWh/100 miles.
Doing some quick math, the average price of one kWh of electricity in the U.S. is about 16 cents (according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Based on those figures, you should be able to travel 280 miles in the Q4 e-tron for about $16, or about the price of four gallons of gasoline. That comes out to about 70 miles traveled for the cost of a gallon of gas – not bad for a five-passenger SUV with AWD.
Perry Stern
Is the 2023 Audi Q4 e-tron a good SUV?
Audi has been moving down the electric car path for several years. With the new Q4 e-tron, the automaker is making this path more attainable for EV shoppers.
The highest compliment I can make about the Q4 is that it feels more like an Audi than an EV. With a comfortable, roomy interior and the premium quality and features expected of an Audi, the Q4 certainly doesn't disappoint. Add in the proper utility expected of an SUV and the benefit of having a quiet, torquey, and fuel-efficient powertrain in a vehicle that drives like an Audi, and the Q4 e-tron could quickly become the most popular electric vehicle Audi offers.
