Overview

Is the Audi Q4 Sportback E-Tron any good?

The Q4 is the third all-electric car from Audi, but it’s arguably the most important – and the most impressive. Running on the Volkswagen Group’s shared electric car platform that also underpins the Volkswagen ID.4 and Skoda Enyaq iV, it’s the car that promises to deliver the practicality and the volume to go with the style and flair of the E-Tron GT and E-Tron SUV before it.  

In Sportback form, the Q4 E-Tron is just as stylish as its petrol counterparts, it edges them in practicality, and in 40 form – and more powerful, all-wheel-drive 50 version – its well-tuned suspension set-up provides enough excitement. The Sportback isn’t the most exciting Audi we’ve driven, but it’s a thorough one that nails the practical, small electric SUV brief.

As a coupe version of an existing family SUV, it’s unique on the market right now, but there’s a sleeker Enyaq iV coming soon. Other cars to consider could include the BMW iX3 and Mercedes-Benz EQA, but they’re more conventionally-shaped SUVs. The Kia EV6 is also a possibility – showing just how far the Korean manufacturer has come in recent years.

• The Parkers guide to electric cars
  
• We rate the best electric SUVs for 2021

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What it’s like inside?

The interiors of the Sportback and standard SUV are identical up front, and that’s no bad thing. Audi has added more touch-sensitive, haptic buttons to the flat-bottomed wheel, and you’ll also find the marque’s ‘flat’ branding at its centre.

Like the E-Tron SUV, the Sportback opts for a 10.1-inch or 11.6-inch touchscreen for its infotainment system and sits on top of physical air conditioning buttons. Overall, the cabin is light an airy, with a smart matchbox-sized gear selector taking the place of a bulky transmission tunnel.  

Like the Volkswagen ID.4 and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the Q4 Sportback E-Tron fires its head-up display directly onto the windscreen, and a range of augmented reality functions also indicate everything from overlaid directions to your distance preferences in adaptive cruise control. Even on sunnier days, it’s both easy and simple to use – though it’s important to adjust it in correlation with the seat height.

The Q4 has a footprint similar to an Audi Q3 and combines it with the interior space of a Q5. According to Audi, the Sportback somehow edges the SUV in the storage stakes: the squashed Q4 E-Tron can hold 535-litres with the seats up, compared with the conventional car’s 520.

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What’s it like to drive?

The Q4 is closely based on the same technology as the Skoda Enyaq iV and Volkswagen ID.4, and its slightly aggressive looks translate to an ever-so-slightly sharper driving experience than its more family-focused sister cars. Despite that, it’s incredibly refined at speed and surprusingly relaxed on longer drives.

Go in expecting the poise of an E-Tron GT, though, and you’re sure to be disappointed – but hope for less roll than you’d expect for something so top-heavy and the Q4 is bang on. Push it a little, and it remains neutral in corners, while still possessing the refinement and wherewithal to deal with potholes and less pleasant surfaces.

Despite being on such large wheels, the ride is suprisingly compliant even at low speeds. Composure is maintained over broken road surfaces, while the steering is accurate and well-weighted. You get the choice of Comfort, Auto, Efficiency, Individual or Dynamic drive modes – but the Range and Efficiency settings are a positive, as they reduce energy consumption by limiting maximum speed.

What models and trims are available?

Like the Q4 E-Tron SUV, the Sportback range bookended with a 35 and all-wheel-drive 50 Quattro versions, with the 40 model we’ve driven in the middle of the range. Models start at £40,750 for the 35 E-Tron Sport and tops out at £65,070 for the fully-loaded 50 E-Tron Quattro Vorsprung.  

What else should I know?

Like the SUV version, the Q4 Audi Q4 Sportback E-Tron first driveE-Tron is capable of 11kW AC charging and up to 125kW DC charging. That translates to 80 miles in just 10 minutes if you’re using a compatible charger, though the rate tails off as the battery becomes more charged.

For those who regularly use public chargers, Audi’s E-Tron Charging Service will be useful. You get an RFID card and sign up to a tariff that gives you streamlined access to chargers from different networks, saving you the pain of signing up to individual ones.

Should you buy an Audi Q4 Sportback E-Tron? Read our verdict to find out what we think