Summary
Launched in 2021, the Audi Q4 e-tron is a mid-sized electric SUV and the fourth addition to Audi’s EV line-up.
Available in both SUV and Sportback versions, the Q4 e-tron built on one of Volkswagen Group’s dedicated electric vehicle platforms, just like the similarly sized Volkswagen ID.4 and the Skoda Enyaq.
The Audi Q4 e-tron offers plenty of choice, with two battery options and three power levels on offer. The entry-level 125kW ’35’ and mid-range 150kW ’40’ versions both have a single electric motor driving the rear wheels, while the top-spec 220kW ’50’ models are powered by two electric motors that drive all four wheels.
The Audi Q4 e-tron has been praised for its starting price but criticised for its costly options packages, which can take the price up to more than £65,000.
The Q4 e-tron Sportback is mechanically identical to the more conventional SUV version, with the main difference being a more sharply raked roofline that sacrifices some boot space and rear headroom for slightly sleeker styling. Top Gear concludes that there’s little point opting for the Sportback variant of the Q4 e-tron, saying that “the Sportback e-tron gives you less for more”.
Overall, the Q4 e-tron has had a lot of praise from across the media for its high levels of build quality, comfortable driving experience and roomy interior. Auto Express is impressed, suggesting that the Q4 e-tron will “become the German company’s biggest seller behind the A3 hatchback.”
As of January 2025, the Audi Q4 e-tron has an Expert Rating score of A for both new and used car calculations (with scores of 76% and 72%, respectively). The only caveat to this excellent set of results is that we don’t yet have any meaningful reliability data, as the model simply hasn’t been around long enough.
Q4 e-tron highlights
- Choice of power levels and battery sizes
- Competitively priced entry level models
- Cabin quality a step above rivals
- Well-equipped and practical
- Roomy interior
Q4 e-tron lowlights
- Bland driving experience
- Too many features are optional rather than standard
- Cheapest models have a short battery range
- Too expensive to qualify for the UK plug-in car grant
- Sportback models have poor rear visibility
Key specifications
Body style: Medium SUV
Engines: electric, battery-powered
Price: From £51,440 on-road
Launched: Spring 2021
Last updated: Autumn 2023
Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Media reviews
Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Auto Express
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“If you’re questioning whether all-electric power is the right choice for a family SUV, then the Audi Q4 e-tron has all the answers.”
Read review
Model reviewed: Sportback range
Score: 8 / 10
“Most people will choose the Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron for the way it looks. But the big news here is that if you want the sleek styling of a coupe SUV but aren’t prepared to compromise when it comes to space or practicality, then it comes alarmingly close to being a zero compromise family car.”
Read review
Model reviewed: SUV range
Score: 9 / 10
“The Q4 e-tron is an impressive EV and one of the best cars on the MEB platform yet. It answers the issues of ride comfort, build quality and iffy infotainment that blight VW’s own ID models in a really appealing package with a decent real-world range, too.”
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Auto Trader
Model reviewed: Sportback range
Score: 6 / 10
“The Audi Q4 competes with the likes of the Polestar 2, Volvo C40, Tesla Model Y and Jaguar I-Pace, even if the Sportback can’t currently match any of them for power or performance. It’s more expensive and less practical than the standard Q4 e-tron as well, and for these reasons this would remain our pick of the two.”
Read review
Model reviewed: SUV range
Score: 7 / 10
“The Audi Q4 e-tron is Audi’s twist the shared electric platform used by relatives like the ID.4, Skoda Enyaq and Cupra Born. It’s got the image and performance to compete but the VW, Skoda and Cupra variations on the theme arguably offer more for your money for essentially the same car.”
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Business Car
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“The Audi Q4 e-tron offers great build quality and long range, but high-end versions have lofty pricing.”
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Car
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Audi Q4 e-Tron hits the trendy new targets of EV ownership (range over power, charging speed over top speed) with aplomb. Its footprint is small enough for it to pass as planet-friendly urbanite and to calm the social acceptance watchdogs.”
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Car Keys
Model reviewed: Sportback range
Score: 8 / 10
“This Sportback model brings extra style to what is already a very competent electric SUV. Managing to bring sleeker looks at a relatively mild price increase – and with no significant practicality disadvantage, it is a great option.”
Read review
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“The Audi Q4 e-tron is another accomplished electric car that will easily slot into customers’ lives, and it feels like a turning point for this German firm as it starts to make EVs more accessible.”
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Carbuyer
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8.6 / 10
“The Audi Q4 e-tron is the first affordable electric model from Audi, boasting an upmarket interior and design to help set it apart from rivals.”
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Carwow
Model reviewed: SUV range
Score: 9 / 10
“The Audi Q4 e-tron is a plush, comfortable electric SUV with very competitive electric range. It is pricey though, and some optional extras should really be included as standard.”
Read review
Company Car Today
Model reviewed: Q4 40 e-tron 77kWh battery
“The Audi Q4 e-tron does all the things it will need to in order to become one of Audi’s biggest sellers, especially with its impressive range figures.”
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Discover EV
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Audi’s newest entry-level electric SUV is very good as an everyday car and in this guise it is an enticing prospect for anyone making the transition to electric – prioritising range over power, and charging speed over top speed.”
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Electrifying.com
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Audi’s first electric car to be designed from the ground up takes all the best bits of VW’s new electric cars and puts them in a higher-quality package. It’s instantly desirable.”
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Fleetworld
Model reviewed: 40 Launch Edition
Score: 8 / 10
“Refined, spacious and good to drive, the Q4 e-tron is exactly the mass-market EV we expected Audi to make.”
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Green Car Guide
Model reviewed: 50 Sportback S line
Score: 10 / 10
“The Audi Q4 Sportback 50 e-tron quattro 299PS 220kW S line is an excellent all-round car. It looks stylish, it’s good to drive, the interior is well designed, high quality and functional, and we particularly like the physical buttons for key controls on the dashboard.” (Paul Clarke)
Read review
Model reviewed: Q4 e-tron 50 quattro 220kWh battery S line
Score: 10 / 10
“The Audi Q4 e-tron 50 quattro is one of the best EVs that you can buy at the moment.”
Read review
Model reviewed: Q4 40 e-tron 77kWh battery
Score: 8 / 10
“Audi is right to be bullish about its latest electric SUV. While the Q4 40 e-tron is the model that obviously makes the most sense, the choices of two battery options and three power levels gives some great choice to EV buyers that’s impossible to fault.”
Read review
Heycar
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“The Audi Q4 e-tron is a thoroughly impressive premium, electric SUV. Buy one with the bigger battery and it’ll cover more than 300 miles between charges, while its plush interior justifies the price hike over the Volkswagen ID.4 and Skoda Enyaq iV.”
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Honest John
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Audi’s premium electric SUV is expensive but lavishly kitted out. Its interior is almost unbeatable while a choice of drivetrains cater for a wide range of buyers.”
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Parkers
Model reviewed: Sportback range
Score: 8 / 10
“Sleeker version of Audi’s electric SUV drives well and looks good.”
Read review
Model reviewed: SUV range
Score: 8 / 10
“Audi’s take on the electric family SUV is cool and classy.”
Read review
The Sunday Times
Model reviewed: 40 Launch Edition
Score: 8 / 10
“like the Q5, the Audi Q4 e-tron exudes levels of quality that most other manufacturers can’t reach. It’s quiet, refined, well screwed-together and looks impressive inside and out. It can be recharged quickly and if you buy the larger battery model, it’ll go a long way between charges, too.”
Read review
Top Gear
Model reviewed: Sportback range
Score: 8 / 10
“A coupe-ified SUV that isn’t massively less practical than the car on which it’s based. But you still want the SUV.”
Read review
Model reviewed: SUV range
Score: 8 / 10
“The Audi Q4 e-tron truly heralds the next generation of electric vehicles – not because of any new technology, or space age looks, but rather in its overwhelming ordinariness.”
Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: September 2021
Read the full Euro NCAP review
Adult protection: 93%
Child protection: 89%
Vulnerable road users: 66%
Safety assist: 80%
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
Model tested: Q4 Sportback 50 e-tron quattro
Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: July 2022
Read the full Green NCAP review
Energy Efficiency Index: 9.2 / 10
Greenhouse Gas Index: 9.5 / 10
The Audi Q4 e-tron had its emissions tested in Summer 2022 – the top-of-the-line version receiving a full five-star rating. Compared to other electric SUVs, Green NCAP says that the Q4 “demonstrates high powertrain and climatization management efficiency together with an efficient charging process.”
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of January 2025, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Audi Q4 e-tron to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy. As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Q4 e-tron, we’ll publish the score here.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
| Battery range | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| EV models | 300 miles | A | 198 – 352 miles | A – B |
| Electrical efficiency | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| EV models | 3.9 m/KWh | C | 3.4 – 4.2 m/KWh | B – E |
| Insurance group | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| All models | 41 | D | 26 – 50 | B – F |
| Service and maintenance | Cost | Score |
| Year 1 | £309 | C |
| Year 2 | £616 | B |
| Year 3 | £928 | B |
| Year 4 | £1,212 | B |
| Year 5 | £1,519 | B |
| Overall | £4,584 | B |
Particularly when compared to petrol-powered Audi SUVs, the Q4 e-tron is pretty cheap to run, according to data exclusively provided by out technical partner Clear Vehicle Data.
It’s electrical efficiency (the EV equivalent of miles per gallon for a petrol or diesel car) meets the market average, while insurance premiums should be good compared to upmarket rivals as well. But the even better news is that scheduled servicing costs for the Q4 e-tron are very good.
In addition, an official battery range of 313 miles (which varies from 198 miles to 328 miles, depending on which model you choose) is well above average. So you shouldn’t need to worry about running out of charge in normal day-to-day driving.
Recalls
Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the Audi Q4 e-tron
Date: May 2024
Recall number: R/2024/224
Model types: All
Build dates: 04/2024
Number of vehicles affected: 7
Defect: On affected vehicles the electronic stabilisation control (ESC) unit may fail resulting in the loss of braking effort it may also affect the operation of the ESC and anti-lock braking system (ABS). If a red brake fault warning is displayed, safely stop the vehicle immediately the electronic parking brake (EPB) can always be used to stop the vehicle if required and do not use vehicle until obtained further advice from the manufacturer.
Remedy: On affected vehicles, the electronic stabilisation control (ESC) unit will be checked and replaced if necessary.
As of January 2025, we are aware of only one DVSA vehicle safety recall on the Audi Q4 e-tron addressing various different issues.
Not all vehicles are affected by recalls. You can check to see if your car is included in any of the above recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local Audi dealer.
If your car is affected by a recall, the vehicle must be repaired and you should not be charged for any work required. If you are buying a used Q4 e-tron, you should insist that any outstanding recall work is completed before you take delivery of the vehicle.
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Audi Q4 e-tron, you might also be interested in these alternatives
BMW iX3 | BYD Atto 3 | Citroën ë-C4 | Ford Mustang Mach-E | Hyundai Ioniq 5 | Kia EV6 | Lexus RZ | Mercedes-Benz EQA | Nissan Ariya | Polestar 2 | Skoda Enyaq | Subaru Solterra | Tesla Model Y | Toyota bZ4X | Volkswagen ID.4 | Volkswagen ID.5 | Volvo XC40 Recharge
Electric crossovers are rapidly growing in number, and the Audi Q4 e-tron sits between a number of potential rivals that are slightly cheaper or slightly more expensive, or slightly smaller or slightly larger.
More information
More news, reviews and information about the Audi Q4 e-tron at The Car Expert
Buy an Audi Q4 e-tron
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