Marlborough Express - Weekend Express
Audi Q4: luxury EV or VW in drag?
With all the hubbub at Volkswagen Group about these plug-in car things, it might be something of a surprise for some to learn that Audi — a jewel in its German crown — has just three electric vehicles in its Kiwi line-up.
The first two, the e-tron and e-tron GT, were partial oddities. The former is the brand’s first, a handsome enough large SUV with a few typical teething problems. The latter is an exotic GT, one of the best looking cars on sale today but ultimately a niche good.
The new Q4, the brand’s third EV, is its first true shot at a bread-andbutter BEV with potential for volume amongst its customer base. So, is it any good?
Under the skin, the Q4 is built on the same MEB architecture that underpins the Skoda Enyaq and the Volkswagen ID.4. They all share the same powertrain, too; the 150kW/310Nm single-motor rear-wheel drive. The 220kW/460Nm dual-motor Quattro alternative, meanwhile, is the same as what’s coming in the ID.4 GTX.
Just like the Enyaq and ID.4, the
Q4 is available in two body styles – a traditional SUV silhouette or a pricier Sportback coupe. There are two specs; the 40 e-tron Advanced base 50 e-tron Quattro S Line. The range starts at $99,990 for the base SUV, extending to $126,990 for the SUV flagship. Both coupe variants are a $4000 premium.
Regardless of what model you choose, you get an 82kWh (77kWh usable) battery. Range is predictably better in the RWD models than in the
AWDs, thanks to the latter’s additional power and weight.
The Sportback’s more rounded shape means it’s got better range than the SUV, too. The Advanced coupe’s 542km range is the best of the bunch, while the Quattro S Line SUV’s 511km trails the field.
For the numbers nerds, the Enyaq gets the best range of the trio, but only by a measly 2km. Audi keenly notes the work that’s gone into getting the most range out of its Q4. These range
from fairly significant measures like the active grille shutter up front, to much more minor detailed fare – like an added crease in each wing mirror (Audi refers to them as “mirror turbulators”) and the “pre-spoiler” in front of the front bumper air curtains. These two features account for 7km of gained range, it says.
While its shared platform means mechanical consistencies with its VW buddies, there’s no denying that the Q4 feels quintessentially Audi once you’ve hopped inside. The combination of metals and gloss blacks, the driver-angled central stack, the fitted feel.
Space is plentiful thanks to the Q4’s enormous wheelbase.
Audi argues that the Q4 combines the small outright dimensions of a compact SUV with the boot space of a medium SUV, and the interior dimensions of a large SUV.
And there’s weight to the theory when you compare its numbers to something like the Toyota RAV4.