2023 Audi Q4 e-tron

The 2023 Q4 e-tron and the Q4 e-tron Sportback, now in their sophomore model year, democratize the German automaker’s electric offerings with more approachable starting prices and enough Audi-ness to put it hem neck-in-neck with the company’s popular Q5 gasoline-powered crossover. Base models are rear-wheel drive and offer just 201 horsepower but the all-wheel drive, dual-motor models pack a 295-horsepower punch. No matter the powertrain, a 77.0-kWh battery pack is on board and gives the Q4 e-tron a maximum range of 265 miles per charge.

EV Performance

The entry-level Q4 e-tron 40 comes with a single 201-hp electric motor that powers the rear wheels. We haven’t had a chance to drive the Q4 e-tron with this setup yet but weren’t impressed with it in the mechanically-similar Volkswagen ID.4 With an electric motor powering each axle, the all-wheel drive Q4 e-tron 50 and Q4 e-tron Sportback 50 models make 295 horsepower. The result is a claimed zero-to-60-time of 6.2 seconds. That is far more satisfying than the 7.9-second estimate for the 40 but still not as quick as the gasoline-powered Audi Q5 SUV. Around town, the Q4 e-tron 50's powertrain feels like more than enough even if its initial shove is more muted than rival SUVs such as the Model Y and the XC40. At higher speeds though, such as when passing on the highway, the powertrain feels more lethargic. During testing, the Q4 e-tron 50 sprang to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds.

Battery Life

The Q4 e-tron’s 77.0-kWh battery pack provides up to 265 miles per charge when paired with the standard single-motor 40 powertrain. The all-wheel drive 50 powertrain isn’t as efficient, with an estimated range of 236 miles for the squareback model and 242 miles for the Sportback. The Q4 e-tron 50 we tested on our 75-mph highway route achieved 190 miles of driving range. All models support fast charging at up to 150-kW and, according to Audi, can be charged from five to 80 percent in just 36 minutes. This is slower charging than the Genesis GV60, which is capable of charging to the same level in just 18 minutes. The Q4 e-tron 50 we tested charged from 10 to 90 percent in 44 minutes, with an average DC Fast-Charge rate of 87 kW.

Fuel

Both body styles of the Q4 e-tron 50 are rated for 100 MPGe city and 89 MPGe highway, which is similar to other luxury-branded EV crossovers. During our drive with the Q4 e-tron 50, it returned a 93 MPGe combined rating. The Q4 e-tron 40 has not yet been rated by the government agency but should provide slightly higher efficiency due to its single motor setup.