Is the Audi Q4 e-tron 55 any good?

It certainly helped when management took the decision to base the exterior design of the new Q-series e-trons on the company’s existing range of ICE-powered Audi SUVs, but there are significant differences beneath the smooth exteriors.

Externally, you’d never guess this is an electric car – only the blanked out grille gives the game away.

The Q4 E-Tron is built on a dedicated electric platform (dubbed MEB) which is shared with the Volkswagen ID.4, the Cupra Born/Tavascan and the Skoda Enyaq among others.

VW says this platform is designed to "consolidate electronic controls and reduce the number of microprocessors, advance the application of new driver-assistance technology and… alter the way cars are built’. VW led the way in platform sharing in the late-Nineties and the MEB architecture is the most flexible foundation for passenger cars that it has built.

In fact, Ford was so impressed that it has signed a deal to use the MEB platform in its electric cars, starting with the Capri and the Explorer.

The Q4 has quickly become one of the best-selling European premium EVs with more than 125,000 finding happy owners by the end of last year.

In fact, the Q4 is now Audi’s biggest selling SUV and one of its most popular models. Period.

The e-tron’s battery range is class competitive and it has more than enough performance to keep up with fast moving traffic, even if its real strengths lie in comfort and convenience features.

But since the Q4 made its debut, this class has seen several big-name arrivals, including the BMW iX1 and iX3, the Mercedes EQA and the Volvo EX40. So, does it deserve to still be top of the pile, or should you look elsewhere?

Well Audi hasn’t been resting on its laurels. The entry-level Q4 35 e-tron, which utilised a small battery that seriously hobbled its range, was given the heave-ho not long after launch. And this year, Audi announced a series of updates for the 2024 model that justified a name change from the old 40 and 50 models to the 45 and 55. Viewed from the kerbside, the Q4 looks the same but it’s what’s beneath the skin that matters. The alterations have made a good car even better with claimed improvements to power, charging speed and range-to-empty.

Although the range now starts with Q4 45 e-tron, which uses a single 282bhp electric motor driving drive the rear wheels, Audi opted to send us the flagship Q4 55 e-tron quattro which utilises two motors for all-wheel drive and boosts the total power output to 335bhp. Top speed is 112mph and it will accelerate to 62mph in a smart 5.4 seconds.

(Image: Audi)

Audi reckons the 77kWh battery is sufficient for a range of 326 miles, but real-world testing reveals that to be closer to 250 miles in ideal (ie. warm) conditions. The best I saw was 3.8 miles per kWh compared to 4.5 miles per kWh in the Cupra Born (which shares a lot of the Q4’s tech). That’s probably a result of the Audi’s larger dimensions and extra weight.

Your £64,565 buys plenty of goodies. There are projector lights in the exterior mirrors which project an e-tron logo on the ground when you get out, the rear-view mirror darkens if a car is behind, as do the door mirrors, the all-digital Audi virtual cockpit can be configured multiple ways and the sat nav provides real-time updates on road conditions. A camera scans the road ahead for traffic signs and sounds an alert if you are travelling too fast and there’s a useful rear view camera. The premium infotainment (replaced by a SONOS set up on the test car which comes as part of the £1,495 Technology Pack) is controlled by a large 11.6-inch touchscreen display. Even entry-level models come with 19-inch alloys, rear parking sensors, heated front seats, three-zone climate control and an automatic tailgate.

Audi is renown for the quality of its interiors and the Q4 doesn’t disappoint. Premium materials are used for all the major touchpoints, and I liked the chunky flat-bottom steering wheel which has touch/swipe controls.

Thankfully, Audi’s designers have had the good sense to eschew the generic VW touch-control interface which has been roundly panned by users and critics alike. That means you get real buttons for the heating and ventilation and easy access to the UI’s home, music and phone screens. It’s a shame that the company has done away with its i-Drive-alike rotary control wheel, which I found easier to use on the move, in the name of fashion and/or cost but you can’t have everything. Generally, the user interface is very good and a quantum leap beyond the Q4’s other VW Group rivals.

That said, the shiny gloss black plastics used on the drive select console look great at first, but you soon realise they an absolute magnet for dust and finger-prints. I don’t recommend a fish ‘n’ chip supper before using this car.

There’s no compromise in the back for taller passengers, either, because Audi’s designers have carved out extra space to accommodate anyone under six-feet with room to spare. There’s loads of knee and leg room too. The 520-litre boot should be plenty for the average family. If you fold the rear seats, you’ll benefit from a 1,490-litre load space.

Thanks to the motors’ instant output, the Q4 feels very sprightly indeed for a fairly large SUV. Pick-up is instantaneous and acceleration to the legal limit is very strong.

It’s super smooth and very quiet. At the legal limit, all you can hear is a faint swoosh from the wind outside. Grip is good in all conditions and the car feels safe and confidence-inspiring.

The Q4’s 125kW charging ability means the battery can go from ten per cent to 80% in a touch over half-an-hour. By the time you’ve finished that cup of coffee, the Q4 will be good for another 200 miles.

If you prefer to do your charging from a home wall box then a 7kW charger (the most popular domestic type in the UK) will do the job in 12 hours.

Reliability should be very good. For peace of mind Audi provides a three-year/60,000-mile warranty. A separate eight-year/100,000-mile guarantee covers the Q4 e-tron’s battery. Service intervals are every two years or 19,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Good-looking, practical, comfortable and pleasant to drive, it isn’t hard to see why the Q4 is so popular. If you want to go electric, but don’t want to shout about it, the e-tron has to be on your short-list.