Background

Audi's all-electric e-tron range continues to widen as more is revealed of the company's capabilities when it comes to EV technology. The e-tron sub-brand once designated PHEVs. Then it was set aside for all-electric models, the first three of those being the e-tron large SUV, the e-tron Sportback large five-door GT and the e-tron GT quattro sports saloon. But these were merely preludes to the BEV model that really matters to Ingolstadt, the Q4 e-tron, offered with a choice of body shapes, this Q4 Sportback e-tron obviously being the sportier one. It was launched back in 2021, then improved in Autumn 2023 in an update coinciding with the movement of part of production to Audi's dedicated EV factory in Brussels (which previously had only made the larger Q8 e-tron). Where the standard Q4 e-tron takes on the plushest versions of boxy compact EV crossovers like the Volkswagen ID.4 and the Skoda Enyaq iV, the Q4 Sportback e-tron takes aim more directly at sportier contenders in this class like the Volkswagen ID.5 and the Skoda Enyaq iV Coupe. Actually, all the engineering bits that matter are common between these five cars, namely the MEB platform and the battery tech. Yet Audi claims to have put its own stamp on the way this car drives and feels. Let's see.

Driving Experience

With its Q3 and Q5 Sportback models, Audi slightly differentiates the suspension feel compared to the standard SUV variants but there's none of that here, so the Q4 Sportback e-tron drives in the same way as the conventional Q4 e-tron model. For both rear-wheel drive and quattro all-wheel drive versions of this updated Q4 Sportback e-tron, Audi has installed a permanently excited synchronous machine (PSM) on the rear axle. The update is supposed to release higher efficiency and greater power but with the base rear-driven Q4 40 Sportback e-tron, it doesn't quite work out like that. With 204PS on tap and an EV range for the Sportback of 258 miles, this base variant has no more power and 66 miles less range than the pre-facelift Q4 40 Sportback e-tron model we tested at launch back in 2021, though to be fair, that car had a larger 76.7kWh battery; the current Q4 40 Sportback e-tron's battery is just 63kWh in size. Most Q4 Sportback e-tron customers are going to need Audi's larger 77kWh battery - for which they'll usually be stretching to one of the two Q4 45 Sportback e-tron models, which both offer 286PS and are available with either rear wheel drive (with a 351 mile range) or quattro 4WD (with a 327 mile range). Also using that battery is the flagship Q4 e-tron 55 quattro, which has 340PS and a 327 mile range. Performance in the base Q4 40 Sportback e-tron isn't especially rapid (0-62mph in 8.1s en route to 99mph), but if you stretch to one of the 45 models, an owner of an earlier model would find that performance is noticeably perkier; rest to 62mph takes 6.7s and the top speed is 112mph. In the Q4 Sportback e-tron 55 quattro, 62mph sprint can be dispatched in just 5.4s. That 2024 facelift saw Audi re-tune the chassis across the range for greater driver involvement. As part of this, the steering's sharper. The engineers also tinkered with the suspension, aiming for greater comfort and stability; as before it's a MacPherson strut front and five-link rear arrangement, with sports suspension available (which lowers ride height by 15mm) and adaptive damping offered further up the range. Audi's also created what it calls a new 'character sound', which is offered as an option and emitted via two exterior speakers at the rear and two interior speakers in the rear doors. This 'soundscape' varies according to load and speed. There's now a camera drive assist feature too, which allows assisted lane changes above 56mph. Otherwise, things are as they always have been with this model. The Q4's pretty straightforward to get to grips with behind the wheel. You select drive using a slider-type shifter situated on the centre console and once underway, there's the kind of instant throttle response you'd usually get from an EV of this sort.

Design and Build

The Q4 Sportback e-tron is definitely a sleeker thing than its standard-shape counterpart - and not just visually - the drag coefficient drops from 0.28 to 0.26Cd. This sportier variant's more sharply swept back silhouette culminates in a roof spoiler that sits much lower on the split and steeply raked rear window, and as the area in which the air swirls as it comes off the vehicle is restricted to the zone beneath the spoiler, that area is significantly smaller than in the ordinary Q4 e-tron. This not only highlights the more unique design of this SUV coupe, but also enhances its range by around 7 miles, while also reducing the lift on the rear. Behind the wheel, everything on the upper level is angular, with none of the elements appearing to blend very harmoniously with each other, but it all kind of works in a contemporary, minimalistic sort of way. There's an unusual jutting lower console trimmed in smudge-worthy piano black for the neat little gear selector slider. And, just above, the silver trimmed central fascia section incorporates horizontal vents and the 11.6-inch MMI Navigation Plus central display, with a sweep across the cabin that gets interrupted by a beady-browed instrument binnacle with a 10.25-inch 'Virtual cockpit' screen. Futuristic? You'd say so. Premium? Possibly, but only really if you spend some cash on a more up-market level of trim. In the rear, there aren't too many headroom compromises to go with the swept-back roof line. To accommodate the battery, the back seat is mounted 70mm higher than the front. Boot space in this Sportback actually rises slightly over the ordinary model - 535-litres rather than 520-litres; but capacity when the 40:20:40-split seatback is lowered falls slightly - 1,460-litres, rather than 1,490-litres.

Market and Model

There's a £1,500 premium to pay for Q4 Sportback e-tron ownership over the price of an ordinary Q4 e-tron. So you'll need to find from around £48,000 for a 40 e-tron model with this sleeker body style. You'll need from around £52,000 for the rear-driven 45 Sportback e-tron, from around £53,500 for the 45 e-tron quattro version and from around £58,000 upwards for the top 55 e-tron quattro 4WD Q4 Sportback model. There are lots of model options if you want to pay more, with variants ranging right the way up to just under the £63,000 price point. Yes, really. There are three main trim levels - 'Sport', 'S line' and 'Black Edition'. Base 'Sport' variants get 19-inch Graphite Grey alloy wheels, those rims upgraded to 20-inches in size with the mid-level 'S line' trim level most customers will choose. Even base 'Sport' trim includes LED headlights, front sports seats, 3-Zone air conditioning and an 'MMI navigation Plus' media system with an 11.6-inch centre screen. The later includes navigation, a WiFi hotspot and Amazon Alexa integration. There's also a 10.25-inch Audi Virtual Cockpit instrument screen, an 8-speaker 180-watt sound system, rear parking sensors and cruise control. Across the line-up, there's lots of sophisticated equipment available - much of it optional. Like the Matrix LED headlights with their 16 individually activated LEDs. And the bespoke Sonos sound system upgrade package. We'd also want to look at the optional heat pump, which rapidly heats and cools the interior using the thermal losses from the electric components and the temperature of the outside air. It uses eco-friendly CO2 as a refrigerant, which flows through the circuit at high pressure. The heat pump can reduce losses in range caused by usage of the climate control system, especially in winter. Its strengths come to the fore on long drives.

Cost of Ownership

What about battery replenishment? For DC charging, standard rear-driven models charge at 165kW, while the 55 quattro version can charge at up to 175kW. Under ideal conditions, the battery's state of charge increases from 10 to 80 percent in 24 minutes when charged at a DC fast-charging station. Up to 96 miles of range can be added to the battery in 10 minutes. Charging times are optimised thanks to the car's intelligent route planner and the automatic battery-preconditioning function connected to it. Drivers who like to plan their charging stops themselves now have the option of manually enabling battery preheating. The manual preconditioning is carried out via the MMI centre screen, which shows how many kilowatt are currently available for fast-charging the high-voltage battery and how much additional charging power is available thanks to the preconditioned battery. Manually preconditioning the battery ensures the best possible charging results at every charging station. As for AC home charging, well all variants have been engineered for charging speeds of up to 11kW. If you're using a conventional 7.4kW garage wallbox, a 77kWh Q4 e-tron can charge 255 miles of range in eight and a quarter hours. Or receive a full charge in eleven and a half hours. However you choose to charge, it's worth noting that in this updated form, the Q4 e-tron now features post-conditioning. With that, the vehicle's thermal management system cools the battery, for example, if it exceeds a fixed temperature threshold after driving or charging. Using the myAudi app, owners can activate charging remotely using a smartphone. The app also provides access to the comfort remote preconditioning system, which enables remote adjustment of the cabin temperature and seat heating functions to ensure that the cabin climate is always comfortable well before a journey begins. Not so good is the issue of depreciation; the Q4 e-tron doesn't hold its value anything like the way you would expect an Ingolstadt model to do - a problem afflicting so many EVs just at present. Accessing and paying for electricity while on the road can be easily taken care of using the 'e-tron Charging Service', which provides UK subscribers with one RFID payment card that is accepted at a vast number of charge points operated by 18 suppliers across the UK and Europe, and offers a choice of two fixed price charging tariffs.

Summary

Within the Q3 and Q5 ranges, the Sportback body shape tends to out-sell the conventional SUV version and we expect the same trend to be replicated here. After all, the Q4 Sportback e-tron doesn't cost vastly more than its boxier showroom stablemate, yet makes a significantly more dynamic driveway statement. There's no real penalty for the more slippery shape in terms of either boot space or rear cabin head room either. In this form, the Q4 is more likely to appeal to premium EV customers who might be looking at more stylised rivals like the Polestar 2, the Ford Mustang Mach-E, the Kia EV6 and the Hyundai IONIQ 5. Arguably, this Audi can shade all of these competitors when it comes to cabin ambiance - it has the finish, the luxury and (to some extent) the driving dynamics of an electric crossover from next class up. The kind of thing you'd get from larger EV models like the Jaguar I-PACE. But of course you pay for that. With Audi, it was ever thus.