Simply electric

Audi Australia has officially introduced the latest iteration of the Q4 e-tron, bringing with it a number of firsts for the brand in Australia and heralding in a new wave of all-electric models Down Under. The model year 2025 Q4 e-tron models are the brand’s first foray into the compact class, or A segment as it’s known, with an all-electric model, although the ‘compact segment’ classification is something of a misnomer given the vehicle’s spacious interior and storage – but more on that later.

It also sees new technology introduced locally for the first time with the likes of Audi’s augmented head-up display making its debut as an option on this model. The Q4 e-tron is a completely new addition for the Australian market with this MY 2025 version offering the very latest in battery technology with optimised cell chemistry as well as DC charging of up to 175kW.

As announced last year, the Q4 e-tron arrives in Australia available in both a distinctive SUV shape or as a Sportback, and is offered in both rear-wheel drive (single motor) or quattro all-wheel drive with an electric motor on both the front and rear axles. Pricing starts at $84,900* for the Q4 45 e-tron (rear-wheel drive) with the Q4 Sportback 45 e-tron attracting a slightly higher premium for its additional standard appointment at $86,500*. The Q4 55 e-tron quattro and Q4 Sportback 55 e-tron quattro start from $105,900* and $107,500* respectively with their dual motor, electric quattro adding greater performance and all-wheel drive handling to the equation.

That pricing structure puts both of the rear-wheel variants under the Luxury Car Tax (LCT) which will only further add to the appeal of these all-electric Audi newcomers.

Standard equipment is also impressive across the range with the Q4 45 e-tron kicking off with 19-inch alloy wheels, electric tailgate, roof rails and LED daytime running lights all standard equipment. Likewise heated front seats with electronically adjustable lumbar support, electric driver’s seat and three-zone climate control are all standard fair as well as high beam assist, rear view camera, adaptive cruise control and a suite of safety and driver assistance systems are just some of the standard highlights.

The Q4 55 e-tron gets 20-inch alloy wheels as standard, along with an S line exterior styling package, Matrix LED headlights and LED taillights. Inside it also gets the latest flat top and bottom  steering wheel, front sports seats with memory function for the driver’s seat and external wing mirrors, as well as the Audi virtual cockpit plus.

The Q4 Sportback 45 e-tron also rides on 20-inch alloy wheels and an exterior S line package to its line-up, while the Q4 Sportback 55 e-tron includes larger 21-inch alloy wheels as well as the other standard inclusions of its Q4 55 stablemate.

There are also specially tailored packages to further enhance the offering, with a Style Package and Comfort Package available for the Q4 45 e-tron adding 20-inch alloy wheels, privacy glass and colour ambient internal lighting at a cost of $1500 for the SUV and $800 for the Sportback. 

The Comfort Package at $2200 adds electric front seats with memory function for the driver’s seat, 360 degree surround camera, active lane assist and park assist plus to the already impressive safety and driver assistance systems.

For the Q4 55 models, a Premium Plus Package at $4700 adds a premium Sonos sound system, privacy glass and the outstanding augmented reality head-up display, as well as a black exterior styling package which includes mirror housings and roof rails. 

But quite aside from the specification and keen entry pricing, the Q4 e-tron will strike a chord with customers for any number of reasons, from its sharp distinctive styling to its unexpectedly roomy interior, appointment and driving dynamics. 

The styling of the Q4 e-tron in both its SUV and Sportback guise leaves you in no doubt that this is an Audi, with the ‘solid’ Singeframe grille treatment in particular signalling that this is an all-electric, e-tron model. In another first, the Q4 e-tron also features customisable daytime running lights, with four distinct light signatures available to select via the MMI touch screen.

That the front end treatment houses state-of-the-art aerodynamic devices like the air screen which opens and closes as required, is not immediately evident at a glance, but the Audi design language has been used to good effect on these ‘compact segment’ vehicles, signalling their membership of the Audi family while imbuing them with a look all of their own.

As with all Audi models, the choice of body shape is a purely personal one, but for this writer, the Q4 Sportback e-tron was a particular head turner.

Inside, the Q4 e-tron’s roomy interior flies in the face of its ‘compact’ classification, with a length of 4.59 metres and a wheelbase of 2.76 metres, room for both front and rear seat passengers is generous to say the least. My driving companion at launch, having no problem with leg or head room despite being over 190cm tall. Then there’s the significant luggage capacity that goes from 520 litres to 1490 litres with the rear seats folded flat in the SUV variants, or 535 litres to 1460 litres with rear seats down in the Sportback models. This gives the Q4 e-tron tremendous versatility in the lifestyle stakes, with plenty of practical, usable space for the day-to-day as well as trips away.

The interior layout and style showcases Audi’s characteristic clean, uncluttered design, with virtual cockpit and 11.6-inch MMI touch display relaying vehicle and systems information. The completely new augmented head display is also available as an option on the Q4 55 e-tron models as part of the Premium Plus Package, adding a new visual dimension and new information to the standard head-up display – a system that is particularly effective for navigation, placing the turn graphic right over the desired street for next-level guidance.

There are also separate button controls for the air-conditioning within easy reach of both front occupants that provide haptic feedback. Controls with haptic feedback are also employed on the aforementioned multi-function steering wheel with its squared off top and bottom, a feature that looks perfectly at home in the Q4 e-tron.

It features controls for the phone, changing view on the virtual cockpit and the wheel rim is also heated. While paddles on the wheel are used not for changing gear, but for adjusting the recuperation, allowing you to maximise recuperation via the wheel rather using the brake pedal in numerous applications – something that quickly becomes addictive and second nature.

Numerous other little touches abound that make perfect sense and show the attention to detail that has gone into the design and execution. The placement of drink bottle holders which are integrated into the top of the door rests are a clever and practical piece of design. Indeed the storage areas within the Q4 have been designed to all available space, but without creating a labyrinth of pokey boxes and nooks in which items will get lost. Simple, elegant and carefully considered is the best way to describe the sleek the interior, but with a definite sporty feel.

And that sporty feel extends to the driving dynamics, the Q4 in both variants delivering plenty of urge both around town and out on the open road. The Q4 45 models with their single motor driving the rear wheels delivers a serious 210kW and 545Nm of torque, that sees the Q4 45 e-tron hit 100km/h from a standstill in 6.7 seconds – the instantaneous throttle response a boon in city traffic, where the Q4 feels spritely and nimble. The quattro 55 versions take that acceleration to greater heights with 250kW and a combined 134/545Nm from their dual motor arrangement – enough to see off the 0 to 100km/h sprint in 5.4 seconds flat – impressive acceleration for a vehicle that doesn’t purport to be a sports model.

Both drives utilise a highly efficient 82 kWh (gross) battery (77 kWh net), that gives the Q4 45 e-tron a possible range of 524km or up to 540km for the slippery Sportback shape. Take into account the additional motors and performance of the 55 variants and those figures adjust accordingly to 488km for the Q4 55 e-tron  and 503km for the Sportback variant.

Over the course of the national press launch, temperatures in Adelaide and the surrounding country chosen to introduce the Q4 e-tron to the Australian motoring press topped 43 degrees, which meant that air-conditioning was dialled up to the maximum and in constant use. But the Q4 e-tron took the heat and the often poor road surfaces in stride, the only result of the weather being that no one wanted to get out of the vehicles at designated driver and vehicle swaps, such was the oppressive heat. It also served as the perfect way to demonstrate the vehicles’ advanced cooling and thermal management which quietly went about its work, silently raising the curtain behind the front grille to allow maximum airflow as required – as well as the advanced cooling systems employed on the motors and battery to provide optimal performance regardless of ambient temperatures.

The sports suspension and damper control also came into their own on the twisty sections through the Adelaide Hills and on country roads, working in tandem with the progress steering to give the Q4 a light, agile feel. With the almost immediate acceleration, this allowed the Q4 to shoot out of corners, while the use of the paddles to retard speed going into the next turn also had the result of recovering energy – engine braking is used for braking up to 0.3 g.

In terms of plug-in charging, the Q4 e-tron comes with the capacity to charge at up to 175kW, which means at a public fast charger, the battery can be taken from 10 percent charge to 80 percent in just 28 minutes. On a day to day basis though, the bulk of charging will happen at home, where a typical home charging arrangement (AC 7.5kW) will take around 12 hours to charge from 0 to 100 percent. That time can be cut to around eight hours with a three phase home system of up to AC 11kW. Plug-in overnight and you’re good to go with around 500 kilometres of range depending on the model Q4 you drive.

With this combination of range, performance and practicality in a smaller vehicle, the Q4 e-tron opens up completely new territory for those customers looking to move to all-electric. The price point and the fact that two of the Q4 e-tron models come in under the LCT is also a game changer, bringing Audi style, finish and appointment to a new area of the market. The new Q4 e-tron models join the brand’s flagship all-electric SUV Q8 e-tron models as well as the high-performance RS e-tron GT and e-tron GT quattro models already available on the Australian market. Also arriving soon is the all-new Q6 e-tron, adding yet another dimension to Audi’s expanding fleet of all-electric luxury offerings and allowing customers to find the model that perfectly suits their lifestyle.