Here is a synopsis of the Green Car Reports review and what they found driving the Audi Q4 E-Tron:
The Audi Q4 E-Tron, despite being the entry-level electric car that the Four Ring brand needs, fails to impress its loyal fan base or the electric vehicle-savvy. Instead, it comes across as a subpar rebadge of the Volkswagen ID.4 with a price tag of $10,000 more. This opinion comes from someone who grew up with and admired Audis, having owned a 2001 Audi A6.
They spent a week with a $64,765 2023 Audi Q4 E-Tron quattro and found the materials to be cheap, the build quality questionable, and the design homely. They noted that the Genesis GV60 and the ID.4 made a much better impression in comparison. However, there were some pros to the Q4 E-Tron, such as its efficiency and the way it operated as an electric car.
The dual-motor Q4 E-Tron tester with a quattro badge had an EPA range rating of 236 miles, which is respectable, and it demonstrated admirable efficiency in cold weather conditions. The Q4 E-Tron also operates as an electric car should, waking up and going to sleep automatically, without the need for any buttons.
On the downside, the Q4 E-Tron was found to be lacking in build quality. The reviewer noted a consistent squeak from the steering column and a rattle from the passenger side rear hatch area, despite the car having less than 3,000 miles on the odometer. Additionally, the design was questioned, with the Q4 E-Tron being described as blocky and blunt with a boring rear end, unlike its ID.4 sibling or other electric cars in the market.
The interior was also found wanting, with the dashboard jutting out into the front passenger's space intrusively in a weird way, and the center console made up of cheap, hard plastics. Furthermore, they thought the Q4 E-Tron was found to ride like someone simply ordered the ID.4's firmness up for the Audi, instead of offering a softer damping that is typical of Audi's ride.
Overall, the Q4 E-Tron is considered to be the mass-appeal entry-level electric car that Audi needs, but not the one it deserves. Despite its base price of $50,995 being nearly $10,000 more than the ID.4, the Q4 E-Tron is not worth the premium over its Volkswagen counterpart, not even to an Audi fan.