Audi has freshened up its Q4 e-tron, which remains the smallest and most affordable electric vehicle (EV) the German luxury auto brand sells right now.
But affordability is a term relative to other Audis here, as the Q4 e-tron costs more than any of the comparable mid-size electric SUVs from within the Volkswagen Group.
And with other talented European rivals competing in the segment, not to mention Chinese EVs such as the BYD Atto 3 Evo, has Audi done enough with this light airbrushing of its littlest EV?
To find out, we headed over to the company’s homeland to test the 2027 Audi Q4 e-tron in the countryside surrounding Munich.
How much does the Audi Q4 e-tron cost?
While we don’t have exact Australian prices for the revised Q4 e-tron yet, don’t expect the updated model to become a bargain.
The pre-facelift MY26 range kicks off from $84,900 for the single-motor Q4 45 e-tron SUV and $86,500 for the Q4 Sportback 45 e-tron, both fitted with the larger 82kWh battery. Given the German automaker has added more tech, faster charging speeds and a bit more range to the Q4, its base price is unlikely to go much further down from there unless the smaller 62kWh battery variant is introduced.
Complicating matters is that, earlier this year, BMW slashed $7700-$8900 off the entry prices of its iX1 and iX2 respectively, while the Volkswagen ID.4/ID.5, Skoda Enyaq and Cupra Tavascan all kick off in the $55,000-$65,000 range. So it’s clear you’re paying a hefty premium to have those four rings on the nose of your electric SUV, before you even start going near a costly options list.
To see how the Audi Q4 e-tron lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What is the Audi Q4 e-tron like on the inside?
The easiest-to-spot change with the revised Audi Q4 e-tron family is in the cabin.
In place of the older, more-conventional interface of the pre-facelift Q4 is the ‘Digital Stage’, inspired by Audi’s newer models like the A5 and A6.
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This comprises up to four large digital displays, depending on how many options boxes are ticked at ordering time, including an 11.9-inch instrument cluster for the driver and a 12.8-inch infotainment touchscreen in the middle of the dash.
These are the two standard displays, but a 12-inch passenger-side touchscreen and an augmented-reality head-up display are also available further up the range.
What this does mean, though, is that the Q4 has lost its dedicated panel of physical climate controls – in-car temperature is now adjusted through the touchscreen. Thankfully, the new system isn’t a frustration to use, so even technophobes should be reasonably assuaged by the Audi’s reconstructed setup.
There’s also a significant revision to the shape and height of the centre console, which Audi says brings more practicality – thanks to features like an under-dash storage area, and twin wireless charging pads for smartphones.
One of the best things that has happened inside the updated Q4 e-tron is that it has lost its hexagonal steering wheel. In its place is a rounder tiller, at least in the lower-spec car we drove in Germany, which only has vestiges of the old steering wheel’s unusual shape in the form of two bumps on either side of the rim.
Otherwise, the Q4’s cabin is much as before. That means broadly high-quality fixtures and fittings throughout (although there’s a degree of drop-off in the standard of the plastics used for the rear door cards, in particular) and a reasonable amount of interior space too.
As before, the updated Q4 will be available in regular SUV form, and also as a sleeker Sportback derivative, which is what we tested. The Sportback is about 18mm lower than the SUV, so there’s marginally less headroom in the rear, but the resulting accommodation is still generous enough that taller people will be perfectly comfortable in the back of the Audi.
And apparently, there’s no compromise on seats-up boot space, with the Sportback laying claim to 527 litres of capacity, beating the 515L on offer in the SUV.
It can’t quite take as much as the higher-roofed Q4 wagon with the 40:20:40-split/folding rear seatbacks dropped down, though, sacrificing 27L of volume for an outright 1460L.
|
Dimensions |
Audi Q4 e-tron – MY26 |
|---|---|
|
Length |
4588-4591mm |
|
Width |
1865mm |
|
Height |
1599-1639mm |
|
Wheelbase |
2771-2773mm |
|
Cargo capacity |
520-1490L – Q4 |
To see how the Audi Q4 e-tron lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What’s under the bonnet?
There are four powertrains confirmed for the upgraded Q4 e-tron, with Audi abandoning its baffling two-digit power denominators (eg: e-tron 40, e-tron 45, and so on) for the latest version of the SUV. The choices are now the Q4 e-tron, followed by the Q4 e-tron performance, the Q4 e-tron quattro, and finally the Q4 e-tron quattro performance.
|
Specifications |
Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron |
|---|---|
|
Drivetrain |
Single-motor electric |
|
Battery |
63kWh – gross 59kWh – net Lithium-ion |
|
Power |
150kW |
|
Torque |
350Nm |
|
Driven wheels |
Rear |
|
0-100km/h – claimed |
8.1 seconds |
|
Energy consumption |
14.8-17.3kWh/100km – claimed 15.2kWh/100km – as tested |
|
Claimed range – WLTP |
391-451km |
|
Max AC charge rate |
11kW |
|
Max DC charge rate |
160kW |
For all variants, revisions have been made to the efficiency of the rear-mounted ‘APP350’ propulsion motor, bringing range gains that we’ll dive into further down.
The Q4 e-tron kicks things off with a single rear motor that puts out 150kW of power and 350Nm of torque. Expect a 0-100km/h time of 8.1 seconds and a 160km/h top speed.
Moving up to the Q4 e-tron performance gets you the same single-motor, rear-wheel drive format, but it has a bigger battery and increased outputs of 210kW/545Nm. This brings the 0-100km/h claim down to 6.6 seconds and boosts the top speed to 180km/h (a figure shared with every subsequent version of the Audi EV we’ll outline here).
The quattro adds a front motor, bringing all-wheel drive to the table, as well as 220kW and quoted drivetrain torque of 134Nm from the leading propulsion unit and 350Nm from the rear motor. The claimed 0-100km/h time is trimmed to 6.2 seconds as a result.
Finally, the Q4 e-tron quattro performance delivers 250kW and an increase to 545Nm from its rear motor, making it the swiftest version of the lot with a 5.4-second claimed 0-100km/h sprint time.
The swoopy, aerodynamic shape of the Sportback makes it slightly more efficient at cutting through the air than the Q4 e-tron SUV, so model-for-model it travels between 11 and 15km further on a charge than its more upright relation.
All versions use nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) lithium-ion battery packs, but the base version we drove has a smaller (63kWh gross, 59kWh usable) unit that confers up to 451km of range in the Sportback.
The other three all deploy the bigger (82kWh gross, 77kWh net) power bank, with the e-tron performance being the range champion with up to 592km possible between charging sessions – that’s up from the old Q4’s best figure, which was in the region of 570km.
Choosing quattro traction negatively affects range, as the 220kW variant will go up to 573km on a single charge, a number which the rapid quattro performance drops even further to 554km.
Peak DC fast-charging speeds are also up by 10kW, as the Q4 e-tron quattro performance can now recharge at 185kW. The others max out at 160kW (base e-tron) or 165kW (e-tron performance and e-tron quattro), but in all instances a 10-80 per cent battery top-up will take between 27 and 29 minutes.
AC charging sticks at the same 11kW peak as before, while the main improvement to the Q4 e-tron’s electrical system is the addition of bidirectional charging. There’s both vehicle-to-load (so you can plug electrical devices into a socket in the boot) and vehicle-to-home (use the car’s battery as a form of backup power for your property in certain circumstances) functionality fitted to the Audi now.
To see how the Audi Q4 e-tron lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
How does the Audi Q4 e-tron drive?
If you just want serene, comfortable and fuss-free progress, the updated Audi Q4 e-tron is going to delight you. However, if you crave any form of meaningful driver interaction, this German EV is going to leave you wanting.
We sampled a single-motor Sportback with the smaller battery on 20-inch wheels and, accepting that Germany has generally marvellous road surfacing which somewhat mitigates this conclusion, we nevertheless reckon the ride quality and rolling refinement of the Audi are both excellent.
Rare are the times that occupants of the Q4 will be able to discern anything notable about the road surface rolling beneath the SUV’s tyres, while it maintains its dignified counsel even when whooshing along the freeway at 120km/h or more.
Further, the Q4 e-tron has light yet well-calibrated controls, with clean steering and an impressive level of regenerative braking, which can be adjusted through various settings using the steering wheel paddles. Even when you do have to press the brake pedal in earnest, it feels progressive and pleasantly unobtrusive, so simply gliding the Q4 e-tron about the place is an effortless process.
We’d also say that you shouldn’t be put off by the low-power version. As the 63kWh battery is 126kg lighter than the 82kWh unit in the other Q4 e-trons, this rear-driven car is the only one which weighs less than two tonnes.
So although it’s not push-you-back-in-your-seat-fast like some EVs are, there’s a nice, muscular build-up of pace in the Q4 e-tron if you need it. Certainly, overtakes on two-way roads are well within its remit, and if it can hack it on German Autobahns, then it can make it on any freeway in the world.
Special mention, too, for the real-world efficiency. In hot conditions in Germany, resulting in constant use of the climate control, and with some high-speed running thrown into the mix, the Q4 e-tron Sportback achieved indicated energy consumption of 15.2kWh/100km during our time with the car. Realistically, that should result in 388km of real-world range.
Unfortunately for those who like to drive, there’s nothing much more than sedate, smooth progress to discover about the Audi Q4 e-tron’s dynamics. Its steering lacks detail and satisfying heft, and while there’s capable body control, at no point does the MEB chassis tune here ever feel alive. It’s grippy and polished enough, but not exactly playful.
Sure, there aren’t many electric SUVs which can lay claim to that description anyway, so can we really consider the Q4 e-tron a failure because its underpinnings are a bit inert? Probably not, but we think keener drivers who want something similar would be better served with one of BMW’s competitors, or – worryingly enough for Audi – the Cupra Tavascan instead.
To see how the Audi Q4 e-tron lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What do you get?
It’s possible that the refreshed Audi Q4 e-tron will be sold here with the same trim grades as before, but that’s not confirmed as yet. Based on our German test vehicles, we have a rough idea of what to expect, though.
2026 Audi Q4 e-tron equipment highlights:
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- LED lights, front and rear
- High beam assist
- Matte brushed aluminium inlays
- Twin-spoke leather steering wheel
- Heated Sport seats, front
- Three-zone climate control
- 12.8-inch MMI Navigation Plus with MMI Touch
- 11.9-inch Virtual Cockpit
- 8-speaker Audi Sound System
- Twin wireless phone chargers
- Adaptive cruise control
- Reversing camera
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Digital Key
From there, higher-spec variants and/or trim lines should add things like 20- and 21-inch wheels, rear privacy glass, meatier exterior styling, a three-spoke multifunction steering wheel, sports suspension, Progressive Steering, rear-seat heating, Matrix LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, a 12-inch front passenger touchscreen, augmented-reality head-up display, a 10-speaker Sonos sound system, and a surround-view camera, among other extras.
To see how the Audi Q4 e-tron lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
Is the Audi Q4 e-tron safe?
The old Audi Q4 e-tron was tested by Euro NCAP in 2021, then retested in 2025, when it maintained its five-star safety rating, with only slight scoring adjustments.
|
Category |
Audi Q4 e-tron* |
|---|---|
|
Adult occupant protection |
91 per cent |
|
Child occupant protection |
87 per cent |
|
Vulnerable road user protection |
79 per cent |
|
Safety assist |
73 per cent |
*2025 Euro NCAP scores. ANCAP result pending
In the 2025 retest, the Q4 e-tron lost 2.0 per cent in the adult and child occupant protection categories, but gained 13 per cent and 2.0 per cent in the vulnerable road user and safety assist areas respectively.
CarExpert expects ANCAP to update the Q4 e-tron’s scores in alignment with Euro NCAP’s latest testing when the facelifted range arrives in Australia.
To see how the Audi Q4 e-tron lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
How much does the Audi Q4 e-tron cost to run?
Every Audi comes with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty as standard, backed by five years of roadside assistance. There’s then SIRA (service initiated roadside assistance), which adds another 12 months of cover for no extra cost, as long as scheduled servicing is completed at an approved dealership.
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On top of that, there’s the Audi Advantage Package, which brings another two years of warranty and roadside assistance, along with two scheduled services. This can be added onto any existing warranty, extended warranty, roadside bundle or service plan for a fee – but there is a limit imposed on this, which comes into effect once the car is eight years old or has covered more than 120,000km.
Finally, all Audi EVs come with an eight-year, 160,000km warranty for their high-voltage battery packs as well.
To see how the Audi Q4 e-tron lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
CarExpert’s Take on the Audi Q4 e-tron
As long as you don’t mind paying a chunky premium, and you’re not expecting some kind of ripsnorter in terms of handling, the Audi Q4 e-tron is a competent and likeable contender in the premium electric SUV space.
Visually, precious little has changed on the outside – new paint finishes, a body-coloured Singleframe grille and four-signature-selectable lighting designs are the main talking points – and the same softly-softly approach goes for the running gear; the slim gains in both outright range and charging speeds are hardly transformative.
For 2027, the biggest USP of the Q4 is its all-digital cabin, which thankfully works in an intuitive and satisfying fashion, making it feel like an improvement rather than a retrograde step.
Otherwise, you pretty much know precisely what you’re getting with this Audi, long before you drive it.
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