Audi Q4 2025 review: 55 e-tron SUV long-term | Part 1

Electric carmakers have been on a steep learning curve.

Audi was one of the first legacy brands to jump in with its e-tron SUV, it was expensive and had underwhelming range.

Fast forward to today and its latest addition to its zero-emissions range is the Q4 e-tron, and it might be Audi's best EV to date.

It’s a compact SUV roughly the same size as the Audi Q3 or BMW X1 and is available as a standard SUV shape or a Sportback, which is Audi speak for SUV-coupe.

Each body shape is available in two grades: Q4 e-tron 45 and Q4 e-tron 55.

We are testing the top of the range Q4 e-tron 55 SUV, which is priced from $105,900 (before on-road costs), and is more than $20,000 more expensive than the Q4 e-tron 45. Sportback versions cost $1600 more.

You get plenty of fancy items for the extra spend.

@carsguide.com.au

No more boring EVs please! Audi’s new Q4 e-tron breaks the electric car mould, and shockingly actually looks like a car, not a computer mouse. It’s got impressive stats too: ⚡️488km driving range ⚡️250kW/679Nm of all-wheel drive grunt ⚡️Fast DC charging, up to 175kW #Audi #Q4etron #AudiQ4etron #EV #electriccar #carsguide #fyp

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Our test car rides on snazzy 20-inch alloy wheels and Matrix LED headlights with corning lights and daytime running lights.

The front sports seats are wrapped in a mix of leather and synthetic leather and have an S embossed on the headrest. Both seats are electronically adjustable and have a heating function.

The cabin quality is excellent with premium materials used throughout, including some dark brushed aluminium inserts. This is coupled with coloured ambient lighting, aluminium pedals and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

There is a 10.25-inch multimedia screen that is angled towards the driver for easier viewing and reaching, which is compatible with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

This is paired with a 10.25-inch digital driver display with multiple information readouts and a head-up display that projects vital information such as travelling speed onto the windscreen in front of the driver.

There is a wireless device charger and USB-C charging ports front and back.

On our test car Audi has splashed out on the optional $2255 deep purple paint job, which is a nice change from the German brand’s usually bland pallet. It also ticked the $2925 option box for the panoramic sunroof with tinted glass and electric sunshade.

The Q4 e-tron 45 versions use a single rear-mounted electric motor, which makes 210kW and 545Nm, to drive the rear wheels. The Q4 e-tron 55 grade ups this with another motor added to the front that increases combined outputs to 250kW and 679Nm, delivered to all four wheels.

That extra grunt drops the 0-100km/h time from 6.7 seconds in the 45 to 5.4 seconds in 55.

All Q4 e-trons use a 82kWh battery — with 77kWh useable for driving — which delivers a driving range of between 488km and 540km, depending on the variant.

Our Q4 e-tron 55 is the least efficient variant with its 488km WLTP certified range. It is the heaviest and least aerodynamic with a claimed efficiency of 18.1kWh per 100km. 

All Q4 e-trons can accept a max DC charge of 175kW and an AC max of 11kW.

In our first month of testing we experienced 20.4kWh per 100km over about 500km of driving. We hooked it up twice to an Evie 150kW DC charging station with it topping out at 138kW each time.

It topped up the battery from 22 per cent to 83 per cent in about half an hour, which was enough time to head into the local shopping centre to pick up a few things and grab a coffee.

At 83 per cent the car’s range estimator said it had 377km until empty, which puts it at roughly 455km if full.

It’s a pretty sharp thing to drive with well weighted and direct steering that provides ample feedback.

The suspension is well sorted for an electric car, which are known to struggle under the weight of the battery. It soaks up bumps relatively well and there is hardly any side-to-side motion when going through the corners.

Its small dimensions coupled with the oodles of torque on tap make it feel darty in traffic, and it's a cinch to park in tight streets or when navigating older underground carparks.

Despite its compact exterior size it is very roomy inside. It has a short bonnet and a tiny rear overhang, which translates to a back seat that is actually useable for adults and can easily accommodate a front facing child seat and a baby capsule.

The boot is an ok size, but there is no spare tyre. Instead owners will have to grapple with a fiddly tyre repair kit.

First impressions count for a lot, and the Q4 e-tron ticked a lot of boxes. It handled the slog of city life with aplomb, tackling menial tasks such as the weekly grocery shop, daycare drop offs, work commutes and weekend festivities with ease.

Next month we’ll cover some longer drives and break down the Q4 e-tron’s practicality in more depth.

Acquired: May, 2025

Distance travelled this month: 501km

Odometer: 3012km

Average energy consumption this month: 20.4 kWh