Audi Q4 e-tron Review

The Audi Q4 e-tron sits at the more sensible end of Audi's electric SUV range. It's smaller than the Q6 e-tron, so easier to squeeze into a supermarket parking space. You can have it as a traditional SUV or the sleeker Sportback, depending on whether you'd rather have a little more practicality or a sleeker look. Our Audi Q4 e-tron covers both options. 

The Q4 e-tron takes a different approach to SUVs. It's quiet, comfortable and well put together, which might not make for the most dramatic sales pitch, but matters quite a lot when you're actually going to drive the thing every day. 

In this Audi Q4 e-tron review, we're looking at how it drives, how far it'll really take you and how easy it is to live with, along with the costs and different versions available. We'll also see how it stacks up against its closest rivals and whether the Q4 e-tron deserves a spot on your lease shortlist. 

Quick Verdict on the Audi Q4 e-tron 

The Audi Q4 e-tron is comfortable and reassuringly easy to drive, with a cabin that feels suitably Audi without the price or sheer size of the brand's bigger electric SUVs. For everyday driving, there's very little to grumble about. 

It's particularly good around town, where the smooth electric powertrain and light steering make traffic considerably less irritating. Get it onto the motorway and it's equally happy settling down for a long journey, with plenty of space for passengers and enough range that you won't spend the entire trip staring nervously at the battery percentage. 

There are compromises to consider in this Audi Q4 e-tron review. Some rivals will take you further on a charge, others can plug in and get going again more quickly, and ticking too many boxes on the options list can make the Q4 e-tron rather expensive. If you want an electric SUV that makes a twisty road genuinely entertaining, the BMW iX1 also has the edge. 

None of that stops the Q4 e-tron from being a very good all-rounder. It feels premium where it counts and doesn't make everyday life unnecessarily complicated, which makes it particularly easy to recommend as a lease car.

Overall Rating: 9.0/10 

The Q4 e-tron isn't the fastest, longest-range or most exciting electric car in its class, and that's perfectly fine. What it does particularly well is make going electric feel remarkably normal. It's practical enough for family duties and compact enough that parking doesn't become a test of character. For anyone considering an Audi Q4 e-tron lease, that's a pretty convincing combination.

Audi Q4 e-tron at a Glance 

Don't fancy digging through spec sheets to work out which Q4 e-tron does what? Here are the numbers that actually matter for our Audi Q4 e-tron review. The Q4 is Audi's compact electric SUV, with five seats, plenty of boot space and a choice of rear-wheel drive or quattro depending on how much power and grip you want.  

Maximum range varies depending on battery size, body style, wheels and specification. 
Maximum charging speed depends on battery size and model. 

Who Should Lease the Audi Q4 e-tron? 

The Q4 e-tron hits a useful middle ground. It's big enough to handle family life without feeling like you're driving a small bungalow, and you still get the comfort and polished interior you'd expect from an Audi. That makes it a particularly good fit for drivers who want to go electric without moving up to one of the brand's larger SUVs.  

The Audi Q4 e-tron is a great choice if you:

The Audi Q4 e-tron may not be the best choice if:

Our Verdict 

An Audi Q4 e-tron lease makes the most sense for someone who wants their first electric SUV to feel reassuringly familiar. It's comfortable and practical without being unnecessarily huge, and there's enough Audi polish inside to remind you that you've paid for a high-end car. If you're after outright speed or enormous range, there are better options. If you just want a very good electric Audi that slots neatly into everyday life, the Q4 e-tron is our pick.  

Exterior Design & Road Presence 

The Q4 e-tron looks like an Audi first and an electric car second, which is what we love to see. There are no strange proportions or desperate attempts to announce that you're saving the planet every time you pull into Tesco. Instead, you get the sharp lines and chunky SUV stance that Audi does so well, with enough EV-specific touches to make the Q4 feel modern. 

Up front, the familiar Singleframe grille is closed off for the electric powertrain, with slim LED headlights on either side. S line models dial things up with sportier bumpers and larger alloys, and the black exterior details give them a slightly tougher look. 

There's also a choice to make when it comes to body shape. The regular Q4 e-tron keeps the more traditional SUV roofline, while the Sportback slopes away towards the rear for a coupe-like profile. The Sportback is arguably the better-looking of the two, although the standard SUV makes a little more sense if you're regularly filling the back seats. 

At night, the full-width rear light bar gives the Q4 a particularly distinctive look. It's a neat bit of design that adds some personality without turning the back of the car into a mobile light show. 

Next to the BMW iX1 or Mercedes-Benz EQA, the Q4 e-tron is fairly restrained. That's part of its appeal. It doesn't need enormous grilles or particularly adventurous styling to look expensive, and if you prefer your premium SUV to attract admiring glances rather than eye rolls, Audi has judged it rather well.

Interior, Technology & Comfort 

The Q4 e-tron cabin feels reassuringly like an Audi, rather than a tech showroom that happens to have a steering wheel. The dashboard is angled towards the driver, the important controls are where you'd expect to find them and there's enough physical switchgear that changing the temperature doesn't require a five-minute detour through a touchscreen menu. 

You still get plenty of screens, of course. Audi's Virtual Cockpit sits directly ahead of the driver, whereas the central MMI touchscreen handles navigation and entertainment. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard too, so you're not forced to abandon all your usual apps the moment you get behind the wheel. 

There's plenty of room up front and the seats remain comfortable when a quick journey turns into several hours on the motorway. Adults can sit comfortably in the back too, with the standard SUV offering the most generous headroom if you regularly carry taller passengers. 

Audi has also found useful places to put all the clutter that inevitably follows you into a car. The door bins are a decent size, and there's the expected storage around the centre console. 

Where the Q4 e-tron really earns its premium badge is refinement. It's impressively quiet at speed and generally does a good job of keeping the outside world outside. Some materials lower down in the cabin aren't quite as plush as you might expect for the price, but the bits you see and touch most often feel suitably upmarket. Overall, it's a comfortable place to spend a long journey, which matters considerably more than having the biggest touchscreen in the car park. 

What's the Audi Q4 e-tron Like to Drive? 

The Q4 e-tron isn't pretending to be a sports car with an SUV body. Audi has clearly put comfort ahead of cornering heroics here, and for a car that's likely to spend most of its life commuting and doing school runs, that feels like the right decision. 

Around town, it's pleasantly undramatic. Acceleration is smooth and immediate, and the Q4 doesn't feel anywhere near as cumbersome as some electric SUVs. Parking is fairly painless too, so you shouldn't find yourself avoiding the suspiciously narrow space outside the supermarket. 

Motorway driving is arguably where the Q4 feels most at home. There's very little noise from the electric motor and the suspension keeps things comfortable when the road surface gets scruffy. Depending on specification, features such as adaptive cruise control and lane assistance can take some of the work out of longer journeys too. 

Head onto a twistier road and the Q4 remains composed, although it isn't going to tempt you into taking the scenic route home. Rear-wheel-drive versions feel nicely balanced, while quattro models add extra grip when the weather turns typically British. If having fun behind the wheel is high on your list of priorities for this Audi Q4 e-tron review, the BMW iX1 is the more engaging choice.

That's really the Q4 e-tron's character summed up: easy. It's quiet when you want quiet, comfortable when the journey drags on and straightforward to manoeuvre when you're back in town. It won't have you waking up early on Sunday morning just to go for a drive, but that's probably not why you're reading this Audi Q4 e-tron review in the first place. 

Battery, Range & Charging 

Range is usually the big question when you're looking at an electric car, and the Q4 e-tron gives you a healthy amount to work with. Higher-capacity versions can officially manage up to 342 miles (WLTP) on a full battery, so this isn't an EV that needs to live within sight of a charging point. 

Of course, 342 miles is the laboratory number rather than a promise from Audi. Cold weather, motorway driving and a heavy right foot will all nibble away at it. Even allowing for that, the larger battery should comfortably cover several days of normal driving for many people. If most of your journeys are short and local, the smaller battery can make more sense, particularly if it brings down your monthly lease payment. 

Home charging is where Q4 e-tron life becomes particularly simple. Plug into a 7kW wallbox when you get home and you can leave the car charging overnight rather than making special trips to a petrol station. For longer journeys, larger battery models can accept DC rapid charging at up to 175kW, taking the battery from 10% to 80% in around 28 minutes with a suitable charger. That's roughly enough time to find a coffee, question the price of a motorway sandwich and get back to the car. 

The car can also help plan charging stops on longer journeys, so you don't have to spend half the trip doing mental arithmetic with the remaining battery percentage. 

There are EVs that go further and some that charge faster, including certain versions of the Tesla Model Y. The Audi Q4 e-tron's range and charging figures are still more than competitive enough for everyday use, though. Unless your weekly routine involves regularly driving from one end of Britain to the other, charging shouldn't dominate your life. 

Performance & Powertrains 

You don't need the most powerful Q4 e-tron to get away from the lights in a hurry. Even the more efficiency-focused versions have that instant electric shove that makes everyday driving feel effortless, with enough power for joining a busy motorway or getting past slower traffic without much planning. 

Rear-wheel-drive models make the most sense if range and value are your priorities. With one electric motor driving the rear wheels, they're smooth and responsive without using extra power simply for the sake of a quicker 0–62mph time. For commuting and family duties, that's probably all you’ll ever need. 

If you want a little more muscle, the quattro versions add another motor and all-wheel drive. As well as making them noticeably quicker, this gives you extra traction when the roads are wet or slippery. Nobody buys an Audi because they're hoping for rain, admittedly, but living in Britain means quattro will probably get a chance to prove itself sooner rather than later. 

At the top of the range, the quickest Q4 e-tron models have enough power to make overtaking remarkably easy. They're fast enough when you put your foot down, although Audi hasn't tried to turn them into hardcore performance cars. The emphasis is still on delivering that power smoothly and keeping everyone comfortable. 

For most of our customers considering an Audi Q4 e-tron lease, the rear-wheel-drive versions are likely to hit the sweet spot. Quattro is worth considering if you want stronger performance or the reassurance of all-wheel drive, but you certainly don't need it to make the Q4 e-tron feel quick.

Running Costs 

Being an Audi, the Q4 e-tron isn't exactly bargain-basement motoring. However, there are a few places where going electric can claw some of that money back, particularly if you can charge at home. Plugging in overnight on a cheaper off-peak tariff can cost considerably less than regularly filling an equivalent petrol or diesel SUV. 

Servicing should be relatively straightforward too. Electric motors have fewer moving parts than combustion engines, so there are no oil changes or spark plugs to worry about. You'll still need to budget for the usual consumables, though, and those big Audi alloys come with equally big tyres that aren't going to be the cheapest things to replace. 

Insurance is another cost worth checking before you sign an Audi Q4 e-tron lease. More powerful quattro versions and higher specifications can attract higher premiums, so the model with the most impressive performance figures won't necessarily be the smartest choice for your monthly budget. 

Leasing also removes one of the harder costs to predict: what your electric car will be worth several years from now. You agree to your monthly payments at the start and return the car at the end of the agreement, rather than having to keep one eye on changing used EV values. 

So no, the Q4 e-tron isn't a cheap car wearing an Audi badge. Charge it sensibly and choose your specification carefully, though, and the day-to-day costs can be surprisingly reasonable for a premium electric SUV. 

Reliability & Safety 

Reliability can feel like a slightly bigger question mark when you're leasing an electric car packed with batteries, screens and software. The good news is that the Q4 e-tron has been around for a few years now, and Audi has plenty of experience building EVs.  

Lease customers also have the benefit of warranty cover. New Q4 e-tron models come with Audi's three-year manufacturer warranty, and the high-voltage battery is covered separately for eight years or 100,000 miles. For a typical lease term, that means you're unlikely to spend much time worrying about what happens if something expensive decides to stop working. 

Safety is equally reassuring. The Q4 e-tron received a five-star Euro NCAP rating and comes with technology designed to keep an eye on things when your attention inevitably wanders towards a confusing roundabout. Autonomous emergency braking and lane departure warnings are available alongside other driver assistance features, with more advanced systems offered depending on the model and specification. 

Overall, there aren't many nasty surprises in this Audi Q4 e-tron review. The Q4 e-tron feels well screwed together, comes with useful warranty protection and has strong independent safety credentials. If you're considering an Audi Q4 e-tron lease, that's three fewer things to lose sleep over.

Audi Q4 e-tron Trim Levels Explained 

Choosing your Q4 e-tron trim mostly comes down to how much you care about the extras. Sport already gives you plenty to play with, but moving up the range brings sportier styling and a few more luxuries. As usual with Audi, it's remarkably easy to convince yourself that you absolutely need the nicer wheels. 

Availability may vary depending on model year and current specification. 

Sport is where we'd start if keeping your Audi Q4 e-tron lease payment sensible matters more than having the flashiest version on the driveway. You still get plenty of desirable kit, including Audi's Virtual Cockpit and MMI system, along with heated front seats and parking assistance. In other words, choosing the entry-level trim doesn't leave you feeling like you've bought half an Audi. 

S line adds the styling upgrades many people picture when they think of a modern Audi. Bigger wheels and sportier exterior details give the Q4 more attitude, with changes inside to match. If you want something that looks a little more special without heading straight to the top of the range, this is likely to be the sweet spot. 

The Black Edition takes that idea further with darker exterior detailing and distinctive alloys. It doesn't suddenly make the Q4 e-tron faster, but it does make it look considerably moodier, which may be all the justification you need. 

Edition 1 sits at the more indulgent end of the scale, with additional technology and premium touches. It's the one for anyone who sees an options list as a challenge rather than a warning, although the extra kit will naturally be reflected in the monthly price. 

For most lease customers, we'd lean towards S line. Sport makes more sense if you're watching the budget, but S line gives the Q4 e-tron enough extra visual polish to feel like an upgrade without wandering too far into premium lease price territory. 

Audi Q4 e-tron vs the Competition 

Shopping for a premium electric SUV isn't exactly short on choice. The Q4 e-tron has the Tesla Model Y snapping at its heels, BMW offering something a little more fun to drive and Mercedes-Benz making a strong case for comfort. Audi's answer is to be very good at most things rather than trying to win the spec-sheet Olympics. 

The Tesla Model Y is difficult to ignore, particularly if range and charging are high on your list. Its Supercharger access makes longer journeys easy to plan too. Where the Q4 e-tron fights back is inside. The Audi has a more traditional premium feel and a quieter, more polished character on the road, so your preference may simply come down to whether you want your SUV to feel more techy or more luxurious. 

The BMW iX1 is the one we'd point keen drivers towards. Its sharper handling makes it more entertaining when the road gets interesting, whereas the Q4 would rather everyone sat back and got comfortable.  

Then there's the Mercedes-Benz EQA, which also puts comfort ahead of outright excitement. The Audi has an advantage when it comes to practicality, though, with more boot space for luggage and plenty of passenger space. 

So, does the Q4 e-tron win every comparison in this review? No. That's actually part of why it's so easy to recommend. It doesn't rely on one headline figure to make its case. Instead, you get a comfortable drive and enough practicality to deal with the trials of everyday life. For anyone considering an Audi Q4 e-tron lease, it's a very capable middle ground between the more tech-focused, sporty and value-led alternatives.

Is the Audi Q4 e-tron Worth Leasing? 

As life-long Audi fans, we think so. The Q4 e-tron makes a particularly convincing lease car because it gives you the bits people actually want from a premium Audi without forcing you into one of the brand's enormous electric SUVs. It's practical enough for family life and feels suitably expensive from behind the wheel. 

Would we lease one over every rival? That depends on what matters to you. A Tesla Model Y makes a stronger case if range and charging are your priorities. Then the BMW iX1 is more entertaining when the road gets twisty. The Q4 e-tron is the one we'd choose for someone who wants a big-enough SUV for everyday family life. 

That's really where the Q4 earns its place. It isn't trying to reinvent the electric car or win every numbers battle. It's simply a comfortable, practical Audi that happens to run on electricity. If that sounds suspiciously close to what you actually need from your next car, it's well worth adding to your lease shortlist.

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