It's no secret that the crossover SUV market is huge right now. Everyone wants crossover SUVs, and especially ones that run on electricity. It's taken automakers quite a long time to catch up, including that one automaker who always seems to be leading the EV way, Tesla. Slowly, but surely, more and more compact electric crossovers are rolling out.

Audi, who already makes the most premium of all the premium crossovers, has been teasing their own entry into this market for years, in the form of the Q4 e-tron. They first showed the concept car a couple of years ago, and now, the production version is finally here. Just from the headlines, this thing is looking seriously impressive.

10 Styling

The front of the new Q4 e-tron
Audi

On the outside, the Q4 e-tron carries on the usual Audi design language. It's a bit more toughened up with body cladding on the bottom of the front and rear bumpers, and some really cool alloy wheel designs are available.

The rear of the new Q4 e-tron
Audi

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In terms of size, the Q4 e-tron is only slightly longer than a VW Golf, but it's obviously much taller, and it has a very long wheelbase. Theoretically, this means that room inside should be plentiful despite the size. Audi's signature "grille" and light clusters are also present, and if other Audi models are anything to go by, we're pretty sure the lights will do a little dance when you lock and unlock your Q4 e-tron.

9 Sportback

Front 3/4 view of the Q4 e-tron Sportback
Audi

Like with most of Audi's other SUV models, the Q4 e-tron will be available as a Sportback. Essentially, it's a fastback SUV version with a slightly sloped rear end, but it's otherwise mostly the same. The fastback SUV market is pretty hot right now, so it's only natural that Audi would offer this too, especially as they also offer it in the bigger e-tron SUV and the smaller Q3.

Rear 3/4 view of the Q4 e-tron Sportback
Via Audi Media Center

One possible demerit of the Sportback might just be interior space. With the exception of the Porsche Cayenne Coupe, coupe SUVs tend to rob a fair bit of headroom in the back seats because of the sloped roof, while also giving you a less usable cargo area. Still, compared to other coupe SUVs, the Sportback looks surprisingly good.

8 The Competition

The Model Y Long Range in red
Tesla

All things considered, the biggest rival to the Audi Q4 e-tron is the Tesla Model Y. The Model Y is the brand's first compact crossover offering, and although it's slightly longer than the Q4 and only offered in fastback form, it should be an interesting comparison, especially if Audi puts out an RS or S version of the Q4.

The XC40 Recharge in white
Volvo

Meanwhile, the regular, non-fastback Q4 e-tron will have to fend off rivals like the Volvo XC40 Recharge. Other compact crossovers like the BMW iX3, Mercedes EQA, and also the incoming Mazda MX-30, although that one is just a little bit smaller. That's certainly an interesting lineup of competitors, and it'll be equally interesting to see if the Q4 e-tron can hold its own.

7 Power & Range

The front of a Q4 e-tron on the move
Audi

The Audi Q4 e-tron is based on the Volkswagen Group's MEB platform. It's available with two motor configurations, two battery pack sizes, and either RWD or AWD. The base Q4 e-tron 35 has a 52 kWh battery pack, and a single motor at the rear producing 170 hp.

Rear 3/4 view of a Q4 e-tron on the move
Audi

The next step up from that bumps up the power to 204 hp and a 77 kWh battery pack, and finally, there's the Quattro version, which adds an additional asynchronous motor to the front axle, giving almost 300 hp and AWD. Equip the larger battery pack on the single motor Q4 e-tron, and Audi promises a range of around 323 miles (520 km) on the WLTP cycle, which is impressive.

6 The Second Ever Rear-Wheel Drive Audi?

The front end of the Q4 e-tron Sportback
Via Audi Media Center

You might have noticed that the base versions of this crossover have their electric motors placed on the rear axle. That means they're driving the rear wheels, making this the second Audi in history to use an RWD platform, alongside the R8 RWD/RWS.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback in the sunset
Audi

This is a very interesting decision, but it's mostly to do with the platform; the Q4 e-tron rides on the MEB platform as mentioned previously, which is designed as RWD with the option of adding AWD. Still, if Audi's engineers work their magic with the handling, it would be interesting to see how the RWD versions behave. Maybe they won't be like these cheap RWD sports cars, but they should be entertaining.

5 On The Inside

The interior of the Q4 e-tron from the driver's seat
Audi

Step inside the Q4 e-tron, and you're greeted with a very familiar interior design. An oddly-shaped steering wheel, a fully digital gauge cluster, and a huge infotainment display front and center, along with a low-profile switch to change gear.

The interior of the Q4 e-tron from the passenger's seat
Audi

This is also seemingly the first Audi model in decades not to have a brightly colored piece of trim going around the Audi logo on the steering wheel. The steering wheel itself seems to be inspired by the one in the bigger e-tron and the A8 sedan. Leather upholstery is optional, but if you want, you can get an eco and animal-friendly interior where a huge part of the materials is made from recycled plastic bottles. Praise be; Audi has included physical climate controls, just like in the e-tron GT.

4 That All-Important Tech & Safety

Behind the wheel of the Q4 e-tron
Audi

Obviously, one of the most important things in a car like this, and especially since Audi is pitching it as a family crossover, is the safety and tech features. You'll be pleased to hear that the Q4 e-tron offers tech and safety features in spades.

The heads-up display of the Q4 e-tron
Audi

One interesting piece of tech on the Q4 e-tron is Predictive Efficiency Assist. This system works in conjunction with the adaptive cruise control, and it gives the driver advice on how to save more electricity, with suggestions on when to take their foot off the gas pedal, and when adaptive cruise is on, the system is always active, applying the brakes, throttle and predicting the traffic situation at all times. You also get the full raft of modern safety tech you'd expect on a new luxury car.

3 The MEB Platform

The new Enyaq iV in blue
Skoda

Let's talk a bit more about that MEB platform. This is Volkswagen's own EV platform, designed to carry some of the other products in the VW group that are priced more competitively. This platform underpins the VW ID.3, and more importantly, cars like the surprisingly good Škoda Enyaq iV and the VW ID.4.

The new VW ID.4 in blue
Via Volkswagen

As explained previously, in its basic form, MEB is an RWD platform where the single electric motor can be placed on the rear axle, with the option of adding an additional motor in the front, and right now, the biggest battery pack you can get is 77 kWh. It seems to be very versatile, as quite a few VAG products are already on the platform, and it will underpin quite a few more in the coming years, including a station wagon, a beach buggy, and the revived Kombi, so it should handle the Audi Q4 e-tron no problems at all.

2 Practicality

The cargo area of the Q4 e-tron
Audi

Due to the Q4 e-tron's size, it's only a five-seater, and a third row of seats is not available. If you have a bigger family, you'll have to look elsewhere. On the plus side, thanks to the ingenious packaging, the Q4 e-tron should be able to seat three adults in the back seats quite easily, with plenty of legroom and headroom.

The rear seats of the Q4 e-tron
Audi

Headroom might be slightly compromised in the Sportback version, but Audi will most likely find a way around that. In the cargo area, the Q4 e-tron has around 510 liters of capacity (18 cu ft), which becomes 1,472 liters (52.6 cu ft) with the seats down. That's still a little short on the Tesla Model Y, but it's a lot better than the Volvo XC40 Recharge.

1 Pricing & Launch

The front of the top spec Q4 e-tron Quattro
Audi

The Audi Q4 e-tron's main attack target is the European market. Audi still hasn't said anything about this car arriving in the United States, so the Q4 is Europe only for now. It fits neatly into Audi's SUV lineup between the Q3 and the Q5, both of them currently only offered with ICE engines.

A silver Q4 e-tron Sportback
Audi

One of the most appealing things about this car is the pricing. When it goes on sale in Europe in June 2021, it'll have a starting price of around 41,000€ ($49,900/£35,600, and that's before government deductibles for plug-in vehicles is factored in. The coupe-like Sportback model adds around 2,000€ ($2,400/£1,700) to the price, and the first few launch cars will also command a slight premium as well. Still, if Audi delivers on their promises, the pricing of the new Q4 e-tron, and everything else, looks very compelling.

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