SPORT- ELECTRIFIED (some text hidden) SECTIONED_new_audiq4etronsportback_2025

By Jonathan Crouch

With the Q4 Sportback e-tron, Audi widens the appeal of its mid-sized all-electric EV. Jonathan Crouch drives the improved version.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 109

The Q4 e-tron is an important model for Audi, so important that Ingolstadt feels the need to create two distinct variants, this Q4 Sportback e-tron derivative being the more dynamic-looking one. Like its standard counterpart, it's built on the Volkswagen Group MEB chassis for volume all-electric cars, but pushes the boundaries of that platform in terms of the premium prices being charged here for the size of car delivered. Still, you certainly get a very up-market feel that'll help ease you into your new electrified phase of motoring ownership. Two years into its production life, it was usefully updated to create the car we're going to look at here.

Backgroundword count: 216

The Q4 e-tron line-up has performed better than Audi might have dared hope in the UK. For much of its life here, it's been Britain's second best-selling EV and the update package that boosted this car's appeal two years after launch worked a treat for Ingolstadt, netting 17,465 UK sales in 2024, a large proportion of them being of this sleeker-looking Sportback variant. You're probably already familiar with the standard Q4 e-tron model; it's Audi's entrant at the posher end of the over-crowded mid-sized EV segment, giving a more premium sheen to VW Group engineering duplicated by more affordable EV crossovers like the Volkswagen ID.4 and the Skoda Enyaq. Those two cars offer customers the option of having a sportier-looking body shape - in the form of the Volkswagen ID.5 and the Skoda Enyaq Coupe. And it's those two coupe-like SUV rivals that are targeted most closely by this Q4 Sportback e-tron. This slightly more aspirational body style is also probably the Q4 alternative you'd consider if you were looking at two other identically-engineered MEB-platformed models in this segment, the CUPRA Tavascan and the Ford Capri. So lots of shared bits feature here, but Audi insists that it's put its own stamp on the way this model drives and feels - especially in this updated form.

Driving Experienceword count: 478

The 2024 Model Year enhancement saw Audi install a 'PCM' (or 'Permanently excited Synchronous Machine') on the rear axle of both single and dual motor variants, the idea being to promote higher efficiency and release greater power. It's a useful enhancement, the benefit of which at the foot of the line-up is disguised by another of Audi's silly badging initiatives. Basically, to reflect the motor power increases made as part of this update, the old smaller battery '35' model's now become the '40', whereas the old bigger battery '40' and '50' models have, respectively, become the '45' and the '55'. Which of course leads to all kinds of confusion since it means the 'new' Sportback 40 variant seems on paper to be an inferior choice to the original '40' model. To simplify things, it's probably best not to think of a '40'-badged Q4 Sportback e-tron at all, unless budget really is tight, in which case we'd suggest you choose something else in this segment. That 40 Sportback e-tron model can go only 256 miles on a charge of its 63kWh battery - which is some way behind the class-leading curve. And performance from its 204PS motor feels leisurely in light of the 2.0-tonne kerb weight. Choose a Q4 Sportback e-tron with the larger 82kWh battery most customers rightly want and the PCM system's benefits become much more obvious. The two mainstream '45'-badged models both put out a healthy 286PS, but can be driven far further than the base version. The rear-driven 45 derivative manages up to 347 miles between charges, while the twin-motor 45 quattro variant delivers a 328 mile range. If you want more power, you'll be directed to the flagship Q4 Sportback e-tron 55 quattro variant, which has 340PS and also manages a 328 mile range. As long as they chose one of the 82kWh models, an owner of an earlier version of this car would find that performance of this updated Q4 Sportback e-tron is noticeably perkier than the original. In one of the mainstream '45' derivatives, rest to 62mph takes 6.7s (1.4s quicker than the smaller-battery '40' version) and the top speed is 112mph. In the top Q4 Sportback e-tron 55 quattro, the 62mph sprint can be dispatched in just 5.4s. There are five main 'drive select' modes - 'Efficient', 'Dynamic', 'Comfort', 'Auto' or 'Individual'. Plus there's a 'Range' setting for if you're running really low on charge. As usual with an EV, you've to remember to regularly select 'B' rather than 'D' from the gear selector. Otherwise, your control over brake regen is pretty limited - mainly via a selectable screen in the centre monitor's 'Efficiency Assist' section, which uses information from the forward sensors and the navigation to channel energy back into the battery when braking or off-throttle. Certain steering wheel designs give you paddleshifters too, but we don't have those here.

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