Kelley Blue Book: The 2024 Audi Q4 e-tron: Comfortable, composed and competitively priced

What’s new for 2024

Adaptive cruise control with lane guidance is now standard, along with brake regeneration paddles on the steering column. A remote garage door opener is integrated into the rearview mirror and becomes part of the optional Convenience package offered with the Premium trim or standard in Premium Plus and Prestige versions.

2024 Audi Q4 E-Tron pricing

The 2024 Audi Q4 e-tron starts at $49,800. That’s for the single-motor Premium trim, which offers at least the best range of 265 miles.

These are manufacturer’s suggested retail prices and do not include the $1,195 factory-to-dealer delivery fee (destination charge).

Looking at what else is out there, the Tesla
TSLA,
+0.27%
Model Y starts in the low 50s, with the Volvo XC40 Recharge and Polestar 2
PSNY,
+1.40%
 kicking off in the mid-50s. The Lexus RZ 450e is priced from $59K, the Genesis GV60 from $60K, and the Cadillac Lyriq from $62K. We know the Kia
000270,
+0.71%
EV6 doesn’t have the same prestige as an Audi, but we love how it drives, and it begins at $44K. For those not quite ready to switch to electric, the gasoline-powered Audi Q5 starts at $44.6K.

See: The 2024 Polestar 2 review: This refined EV now has more power and range, with a minimalist vibe

Before buying a new Q4 e-tron electric SUV, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. Resale values are a little below average for the class.

Be sure to read: How electric vehicle tax credits will work in 2024, and a list of cars that qualify

Power, ride, and handling

The Q4 e-tron’s base drivetrain (called the 40) consists of a single electric motor driving the rear wheels to the tune of 201 horsepower. This isn’t especially muscular, resulting in a leisurely standstill-to-60 mph time of 7.9 seconds. A Tesla Model Y will be about three seconds up the road, racing with a Genesis GV60.

More: The 2023 Genesis GV60 review: photos, prices, range, tax credits and more for this all-electric luxury SUV

The drivetrain known as 50 is optional in the SUV and standard in the Sportback. It consists of two electric motors (one up front, one at the back) and all-wheel drive. It can hit 60 mph in 5.8 seconds. Still not exactly white-knuckle stuff, but plenty brisk all the same.

We tend to like the way an Audi drives, how it plots a well-judged course between the sportiness of a BMW
BMW,
-0.88%
and the smoothness of a Mercedes-Benz
MBG,
-0.03%.
The Q4 e-tron is like that, comfortable yet composed — able to take city driving, freeway stretches, and mountain roads in its capable stride.

The paddles on the steering wheel change the level of brake regeneration. The Q4 e-tron doesn’t perform the one-pedal driving trick that other EVs can, but think of these actions as downshifting or upshifting a transmission.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of luxury electric SUVs, including the Audi A4 e-tron.

Range and charging

Maximum range of the Q4 e-tron is 265 miles, achieved by the SUV-only version with the singular electric motor and rear-wheel drive. For comparison, the Tesla Model Y can run 330 miles from a full charge, the Volvo
VLVLY,
+0.67%
XC40 Recharge does 293 miles, and the Genesis GV60 has a 248-mile range. The dual-motor setup achieves 236 miles in the SUV version or 242 miles in the Sportback (which has a slightly more aerodynamic shape).

Audi says the Q4 e-tron can go from 5% to 80% capacity in 36 minutes using a DC fast charger. At this point in battery technology, if an EV can go from 10% to 80% in 20 minutes, that’s considered very good. A 240-volt home charger can perform a full replenishment in about 7.5 hours.

You might like: 18 new EVs to watch for in 2024

Roomy interior

Here’s something odd. It would be logical to assume that the sleeker Sportback variant would have less space for rear passengers and cargo. There’s something to this, because rear headroom is reduced by 1.3 inches compared with the regular SUV version’s 38.3 inches. But rear legroom stays the same (an eminently usable 37.2 inches), and cargo space actually increases a bit. Behind the SUV’s rear seats is a luggage area of 24.8 cubic feet. The Sportback has 26.1. Fold those seats down, and the SUV’s maximum cargo volume expands to 53.1 cubic feet. The Sportback’s goes to 54.4 cubic feet. So, if anyone wanted to complain about the Sportback’s supposedly compromised practicality in pursuit of extra style, you can refute their arguments. To compare, the Tesla Model Y has a maximum cargo area of 76 cubic feet. And a tad more than 40 inches of rear legroom.

Either way, the Q4 e-tron has plenty of space, almost as much as the larger Q5. We also appreciate the wonderfully comfortable and supportive front seats. The overall interior design incorporates a low-clutter approach with refinement and flair — typical Audi, in other words. We’ve found just a few things might take a little getting used to, like the volume control on the steering wheel and the large switch-like gear shifter.

Two body styles

Typical SUV or sleeker Sportback — the Q4 e-tron offers a choice. Size-wise, the Q4 slots between the subcompact Q3 and the compact Q5. So it’s easy to park and maneuver, while not taking up too much garage space. The main design elements follow the usual Audi language of attractive understatement. We think that’s a good call, considering most Audi vehicles have weathered the years extremely well from an aesthetic point of view.

Our favorite features and tech

Squared-off steering wheel
Well, it’s flattened at the top and bottom, which makes it easier for drivers to slide their legs under, and it just looks kind of cool and futuristic. Like an Audi EV should.

Sportback
We’re all for people having choices, so kudos to Audi for providing the SUV-like Q4 e-tron and the arguably more stylish Q4 e-tron Sportback.

Starting price
Buyers would normally expect an Audi to be one of the costlier contenders because it’s a luxury marque from Germany. But compare the entry-level price of a 2024 Q4 e-tron with those of its rivals, and the dream of having a fine vehicle with that special 4-ringed badge seems more attainable.

Big bottle holder
Audi seems extremely keen on keeping its customers hydrated. There’s a big bottle holder built into the driver’s door, positioned perfectly for easy reach.

Sonos audio
Sonos built a reputation for making great home audio setups and Bluetooth speakers. Now, the company is supplying Audi with crisp and well-defined systems like the one in the top Prestige trim of the Q4 e-tron.

Augmented reality head-up display
Another feature in the Prestige trim, AR, will superimpose arrows on navigation instructions to make life easier for the driver. We’ve found that it doesn’t work so well with polarized sunglasses, though.

Battery and efficiency

All versions of the 2024 Q4 e-tron use an 82 kilowatt-hour (kWh) lithium-ion battery. This figure denotes a respectable amount of energy storage.

4-year/50,000-mile warranty

Audi’s new-car warranty lasts four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first. That’s par for the course among luxury marques, especially European manufacturers. The battery pack is covered for eight years or 100,000 miles.

Also see: The 2024 Volvo XC60 review: Elegant and modern, smooth as silk on the highway

Safety ratings

The Audi Q4 e-tron has been named a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and took a 5-Star overall score from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Standard safety equipment includes forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, intersection assistance, and blind-spot monitoring.

KBB’s car review methodology.

This story originally ran on KBB.com.