2025 Audi Q4 e-tron 45 review

2025 Audi Q4 Sportback 45 e-tron

Audi’s broad regeneration of new models continues with the electric Q4 Sportback 45 e-tron. It’s something of a mouthful, but what we have here is effectively Audi’s most affordable electric car.

Well, that’s not entirely true. This Sportback variant does add a couple of thousand dollars into the equation in return for dropping that roof line down in a sleek, less wagon-style shape.

But with a mid-$80,000 asking price, does this electrified vehicle make sense as a premium SUV that cuts close to the mainstream in terms of price?

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How much is an Audi Q4 e-tron?

Priced from $86,500 before on-road costs, the Audi Q4 e-tron competes with a wide cross-section of electric cars at similar prices. On one hand, there are some Kias and Hyundais at this price point, while there are also the Polestar 4, Cupra and some Volvos. And of course, don’t forget about Audi’s traditional rivals like Mercedes-Benz and BMW, who both have similarly priced and sized electric offerings.

There’s a huge array of choice, and that’s before one even considers the tsunami of options priced in the $50,000 and $60,000 ranges, with things like Teslas, XPengs, BYDs and Volkswagens available.

While this Audi does not necessarily compete on a spec-sheet shootout with the trove of cheaper options, it instead looks to win over buyers through some elements that are characteristic for the four-ringed brand: smart design, a sharp driving experience and plenty of overall polish.

Similar to the platform-sharing ID.4 and ID.5 SUVs from Volkswagen, the Audi Q4 benefits from getting much improved core credentials in the year 2025.

The ’45’ part denotes a rear-wheel-drive powertrain with a single electric motor making 210kW and 545Nm fed by an 82kWh (gross) battery pack that gives a stout claimed driving range of 540km between recharges.

With a 400V electric architecture and 175kW peak charging times, Audi claims the Q4 e-tron can charge from 10 to 80 per cent in around 28 minutes (under ideal conditions).

In terms of standard equipment, the Q4 Sportback 45 e-tron is perhaps surprisingly sparse in its most basic form. There’s manual seat adjustment and no seat ventilation, for example, but there are some nice things: a choice of leather-appointed or S-Line cloth seats, LED headlights, a powered tailgate, three-zone climate control and heated front seats.

Those who want a 360-degree camera will need to spend more, and for the matrix LED headlights, a head-up display and progressive-ratio steering.

Somewhat strangely, only the more expensive variant of the Q4 e-tron gets adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, as well as lane-centring assistance. This is only available through an optional pack in the variant that we have on test.

Key details	2025 Audi Q4 Sportback 45 e-tron
Price	$86,500 plus on-road costs
Colour of test car	Geyser Blue Metallic: $1350
Options	Panoramic glass sunroof: $2250 Black exterior styling package: $1153.85 S-Line interior package: No cost Style Package: $800 – Privacy glass – 20-inch alloy wheels in 5-Y-spoke design, Graphite Grey – Colour ambient interior lighting Comfort Package: $2200 – Electric front seats – Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, active lane assistance and emergency assistance – 360-degree camera – Park assist plus – Memory feature for front driver’s seat and exterior mirrors
Price as tested	$95,114 (incl. GST & LCT)
Rivals	Mercedes-Benz EQB | Polestar 4 | BMW iX2

Audi Q4 e-tron best deals

Being a new model, the Audi Q4 e-tron is thin on the ground as a second-hand offering. However, you’re still well served to see what kind of deal you can get on a new model via Drive Marketplace.

Find your nearest Audi dealer via this link, and see what they have available for a test drive. And follow more news on the Audi Q4 e-tron here, which includes some talk about a possible new entry-level model in the future.

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How big is an Audi Q4 e-tron?

You might not expect it, but the Audi Q4 Sportback 45 e-tron is slightly longer and wider than the Volkswagen ID.4, which means even though it’s not as big as the Q5 (4689mm) or Q6 e-tron (4771mm), you can still get away with calling this car a medium-sized SUV.

It’s interesting to note that going against conventional thinking, the available boot space of the Q4 Sportback is actually more than the regular Q4 wagon, with 520 litres growing to 535L in this case (despite having the same overall length).

Of course, the shape of the boot is different here, and a more squared-off space is likely to be more usable in the real world. But, the liftback-style opening does give good access to the space in the case of this Sportback body style.

Further forward inside the Q4, you’ve get an interior experience that is very typical for Audi: dark, sleek and sharp in terms of both some design elements and the overall feel.

The interior has loads of different and soft-touch materials, which includes the full run of the deep dashboard, all the way to the base of the windscreen – a place you’ll never touch. If if you make the reaching effort, you’ll find it spongy and not scratchy.

There is a heavily raked windscreen used here, which is no doubt done for the aerodynamic gains and eking out all of the efficiency from that battery under the floor. As part of the design, you’ve got a huge, flat dashtop area between the steering wheel and windscreen.

There’s also a lot of gloss black used in the cabin, which looks great but does pick up a lot of smudging and scratches easily. So watch out for those big bangles and keep a microfibre cloth handy for the occasional wipe-down.

The layout of the interior is nice and tastefully done, and the implementation of the gear shifter – different to others I have seen before – is intuitive to use.

There’s a labyrinth of storage underneath and around the centre console area, with a complex arrangement of nooks and crannies to choose from. This includes a wireless charging pad and a few other small areas. There are also two USB-C power outlets, a 12-volt plug, two cupholders and a narrow but deep centre console.

Bottle holders sit high in each front door, reminding me of Colonel Mortimer’s holster in For a Few Dollars More. It works well, though, and it frees up space for more of your stuff lower down.

The steering wheel looks and feels great, but some of the buttons are easily pressed by accident when you’re turning the wheels quickly. 

Even though they are not a full leather seat, the cloth is quite nice. And double-check the so-called ‘leather’ you’re getting elsewhere, which is often an oil-based synthetic material that mimics leather as much as possible.

Houndstooth materials on the S-Line look sharp, and the ergonomics are spot on with plenty of good adjustment available. And for those who want to look down on a cloth seat at this price point, I get where you’re coming from. But at the same time, lots of leathers these days are a fake oil-derived product (fancy vinyl almost), and I think a classy partial cloth like we have here is a nicer end product.

In the second row, space is better than you might think. There are air vents, air-conditioning controls and power outlets back here, along with the requisite fold-down armrest with cupholders. Leg room, head room and toe space is all in good supply despite the raked-down roof line.

	2025 Audi Q4 Sportback 45 e-tron
Seats	Five
Boot volume	535L seats up 1460L seats folded
Length	4591mm
Width	1865mm
Height	1602mm
Wheelbase	2773mm

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Does the Audi Q4 e-tron have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?

The Q4 infotainment screen – integrated into the dashboard – isn’t one of these gigantic ones that we are seeing so often these days. But let’s be honest with ourselves: it’s plenty big enough, and works well with the rest of the interior layout. But if you’re a straight digital acre chaser, you might feel slightly hard done by the 11.6 inches available here.

Screen size helps to accommodate some common-sense climate controls, with a row of physical buttons still on the dashboard to make life easy.

There’s wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as native navigation that works in concert with the 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. However, no digital radio is a bit of a miss for this model, and a lack of AM radio reception could be an annoyance for others.

However, the operating system is cleanly designed and easy to use, giving all of your important functions – along with a snappy response time and bright display – for everyday usage.

Another omission for the Audi Q4 is connectivity to Audi’s remote services and connectivity app, which is available on your smartphone (and other Audi vehicles) but is not accommodated by the vehicle.

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Is the Audi Q4 e-tron a safe car?

Because the Audi Q4 e-tron has been available in other markets around the world for a few years now, there is a Euro NCAP crash rating available – which has been transposed into the annals of the Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).

It’s a rating that dates back to 2021, when testing requirements weren’t as strict as they are today. However, results are still pertinent, getting 93 per cent for adult occupants and 89 per cent protection for child occupants. Vulnerable road users (pedestrians) get a 66 per cent protection rating, while the Audi’s onboard safety systems get a 71 per cent rating.

	2025 Audi Q4 Sportback 45 e-tron
ANCAP rating	Five stars (tested 2021)
Safety report	Link to ANCAP report

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What safety technology does the Audi Q4 e-tron have?

As the table below shows, there is plenty of safety equipment included in the Audi Q4 Sportback 45 e-tron. However, getting the full complement will require buyers to either look at the higher-specced variants, or dip into the options list (like what we have here).

At least, the technology that we have included in our test vehicle is not the kind to get in the way of your everyday driving. There’s no driver monitoring camera, which can often be the prime suspect for such annoyances.

Other elements, like lane assistance, blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control all worked well during our time with the car.

At a glance		2025 Audi Q4 Sportback 45 e-tron
Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)	Yes	Including intersection assist
Adaptive Cruise Control	Yes	Traffic jam stop-and-go assist optional
Blind Spot Alert	Yes	Includes side exit assist
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert	Yes	Alert and assist functions
Lane Assistance	Yes	Lane-departure warning, lane-centring assist, lane-keep assist optional
Road Sign Recognition	Yes	Includes speed limit assist
Driver Attention Warning	Yes	Behaviour-based
Cameras & Sensors	Yes	Front and rear sensors, rear camera, 360-degree camera optional

How much does the Audi Q4 e-tron cost to service?

Servicing costs are kept very simple for the Audi Q4 e-tron and are impressively cheap. Just $1900 gets you six years’ worth of servicing costs requiring a visit every two years or 30,000km. The five-year and unlimited-kilometre car warranty is backed up by an eight-year and 160,000km warranty for the high-voltage battery.

Insurance is set at $3281.84 per year, which is a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

At a glance	2025 Audi Q4 Sportback 45 e-tron
Warranty	Five years, unlimited km
Battery warranty	Eight years, 160,000km
Service intervals	24 months or 30,000km
Servicing costs	$1900 (6 years)

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What is the range of an Audi Q4 e-tron?

With a claimed range of 16.9kWh per 100 kilometres and 77kWh of usable capacity in the battery, there is a 524km driving range between recharges for the Q4 Sportback 45 e-tron. It’s worth noting that both the single electric motor powertrain and Sportback body style combine to make the most efficient and long-range option possible.

It’s a big figure, and likely more than enough for most users to get what they need out of the car. And with a 175kW charging capacity on a DC charger, you can get from 10 to 80 per cent in around half an hour, which is pretty good. There are faster charging EVs out there, but this is good regardless.

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What is the Audi Q4 e-tron like to drive?

As luck may have it, my time with this particular Audi EV was close to some time I spent with the closely related Volkswagen ID.4 Pro (and up-specced ID.5). Two cars, similar underpinnings, but with different price points and market positions.

In a nutshell, this Audi is a nicer drive. It’s not a stratospheric difference, but it’s certainly noticeable after a period behind the wheel. There was an impressive balance between assurance and comfort in the ride quality, and it didn’t feel as weighty as some other EVs through the steering and suspension.

Once you start pushing things along more, the Q4 e-tron has a more clearly sporting edge when you start looping your way through the back roads. The steering feels particularly good for a 2145kg electric vehicle, being sharp and fluent in direction changes and mid-corner adjustments.

But at the same time, that pudding ain’t over-egged for regular around-town driving, with a relaxed demeanor for the everyday tootle.

Particularly, the Q4 doesn’t suffer from the same soggy brake pedal as the Volkswagen does, which is an important consideration for those who want a nicely dialled driving experience. It’s not as nice to brake as a nice hydraulic system – something all EVs share in some degree – but it’s certainly a nicer feel overall.

Perhaps most importantly, there is a lot of smooth, quiet and insulated driving to be had around the suburbs in this electric Audi. It feels premium and refined, which is exactly what you would expect at this price point.

Now, is it so much better to justify the extra spend over a Volkswagen or the ocean of other electric options available? You’ll need to weigh up the design, interior layout, style and level of standard kit to make up your mind, and whether this Audi’s juice is worth the extra squeeze.

In the case of this rear-wheel-drive model, there’s ample power and responsiveness from the 210kW and 545Nm outputs, with power going down through the 235/50 R20 rubber with smart control and a well-balanced accelerator pedal. As is the case with all electric cars, there’s no shortage of initial torque to get out of the hole. Once you’re up to speed, there’s a less manic sense of acceleration, but there’s enough here to sate most desires.

Of course, those who want more overall can opt for the twin-motor ’55’ variant at a higher price point.

Key details	2025 Audi Q4 Sportback 45 e-tron
Engine	Single electric motor, rear-wheel drive
Power	210kW
Torque	545Nm
Drive type	Rear-wheel drive
Transmission	Two-stage planetary gearbox with single gear
Power-to-weight ratio	97.9 kW/t
Weight	2145kg
Spare tyre type	Tyre repair kit
Tow rating	1000kg braked 750kg unbraked
Turning circle	10.2m

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Can an Audi Q4 e-tron tow?

You probably won’t be surprised to learn this electric Audi isn’t an excellent choice as a tow pig. There’s a 1000kg braked towing capacity, which does open up the opportunity to drag some smaller camper trailers around on holiday. But, expect to cop a big reduction in your driving range if you do so.

There’s also a 750kg unbraked towing capacity, which is par for the course and gives you the opportunity to tow a regular-sized box trailer.

Should I buy an Audi Q4 e-tron?

While it might be low on frills, this entry-level electric offering does make for a high-fidelity driving experience. The ride and steering are excellent, and the interior design and layout are nice as well. It’s a big jump in asking price over the bone-sharing Volkswagen ID.4, but you can sense where the improvements are.

Of course, whether those upgrades are truly worth it will be up to the buyer.

The driving range and energy efficiency are impressive, and there is enough space inside for a growing family to fit in comfortably. Plus, it looks impressively sleek inside and out.

The BMW iX2 looks to be the closest competitor on size and specification, offering similar sizing and performance. But, this Audi is well worth consideration.

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