Audi’s New SUV Is The Perfect Family Car For EV Newcomers

Inside the Audi Q4 e-tron 45: motoring editor Jeremy Taylor and Jessica Talbot-Ponsonby drive a capable all-rounder.

Car Review: Audi Q4 e-tron 45

J-PT – As you know, our subject of conversation around the dinner table of late flits between Jilly Cooper’s Rivals and how to persuade our good friends down the lane to switch to an electric car.

JT – Rivals looks like your Gloucestershire childhood on film – we have to play ‘spot the location’ all the time when it’s on. I love the cars on screen, too: the Lotus Elan, Triumph Stag and that ancient Mini Clubman!

Back then, I lived in the Cotswolds and learnt to drive in an old Range Rover. My father played croquet by the lights of his Jaguar when it otherwise was too dark to play… Moving on, what car should our friends Mike and Emma buy?

They current run an ancient Land Rover which is about to grind to a halt and an old Jag, which is no good for towing a horsebox. They’ve never driven an electric car before and there is definitely some ‘resistance’ to change!

Which is where the Q4 e-tron comes in, I suppose?

Well, it ticks a lot of boxes because, although our test car was the entry-level Q4 45 with rear-wheel drive, if they specced up to a quattro model, the four-wheel drive is perfect for slippery fields and towing up to 1200kg.

Like it! And Mike being an interior designer with lots of posh clients, he would enjoy the premium band on the boot and the quality of the interior.

Indeed. The trim is plush and feels upmarket. He would also like the climate controls, which are proper switches, rather than a touch-sensitive screen with menus galore. Obviously, the infotainment screen operates many functions but it’s also idiot-proof and intuitive.

The cabin is a cut above the Skoda Enyaq and Ford Mustang Mach-E – two popular models in this class. There’s a decent boot, with a hidden underfloor compartment, plus space for the charging cables. It’s a shame owners have to pay extra for a space-saver spare wheel – and there’s also no front boot like many electric cars.

I agree, especially as you hit our first pothole of the season! With 282bhp on tap and a great turn of speed, the basic Q4 e-tron 45 should be the perfect car for anyone who want to transition to electric but also want to keep it simple.

Yes, EV ownership doesn’t get more straightforward than the Q4 e-tron. Prices start from £59,590, which is very competitive.

Lovely but not quite flash enough for a Rupert Campbell-Black?

We need to find a Ferrari for that…

EXPLORE

Learn more about the Audi Q4 e-tron 45 at audi.co.uk

Jessica Talbot-Ponsonby is Director of Programmes at London College of Fashion, studying for a PhD in sustainable e-textile design.