2024 Audi Q4 E-Tron SUVOTY Review: A Refresh Was Needed
The 2024 Q4 E-Tron is better than its predecessor, but are the improvements enough to achieve SUVOTY glory?
Pros
- Attractive exterior styling
- Surprisingly good on low-traction surfaces
- Firm but comfortable ride quality
Cons
- Interior materials are a letdown
- Charging speeds trail the best
- Steering needs more life
Audi was among the first legacy automakers to fire a response when Tesla rose to prominence, launching multiple E-Tron concepts and models over the past 15 years. Now many of the German automaker’s models are receiving midcycle updates, including the Audi Q4 E-Tron, a compact EV whose improvements went way beyond the typical feature shuffling. New battery chemistry, more range, updated styling, and more horsepower earned the Q4 an invite to our 2025 SUV of the Year test, but were they enough to put it in the mix for a win?
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What didn’t change much is the Q4 E-Tron's attractive sheetmetal. Audi rarely misses when it comes to exterior styling. “The design team did a good job making the Q4 look attractive and futuristic at the same time,” Mexico editor Miguel Cortina said. The Q4’s large grille, sculpted five-spoke wheels, and high beltline give it plenty of presence when parked or on the move, while LED head- and taillights add to the cool factor.
Unfortunately, the Q4’s interior proved something of a mixed bag. Some judges, such as digital director Erik Johnson, were pleased by the large stretch of wood on the dash; others were not impressed. Associate editor Alex Leanse was particularly put off by Audi’s choice of materials. “The abundance of hard plastic in this cabin is inexcusable,” he said. “One little piece of wood almost as black as the plastic itself doesn’t change how disappointing this interior is for anything vying for luxury consideration.” Technical director Frank Markus agreed: “I don’t find it fancy enough for the price”—just under $65,000 as tested—“or the brand image.”
All judges agreed the pre-refresh Audi Q4 E-Tron’s range was not up to snuff given its cost, especially when compared to competitors. The EPA rating for the 55 trim is now 258 miles, 22 more than before, though it’s worth noting real-world range is generally less and that the improvement merely moves the Q4 into the thick of the segment rather than to the top. When the range figure isn’t sensational, you better offer zippy charging. Unfortunately, even with this year’s improved charging speeds, the Q4 still trails the best in terms of how fast you can replenish its batteries.
We also bemoaned the steering; it’s improved but could still use more—or heck, any—feel. It’s more linear and responsive than before, which is good, but a sense of artificiality takes away any sportiness the Q4 may have had, making the personality of this car even more confusing.
Is this supposed to be a sporty urban runabout? The taut but comfortable ride suggests as much, but the lack of one-pedal driving and so-so steering seem at odds. Is it supposed to be a pampering luxury car? With knockout styling and a premium badge, that would seem to be the case, but the interior is a big letdown. If you’re shopping for a tidily sized luxury EV, you can do worse, but you can also do better. While the latest Q4 E-Tron is much improved, it largely became the vehicle it should have been at launch and wasn’t tapped as an SUVOTY finalist.
This review was conducted as part of our 2025 SUV of the Year (SUVOTY) testing, where each vehicle is evaluated on our six key criteria: efficiency, design, safety, engineering excellence, value, and performance of intended function. Eligible vehicles must be all-new or significantly revised.
Andrew Beckford’s passion for cars started as a middle schooler when his friend Richie explained how an internal combustion engine works. He was bitten by the bug and the rest, as they say, is history. He dug deep into the tuner scene and eventually wrote for Turbo Magazine, Import Tuner, Super Street. He covered car shows, feature builds, and reviewed racing games for those magazines in addition to covering motorsports including Formula Drift, Indy Car, and F1 for his personal blog. Eventually Beckford joined MotorTrend to cover the daily automotive news beat. Besides being a gearhead, Beckford has been a gamer since the ’80s and is a huge fan of the arcade racing games of the ’90s like Daytona USA, SEGA Rally, and Ridge Racer. Beckford’s a movie buff as well, especially comic book films from DC and Marvel. When car culture crosses over with gaming and entertainment, rest assured Beckford is aware of it. In addition to serving as a consultant on a “triple A” racing titles, he’s reviewed major racing games such as Forza Motorsport, Need for Speed, Gran Turismo, F1, and more. He’s also interviewed blockbuster directors including Steven Caple Jr. (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts) and Neill Blomkamp (Gran Turismo). His biggest profile to date was with Robert Downey Jr. on his love affair with cars and his show Downey’s Dream Cars on MAX. Beckford’s profile of Downey Jr. was the first print cover story written by an African American in MotorTrend’s history. Along with KJ Jones, Andrew Beckford also heads up MotorTrend’s celebration of Black History Month by spotlighting diverse voices in the automotive industry and motorsports. Beckford’s first car was a 1982 Nissan Stanza affectionately named “Stanley” by his late mother.
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