Sport:

Features include:

• 19" x 8.0J 5-W-spoke 'aero' alloy wheels, Graphite grey, gloss turned finish
• LED headlights with LED daytime running light, LED rear lights
• Contrast bumpers in Manhattan grey paint finish
• Front Sport seats in Twin Leather with integrated head restraints
• MMI Navigation Plus with 11.6" touch screen display
• Audi Virtual Cockpit
• 3 zone automatic air conditioning with remote preconditioning

S line:

In addition or replacement to Sport, S line trim highlights include:

• 20" x 8.0J (front) 9.0 J (rear) 5-Y-spoke alloy wheels
• S line exterior styling with Privacy glass
• Front sport seats with 'S' embossed logo in Pulse cloth / leatherette with integrated head restraints
• Ambient lighting package

Black Edition:

In addition or replacement to S line, Edition 1 trim highlights include:

• 20" x 8.0J (front) 9.0J (rear) 5-V-spoke polygon style Audi Sport alloy wheels, matt Titanium grey, gloss turned finish
• Audi Matrix LED headlights with digital light signatures, dynamic light sequencing and dynamic indicators
• Full body colour paint finish
• Black styling pack
• Front sport seats with 'S' embossed logo in Twin leather with integrated head restraint
• Electrically adjustable seats with memory function for driver seat and exterior mirrors
• Flat top and bottomed twin-spoke leather multi-function Sport steering wheel with shift paddles for recuperation

What is it?

The electric car market is getting larger all the time, and the latest addition is this, the Audi Q4 e-tron. It expands the Audi electric vehicle range, joining the e-tron and e-tron GT, with this model expected to be the big-seller.

There’s a lot of pressure on this car to be good, then, as Audi goes so far as to claim it will become its second best-selling car overall, behind the hugely popular A3 hatchback.

What’s new?

The Q4 uses the Volkswagen Group MEB platform that underpins various EVs including the Skoda Enyaq iV and Volkswagen ID.3. That means that not only will the Q4 have plenty of rivals from other firms, it will also be going up against various cars that it is closely related to.

The interior gets the usual mix of modern design and high-tech technology we expect from Audi, with a big focus on practicality.

What’s under the bonnet?

We tested the Q4 e-tron 40 which has a rear-mounted electric motor and a 77kWh battery. It’s the largest battery available on the car and in this trim has a 316-mile range. It also has 125kW charging capacity, which means it takes just 38 minutes to go from five to 80 per cent capacity.

It’s pretty quick, too, with a 0-60mph time of 8.3 seconds thanks to a power output of 201bhp and 310Nm of torque. The Q4 e-tron 50 is also available for those who want more performance.

What’s it like to drive?

The Q4 e-tron has the typical enjoyable attributes of an electric vehicle, moving off quickly and silently and providing an incredibly relaxing driving experience. The ride can jostle you about a bit at slower speeds, but once you get going it smooths out and become more comfortable.

We found the best way to drive was in ‘B’ mode, which cranks up the regenerative braking to its maximum level and means you rarely need to brake in normal driving.

How does it look?

It’s safe to say Audi has nailed the design of the Q4 as it looks brilliant. The front end is dominated by the front grille, but it works with the car’s proportions. You can also customise the design of the headlights, which is a gimmick but still quite fun to use.

There’s also a Sportback version of the Q4, which brings a more streamlined roof shape that adds a little coupe style to the mix.

What’s it like inside?

The first thing you’ll notice when jumping in the Q4 is that the wheel is an almost-square shape. Although it looks like it could be awkward to use, in practice it works really well – though the plastic buttons fitted to it feel a little cheap and flimsy.

That’s just about the only complaint though, as there are high-end materials used throughout and plenty of space on offer. Boot space measures 520 litres and can be increased to almost 1,500 litres with the rear seats folded – decent numbers, but not quite as much as you get in the Enyaq.

What’s the spec like?

We tested a model in Sport trim, which starts at £44,275. That’s quite a lot of money, but the standard equipment makes up for it, including 19-inch alloy wheels and a 10.1-inch infotainment screen.

We also had a bunch of options ticked that boosted our price to £52,685, including Matrix LED headlights (£1,075), 20-inch alloy wheels (£660), and that quirky steering wheel, which is a £285 upgrade.

Verdict

The Audi Q4 e-tron is yet another excellent electric vehicle. It feels like a real turning point for Audi, which is transitioning its range towards EVs with this spearheading its sales efforts.

Perhaps its toughest battle will come from within the Volkswagen Group, as it shares its underpinnings with so many other rivals that also cost less. It remains to be seen whether the premium allure of the Audi badge will be enough to make it a sales success.