Audi Q4 Sportback review finds the perfect luxury EV salary sacrifice option

The Audi Q4 Sportback will appeal to those looking to make the most of tax incentives.

Salary workers would be salivating at the thought of four electrified rings.

The new Audi Q4 makes the most of government incentives and could be in garages courtesy of novated leases for about $300 a week.

With prices starting from less than $90,000, the Q4 is the least expensive e-tron we’ve seen from Audi. That also means it undercuts the Luxury Car Tax threshold so it’s eligible for fringe benefit tax exemptions, which brings the leases into play and opens the door to a whole new market.

Aptly named as it slots between the Q3 and Q5 in terms of size, the Q4 sits on the Volkswagen group’s (that also owns Audi) modular electric drive platform, which has also been used for its Q5 sibling, the groovy VW ID Buzz, as well as the Cupra Born and Tavascan.

The Q4 comes in SUV or Sportback body styles and two performance flavours, the 45 e-tron that just powers the front wheels, or the 55 e-tron that we tested and boasts all-wheel drive power – but also sees the cost push past $100,000.

What do you get?

Looking sleek and muscular in Sportback guise, the 21-inch alloys fill the expansive wheel arches, then on the inside it has a flat top and bottom steering wheel, stainless steel pedals and matt brushed aluminium inlays.

Other nice kit includes three-zone aircon, electric tailgate with gesture control, ‘S’ embossed leather-trimmed seats, central 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen, heated front seats, 10.25-inch driver instruments display and wireless phone mirroring apps.

Our test car did have nearly $10,000 worth of extras courtesy of metallic paint ($1755), panoramic sunroof ($2925) and the $4700 Premium Plus package that incorporates tinted glass, 10-speaker Sonos stereo system, black exterior styling pack and exterior mirrors, along with an augmented reality head-up display.

Grey is the only solid colour that doesn’t attract a $1755 premium, with black, two shades of blue, violet, silver, another grey hue and white all metallic options.

The Q4 has been available overseas for a few years but the latest models now available Down Under can charge quicker than the initial offerings – using a 175kW public charger the Q4 can shift from 10 to 80 per cent in about 28 minutes. Three-phase 11kW home chargers can replenish the battery in about 12 hours.

Running costs are among the best you’ll find in the prestige realm. The prepaid deal of $1900 covers three services with intervals every two years or 30,000km. It also comes with six years of roadside assist.

All Audi e-trons come with a year’s free subscription for the Chargefox network.

Interior features of the Audi Q4 Sportback 55 e-tron quattro included a flat top and bottom steering wheel, central 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen, 10.25-inch driver instruments display and a wireless phone charger.

How was the drive?

Cornering flat and feeling nimble, despite tipping the scales at 2235kg, the Q4 offers composure and fuss-free driving.

Riding on the massive 21-inch alloys it feels harsh ruts and potholes, yet maintains surprising composure under the majority of circumstances.

Quicker than the front-wheel drive versions, the Quattro models manage the 0-100km/h sprint in 5.4 seconds. That’s reasonably quick – but not insanely fast like some EVs.

The steering feels light and lacks road feel when the going gets twisty. It rekindled memories of Audis from the early 2000s.

Cabin serenity is assured and it boasts impressive boot space that easily swallowed our weekly family grocery shop of about 10 bags, while the door-top bottle holders are brilliant – it’s a new benchmark and will be loved by those who like their H2O within close reach.

Audi claims average consumption of just under 18kWh/100km, but we only got close to that on an easy highway journey. Our test saw an average of 21.6kWh/100km

The Audi Q4 Sportback 55 e-tron quattro costs more than $110,000 once on-road costs are covered.

Would you buy one?

Kel: For some reason I didn’t gel with the Q4, which is unusual for Audis and my preferences. Great looks and easy to drive, it was nice but wasn’t remarkable. We recently drove the SQ6 e-tron which was more expensive but I could see and feel the technology advancements. I could happily live with a Q4, but I’d want more value before becoming an owner.

Grant: While we drove the 55 all-wheel drive derivative, it would be hard to pass up the benefits of the cheaper 45 models. Leasing benefits offer the best bang for buck when it comes to the Q4, which is a great family runabout EV. For those who want badge kudos, it’s a predictable drive with anxiety free-range.

Originally published as Audi Q4 Sportback review finds the perfect luxury EV salary sacrifice option