2022 Audi Q4 e-tron: The electric crossover was worth the wait

Enlarge / The Audi Q4 e-tron is available in two body styles, this is the Sportback variant. Audi

LOS ANGELES, CALIF.—When Dieselgate hit the headlines in 2014, it fundamentally changed the way the Volkswagen Group and its associated sub-brands, from Volkswagen to Lamborghini, had to think about cars. Diesel got a big black mark, and electric vehicles got a well-deserved bump in the race for a more sustainable way to meet the ever-growing demand for personal transportation.

The scandal accelerated Volkswagen's efforts to go fully electric by 2033 and spurred investment in a US network of EV chargers (which still leave much to be desired), but the rollout of EVs themselves has been slow to say the least. .

Audi, one of the VW Group's luxury automakers, has been slowly rolling out a suite of new electric vehicles that started with the e-tron SUV, e-tron Sportback and e-tron GT sport tourer and more recently includes the Q4 e-tron in typical crossover and Sportback form. The Q4 e-tron was announced in February 2021 and was originally expected to debut in the US in mid to late 2021.

Fast forward into the current state of global affairs, and Audi's entry-level crossover is only only beginning to arrive in the United States. The delays were a direct result of everything from the ongoing war in Ukraine to pandemic-induced chip shortages. While it's odd to get a first drive of a 2022 model in July 2022, the short time we've spent with the compact crossover on the roads around Malibu, Calif., and again with a version Sportback around LA sprawl, proves it was worth the wait.

A platform shared with the Volkswagen ID.4

We spent three short hours working around the hills of Malibu and Topanga Canyon on a sunny July afternoon with some of the very first versions of the 2022 Audi Q4 50 e-tron in the Premium Plus version of intermediate level. All Q4 e-trons in the US will be referred to as "Q4 50 e-trons", but there are three trim levels: Premium, Premium Plus and Prestige. The 2022 Audi Q4 50 e-tron gets an 82 kWh battery capacity (77 usable kWh - the same as the Volkswagen ID.4) and an EPA-estimated battery range of up to 241 miles ( 388km). Audi says the crossover and Sportback version will do 0-60 mph in 5.8 seconds. An asynchronous motor up front and a permanent synchronous motor in the rear provide standard all-wheel drive for the full range, with 295 hp (220 kW) and 339 lb-ft (460 Nm).

Enlarge / This is the "regular" Audi Q4 e-tron, which you can recognize by the straighter tailgate. Audi

At the base Premium trim, you get plenty of luxury amenities including three-zone automatic climate control, leather seating surfaces, uniquely shaped interior armrests that can hold a water bottle , Audi's 10.1-inch MMI infotainment touchscreen and a stellar digital instrument cluster. You also get Audi's suite of safety technologies, including the Audi pre-sense base and front crash system and Audi side assist with rear cross-traffic assist, lane departure warning and a reversing camera with washer system. You also get standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus uniquely configurable LED headlights. When the car is fitted with Matrix headlights in the Prestige Plus finish, ...