Price:
NIS 320,000
Competitors:
BMW iX1, Mercedes EQA, Lexus UX, Genesis GV60, Volvo XC40 electric
We liked:
space, trunk, range, price
We didn't like:
road behavior, human engineering
Score:
8/ 10
Audi was the pioneer of electric propulsion in the luxury category in 2019 when it landed the first Troon Island here. Since a lot of electricity flowed through the sockets, the traditional competitors crowded ranks and new competitors emerged from all sides. In the meantime, it has also expanded with its electric family, where at the sporty end is the Ei Tron GT, which shares a platform and assemblies with no less than the Porsche Taycan, and on the other end is the Q4 Ei Tron, its entry ticket to the electric world. It hit the roads exactly one year ago and has already had time to receive a mid-life refresh, which includes a significant increase in power and a minor improvement in range. 600 km on board made it clear to us what has changed.
Design:
good, so in appearance it hasn't really changed. The appearance remains solid, not flashy, very restrained, classic Audi in that sense. In fact, with the exception of the opaque grill on the front, there are almost no signs that betray the fact There are no pistons behind it, just a sealed box and cables running from it to the wheels. But it's not really different in that sense from the BMW X1 or Mercedes EQA, and the Volvo XC40 and Lexus UX are all packaged in looks that are similar to their petrol versions and the exact opposite of competitors like the Genesis GV60.
Passenger cabin:
There is no real change in the passenger cabin either, for better or for worse. For the good, the driver's environment is clear and easy to navigate and operate in the first second you sit in it, the quality of materials is good in all the places where your hands will reach, the seats are comfortable even over time and the slight tilt of the central console towards the driver is also welcome. What is he less good at? The driving position itself is fine, but the design of the dashboard creates acres of plastic between the driver and the windshield, a recipe for reflections and a lot of room for dust. dust that also stands out on the black finish, a piano in the central console where there is also the arrangement of the direction of the audio volume that is almost the most irritating there is, a kind of touch pad that rotating the finger clockwise increases the intensity and decreases it to the other side - the level of accuracy: like a UAV from Iran. Also the unnecessarily truncated steering wheel I would replace with a normal one.
The space in the back is good for two, I wouldn't seat three adults here, maybe not even three children due to its structure, but the floor structure is at least completely flat and those sitting here have air conditioning vents and separate controls. They will have to charge phones before leaving, because you won't find USB sockets here.
The trunk has 520 liters of volume, that's a lot, actually the biggest in its group. But more than that, it is simply built correctly with a wide key and a convenient loading threshold. It's just that with all this volume - there's no room left for a spare wheel?
Equipment:
The Q4 i Tron comes in one trim level, nicely equipped. 10.25-inch dashboard and 10.1-inch multimedia system with Android and Apple connectivity, parking sensors, 3-zone climate control, electric front seats with memory for the driver, partial leather upholstery, electric trunk opening, panoramic roof, and more. To these you can add the tech package that includes peripheral cameras, a navigation system, assistance in traffic jams, an overhead display with augmented reality and a SONOS audio system. The price of the package - 28 thousand shekels. The list of safety systems includes vehicle detection in a "dead zone", warning when a door is opened when a passing vehicle is detected, lane departure correction and adaptive cruise control.
Performance:
The pre-facelift Q4 E Tron came with 204 hp, performance was reasonable, nothing more. This round it gets an engine boost and now has 285 hp. An improvement seen in all models of the group that share the platform with it, such as Volkswagen I.D4, Skoda Aniac and others. It still doesn't deliver the power kick of streetcars, but the quick responses and power availability are definitely improved. At least in the sensations they transmit more vigor than its official 6.7 seconds to 100 km/h. Even in the economical mode you get a car with a decent pace and in the other modes, managing the regenerative braking system from levers behind the steering wheel is still the best driver interface solution.
Power consumption:
the model's battery Remained unchanged - 77 kWh, but according to the manufacturer, its management system and the chemical composition of the batteries in the cells have been improved. I myself avoid chemical substances in batteries, so I did not taste. In any case, the good power consumption it had in the past has been preserved and even improved. Calm administrative driving produced an electricity consumption of 15 kWh per 100 km. This means a practical range of a little more than 500 km. In the summary of the test in the weighting of the dynamic sections, the consumption stabilized at 17.9 kWh per 100 km, which means a practical range of 430 km.
Comfort and behavior:
with rear-wheel drive, 285 hp and even an interesting combination of tires with different sizes for the front and rear (235/55 in the front and 255/50 in the back), there was some thought in the mind about what was going to be here and they were happy. And in practice it was tight under control On the roll angles of the chassis, accurate in its response to steering, lots of grip - but I wouldn't put it near the sporty marker of its group - the iX1 lacks the communication from the steering wheel, the precision from the brakes (drums at the back, according to Audi, the main braking in trams is done in combination. of the engine with the front brakes)
the urban comfort is good as long as it is about bumps or moderate dents, it is less successful on breaks, the shocks are calibrated on the hard side to support its weight and it is difficult in the fast action of shrink-back. It improves outside the city and at a speed of 60-70 km/h and north. The noise insulation is very good up to the speed of highway 6 and north of it.
The bottom line
For years, Audi proudly carried the motto "advance through technology" or Vorsprung Durch Technik as my grandmother used to say. It had many good reasons, since the introduction of the quattro drive, pioneers in the field of turbo diesel engines (ok, that story ended not so well...), in safety, in semi-autonomous capabilities.
Even in the electrical field, Audi was innovative at the time with the original Tron Island, but in the case of the Q4, it mainly shows progress through conservatism. It does not make revolutions here in design, performance, behavior but does offer the complete package of space, comfort, range and nice accessories. For all of this, with a negligible increase in price from its original price in light of the tax increase, it also offers this round something that cannot always be said about Audi - an attractive price (relative to its group, yes?). Not only against the other two Germans, but also against cars with a good value proposition in their own right like the Genesis GV60.
In short, if you're looking for electric luxury that doesn't look like that, it's totally a worthy recommendation.
On the technical side: Audi Q4 and Tron
Engine, drive:
electric, rear
power/torque:
55.6/285
gearbox:
single gear
Dimensions:
length (m):
4.59
width (m):
1.86
height (m):
1.63
wheelbase (cm):
276
Trunk (liters):
520
Performance:
0-100 acceleration (seconds):
6.7
Maximum speed (km/h):
180
Power consumption (test):
17.9 kWh per 100 km
Power consumption (manufacturer):
16.9 kWh per 100 km
Range (test):
430 km
Range (manufacturer):
525 km
Safety:
European crash test rating:
5 stars
Active safety:
lane departure correction, vehicle detection in the "dead zone" ", automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, warning of opening a door to an unoccupied lane