Audi Q4 e-tron priced under $89K

Audi Australia this week staged the local premiere of the 2024 Audi Q4 e-tron, where an entry-level price of $88,300 plus on-road costs for the Q4 45 e-tron has been confirmed.

The sleek new mid-size premium electric SUV has been a long time coming following its global reveal 2021, and four model grades will finally arrive in Australian Audi dealerships by mid-2024, says the luxury auto brand.

They will comprise single-motor, rear-wheel drive ‘45’ models and dual-motor all-wheel drive ‘55’ variants available in both regular wagon and coupe-like Sportback body styles, maxxing out at $109,500 plus ORCs for the Audi Q4 Sportback 55 e-tron quattro.

Both entry-level Q4 45 e-tron body styles – SUV and Sportback – are priced at $88,300 plus ORCs, which means they just slide underneath the luxury car tax (LCT) threshold for fuel-efficient vehicles, which is set at $89,332.

Scroll down for full 2024 Audi Q4 e-tron pricing, but as it stands the new EV is competitively positioned against rivals like the BMW iX3 (from $89,100).

Australia’s top-selling mid-size electric SUV (and EV overall) so far in 2023 is the Tesla Model Y ($65,400).

Along with pricing details, Audi Australia has confirmed powertrains, battery packs and some standard features for locally-delivered Q4 e-tron vehicles, but it hasn’t revealed the EV’s driving range or recharging times.

Overseas models have a range of around 530km.

Audi says it’s logged thousands of expressions of interest for the new model in Australia, but is yet to officially open the order book for the new EV.

Based on the same MEB platform architecture as other Volkswagen Group mid-size electric EVs like the Skoda Enyaq and VW ID.4, all Q4 e-tron model grades come with a 77kW lithium-ion battery pack.

Entry-level Q4 45 e-tron models incorporate a single rear-mounted electric motor (210kW/545Nm), giving the rear-drive prestige SUV a claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time of 6.7 seconds.

Standard features for all Q4 e-tron SUVs include leather-appointed seats, tri-zone automatic climate control, the latest digital instrument cluster (aka virtual cockpit) and a powered tailgate. Exterior features like LED headlights and metallic paint are also included.

Up-spec Q4 55 e-trons come with dual e-motors that bang out more power (250kW/679Nm) and deliver more respectable acceleration, with the 0-100km/h sprint claimed to take 5.4 seconds.

Equipment bonuses for the faster, more expensive Q4 e-tron variants will include Matrix LED headlights with four custom DRL ‘digital signatures’ and an S line sports body kit, along with interior upgrades like ambient LED cabin lights, progressive steering, sports front seats and a more advanced virtual cockpit.

Sales of EVs are snowballing in Australia, led largely by Tesla and emergent Chinese brands such as BYD, but Audi is confident its all-new Audi Q4 e-tron will find favour with luxury car buyers.

A NZ-spec vehicle was presented to automotive media ahead of its Aussie market launch in mid-2024 and the new Audi Q4 e-tron is a case of better late than never for the brand, which has blamed its delayed arrival on increasing global demand for the EV but also a lack of local CO2 emissions regulations.

“It’s the first time we’ve had a BEV in this segment so it’s important for us and as a manufacturer we’ve probably been a little bit lax on bringing the car,” Audi Australia director, Jeff Mannering, admitted to carsales.

Audi’s local chief said getting the price under the LCT threshold for green vehicles is a fillip for the brand. Its next most affordable EV is the larger $153,900 Audi e-tron SUV – which will soon be renamed the Q8 e-tron.

“It was important to get the Q4 e-tron price position correct. We’ve got it under the [LCT green car] threshold and it’s the first time we’ve had a car that gets the incentives from the government which is really important,” said Mannering.

Audi currently has no options in the entry-level luxury EV market segment, despite feedback from its dealerships revealing that customers regularly ask when a sub-$100,000 EV will be available.

“What does Audi have in this space? Up until now we haven’t had so much. We’ve had e-tron SUVs and the e-tron GT [flagship grand tourer], but these are 160, 170 and 200,000 dollar cars,” said Mannering.

“So now we’re getting near the $88,000 mark. We’ve now got the Q4 e-tron in that segment and, yes, it sits at the upper end of the segment, but it’s a really important car for us.”

Mannering hinted that the next 12 to 24 months would see an acceleration of all-new e-tron models landing in Australian showrooms.

Check out our first drive of the Audi Q4 e-tron from Germany earlier this year and stay tuned for more details on the upcoming model, along with our first drive of Aussie-spec vehicles as we edge towards mid-2024.

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