The Audi Q4 e-tron. (Audi Korea)
Many EVs currently available in the market feature futuristic and seamless designs, which have replaced the physical buttons in the center console with touch displays. This poses trouble for first-time drivers, who likely need some time to get used to the car's controls.
The Audi Q4 e-tron might be the best option for those hoping to jump right into an EV and be comfortable behind the wheel.
At first glance, during a media test drive of the Audi q4 e-tron on Jan. 31, the compact SUV's interior design does not appear to be a total makeover from previous models, resembling that of the Audi Q3 and Q5. The same could be said of the exterior design of the EV, which measured 4,590 millimeters in length, 1,865 millimeters in width and 1,620 millimeters in height.
The German automaker has taken a conservative approach for customers and hit all the right notes with its all-electric SUV.
“We think it’s important to make sure that our EVs do not give the feeling of awkwardness,” an Audi Korea official said. “The conservatively-upgraded design prevents any repulsive feelings against extreme changes.”
A view from the driver's seat in the Audi Q4 e-tron. (Audi Korea)
The Audi Q4 e-tron drives like a car with an internal-combustion engine. With a maximum of 204 horsepower and 31.6 kilogram-meters of torque, the EV accelerates and slows down smoothly. The Korea Herald reporter could not sense any jerky movements, which are commonly experienced in other EVs during speedy acceleration and deceleration without putting a foot on the brake pedal. The EV’s 0 to 100 kilometers per hour time is 8.5 seconds.
The Audi Q4 e-tron, which is equipped with an 82-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery, can travel up to 368 kilometers per full charge. The Korea Herald’s 90-kilometer test drive along highways and inner city roads between southern Gyeonggi Province and central Seoul consumed about 15 percent of the charged electricity.
The demand for the Audi Q4 e-tron has stayed at a high level since its launch in the country in September. According to Audi Korea, the automaker sold nearly 2,000 units in just over three months last year to record the biggest sales number among EV imports of premium compact SUVs in Korea.
The company said Korean customers would be able to receive their orders well after midyear if they signed the contract now. The starting price of the Audi Q4 e-tron is 59.7 million won ($48,300).
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