AUDI Q4 E-TRON SPORTBACK

As we swap Audi for Audi, let’s play a game of spot the difference

- MARK TISSHAW

MILEAGE 3611

WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To find out whether Audi can retain its premium appeal in the EV age

After a couple of recent short teasers, this is our first chance to fully welcome the Sportback version of the Audi Q4 E-tron to our fleet. Which, as mentioned in one of those teasers, is pretty much exactly the same as the Q4 E-tron that it has replaced, just with more of a sloping roof. It’s also in Sport trim and has the same 77kWh battery and 201bhp single-motor ‘40’ drivetrain for rear-wheel drive.

There are more differences than that, though. For stats fans, the drag coefficient is lower than the standard Q4 (dropping from 0.28 to 0.27), thanks to that faster roofline.

The boot is bigger, at 535 litres versus 520 litres, which surprised me to learn, as I would naturally expect the sleeker model’s to be smaller. This has been borne out by the usable space when I’ve loaded it up; there’s nothing between the pair. Style over substance? Not here, and therein lies the appeal of the Sportback version.

Head room for rear passengers decreases a touch (as does boot space when the rear seats are folded down, dropping 30 litres to 1460), and it feels less airy back there by a hair-splitting amount.