AGOURA HILLS, Calif. — The Audi This autumn E-Tron doesn’t appear to get the eye it in all probability deserves. Maybe as a result of it seems to be a lot like different small Audi crossovers, it blends into the gang and is falsely assumed to be just like the Mercedes EQB – the electrical model of an ICE automobile. It isn’t. The This autumn E-Tron is constructed on a devoted electrical platform (dubbed MEB, it’s shared with the ID.4 and different electrical Volkswagens), and advantages in consequence. Its distinctive, high-quality, space-efficient inside boasts an enormous again seat for its dimension and many intelligent storage. The driving expertise can be simply as refined as you’d count on from an Audi.
At the very least that was our take, however apparently, there was sufficient demand for fast enchancment that the 2024 Audi This autumn E-Tron sees an uncommon mid-model-year replace addressing various key mechanical areas. And no, apparently it isn’t a 2024.5 mannequin 12 months.
A brand new rear motor (a completely excited synchronous machine one to be precise) is optimized for higher thermal administration and due to this fact effectivity, leading to a complete system output improve of 40 horsepower over the previous This autumn 50 E-Tron (the rear-drive This autumn 40 E-Tron will get not one of the updates about to be described and stays unchanged at 201 hp). The rechristened This autumn 55 E-Tron now produces 335 hp and hits 60 mph in 5 seconds flat. That’s 0.8 seconds faster than earlier than.
However, wow, does it really feel faster than that, as Audi has tuned the throttle to thwack you with torque on the slightest contact of your proper foot. It’s most noticeable in Auto and Dynamic modes, however even with the slightest little bit of preliminary throttle mush in Consolation mode, it springs to life with the eagerness of a terrier that simply noticed a squirrel. Pull out of the pre-school parking zone, BAM. Mild goes inexperienced on the on-ramp, BUH-BYE. But, it in the end jogs my memory of the VR6-powered 2000 Jetta I as soon as owned. I recall studying a evaluation of it on the time that stated engineers clearly tuned the throttle to make the torquey engine really feel extra highly effective than it was, as as soon as you bought out of that preliminary hit, the facility band proved to not be as strong because it initially appeared.
That’s simply meant as an statement reasonably than a criticism. I’d a lot reasonably drive a automobile keen to maneuver and that trusts you to be even handed with the throttle than the lackadaisical nature of most vehicles at the moment. In addition to, you may all the time set it for the Eco mode if it’s over-caffeinated on your tastes.
Now, apparently, “lackadaisical” could be how some deemed the unique This autumn suspension and steering tuning (even when we didn’t), so Audi injected a few of that excited terrier DNA into them too. The result’s steering, particularly, that all the time feels engaged, no matter mode, and keen to show in. Along with the taut suspension, there’s an virtually sizzling hatch vitality concerning the This autumn 55 E-Tron when driving round city. Between that and the go-get-‘em throttle response, I may see homeowners unintentionally making enemies of the native constabulary.
However then I drove the This autumn in my regular testing playground of the Santa Monica Mountains. Much more so than the motors revealing themselves to be not fairly as juiced up as its preliminary response wanes, the chassis’ energetic character round city proves to be a veneer when you truly begin to push it. In brief, the This autumn 55 E-Tron feels sporty, however isn’t. That sizzling hatch vitality disappears because the This autumn all of a sudden feels just like the tall and really heavy crossover it’s (4,850 kilos to be precise). The steadiness management got here on early and sometimes within the preliminary levels of my mountain drive with out apparent purpose. I then did one thing I principally by no means do: I turned off stability management, or reasonably, diminished the reins to the minimal quantity the automobile permits. Positive sufficient, there was no extra hyper-nanny stability intervention, however there have been a few “whoa there” moments from the rear finish, often when handing over, that speaks to some uncommon chassis dynamics afoot.
In the end, although, too many vehicles are the precise reverse of this case: dynamically succesful, however you’d by no means guess it by the way in which it responds to your inputs. Avoid technical mountain roads (“Um, that gained’t be an issue,” says nearly each potential This autumn E-Tron purchaser), and this certain looks as if the superior trade-off.
Audi additionally diminished brake pedal journey, however that simply makes me surprise how lengthy it was earlier than. It’s nonetheless awfully lengthy and gradual, and doesn’t appear in step with the eagerness of the opposite major controls. The revised, sporty-feeling suspension can even yield a reasonably uneven trip on the freeway, at the least when paired with this tester’s non-compulsory 21-inch wheels. It looks like a automobile with a brief wheelbase, which isn’t fairly true, however its wheelbase-to-length ratio is principally the identical because the Q5. Most EVs have for much longer wheelbases than an SUV of comparable size.
Along with efficiency features, the brand new motor additionally pairs with an also-new battery pack. Its capability stays 82 kilowatt-hours however new chemistry and mineral content material ends in sooner charging speeds, from 150 kW to 175 kW. That is nonetheless under many luxurious EVs. Vary additionally improves from a just-not-enough 236 to a just-acceptable 258. It’s in all probability simply psychological, however crossing the 250 barrier certain makes a distinction. That stated, you’re nonetheless getting the identical vary as a Kia Niro EV whereas autos of comparable or decrease costs can cross the 300-mile threshold and cost at a sooner fee.
There aren’t any adjustments inside, however that’s simply tremendous as a result of this stays an incredible inside when it comes to each high quality and performance. The 11.6-inch touchscreen is way nearer to the motive force than regular (notice the way it juts rearward and is canted towards the motive force) and its distinctive haptic suggestions shouldn’t be solely appreciated from a performance standpoint, however additional enhances the general notion of elevated high quality. There are additionally nonetheless buttons for the local weather controls and different very important capabilities; no cost-cutting display takeover right here.
Storage can be wonderful, with good cupholders and a number of bins within the middle console, plus an out there vertically-mounted wi-fi telephone charger with a clip to maintain your telephone in place. All doorways have distinctive diagonal bottle holders, that are an excellent thought, however could be higher executed if padded ultimately as bottles are inclined to rattle round on their hard-plastic lining. Backseat area is beneficiant for a small SUV, whereas my earlier This autumn E-Tron baggage check confirmed it may maintain extra stuff than each the rinky-dink Q3 and surprisingly small Q5. Decrease the dual-height cargo flooring and chuck the inflexible cargo cowl, and all six check luggage will match – albeit simply barely and with higher problem than many EV crossovers from each luxurious and mainstream manufacturers.
Regardless of all these mid-model-year updates, the worth is unchanged. Nice information! The bad-ish information is that the This autumn E-Tron nonetheless ain’t low cost. The all-wheel-drive 55 E-Tron begins at $56,395 (together with vacation spot) and goes as much as $65,290 with choices just like the $7,000 Status package deal you see right here, which stuffs it with a wealth of tech and luxury goodies that might be out there on cheaper mainstream-brand EVs. You even have so as to add $3,000 for those who’d want the This autumn’s Sportback physique model. Conversely, you could possibly attempt to discover a rear-drive, 201-horsepower This autumn 40 E-Tron, which begins at $50,995, however it acquired not one of the updates talked about above. That looks as if a tougher worth tablet to swallow.
As all the time, selecting a luxurious automobile just like the 2024 Audi This autumn E-Tron comes all the way down to how a lot you worth the inside high quality, the added refinement and ritzier model. Assuming you’re OK with that, then, the revised This autumn’s day-to-day performance together with its energized around-town driving expertise makes for a pleasant automobile for commuting and errand operating. Contemplating the everyday EV use case the place a second, at the least partially gas-powered car exists for longer journeys or basic household hauling (or heck, possibly mountain highway ventures), it looks as if a spot-on proposition. Plus, with the expanded vary and faster charging, it’s much more able to going far afield if crucial.
