In 2019, Audi delivered its first electric SUV, the e-tron, to the United States market. While not the king of the range department, the e-tron proved itself as a solid, luxurious, and safe EV. Since the original e-tron, Audi has altered its EV lineup significantly. The four-ringed automaker now offers four electric crossovers and SUVs: the Q4 e-tron, Q4 e-tron Sportback, Q8 e-tron, and the Q8 e-tron Sportback.
For the 2023 model year, the Q4 and Q8 e-tron lineup received the op Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety). This safety rating means these vehicles received "good" ratings in every crashworthiness test. The only area in which these vehicles missed out was on lower trims regarding the headlights. In this case, they received "acceptable" instead of "good."
Nevertheless, these ratings show that Audi can translate its high level of safety from its internal combustion vital products to its electric ones. An elevated safety standard is arguably the most essential feature of any car.
Gallery: 2022 Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback
The Q4 e-tron is a crossover sharing its underpinnings with the Volkswagen ID.4. Riding on the MEB platform, the 2023 Q4 e-tron starts at $48,900 and offers a range of up to 265 miles. The Q8 e-tron is the latest version of the original e-tron. Packing a more substantial range of up to 296 miles in Sportback guise, the Q8 e-tron lineup starts at $74,400.
While the Q4 e-tron isn't the most competitive EV around, given it misses features like adaptive cruise control in base guise, there is now no doubt about its safety. The e-trons join vehicles like Acura MDX, Volvo EX90 Recharge, Subaru Solterra, and Tesla Model Y in the Top Safety Pick+ category.
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