Used Audi e-tron (2018-2022) buyer’s guide: dated electric SUV is still desirable

Verdict

In a world of rapid-fire electric car introductions, it doesn’t seem possible that a five-year-old Audi could be seen as old tech, especially when it was cutting edge when it launched. As soon as Audi’s first EV appeared we rated it highly, but by the time we pitched an e-tron Sportback against a BMW iX in 2022, the Audi already seemed dated – that’s how fast the segment is moving. The list price at the time was just under £80,000, but nowadays that same car is available in low-mileage form for about a third of the price, which makes the odd compromise a lot easier to stomach. Leave it a bit longer and prices will drop even further, ensuring that the e-tron is even more desirable.

Considering the original Nissan Leaf arrived 13 years ago to take the electric car into the mainstream, it seems incredible that Audi didn’t produce its first EV until 2019. 

That car was the Audi e-tron, and while it’s fair to say that this desirable SUV is rather more accomplished than Nissan’s family car, it’s clear that some of the world’s biggest car makers were very slow to move beyond petrol and diesel power. However, when the e-tron did arrive, we thought it was worth waiting for, because it quickly became one of our favourite EVs. 

In theory, the e-tron only had a short life because the nameplate was dropped last year. But in reality it was facelifted in April 2023 and rebadged as the Q8 e-tron, in an effort to make it more desirable than ever.

History

The e-tron 55 quattro arrived in February 2019, priced from £71,490. Just one spec was offered, with a 95kWh battery and two electric motors (one per axle) to give 300kW (402bhp). There were e-tron and Launch Edition trims, with the latter priced at £82,240. 

A year later, a new entry-level model was launched. The £59,900 e-tron 50 quattro still had twin motors, but now ‘just’ 308bhp. For those wanting more grunt, the e-tron S arrived in July 2020 with three motors, 496bhp and 973Nm of torque. 

The coupé-like e-tron Sportback went on sale in August 2020 in 50 and 55 guises; an S edition was also available. From June 2021 there were Technik, Sport and Black Edition trims; a range-topping Vorsprung spec was introduced for the e-tron S.

Which one should I buy?

No e-tron is lacking in terms of pace, but the 50 doesn’t have the range of its 55 sibling, so if that’s really important to you, we’d aim for the posher model. The e-tron S is especially impressive but it’s rare and you don’t need the extra performance, while the real-world range isn’t necessarily that much greater than the 55 quattro’s. 

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As you’d expect, all e-trons are very well equipped and come with 20-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, electric quattro four-wheel drive, adaptive air suspension and digital instrumentation, heated front seats, navigation, a rear parking camera and leather trim. 

Buy a range-topping Vorsprung edition and also included are a panoramic glass roof, electrically adjustable front seats, soft-close doors and upgraded leather trim with diamond stitching.

Alternatives to the Audi e-tron

The biggest thorn in the e-tron’s side is the BMW iX, which has challenging looks, but is more accomplished in pretty much every way, from the driving experience to the interior packaging and cabin ambience. But used prices start at £40k, so you’ll pay a big premium to go the BMW route. 

Far more affordable is the Jaguar I-Pace, which starts from just £16,000. Plentiful in number, comfortable and roomy, the I-Pace wears its years well; it arrived in 2018 and has only just been axed. The Mercedes EQC is another alternative with impressive build quality and clever tech, but it doesn’t excel in any one area. Or there’s the Tesla Model X, which can seat up to seven and has impressive performance, but build quality isn’t great and running costs can be high.

What to look for

Electric motors

Front motors can fail, so the car refuses to move and displays ‘Electrical System Malfunction’ on the dash.

Bad vibrations

Some e-trons have suffered from booming  and vibrations, caused by faulty hydro-bushes in the front suspension.

Rubber seals

If you’re buying an e-tron with a sunroof, look for evidence of water leaks in the footwells, because the seals can fail.

Cameras

Some e-trons have conventional rear-view mirrors, others have cameras instead. These can mist up, leading to poor rear visibility.

Interior

There isn’t much (if anything) to dislike about the e-tron’s cabin. It’s as hi-tech, well made and user-friendly as you’d expect of an Audi, and naturally there are plenty of premium materials throughout. 

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The packaging is pretty good too, with decent head and legroom for three adults in the back. Things are helped here by the seats being set quite high, which helps when it comes to legroom. What’s really impressive though, is the amount of boot space that’s up for grabs. The back seats have a 40:20:40 split, and with them in place, the boot can stow a massive 605 litres. This jumps to 1,725 litres with the back seats folded down.

Running costs

All e-trons need to be serviced every two years or 18,600 miles, with every visit to the garage in effect being for just an inspection of the tyres, brakes, wipers, lights and other systems. The cost for this is around £300, which includes a fresh pollen filter every two years, while you’ll need to add £60 or so for fresh brake fluid every other year. 

With no spark plugs, fuel filters or cambelts to replace, maintenance costs should be much lower than for an equivalent ICE vehicle. Expect to pay around £150 per corner for decent tyres, which will generally last for around 20,000 miles, depending on driving style. To help spread the load, Audi dealers offer maintenance payment plans, which are typically pitched at £30-£35 per month, or an annual cost of £400-£450.

Recalls

Seven recalls so far is disappointing, although this is Audi’s first EV, and three of the campaigns were because of glitches with the electrical system. The specific causes were water getting into the battery pack (June 2019), software glitches leading to the car refusing to move (August 2021) and the battery pack overheating and potentially catching fire (February 2024). 

Among these were other campaigns because of faulty rear suspension components (June 2021) and brake servo failures (August 2021 then again two months later). The seventh recall (the sixth in chronological order) came in February 2022, because of potential problems resulting from the June 2021 recall. The rear suspension could be rebuilt using incorrect settings, leading to uneven tyre wear.

Driver Power owner satisfaction

None of Audi’s EVs have appeared in our surveys, and in a typical year there may only be two or three models present. There were three Audis in the 2024 poll, but none of them performed all that well; the A5 in 38th out of 50 was the best result. A year earlier, there were two, and while there were seven in 2022, the most highly placed was the Q3 Mk2 in 43rd out of 75. High scores seem to be elusive for Audi.

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