The Audi e-Tron was launched stateside back in 2019 and marked Audi’s first foray into the electric vehicle market with an intention of catching the industry leader, Tesla. Of course, other manufacturers have caught up and are producing some excellent EVs with decent range, so I wanted to find out how the 2022 Audi e-Tron stacks up now.
Let’s face it the 2022 e-tron Chronos Edition (more on that later) is probably one of the coolest SUVs you’ll see on the road mainly because of its conventional but super modern looks. It’s packed with tech, is beautifully made, and doesn’t look like it was designed by a man with a massive hangover.

Chronos Edition

My tester came with the optional Chronos Edition package which is a cool $17,500 on top of the base price of $65,900. What do you get for that, well for starters 21-inch V Spoke design black wheels with dynamic yellow brake calipers, adaptive cruise control with lane guidance, aluminum door inlays, a Bang and Olufsen premium sound system, digital matrix design headlights, dual pane acoustic glass, massaging front seats a head-up display, and extra super soft Valcona leather seats.

Under the skin

Lurking under that very pretty exterior are two electric motors, one at the front axle and the other at the rear providing electronic all-wheel drive. The rear motor does most of the work and the front kicks in when wheel slip is detected. The two motors make a combined 355 horsepower and 414 pound-feet of torque. More power is available by selecting Dynamic from the drive selector button in the center console, which unleashes 402 hp and 490 pound-feet but only for a few seconds.

Off-Road

The e-tron comes with a height-adjustable air suspension system as standard and in regular driving has a ride height of 6.8 inches. Increase your speed to over 75 mph and the suspension makes the car more aerodynamic by lowering it by 1 inch.

The e-tron will go off-road but I can’t imagine too many owners doing it but switching to off-road mode lifts the E-Tron 1.4 inches giving it 8.2 inches of ground clearance, still short of a Subaru Outback though.  Audi claims an 18.2-degree approach angle, a 24.4-degree departure angle, and a 16.8-degree breakover angle but it’s easy to catch the bottom of the front bumper down some inclines, so I would advise sticking to paved roads.

Quiet, genius at work

As I discovered on my first drive, the e-tron is exceptionally quiet, which I know is the case for most EVs but the lack of any wind noise even at higher speeds is impressive. Thank the dual pane glass in the front windows and Audi’s attention to detail for making this one of the quietest cars I have ever driven.

Battery and Charging

The battery has 95 Kwh of capacity which seems like it should be enough, but it isn’t, the e-tron will only go an estimated 218 miles on a charge which is simply not enough. Yes,175 miles.  it does regen really well and has the capability to charge at speeds of up to 150 kWh but that means finding an available charger that has that kind of speed. I mostly charged overnight with my 240-volt charger and my estimated range was never more than 200 miles at 100%. Charge it to the recommended 80% and you are looking at only 175 miles.

Driving

If you want serenity, speed, and luxury all at the same time then the e-tron delivers, the ride is smooth, helped by some excellent Continental 255/50 R20s and the seats are some of the most comfortable I’ve ever sat in.

It drives like a typical EV, with snappy acceleration and a composed ride, although don’t expect it to be Tesla quick, it’s not designed for that. 0-60 takes 5.3 seconds which is quicker than most SUVs and cars on the road and it does it with no lag or wheelspin so stop lights prove you’ll be a winner every time.

Huge yellow-painted calipers hide some excellent stopping power combined with a regenerative braking system that doesn’t make the pedal feel weird or unusual, normality is the name of the game here. The steering feels good too, giving a bit more weight in the sportier modes but never feeling cumbersome.

If you want serenity, speed, and luxury all at the same time then the e-tron delivers, the ride is smooth, helped by some excellent Continental 255/50 R20s and the seats are some of the most comfortable I’ve ever sat in.

It drives like a typical EV, with snappy acceleration and a composed ride, although don’t expect it to be Tesla quick, it’s not designed for that. 0-60 takes 5.3 seconds which is quicker than most SUVs and cars on the road and it does it with no lag or wheelspin so stop lights prove you’ll be a winner every time.

Huge yellow-painted calipers hide some excellent stopping power combined with a regenerative braking system that doesn’t make the pedal feel weird or unusual, normality is the name of the game here. The steering feels good too, giving a bit more weight in the sportier modes but never feeling cumbersome.

You won’t be able to drive too fast flat out if you find yourself on the autobahn since this model’s top speed is limited to 124mph. This is tire based and of course to preserve range which is the only issue with this car.

It grips well and takes the turns relatively flat, you can hustle this quite well if needed and on some 2 lane backroads, we did enjoy some spirited driving. It seems the faster you go the better it regens when in Dynamic mode, (officer I had to go fast to recharge my battery).

The paddles behind the steering wheel allow you to increase the regen recuperation by three levels but IU stayed in auto mode which lets the car do the work for you. It sees cars ahead of you, or it knows an obstacle is there it gently starts to slow you down.

I can’t quite believe how refined this car is, it’s simply a pleasure to drive anywhere, if you have a place handy to charge it, especially on a long trip.

INTERIOR

The cabin is utterly amazing, definitely a notch up from its competition and it’s modern without being overtly futuristic just for the sake of it. As I mentioned the front seats are wonderfully supportive with multi-way power, massage functionality, and nice and soft, unusual for a German car.

There are many screens up front, two in the center console, one for HVAC and the other for all other functions, like navigation, vehicle settings and entertainment. You also get Audi’s Virtual Cockpit instrument cluster which is still head and shoulders above anything else on the market today.

The menu system is logical, and you don’t have to navigate through a thousand menus to find what you are looking for. Since the HVAC screen is down below the main screen it’s easy to adjust on the move. The Bang and Olufsen sound system is even better for having such a quiet cabin, crank up the volume and it’s a joy with super crisp and clear sound.

The back seats aren’t’ too spacious but they do afford the same level of luxury as the front seat occupants get including having a heating option and USB power.

Cargo Space

The e-tron offers plenty of space in the back, 28.5 cubic feet with the seats up and 56.4 cubic feet with the seats down with the added bonus of more space under the carpet ahead of the spare wheel.  There’s also a frunk, it’s shallow, but a good place for charging cables so they don’t clutter up the regular trunk.

VIDEO REVIEW

VERDICT

The e-Tron is just like any other Audi, both inside and out and that’s what Audi set out to do, not scare away potential buyers with wacky styling and futuristic controls. It’s a lovely car as a daily driver and it easily eclipses any of the gas-powered Audi SUVs available today.

The biggest issue is poor range but there is good news on the horizon, Audi just announced the replacement, The Audi Q8 e-tron and they hinted that it will have more than 300 miles of range. That makes this my favorite car of the year.

2022 Audi e-tron quattro numbers

BASE PRICE: $65,900
AS TESTED PRICE: $86,505 (Chronos Edition)
VEHICLE LAYOUT: Front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door crossover
ENGINE: 2 induction permanent magnet AC motors
BATTERY: 95.3-kWh lithium-ion
COMBINED POWER: 402 hp 
TORQUE: 414 lb-ft 
TRANSMISSION: 1-speed automatic transmission
0-60 MPH: 5.3 sec
CURB WEIGHT: 5,875 lb
CARGO VOLUME: 28.5 cubic feet, 56.4 cubic feet with the seats down.
RANGE: 213 miles
EPA FUEL ECONOMY: 78 MPGe
PROS: Seamless acceleration, amazing cabin, super quiet
CONS: Needs more range