Sedans no longer dominate the roads like they once did, and everyone and their mum now wants an SUV or a crossover. However, with the e-tron GT, Audi has proven that a well-designed and well-thought-out sedan still has lots of merit.
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It’s been a few years since Audi’s version of the Porsche Taycan was released in Europe, but it wasn’t until 2023 that it landed in Australia and a few weeks ago that we first got our hands on it. It will not be a volume seller like some of Audi’s cheaper and higher-riding EVs, nor does it redefine electric performance. However, it is one of the best sedans I’ve ever driven, regardless of the powertrain. It just happens to be electric.
Quick Facts
SWIPE
It looks great, doesn’t it?
Like the Taycan, the Audi e-tron GT is based on the same J1 platform as the Porsche Taycan. That means it shares similarities with its brother from another mother but is more focused on comfort and its Grand Touring ability, hence the ‘GT’ name.
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As the e-tron GT is still quite a rare sight on Australian roads, I hadn’t seen one in the flesh until I approached the press car I would be driving for a week. “Damn, that thing looks sexy,” I said in my head when I looked at it.
Photo Credits: Brad Anderson/Carscoops
The car we tested was the entry-level version priced from AU$178,875 (~$118,000) before on-road costs, although our car was equipped with the AU$750 (~$495) 20-inch 5-double spoke wheels and AU$4,200 (~$2,771) Black exterior styling package.
Photos don’t do the e-tron GT justice. When viewed in person, it sits much lower than you’d expect and is also quite a bit wider than we thought. The front end stands out with a faux singleframe grille that looks the business and plenty of gloss black elements to contrast the metallic white finish.
Like the Taycan, the e-tron GT has a fastback shape, flowing down to a sleek rear end with intricate LED taillights and a bold light bar. My favorite part of the design is the car’s wide hips, which give it a sense of purpose and add to the aggressive stance. In the looks department, the e-tron GT is a winner. Is it the same story in the cabin?
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Photo Credits: Brad Anderson/Carscoops
The cabin
When I first stepped inside the cabin of the Audi, I was a little surprised.
By the metrics of most people, this is an exorbitantly expensive car. However, the quality of some of the materials doesn’t feel quite fitting for that price point. The leather across the door panels and dashboard isn’t particularly soft, nor does it feel much different than what you’ll find on an Audi that costs half as much.
Additionally, I was shocked that the seats didn’t offer any adjustable lumbar support. A lack of ambient lighting was also an odd exclusion.
However, there’s a reason for all of this. Our test car was the base model. For an extra AU$8,000 (~$5,300), shoppers can order the Dinamica interior package, which adds 14-way adjustable sport seats with four-way lumbar support and Audi’s Dinamica microsuede material across the seats, headliner, and dashboard. It also adds an Alcantara steering wheel. An AU$6,400 (~$4,200) Premium Plus interior package is also offered, adding ambient lighting, privacy glass, and illuminated door sills. An e-tron GT with these packages would be wonderful and difficult to fault.
Photo Credits: Brad Anderson/Carscoops
Beyond some of the questionable material choices in the base model we reviewed, the cabin of the e-tron GT is gorgeous. Positioned ahead of the driver is Audi’s superb 12.3-inch virtual cockpit complemented by a head-up display and a 10.1-inch central infotainment system. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are fitted as standard.
The standard seats can be adjusted very low, and there’s plenty of headroom, even for drivers over 6 feet. The steering wheel is perfectly sized and shaped, and despite the car’s low-slung profile, visibility is excellent (except for the tiny rear window…). Audi’s infotainment display is easy to use and provides haptic feedback, making navigating the menus easy and fun.
Unlike some other Audi models, the e-tron GT doesn’t have a separate touchscreen for the climate control. Instead, it uses physical buttons and switches, all of which feel solid. However, they are made from cheap black plastic. There’s no shortage of piano black either.
Interior storage is adequate, and there’s a cradle with a wireless smartphone charger in the center console. Rear seat occupants aren’t neglected and have their own climate control switchgear. Headroom, legroom, and toe room are also surprisingly adequate, considering how low the e-tron GT sits. It’s more than big enough to fit four big adults in comfort. However, we’d hate to be stuck in the tiny center seat at the rear.
Out back is a luggage area that can carry 405 liters (14 cubic feet) while a frunk large enough to fit a carry-on suitcase is found at the front.
Like driving on a very quick cloud
I wasn’t sure of what to expect when driving the e-tron GT. Would it feel good enough to justify the price? Spoiler alert; the answer to that is an unequivocal yes.
Driving the e-tron GT is a sizeable 93 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a pair of electric motors pumping out 350 kW (469 lb-ft) and 630 Nm (465 lb-ft), or 390 kW (523 hp) and 640 Nm (472 lb-ft) with Boost mode enabled. Audi says it’ll dispatch the 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint in 4.1 seconds, and it feels just as quick as you’d imagine.
Power off the line is instantaneous, and it’s not until you go well into the triple digits that this thing starts to taper off. It doesn’t have quite the same face-melting acceleration as those EVs that dip into the 3-second bracket, like the RS e-tron GT, but it’s still more than enough for all but the most speed-hungry of enthusiast drivers.
However, it wasn’t the straight-line performance of the e-tron GT that impressed me the most. It was just how comfortable this thing is.
As this is a low-slung, sports sedan, you could be excused for thinking it would feel a little firm. That could not be further from the truth.
Read: 2025 Audi E-Tron GT Previewed, New RS Performance Flagship To Join The Range
In Australia, the e-tron GT comes standard with the adaptive air suspension found in the pricier RS model. The system consists of a compressor and three-chamber dampers on the front and rear axles. Depending on the driving situation, these chambers can automatically activate or deactivate and offer five ride heights. For most of our time with the car, we had the suspension in its most comfortable setting and the third of five selectable ride heights, although raising it for steep driveways was handy. The two lowest ride height settings are reserved for speeds exceeding 90 km/h (56 mph) and 180 km/h (112 mph).
The Audi is silky smooth as a daily driver and a long-distance cruiser. Indeed, it’s almost eerie how well it soaks up bumps and imperfections in the road. Hit a huge pothole? No dramas, you’ll barely even feel it. Cruise over a big speed bump at 60 km/h (37 mph)? Your body will barely even move. Switch the suspension into its sportier ‘Dynamic’ setting, and the e-tron GT still rides better than most cars on the market.
What’s particularly impressive about the e-tron GT is how well it handles, despite all that comfort and the silky smooth ride. When you want to have fun, the car stays beautifully flat through corners and has mountains of grip.
Our test car was fitted with Pirelli Cinturato P7 tires at all four corners. These are solid performance tires but they’re hardly the best on the market, nor do they get close to some ultra ultra high performance (UUHP) rubber out there. Despite this, I was shocked at how well the car gripped the pavement, and trying to invoke understeer through turns was difficult. This is undoubtedly helped by the fact that the tires are quite wide, measuring 245/45 up front and 285/40 at the rear.
Efficiency isn’t so good. Audi quotes 19.2 kWh/100 km over the combined cycle, which is quite a high figure for an EV. We averaged 21 kWh/100 km with the car during highway and city cruising, plus some more spirited driving. The car can charge at up to 270 kW through a DC fast charger but these are few and far between in Melbourne. We did top up the e-tron GT once at a 150 kW charger, and it sat consistently at around 120 kW while charging from 50-90%.
The verdict
The Audi e-tron GT perfects the balance between being a comfortable cruiser and a formidable performance machine. Beyond being one of the sexiest cars on sale, it’s a joy to drive at any speed and is one of the best high-end sedans on the market. The 2025 model promises to be even better.
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