Audi confirmed at its annual press conference that the Q4 SUV will be launched internationally in 2019. It will be part of a growing line-up of style-led SUVs, spearheaded by the electric Q6 and the plush Q8.
The five-seater Q4 has been conceived to compete against the new BMW X2, the Range Rover Evoque, and the Mercedes GLA. It will sit on the same MQB underpinnings as the second-generation Q3. And with the new Q3 set to grow in size in order to provide space in the range for the recently unveiled Q2, the Q4 looks set to trump its rivals when it comes to outright dimensions.
Audi insiders have revealed to our sister publication, Autocar UK, that the Q4’s overall length will be at least 4,500mm – that’s around 110mm longer than the current Q3.
The design of the production Q4 – which was originally revealed by Audi in the form of the 2014 TT Offroad concept – is set to include a heavily curved roofline and a liftback-style tailgate.
Inside, the SUV is set to benefit from a range of developments already under way at Audi and parent company Volkswagen for inclusion in the next generation of MQB-based models. These include full-HD instrument displays, gesture control functions, a 9.2-inch touchscreen navigation monitor, inductive smartphone charging and the latest connectivity features.
Among the powertrains earmarked for the Q4 is a new generation of four-cylinder petrol and diesel units that have a common 1.5-litre capacity. They will be joined by updated versions of the current 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, as well as an all-new 2.5-litre, five-cylinder petrol unit with up to 406hp in a range-topping RS Q4 model.
The new Q4 line-up will also feature a plug-in petrol-electric Q4 e-tron model with an electric-only range of up to 50km – as prescribed by China’s green vehicle regulations.
Dipan Sur
Viraaj Bhatnagar
