Audi e-tron 55 Quattro review

Progress is extremely refined, and aside from the electric powertrain, it seems that all other aspects of the car have been engineered highly effectively with the help of Audi’s noise, vibration and harshness department. As well as being smooth and quiet, the e-Tron also has an extremely comfortable ride, helped no doubt by the air suspension. The e-Tron is a very pleasant, refined and comfortable place to be on the motorway at 70mph.

You can’t really describe the e-Tron as agile, as it weighs 2,490kg, but the handling is impressive for such a heavy car; the battery sitting in the floor helps with a low centre of gravity. Performance is good, but again, at two and a half tonnes, this is no sports SUV. Grip from the all-wheel-drive Quattro system is excellent, especially in the wet.

The e-Tron has a ground clearance of 172mm but you can raise the suspension by 76mm if venturing off-road.

The Infomedia system is very good overall. There’s a high definition touchscreen in the centre console, with a home screen to help you find your way around, and when you click on buttons on the screen you actually feel a physical click to give you confirmation that the screen has actioned your request. You can enter an address in the satnav using a keyboard, or by writing the address by hand on the screen.

There’s also a digital instrument display in front of the driver, the appearance of which can be changed to display a number of different things including the satnav. There’s also a head-up display, and there’s a further high definition screen under the main touchscreen for the climate controls.

The Audi e-Tron is a spacious all electric SUV. It's practical, very refined to drive, and has a high-quality interior. It’s a very desirable car, which is impressive as it’s the first all-electric offering from the brand. If you’d prefer a more sporty look rather than a practical estate body style, there’s also the Audi e-Tron Sportback.