It's a solid, reasoned review from beginning to end. I still contend that Audi, Porsche, and Mercedes EV offerings are not targeted so much at trying to compete against Lucid or Tesla, but simply designed to be tempting as an EV alternative for their brand loyal ICE customers.
@@Tommyownzz I don't agree. Refinement rules. Keep making refined automobiles regardless if they are EVs or not. Tech companies don't know yet what it takes to make great cars. And EVs are cars.
When Audi was asked why this thing has hard buttons for the HVAC controls, they said because this is a driver's car and hard buttons are easier to use when driving hard. Therefore admitting capacitive touch buttons that they put in all their other cars aren't as easy to use and that all their other cars aren't driver's cars.
How can a cheap plastic button be more expensive than a panel of hepatic buttons? This is what I don’t understand about removing button for cost saving
It will also guarantee parts sales since the capacitive circuit will break during the lifespan of the car. Its probably a $300-500 part while the mechanical button probably won't break and if it does, it's only the fraction of the cost.
@@k0zzu21 I'm more worrying about those LED/LCD screens down the road. My wife's Golf 7 had one screen blackout and cost C$1000+ to replace the module (Not the screen. Luckily VW funded 1/2 of the cost due to the breakdown happened just a week after warranty expiration ). Should the screen failed, we were told that is a $2k+ fix (I can buy 3-4 iPads LOL)
I'm a chauffeur. My client put in an order for this car and he finally received it in December 2021 on a 3 year lease. I drove him to the Palo Alto area (a 200 mile round trip) and it was some of the best power I've ever experienced. The fit and finish was dastardly good. 11/10 would recommend even just sitting in its amazingly wrapped red leather seats. I asked him why he chose it over the lucid or even the Rivian truck to which he answered he just really likes it, because Audi has a dealership network whereas lucid does not, and because he already put in an order for the Rivian but nobody knows when they'll ship. Edit: august 2022 My client took delivery of his Rivian. Also very nice to drive, just has buggy driver assistance tech that needs work.
@@paulklp8262 The company is based in the bay area (SF) and the central coast (Monterey) of California so if you're not really in the area, it isn't worth it.
I bought the RS version of this car because it was the car to which I was the most attracted. Range anxiety is a phenomenon that mostly exists if you haven’t had real experience with an EV. It works exactly the same as battery anxiety for your phone, it used to be a big issue, but not really anymore. Just charge it at home every night when you park. I like that there is enough variety in the market that we can just choose the one we like instead of just having one manufacturer
I bought an e-tron GT in July in California when they first were released. It has the Prestige package, full leather interior and performance package. I use it everyday and get about 270-280 miles per charge. I drive 100 miles a day, plug it in in my garage and have a full charge in about 4-5 hours. I didn't buy it to have the longest range or the most anonymous look. It is gorgeous. It is fast, about 3.4 to 3.5 tested, and it is luxurious. And it has free fast charging from Electrify America for 3 years. By the way, the prestige package includes a matte carbon fiber trim instead of plastic. I wake up, open my garage, and outside, from my phone, have it back up out of the garage before I get in. Yes, there are cheaper and slower and uglier cars. You get what you pay for.
This and the RS version are gorgeous, but the stats sheets aren't as impressive as rivals and they're simply too expensive for what they are. Drop the starting prices by $20K each and then they become a much more serious competitor.
Yep, the segment it's in is just way too stacked with extremely competitive cars. Coming in at $100k+ STARTING is ridiculous to everyone but Audi fans.
@@stevesamuel263 I'm an Audi fan and I still find it ridiculous, lol. And imagine when they refresh it in 2 years and it gets a 30% range boost in the process? Or when the PPE A4 and A6 e-tron come out and do everything better in that same time frame? I'd feel burned if I was an early adopter of the GT.
I bought a prestige GT with the leather package. i love it. it's a great daily driver. i have a charger at home. I don't care so much about the range, my commute is 90 miles a day round trip and this car gives me more than enough. Such a better build quality than Tesla. I would have gone for the RS but IMO there is not enough differentiation between the models to pay the extra $40k for what is essentially a mild tune. The rear wheel steering is wonderful, makes the car feel longer on the highway and shorter in parking lots. Right out of the gate i drove it home 800 miles through four states because they are incredibly hard to find. Charging was a non issue and kind of fun!
Most of the time I don't like how EVs look because they generally don't have a traditional grille (since there's no need for one), but Audi has REALLY pulled it off here I think. I'm a big fan of the front end!
Range is not really an issue for me with my Etron GT, I have a home charger and for everyday commutes, shopping and occasional medium distance leisure trips its fine. I have great apps that show me how to plan a long trip even where the fast chargers that are working and available. I have zero road tax in the UK where my A7 was £570 pa. It costs about £7 to charge at home. The car drives like a dream and everybody, yes everybody, loves its looks which is more than you can say about the Taycan. BTW and in my opinion the Taycan front end is more Toucan! Its just plain weird looking and the interior is trying to hard to be futuristic but not in a good way. So the Etron wins hands down for me and its why I chose it as my first EV. I am happy.
Review is spot on. I own the base with the rear steer. Should have bailed on the rear steer and gone with the leather package. The car is great around town and the one trick power is always fun. But when I hit the canyons and push the car, the complete lack of feedback is not good. And when the car slides, there is ZERO communication in the wheel so you have no idea what angle the front tires are in on a slide. Not good for snow and ice when you need those quick adjustments. Amazing daily EV, charger at home is nice but it does come with FREE charging in the US at all electrify america stations. So there's that bonus
@@pkennethv the car's focus is a GT car. Not a performance car. It's not worth the upgrade for the average person. Sure, it's got incredibly high cornering ability with the package, but the lack of steering feel doesn't encourage me to push it to a point where the rear steer makes a difference. Basically, unless you plan to take this thing to the track every weekend, I paid extra for a tighter turning circle in the parking lot. If I bailed on the steering package and got the leather package instead, the car would've been only $1000USD difference or even less. The car is amazingly comfortable and having cooled seats and a heated wheel is well worth the investment. Just my opinion.
@@revThinvids Interesting. I always saw rear wheel steer purely as a convince feature (tighter turning circle for maneuvering around urban areas), not a performance feature. So I guess you're basically saying you do not believe the price for rear wheel steer is worth it for the tighter turning circle alone (totally fair opinion). Cuz for performance driving, from what I hear, not having rear wheel steer would actually be preferred because it would make for a more "natural"/"intuitive"/"connected" feel. Kind of like variable steering - it's all good on paper, but in reality, in cars like the R8 & Huracan, pretty much everyone I've heard who's a "good performance driver" says they would rather have the traditional steering option for the reasons I mentioned above. I understand that "in theory"/"on paper", rear wheel steer can add high speed stability (and therefore make for a faster lap time), but since "no one" is going to "seriously" track their e-tron for the purposes of setting a lap time, when driving spiritedly for the pure joy of driving, not having rear wheel steer should probably be a more enjoyable experience, if other cars' rear steer experience is anything to go by. (the one exception to this generalization seems to be the 991/992 GT3(RS) where rear wheel steer does not make the steering feel "weird" in performance driving conditions)
IF you can find an Electrify America charging station with more than 4 chargers, or in your area. I live in a city of 2+ million people and there are only 2 stations!
@@pkennethv the rear steer is just different and new so of course people with a lot of experience who aren't used to it, won't like it. The few times I have pushed the car to a point where the rear steer has made a difference, it was an eye opener for the car's capability. But yes, as a whole, I would say it's not worth it.
Agreed. The taycan looks better in photos than the gt but the etron gt looks better in person than the taycan.... The gt is prob the best looking car on the market right now and I would have it based on looks alone over the taycan (that said, from the many reviews its almost as sporty to drive as the taycan, especially in RS spec)... also the range (or lack thereof) issue is not too big a deal unless you are planning to go on frequent long distance road trips, which the average gt buyer (especially RS buyer) will probably have another car to take.
These two in a review together are top notch. I've watched videos with both of them reviewing a car separately and they were good, but not as good as they are together.
James with no gloves with the weather Ontarios been having lately? Jeez, I wouldn't be able to move my fingers! Love the show, the e-tron is a really beautiful car in person, I think it's the perfect blend of futuristic tech and just a really good looking sporty Audi.
What a great review. Nice to get your honest views. One of the best looking cars. Can`t wait your BMW I4M50 -review. Nose is ugly, but you can’t see it from inside :)
Duh, one extremely important thing you missed is where? And with the lack of range, you arent taking any trips out of town at all with a 100k+ car? This car was a mistake.
@@RafalDelano I recently purchased a Mercedes . I can afford it with no problem and I will park it between other cars at a Target because it's just a car to me. It's all relative. If a person can easily afford a 200k car it's just another car. If a person can barely afford a used Nissan then of course they may be stunned when they park next to a Ferrari at a Best Buy.
Guys, you are great! Thank you for all the awesome videos you make for us! I subscribed to your channels so long time ago and I’m so happy that you become better and better with each new video! Thank you!
For a daily (and if I had that kind of cash) I would absolutely consider one of these. Audi just does such a nice job on interior spaces and making the driver feel really comfortable that a "premium EV GT" like this sounds fairly compelling. Of course I'd still cross shop it with the Taycan because why wouldn't you.
$30-40k Hyundai have heated steering wheels and cooled seats. They're obviously not anywhere near what this Audi is in other ways but it certainly makes the nickel and dime game on that stuff feel ridiculous for a $100k+ car...
Always love the ETH videos… particularly waiting for another casting couch one, hahah. On a more serious note though, I would love to see a review of the RWD R8. Seems like a special combination, one that I always thought would give the R8 some extra flare alongside that V10. Anywho, cheers you guys, as always keep it up.
@@jamesengelsman9369 Lovely! I know the whole team has their hands full with the production level of your videos continuously rising, but I think I speak for us all when I say a podcast from you two would be phenomenal. Even just once a month would be a real treat. And I don’t even listen to podcasts!
The Lucid Air Touring trumps the Audi on range, power, straight line performance and price(base $129k CAD).. as does the BMW i4M50... it would be a different story if it as Thomas and James mention $50k CAD cheaper. It is however one of the best looking premium EV'S.
I saw one at the mall recently and looked it over. Very nice, but it looked a little Laking in build quality, panel gaps, etc. I'd be very nervous buying one in the first 2 or 3 years of manufacture.
Yeah , but the Audi has better build quality inside /out , than the Lucid Air . You're paying for that , not just straight line performance and range . Plus the Audi is THE best looking EV out there IMHO !
Is something off with the video frames? They appear to be having slight jitter at times. But despite that, great review! Edit: There is nothing wrong with the video. I just have a potato laptop.
The VW "AERO B", likely released as the ID.6 is going to be released in 2023 www.google.de/search?q=vw+aero+b&sxsrf=APq-WBuTElBmQSoK1BbJppH69tdfvYKfvg:1645701314366&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjyvP6Rm5j2AhUtR_EDHeZHCbkQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=936&bih=522&dpr=1 I am very sure there will be an audi version of it.
I test drove the I4 M50, it is far less comfortable than the E-tron GT, it feels less stable, is smaller and material and build quality is max 8 out of 10 where Audi is 9.5 out of 10.
I saw this car being driven in my neighborhood yesterday. In videos and pictures, it’s always looked a bit fussy and somewhat overdone. Well, I’ve been wrong! In person, it’s stunning! I’m sort of desperate for one now.
2 years later, the prestige models are going for 55-60 on the used car market. Man, you guys are really convincing me to consider one of these even though I am not really looking at sedans. May have to add these into my other options. Upgrading from a Bolt in about a year, and this looks like an insane upgrade.
Hey y'all, big fan here, absolutely love all the videos... I had an idea for a different type of review for y'all. If you've heard about it already, then please just disregard my comment. Here it is: Y'all come down to San Diego and review my 2006 Hyundai Sonata and absolutely ROAST it. Tell me, and your audience, how much of a rust bucket it is. This episode could be called the "beater" edition. You could go around and not only review nice, new cars, but as an aside you could, every once in a while, go around and comedically review every-day drivers, that are absolute wrecks! Just a thought here. Keep up the good work!
The question of the ages - Can James ever win at rock paper scissors???🤣 Both of you gentlemen are awesome car journalists who make consistently amazing content, and most importantly you both seem like genuinely nice human beings. And I'm grateful beyond words that I never see you wear a mask or see you virtue signal or hear of your politics. I honestly don't care about any of those. Your car channel is a dying breed sadly, where viewers can come to escape the BS politics of our world and purely enjoy cars; unlike too many other car channels that can't resist the need to virtue signal or talk about the virus. Keep up the awesome work gentlemen. Thanks for all your hard work and efforts to provide a us a place to bond with you and the cars. 💪❤
Rented this car (actually the RS model) in Germany, and I absolutely loved it. Everything about it is perfect; the most beautiful car ever made. Range could have been better but honestly its very ok
The range on long trips is comparable to Tesla and the charging speed is similar there are enough tests of this like inside EV and whatnot. What do you need more than 250miles in winter condition? That's like driving 4 hours straight. Will be more like 300 in summer. Charging time is around 22 minutes from 5 to 80%. Did this myself, it works.
Took this for a test drive in Vancouver and really liked it but you are spot on about price. Im not a Tesla fan boy but for 15k less I can but a Model S LR with more power and range. Not only is it 15k less in msrp, but after 125k in BC tax rate goes up from 15% to 20%, so it is even more expensive. Also looked at the M50 but no test drives available atm. Thanks for the video.
A Tesla Model S is cheaper (95k vs 102k), more efficient (120MPGe vs 82MPGe), better range (405mi EPA vs 238mi EPA) all while having significantly better acceleration (3.1s 0-60 vs 3.9s 0-60). There is no excuse for the poor efficiency and range, Tesla is proving it doesn't have to be either/or.
@@justinnolan3667the rs is 0-60 2.9 and can be bought jsed for 65 to 77k wirh lwss thN 10 k miles. Yes, a Tesla does some things very, very well. If we're going to talk about efficiency range acceleration, lucid crushes tesla Eventually, these guys will all start to even out. The other difference is the talk between the interior of an alley. RST t and the Tesla model that's plow. Striking. And as are the handling dynamics It's just nice that we have choices. And then all of a sudden done, go by the Hyundai. Ionic five N
I had been driving my 2008 allroad (an A6 with air suspension basically) for some weeks with low tire pressure in two tires - today pumped up the tires to spec and got in the car - and although I've had it for five years - the ride - softness and levelness in curves - still impressed me. Also, the steering in slow speeds felt significantly more heavy than when I bought the car - because the steering pump might be on its way out (like many things have been - one of them is the heater fan which sometimes starts along with starting the car, and sometimes doesn't - I've adopted a bicycle cable outer housing piece to stick just right underneath the windshield and into the fan blades to get it going ... and some other things). That said - this might be one of the best looking BEV on the planet - and with how things are going, BMW won't be able to claim that title in 34567898765 years.
These manufacturers are trying their hardest to extract as much margin out of the EV craze before people realize they're not that expensive to make. When you realize how much time and money it takes to design a gasoline motor vs order some electric motors and other off the shelf components from a distributor; there is no doubt car manufacturers would all be pushing EVs hard if it weren't for the cartels popping up around batteries.
That's a very ignorant statement. First of all: currently it's more expensive to manufacture an EV than an ICE vehicle (why do you think EV subsidy is a thing outside of encouraging conversion to EVs?). Next, all car companies (EV or not) have parts suppliers. In that regard, manufacturing an ICE vehicle is no different from manufacturing an EV. You also contradict yourself: at first you say that EVs aren't that expensive to make but then you say that there are "cartels popping up around batteries", which implies that the batteries are expensive. Developing, manufacturing and marketing both ICE vehicles and EVs is costly. Just because what powers a vehicle isn't a machined slab of aluminum doesn't mean that it requires significantly smaller amounts of monetary input. In fact, as it currently stands, it's more expensive.
@@marshmellowcoffeesoup2627 Do you know how much money it costs to research and develop an IC engine? Do you realize how many more moving parts are in an IC engine than an electric motor? Also, where is your BOM list for how much an EV costs to make; and don't bring up Tesla, they're just figuring out how to build cars and frankly they have a long way to go. People have been EV converting their cars with kits for, forever, it's not magic. Electric propulsion is so much more straight forward and simple than gasoline. The challenge has been battery tech. Audi is an established car company, where do you think they're spending all their research and development money? It's easier to package than with ICE, almost everything is easier.
@@hamsterbrigade Not sure what are you trying to imply or say there. ICE is a well-established technology that had generations upon generations of iteration. Just because it has more moving parts doesn't really mean anything in terms of development costs because again, most of the work done is derivative. That's something i would like to ask you too: where are your BOM lists? And you know what? Neither you, nor i (unless by some magical chance you are a car company CEO) will be able to provide the numbers and make solid and fair comparison (for example not comparing a Chevy Volt production and development costs to say a Mercedes C300). My claim of EV manufacturing costs stems from a FT article i read on battery costs estimated to be dwinlding down in the next years (UA-cam is finnicky with links, use Google instead for "Electric car costs to remain higher than traditional engines Threat to carmakers’ profit margins as industry shifts from petrol and diesel vehicles" on Financial Times).
@@marshmellowcoffeesoup2627 you really don't have to travel very far to find the development costs on a gasoline motor. Developing a gasoline motor can cost anywhere between 400 and 1 billion dollars. You're literally ordering an electric motor and controller. The costs are spread across the industry, the designs aren't anything new. The packaging and cooling requirements are way more complicated on an ICE vehicle than an EV. Most of the EV costs are in the battery that is tied to the material not the R&D. I already addressed that with my cartel comment. If you know how half of this stuff worked, you wouldn't even be arguing this with me. I've worked with both gasoline and electric motors including building an ICE car from shell up for racing purposes. What experience are you drawing from to craft your opinion?
I had one of these on loan a while back and while I agree with James on the massaging seats they do have value. On a longer journey, leaning the seatbacks back a bit, a cup of coffee, a slow back massage and your favorite tunes through the stereo while the thing is charging is just heaven.
At 9:30 they describe the steering as "numb" and how they aren't getting feedback from the road. What are they describing? I don't understand what they mean by all of that.
If you're driving a sports car with good steering, you will be able to feel the bumps and textures in the road by the wiggling of the steering wheel. In most cheap cars they don't bother to develop such good steering, and in most luxury cars they deliberately leave it out for a more refined experience
Great looking car. Can you call it a GT without more range? It can't really roadtrip. Or just really short trips of a few hours. Still want to drive it.
So I have a question. Am I missing something, or where are the solar panels to help charge these new battery powered vehicles? Wouldn’t it help cars like this one get better range?
I can only guess that the price for adding solar panels Vers the extra range in anywhere other than the middle East would not tempt enough people to tick the option.
I drove a Model S for some time, and the range was nowhere near what was advertised. I now drive a VW ID, and the range is more like what was written in the brochure.
I will say after driving these a bit, it's by far the best current Audi interior and one of the best rides of any vehicle right now period. Price and range kill it though and are why it's not selling.
So, I have been following you guys for the last few years, I do have a question though, is there a reason why you guys decided to create a sub-channel of T.H, (other than being cold and bored in the winter with smaller budget and less time consuming to make video)
It's a solid, reasoned review from beginning to end. I still contend that Audi, Porsche, and Mercedes EV offerings are not targeted so much at trying to compete against Lucid or Tesla, but simply designed to be tempting as an EV alternative for their brand loyal ICE customers.
yeah germans will finally have to start innovating else they wont be able to compete with tech companies
@@Tommyownzz like the 2 speed transmission and 800 V system in the Taycan? 🤔
@@Tommyownzz I don't agree. Refinement rules. Keep making refined automobiles regardless if they are EVs or not. Tech companies don't know yet what it takes to make great cars. And EVs are cars.
@@benjaminsmith2287 very well said
@@papa_pt that 2 speed transmission is just soo useless. More gears less efficiency, less room for the back, heavier, less room for battery.
wow... 1.5 years later and you can get one for $55K with only 10K miles! (12/2023)
Probably cheaper now 6/2024
A dealer near me has a "used" 2022 with 126 miles on it for $66k. Window sticker is 104k.
Bruh...
That's when I jump in on all my Audi vehicles.
Ik its crazy!
Thomas, you agreeing with James and starting every sentence with "Yeah, nah" or "yeah, nah, yeah" is the most Canadian thing and I love it.
When Audi was asked why this thing has hard buttons for the HVAC controls, they said because this is a driver's car and hard buttons are easier to use when driving hard. Therefore admitting capacitive touch buttons that they put in all their other cars aren't as easy to use and that all their other cars aren't driver's cars.
How can a cheap plastic button be more expensive than a panel of hepatic buttons? This is what I don’t understand about removing button for cost saving
@@Tomoyo0827 parts themselves aren't cheaper but more simple production
It will also guarantee parts sales since the capacitive circuit will break during the lifespan of the car. Its probably a $300-500 part while the mechanical button probably won't break and if it does, it's only the fraction of the cost.
Agreed. Not a fan of capacitive touch buttons. Don't really like those on my Mercedes C300 (S205) steering wheel
@@k0zzu21 I'm more worrying about those LED/LCD screens down the road. My wife's Golf 7 had one screen blackout and cost C$1000+ to replace the module (Not the screen. Luckily VW funded 1/2 of the cost due to the breakdown happened just a week after warranty expiration ). Should the screen failed, we were told that is a $2k+ fix (I can buy 3-4 iPads LOL)
I'm a chauffeur. My client put in an order for this car and he finally received it in December 2021 on a 3 year lease. I drove him to the Palo Alto area (a 200 mile round trip) and it was some of the best power I've ever experienced. The fit and finish was dastardly good. 11/10 would recommend even just sitting in its amazingly wrapped red leather seats. I asked him why he chose it over the lucid or even the Rivian truck to which he answered he just really likes it, because Audi has a dealership network whereas lucid does not, and because he already put in an order for the Rivian but nobody knows when they'll ship.
Edit: august 2022 My client took delivery of his Rivian. Also very nice to drive, just has buggy driver assistance tech that needs work.
Fake story
Where do I apply to be a chaffeur lol
@@MrMESSI why would I lie?
@@paulklp8262 The company is based in the bay area (SF) and the central coast (Monterey) of California so if you're not really in the area, it isn't worth it.
fake story but nice try
I bought the RS version of this car because it was the car to which I was the most attracted.
Range anxiety is a phenomenon that mostly exists if you haven’t had real experience with an EV. It works exactly the same as battery anxiety for your phone, it used to be a big issue, but not really anymore. Just charge it at home every night when you park.
I like that there is enough variety in the market that we can just choose the one we like instead of just having one manufacturer
The Porsche Taycan station wagon looks so damn good
Agreed. I saw one in person the other day and I was smitten
Delicious
Agreed!👌🏽🔥🔥
I bought an e-tron GT in July in California when they first were released. It has the Prestige package, full leather interior and performance package. I use it everyday and get about 270-280 miles per charge. I drive 100 miles a day, plug it in in my garage and have a full charge in about 4-5 hours. I didn't buy it to have the longest range or the most anonymous look. It is gorgeous. It is fast, about 3.4 to 3.5 tested, and it is luxurious. And it has free fast charging from Electrify America for 3 years. By the way, the prestige package includes a matte carbon fiber trim instead of plastic. I wake up, open my garage, and outside, from my phone, have it back up out of the garage before I get in. Yes, there are cheaper and slower and uglier cars. You get what you pay for.
Finaly actual buyer explains to douchebags why are those cars sold out for the next year or so.
“Does this have a V8” that killed me🤣🤣🤣🤣
3:51 “If I was a horse I would not bet on me” 🤣
Nothing better than waking up to watch a review from you guys!
Man. I love you guys. That weather looks chilly!
This and the RS version are gorgeous, but the stats sheets aren't as impressive as rivals and they're simply too expensive for what they are. Drop the starting prices by $20K each and then they become a much more serious competitor.
Yep, the segment it's in is just way too stacked with extremely competitive cars. Coming in at $100k+ STARTING is ridiculous to everyone but Audi fans.
Exactly, very overpriced. They won't be moving many of these at these prices.
I'm not interested in a new one of these, too expensive. A post-depreciation RS model in 3 years? Now we're talking 😎
@@stevesamuel263 I'm an Audi fan and I still find it ridiculous, lol. And imagine when they refresh it in 2 years and it gets a 30% range boost in the process? Or when the PPE A4 and A6 e-tron come out and do everything better in that same time frame? I'd feel burned if I was an early adopter of the GT.
Stat sheets should not be the reason anyone buys a car
One take reviews with James' accents are a morning cheer.
I bought a prestige GT with the leather package. i love it. it's a great daily driver. i have a charger at home. I don't care so much about the range, my commute is 90 miles a day round trip and this car gives me more than enough. Such a better build quality than Tesla. I would have gone for the RS but IMO there is not enough differentiation between the models to pay the extra $40k for what is essentially a mild tune.
The rear wheel steering is wonderful, makes the car feel longer on the highway and shorter in parking lots. Right out of the gate i drove it home 800 miles through four states because they are incredibly hard to find. Charging was a non issue and kind of fun!
How is the ride 2 years later?
Most of the time I don't like how EVs look because they generally don't have a traditional grille (since there's no need for one), but Audi has REALLY pulled it off here I think. I'm a big fan of the front end!
Range is not really an issue for me with my Etron GT, I have a home charger and for everyday commutes, shopping and occasional medium distance leisure trips its fine. I have great apps that show me how to plan a long trip even where the fast chargers that are working and available. I have zero road tax in the UK where my A7 was £570 pa. It costs about £7 to charge at home. The car drives like a dream and everybody, yes everybody, loves its looks which is more than you can say about the Taycan. BTW and in my opinion the Taycan front end is more Toucan! Its just plain weird looking and the interior is trying to hard to be futuristic but not in a good way. So the Etron wins hands down for me and its why I chose it as my first EV. I am happy.
Review is spot on. I own the base with the rear steer. Should have bailed on the rear steer and gone with the leather package. The car is great around town and the one trick power is always fun. But when I hit the canyons and push the car, the complete lack of feedback is not good. And when the car slides, there is ZERO communication in the wheel so you have no idea what angle the front tires are in on a slide. Not good for snow and ice when you need those quick adjustments. Amazing daily EV, charger at home is nice but it does come with FREE charging in the US at all electrify america stations. So there's that bonus
what don't you like about the rear steer / why do you feel like it was not worth the price?
@@pkennethv the car's focus is a GT car. Not a performance car. It's not worth the upgrade for the average person. Sure, it's got incredibly high cornering ability with the package, but the lack of steering feel doesn't encourage me to push it to a point where the rear steer makes a difference. Basically, unless you plan to take this thing to the track every weekend, I paid extra for a tighter turning circle in the parking lot. If I bailed on the steering package and got the leather package instead, the car would've been only $1000USD difference or even less. The car is amazingly comfortable and having cooled seats and a heated wheel is well worth the investment. Just my opinion.
@@revThinvids Interesting. I always saw rear wheel steer purely as a convince feature (tighter turning circle for maneuvering around urban areas), not a performance feature. So I guess you're basically saying you do not believe the price for rear wheel steer is worth it for the tighter turning circle alone (totally fair opinion).
Cuz for performance driving, from what I hear, not having rear wheel steer would actually be preferred because it would make for a more "natural"/"intuitive"/"connected" feel. Kind of like variable steering - it's all good on paper, but in reality, in cars like the R8 & Huracan, pretty much everyone I've heard who's a "good performance driver" says they would rather have the traditional steering option for the reasons I mentioned above.
I understand that "in theory"/"on paper", rear wheel steer can add high speed stability (and therefore make for a faster lap time), but since "no one" is going to "seriously" track their e-tron for the purposes of setting a lap time, when driving spiritedly for the pure joy of driving, not having rear wheel steer should probably be a more enjoyable experience, if other cars' rear steer experience is anything to go by.
(the one exception to this generalization seems to be the 991/992 GT3(RS) where rear wheel steer does not make the steering feel "weird" in performance driving conditions)
IF you can find an Electrify America charging station with more than 4 chargers, or in your area. I live in a city of 2+ million people and there are only 2 stations!
@@pkennethv the rear steer is just different and new so of course people with a lot of experience who aren't used to it, won't like it. The few times I have pushed the car to a point where the rear steer has made a difference, it was an eye opener for the car's capability. But yes, as a whole, I would say it's not worth it.
As an f1 fan seeing smooth operator in the title makes me happy
Agreed. The taycan looks better in photos than the gt but the etron gt looks better in person than the taycan.... The gt is prob the best looking car on the market right now and I would have it based on looks alone over the taycan (that said, from the many reviews its almost as sporty to drive as the taycan, especially in RS spec)... also the range (or lack thereof) issue is not too big a deal unless you are planning to go on frequent long distance road trips, which the average gt buyer (especially RS buyer) will probably have another car to take.
These two in a review together are top notch. I've watched videos with both of them reviewing a car separately and they were good, but not as good as they are together.
James with no gloves with the weather Ontarios been having lately? Jeez, I wouldn't be able to move my fingers! Love the show, the e-tron is a really beautiful car in person, I think it's the perfect blend of futuristic tech and just a really good looking sporty Audi.
Agreed, it looks amazing. I'm hoping they keep this design for all future Audi EV's
"freedom units", well done!
YOU GUYS ACTUALLY GOT IT 😍😍😍
James what shoes are you wearing?
Damn this channel is growing awesome,love and respect from Meghalaya man
What a great review. Nice to get your honest views. One of the best looking cars. Can`t wait your BMW I4M50 -review. Nose is ugly, but you can’t see it from inside :)
You forgot about one extremely important thing. The charging speed in real life is so much better than in any other current EV (except for Taycan)
Only if you can find fast chargers
Duh, one extremely important thing you missed is where? And with the lack of range, you arent taking any trips out of town at all with a 100k+ car? This car was a mistake.
@@RafalDelano I recently purchased a Mercedes . I can afford it with no problem and I will park it between other cars at a Target because it's just a car to me. It's all relative. If a person can easily afford a 200k car it's just another car. If a person can barely afford a used Nissan then of course they may be stunned when they park next to a Ferrari at a Best Buy.
James can flip a coin (Tesla S,3,X, and Y drag race video) and Thomas can do rock, paper, sissors.
Guys, you are great! Thank you for all the awesome videos you make for us! I subscribed to your channels so long time ago and I’m so happy that you become better and better with each new video! Thank you!
Not exactly related to this video, but I love the production on your videos and am always excited to watch them on this channel and the main one!
These intros are legendary!
For a daily (and if I had that kind of cash) I would absolutely consider one of these. Audi just does such a nice job on interior spaces and making the driver feel really comfortable that a "premium EV GT" like this sounds fairly compelling. Of course I'd still cross shop it with the Taycan because why wouldn't you.
The sound inside the car from the electric motors remind me of the sound you hear when your on the T T C subway trains.👍🍻
$30-40k Hyundai have heated steering wheels and cooled seats. They're obviously not anywhere near what this Audi is in other ways but it certainly makes the nickel and dime game on that stuff feel ridiculous for a $100k+ car...
Always love the ETH videos… particularly waiting for another casting couch one, hahah. On a more serious note though, I would love to see a review of the RWD R8. Seems like a special combination, one that I always thought would give the R8 some extra flare alongside that V10. Anywho, cheers you guys, as always keep it up.
Next one is on the couch!
@@jamesengelsman9369 Lovely! I know the whole team has their hands full with the production level of your videos continuously rising, but I think I speak for us all when I say a podcast from you two would be phenomenal. Even just once a month would be a real treat. And I don’t even listen to podcasts!
I need this channel to end the videos abruptly! 🤣
The Lucid Air Touring trumps the Audi on range, power, straight line performance and price(base $129k CAD).. as does the BMW i4M50... it would be a different story if it as Thomas and James mention $50k CAD cheaper. It is however one of the best looking premium EV'S.
I saw one at the mall recently and looked it over. Very nice, but it looked a little Laking in build quality, panel gaps, etc. I'd be very nervous buying one in the first 2 or 3 years of manufacture.
@@glider1232 Still think the Taycan is the most desirable EV.
@@HiddenWen True, only range should be increased or else becomes a niche expensive EV.
Until literally anything goes wrong with your car and you realize theres less than 20 service centers in the entire country.
Yeah , but the Audi has better build quality inside /out , than the Lucid Air .
You're paying for that , not just straight line performance and range .
Plus the Audi is THE best looking EV out there IMHO !
Is something off with the video frames? They appear to be having slight jitter at times. But despite that, great review!
Edit: There is nothing wrong with the video. I just have a potato laptop.
Interesting review. A little surprised how much Thomas liked it. Wish Audi had a more affordable choice.
They will eventually, this literally just got into the EV, seems like everyone is forgetting that
The VW "AERO B", likely released as the ID.6 is going to be released in 2023
www.google.de/search?q=vw+aero+b&sxsrf=APq-WBuTElBmQSoK1BbJppH69tdfvYKfvg:1645701314366&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjyvP6Rm5j2AhUtR_EDHeZHCbkQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=936&bih=522&dpr=1
I am very sure there will be an audi version of it.
As a real estate agent, I think I have to order at least 13 of these
I’d have one of these over a Taycan or an EQE/EQS or a Model S or a Lucid Air for the interior buttons and knobs alone.
Extra Throttle house, yes!
I must say the two of you look very nice together. Hope you guys have an awesome day!
We can see the flickery lights on the dash, it stands out.
Very good point about the i4 another premium German EV and if you get the M50 it’s faster than this while being cheaper
I test drove the I4 M50, it is far less comfortable than the E-tron GT, it feels less stable, is smaller and material and build quality is max 8 out of 10 where Audi is 9.5 out of 10.
I would gladly trade performance for range. For an EV to work for me I would need 400k min in the winter.
I saw this car being driven in my neighborhood yesterday. In videos and pictures, it’s always looked a bit fussy and somewhat overdone. Well, I’ve been wrong! In person, it’s stunning! I’m sort of desperate for one now.
How is this not on regular throttle house!?
That's what I was hoping, I was hoping that it would be honestly
Probably because it's the base model and not the RS model.
BACK STREETS BACK ALRIGHT!!!! AND I’M JAMES
Let him explain what Extra Throttle House is please because I dont get it
Throttle house CMON!!!!!! you owe it to US AND TOM FOR HIS EV!🤣 Get this one guys!!!
2 years later, the prestige models are going for 55-60 on the used car market. Man, you guys are really convincing me to consider one of these even though I am not really looking at sedans. May have to add these into my other options. Upgrading from a Bolt in about a year, and this looks like an insane upgrade.
Hey y'all, big fan here, absolutely love all the videos... I had an idea for a different type of review for y'all. If you've heard about it already, then please just disregard my comment. Here it is: Y'all come down to San Diego and review my 2006 Hyundai Sonata and absolutely ROAST it. Tell me, and your audience, how much of a rust bucket it is. This episode could be called the "beater" edition. You could go around and not only review nice, new cars, but as an aside you could, every once in a while, go around and comedically review every-day drivers, that are absolute wrecks! Just a thought here. Keep up the good work!
Love how Thomas is just seat of pants feel and James has Info on the most obscure button, colour or trim piece. Awesome.
The question of the ages - Can James ever win at rock paper scissors???🤣 Both of you gentlemen are awesome car journalists who make consistently amazing content, and most importantly you both seem like genuinely nice human beings. And I'm grateful beyond words that I never see you wear a mask or see you virtue signal or hear of your politics. I honestly don't care about any of those. Your car channel is a dying breed sadly, where viewers can come to escape the BS politics of our world and purely enjoy cars; unlike too many other car channels that can't resist the need to virtue signal or talk about the virus. Keep up the awesome work gentlemen. Thanks for all your hard work and efforts to provide a us a place to bond with you and the cars. 💪❤
Rented this car (actually the RS model) in Germany, and I absolutely loved it. Everything about it is perfect; the most beautiful car ever made. Range could have been better but honestly its very ok
"freedom units" LOL -- James is epic
“Freedom Units”…love that! James’ sarcastic disdain for America is always good for a laugh. All VAG EV’s have to improve their range, and quickly.
The range on long trips is comparable to Tesla and the charging speed is similar there are enough tests of this like inside EV and whatnot. What do you need more than 250miles in winter condition? That's like driving 4 hours straight. Will be more like 300 in summer. Charging time is around 22 minutes from 5 to 80%. Did this myself, it works.
Amazing review guys!
why isn't this on the main channel. Seems odd
Best looking electric car at the moment
"Don't worry bout it" 🤣🤣🤣
Took this for a test drive in Vancouver and really liked it but you are spot on about price. Im not a Tesla fan boy but for 15k less I can but a Model S LR with more power and range. Not only is it 15k less in msrp, but after 125k in BC tax rate goes up from 15% to 20%, so it is even more expensive. Also looked at the M50 but no test drives available atm. Thanks for the video.
It’s $15K extra to say you drive an Audi lol
What are the odds, i saw a 2022 model of this car earlier today and here you guys are just a few hours later😁
I still dont know why manufacturers are concentrating on acceleration rather than effeciency and range.
Because it's really difficult to improve battery chemistry, whereas it's relatively straightforward to put a big battery and big motors in a car.
Mercedes did with the EQS
A Tesla Model S is cheaper (95k vs 102k), more efficient (120MPGe vs 82MPGe), better range (405mi EPA vs 238mi EPA) all while having significantly better acceleration (3.1s 0-60 vs 3.9s 0-60). There is no excuse for the poor efficiency and range, Tesla is proving it doesn't have to be either/or.
@@justinnolan3667 Tesla has been developing evs for 15 years, no doubt they’ll have the initial advantage as other companies are transitioning
@@justinnolan3667the rs is 0-60 2.9 and can be bought jsed for 65 to 77k wirh lwss thN 10 k miles. Yes, a Tesla does some things very, very well. If we're going to talk about efficiency range acceleration, lucid crushes tesla Eventually, these guys will all start to even out. The other difference is the talk between the interior of an alley. RST t and the Tesla model that's plow. Striking.
And as are the handling dynamics It's just nice that we have choices. And then all of a sudden done, go by the Hyundai. Ionic five N
Love your videos guys
Please please try and get hold of a Jaguar Project8 to review. I would love to see that from you guys!
yes!
Y’all are great!
Alternate the first drive Gents! As usual great video!
More excited about that Tundra in the back.
I had been driving my 2008 allroad (an A6 with air suspension basically) for some weeks with low tire pressure in two tires - today pumped up the tires to spec and got in the car - and although I've had it for five years - the ride - softness and levelness in curves - still impressed me. Also, the steering in slow speeds felt significantly more heavy than when I bought the car - because the steering pump might be on its way out (like many things have been - one of them is the heater fan which sometimes starts along with starting the car, and sometimes doesn't - I've adopted a bicycle cable outer housing piece to stick just right underneath the windshield and into the fan blades to get it going ... and some other things). That said - this might be one of the best looking BEV on the planet - and with how things are going, BMW won't be able to claim that title in 34567898765 years.
Lucid's range really makes a difference when it comes to longer trips. It does away with range anxiety.
These manufacturers are trying their hardest to extract as much margin out of the EV craze before people realize they're not that expensive to make. When you realize how much time and money it takes to design a gasoline motor vs order some electric motors and other off the shelf components from a distributor; there is no doubt car manufacturers would all be pushing EVs hard if it weren't for the cartels popping up around batteries.
That's a very ignorant statement. First of all: currently it's more expensive to manufacture an EV than an ICE vehicle (why do you think EV subsidy is a thing outside of encouraging conversion to EVs?). Next, all car companies (EV or not) have parts suppliers. In that regard, manufacturing an ICE vehicle is no different from manufacturing an EV. You also contradict yourself: at first you say that EVs aren't that expensive to make but then you say that there are "cartels popping up around batteries", which implies that the batteries are expensive.
Developing, manufacturing and marketing both ICE vehicles and EVs is costly. Just because what powers a vehicle isn't a machined slab of aluminum doesn't mean that it requires significantly smaller amounts of monetary input. In fact, as it currently stands, it's more expensive.
@@marshmellowcoffeesoup2627 Do you know how much money it costs to research and develop an IC engine? Do you realize how many more moving parts are in an IC engine than an electric motor? Also, where is your BOM list for how much an EV costs to make; and don't bring up Tesla, they're just figuring out how to build cars and frankly they have a long way to go. People have been EV converting their cars with kits for, forever, it's not magic. Electric propulsion is so much more straight forward and simple than gasoline. The challenge has been battery tech. Audi is an established car company, where do you think they're spending all their research and development money? It's easier to package than with ICE, almost everything is easier.
@@hamsterbrigade Not sure what are you trying to imply or say there. ICE is a well-established technology that had generations upon generations of iteration. Just because it has more moving parts doesn't really mean anything in terms of development costs because again, most of the work done is derivative.
That's something i would like to ask you too: where are your BOM lists? And you know what? Neither you, nor i (unless by some magical chance you are a car company CEO) will be able to provide the numbers and make solid and fair comparison (for example not comparing a Chevy Volt production and development costs to say a Mercedes C300). My claim of EV manufacturing costs stems from a FT article i read on battery costs estimated to be dwinlding down in the next years (UA-cam is finnicky with links, use Google instead for "Electric car costs to remain higher than traditional engines
Threat to carmakers’ profit margins as industry shifts from petrol and diesel vehicles" on Financial Times).
@@marshmellowcoffeesoup2627 you really don't have to travel very far to find the development costs on a gasoline motor. Developing a gasoline motor can cost anywhere between 400 and 1 billion dollars. You're literally ordering an electric motor and controller. The costs are spread across the industry, the designs aren't anything new. The packaging and cooling requirements are way more complicated on an ICE vehicle than an EV. Most of the EV costs are in the battery that is tied to the material not the R&D. I already addressed that with my cartel comment. If you know how half of this stuff worked, you wouldn't even be arguing this with me. I've worked with both gasoline and electric motors including building an ICE car from shell up for racing purposes. What experience are you drawing from to craft your opinion?
I had one of these on loan a while back and while I agree with James on the massaging seats they do have value. On a longer journey, leaning the seatbacks back a bit, a cup of coffee, a slow back massage and your favorite tunes through the stereo while the thing is charging is just heaven.
At 9:30 they describe the steering as "numb" and how they aren't getting feedback from the road. What are they describing? I don't understand what they mean by all of that.
If you're driving a sports car with good steering, you will be able to feel the bumps and textures in the road by the wiggling of the steering wheel. In most cheap cars they don't bother to develop such good steering, and in most luxury cars they deliberately leave it out for a more refined experience
Interesting. Thanks @@NotYourAverageMeatball
I'd personally would like an electric Car that makes the noise a tie fighter makes when I accelerate
100%. And the indicators should make the “wap wap wap” noise of an X-Wings laser cannons.
So what's the difference between extra throttle house and the regular throttle house channel?
looking to get a second hand one, is it reliable? do i need to purchase extended warranty on it?
full review please!!!
Was that a press car? No flickering LEDs. Would hate to live with that in the real though. Looks good on cam!
What's the scheduled maintenance like on this eTron GT?
It's awesome that legendary brands have caught on that EV is here to stay. Much like the oil crisis of the 70s. This is no different
Great looking car. Can you call it a GT without more range? It can't really roadtrip. Or just really short trips of a few hours. Still want to drive it.
I am a real estate agent and I am buying one lol so I agree
So I have a question. Am I missing something, or where are the solar panels to help charge these new battery powered vehicles? Wouldn’t it help cars like this one get better range?
I can only guess that the price for adding solar panels Vers the extra range in anywhere other than the middle East would not tempt enough people to tick the option.
as usual great vids
I have that same hoodie..
Wltp (what we use in the uk) claim 298 miles range on this car I assume they do perfect conditions and hyper-mile as much as possible
$130k and no heated steering wheel is fucking robbery…
Lmaaaao in “freedom units” 😂😂😂
Definitely a sick car!
I drove a Model S for some time, and the range was nowhere near what was advertised. I now drive a VW ID, and the range is more like what was written in the brochure.
My neighbor in my apartment complex has one of these and I've always said it's the best looking EV so far. It looks like an ICE car not an EV
Interested for you guys to do a Q60 RS
I will say after driving these a bit, it's by far the best current Audi interior and one of the best rides of any vehicle right now period. Price and range kill it though and are why it's not selling.
Love that he came for his beanie 😂
What are the issues with the rear steer?
So, I have been following you guys for the last few years, I do have a question though, is there a reason why you guys decided to create a sub-channel of T.H, (other than being cold and bored in the winter with smaller budget and less time consuming to make video)
What is the thing displayed on the rearview mirror ?