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December 15, 2021
Test drive of the Audi e-tron GT: In a word, it's a car that feels good to drive | Audi
Difference from the Porsche Taycan
The steering wheel, with its thick grip, offers a superb tactile experience. It transmits information about the road surface to your palms, and the car's controllability when turning or returning the wheel is remarkably natural.
Many readers may already know this, but the e-tron GT shares the "J1" platform for large pure EVs with Porsche's four-door pure EV, the Taycan. In terms of performance, the 475 kW RS e-tron GT can be compared to the Taycan Turbo (500 kW), and the 390 kW e-tron GT to the Taycan 4S (also 390 kW).
I noticed a slight difference in the handling. Perhaps due to the pride of a manufacturer that builds the 911, the Taycan, especially the Turbo and Turbo S, has a very taut suspension that allows for a driving experience reminiscent of a sports car, despite its larger four-door body.
Both models of the e-tron GT lean more towards comfort. The ride quality, in particular, is excellent. Although I drove about 400 km in a short period during the test drive, I felt no fatigue at all. The car follows the road surface well and gently absorbs shocks on rough patches. I felt it was closer to the Taycan 4S in terms of ride comfort.
The RS e-tron GT, which comes standard with a three-chamber adaptive air suspension, is perfectly suited for long-distance driving at relatively high speeds, as one might do in Germany. I was impressed by the well-tuned setup.
It's also adept on winding roads. The course leading up to the summit of Nihondaira, famous among local enthusiasts (former F1 driver Toranosuke Takagi also told me he used to drive there often when he was young), is a narrow, winding road. I was able to navigate it swiftly and with confidence. I was also impressed by the steering's precision.
The RS e-tron GT I test-drove was equipped with the optional all-wheel steering, which steers the rear wheels to improve maneuverability at low speeds and enhance stability at high speeds. This made cornering incredibly easy. However, even the e-tron GT without this option is plenty enjoyable. The fundamental design is simply that good.
Regarding long distances, the cruising range on a full charge is another point of pride for the e-tron GT. The manufacturer-claimed WLTC mode range is 534 km. In my own experience, after driving 180 km from central Tokyo via the Tomei Expressway to a hotel near Shimizu IC, and then returning the same route without charging, the display still indicated over 100 km of range remaining.