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New Nissan Ariya vs used Audi Q4 e-tron costs
The new Nissan Ariya may have sci-fi style, but for similar money, a lightly used Audi Q4 e-tron also looks very tempting. So, which is the better buy?...
Buying and owning
Costs, equipment, reliability, safety and security
We're testing the Nissan Ariya in its most affordable guise, meaning it has the smaller of the two battery options – that being the 63kWh unit – and comes in at £43,407 once you've factored in the discount available through our free New Car Buying service.
That's slightly less than you'll pay for a one-year-old Audi Q4 e-tron with a 77kWh battery (about £45,000), because these are currently going for only about £2000 less than new ones. But you will get to jump the queue, and a small saving can hint at good things when looking at long-term deprecation.
Speaking of depreciation, both cars are predicted to shed value at a similar rate. Over three years, the Ariya is expected to lose £17,945 of its value, while the Q4 should lose £17,775.
Alternatively, if you'd rather buy on PCP finance, you can expect to pay £509 per month for the Ariya, assuming a 48-month contract, a £6922 deposit and an optional final payment of £22,876. By contrast, we were quoted £671 per month to buy the Q4 on finance over 48 months. The deposit was also £6922 and there would be a £19,042 optional final payment. Your annual mileage limit on both cars would be 10,000 miles.
Rear parking sensors are standard, whichever model you choose, but the Ariya also has front sensors at no extra cost; these are part of a £1425 optional package on new Q4s. Similarly, the Ariya's front seats are heated and electrically adjustable, whereas the Q4's are only heated.
Neither car appeared in the most recent What Car? Reliability Survey, but Audi ranked 21st in the overall brand league table (out of 32 manufacturers) and Nissan 25th.
The Ariya is yet to be crash tested by safety experts at Euro NCAP, but the smaller Nissan Qashqai was awarded the maximum five-star rating – the same score as the Q4.
From a public rapid charger, the 63kWh version of the Ariya takes 31 minutes to replenish its battery from 10-80%. A 7kW home wallbox should deliver a 0-100% charge in around 10 hours. The Q4, with its larger, 77kWh battery, can get from 10-80% via a rapid charger in 33 minutes, while a full charge at home will take just over 12 hours.
Alternatives
New rivals, used rivals
If you're buying new, an alternative to consider is our current What Car? Car of the Year, the fantastic Kia EV6. This electric SUV is available for similar money to the Ariya, and it impresses with its long range, ultra-rapid charging capability, spacious interior and seven-year (100,000-mile) warranty.
Alternatively, if you want a used alternative that, like the Q4, has a premium badge, how about a used Jaguar I-Pace? It has entertaining handling and a classy interior. Just be aware that it placed towards the bottom of the electric car class in our latest reliability survey.
