The 2022 Audi e-tron Chronos Edition is PERFECT except for ONE thing!

We test the 2022 Audi e-tron Chronos Edition and find out if this luxury SUV is worth the price.

Chronos Edition

My tester came with the optional Chronos Edition package which is a cool $17,500 on top of the base price of $65,900. What do you get for that, well for starters 21-inch V Spoke design black wheels with dynamic yellow brake calipers, adaptive cruise control with lane guidance, aluminum door inlays, a Bang and Olufsen premium sound system, digital matrix design headlights, dual pane acoustic glass, massaging front seats a head-up display, and extra super soft Valcona leather seats.

Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:34 Exterior
0:49 Powertrain
1:43 Charging and Range
2:18 Suspension and Off-Road
2:57 Pricing
3:48 Cargo Space
4:35 Rear Seat
5:36 Front Seat and Tech
9:01 Driving
16:24 Conclusion

Under the skin

Lurking under that very pretty exterior are two electric motors, one at the front axle and the other at the rear providing electronic all-wheel drive. The rear motor does most of the work and the front kicks in when wheel slip is detected. The two motors make a combined 355 horsepower and 414 pound-feet of torque. More power is available by selecting Dynamic from the drive selector button in the center console, which unleashes 402 hp and 490 pound-feet but only for a few seconds.

Off-Road

The e-tron comes with a height-adjustable air suspension system as standard and in regular driving has a ride height of 6.8 inches. Increase your speed to over 75 mph and the suspension makes the car more aerodynamic by lowering it by 1 inch.

The e-tron will go off-road but I can't imagine too many owners doing it but switching to off-road mode lifts the E-Tron 1.4 inches giving it 8.2 inches of ground clearance, still short of a Subaru Outback though.  Audi claims an 18.2-degree approach angle, a 24.4-degree departure angle, and a 16.8-degree breakover angle but it's easy to catch the bottom of the front bumper down some inclines, so I would advise sticking to paved roads.

Quiet, genius at work

As I discovered on my first drive, the e-tron is exceptionally quiet, which I know is the case for most EVs but the lack of any wind noise even at higher speeds is impressive. Thank the dual pane glass in the front windows and Audi's attention to detail for making this one of the quietest cars I have ever driven.

Battery and Charging

The battery has 95 Kwh of capacity which seems like it should be enough, but it isn't, the e-tron will only go an estimated 218 miles on a charge which is simply not enough. Yes,175 miles.  it does regen really well and has the capability to charge at speeds of up to 150 kWh but that means finding an available charger that has that kind of speed. I mostly charged overnight with my 240-volt charger and my estimated range was never more than 200 miles at 100%. Charge it to the recommended 80% and you are looking at only 175 miles.

2022 Audi e-tron quattro numbers

BASE PRICE: $65,900
AS TESTED PRICE: $86,505 (Chronos Edition)
VEHICLE LAYOUT: Front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door crossover
ENGINE: 2 induction permanent magnet AC motors
BATTERY: 95.3-kWh lithium-ion
COMBINED POWER: 402 hp 
TORQUE: 414 lb-ft 
TRANSMISSION: 1-speed automatic transmission
0-60 MPH: 5.3 sec
CURB WEIGHT: 5,875 lb
CARGO VOLUME: 28.5 cubic feet, 56.4 cubic feet with the seats down.
RANGE: 213 miles
EPA FUEL ECONOMY: 78 MPGe
PROS: Seamless acceleration, amazing cabin, super quiet
CONS: Needs more range