It only takes four or five of Milton Keynes’ 130 roundabouts to understand the Audi e-Tron GT quattro is a very different car to the Porsche Taycan.

Despite sharing the same bespoke electric J1 platform – developed jointly by Audi and Porsche – the second e-Tron seems to have more in common with its combustion-engined S7 stepsibling, than its electric twin from Stuttgart.

The e-Tron GT quattro we’re driving uses the same 350kW powertrain as the Taycan 4S, capable of 0-100km/h in 4.1 seconds when in a 390kW boost mode.

Instead, the e-Tron GT’s power is progressive, its torque flat – and it makes the Audi effortlessly accumulate speed as opposed to gaining it instantly.

UPDATE, Feb 2022: Australian E-Tron GT pricing announced

Australian pricing for the Audi E-Tron GT range has now been announced. Get all the details at the link below.

MORE 2022 Audi E-Tron GT, RS E-Tron GT pricing and features
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Story continues

The same is largely true of the hotter RS model that sits above it; with 440kW and 475kW in Boost mode, it has similar performance on paper to the hotter Taycan Turbo, but delivers it in a less aggressive way. Our standard quattro car, has the better range of 475km to RS’s 450 though.

Riding on air – optional in the quattro but standard in the RS – our test car was firm but well-mannered around town and pliable on B-roads. Motorways were equally quiet in the e-Tron GT; even in Dynamic mode, the Audi’s adaptive suspension soaked up bumps from expansion joints, choosing not to send them straight to the drivers’ seat.

MORE Audi e-Tron RS GT prototype review

The added comfort comes at the expense of outright handling, so body roll and dive – when you step on the optional tungsten carbide-coated steel brakes – does creep in. Empty the quattro’s power reserves on the exit of a corner, and you’ll also get the bonnet to rise a little, along with some sideways sway as Audi’s all-wheel-drive claws you down the road.

The e-Tron’s business-as-usual ethos continues to the exterior: Ingolstadt’s electric GT wears a Marc Lichte-tailored suit, and instead of looking like a Taycan at a court appearance, its unique design cues – from the Audi singleframe grille to the e-Tron light elements – move away from the Porsche’s sci-fi looks and add a dash of the familiar.

Inside, the e-Tron GT forgoes banks of haptic touchscreens, and strikes a reasonable compromise of proddable displays and real switchgear. The steering wheel could be from any Audi of the last five years, but it’ll help make the e-Tron GT feel less alien to early adopters.

The standard e-Tron quattro is the most compelling of the two; on paper it has the longer range and the lower price, and it add all the comfort you’d want from a GT – with the inherent benefits an EV powertrain brings.

The range-topping RS is more muddled. In a bid to be sportier but softer, it’s based on an unwinnable compromise, and leaves itself open to some unfavorable comparisons.

9.0/10

Pros: ride; refinement; EV powertrain; charge speed

Cons: price currently unknown; little else

Specifications

Body: 5-door, 5-seat hatchback Drive: all-wheel Battery: 93.4kWh (83.7kWh net) Power: 350kW (390kW overboost) Torque: 630Nm (640Nm overboost) Transmission: 2-speed Weight: 2276kg L/W/H: 4989/1964/1396mm Wheelbase: 2900mm Tracks: 1710/1694mm (f/r) Suspension: double-wishbones, adaptive dampers, air springs, anti-roll bar (f); multi-links, adaptive dampers, air springs, anti-roll bar (r) Wheels: 19 x 8.0-inch (f); 19 x 10.0-inch (r) Tyres: 225/55 R19 (f); 275/45 R19 (r) Price: $175,000 (estimate) On-sale: H2 2021