Item: Audi A3 e-tron
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

Audi A3 e-tron

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Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

<p>Plug-in hybrids tend to work out more expensive to buy than their conventionally powered variants, and the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron is no exception. Our favourite A3 1.4 TFSI 125 SE is much cheaper. That said, the e-tron does qualify for a Government grant of £2500, and it has more standard equipment.</p>

<p>It’s also competitive against the competition. The BMW i3 with Range Extender is cheaper but won’t match the overall range of the e-tron, while the VW Golf GTE is slightly more expensive for the equivalent specification.</p>

<p>If you regularly travel long distances at motorway speeds a diesel might prove more economical in the real world, despite the A3 e-tron’s claimed fuel economy of 176.6mpg. That’s because once the e-tron’s battery is depleted - which in reality is after 15 to 20 miles – you’ll be running on the petrol engine; in our True MPG test it delivered 47.7mpg. Therefore the e-tron is best suited to those doing short trips, with good access to charge points.</p>

<p>The other group that it will benefit is business users. With CO2 emissions of just 37g/km, you’ll pay very low BIK (Business in Kind) tax compared with a conventionally powered car, and you’ll pay nothing for VED.</p>

<p>The standard equipment in the A3 e-tron is generous, with goodies including sat-nav, a 7.0in infotainment screen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a DAB radio, Bluetooth, LED headlights, rear parking sensors, 17in alloy wheels and sports seats. Audi’s excellent but expensive Virtual Cockpit is available as an optional extra, as well as front seat lumbar adjustment, cruise control and heated front seats.</p>

<p>A three-year, 60,000-mile manufacturer’s warranty is standard, which can be extended at extra cost up to five years or 90,000 miles.</p>

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<p>If you have any preconceptions that a car using battery power will feel slow, then you’ll find the A3 Sportback e-tron a revelation. Even when using just the electric motor it’s not exactly slow, but when you use it with both the electric motor and the 1.4-litre petrol engine combined it’s decently quick. It pulls hard right from the off and will despatch the 0-62mph sprint in a hot-hatch-bating 7.6sec, and will happily cruise at motorway speeds.</p>

<p>Power goes through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, which means it’s very easy to drive, whether you’re mooching around town or tackling a long cross-country trip.</p>

<p>There are three powertrain modes available: EV, Hybrid and Battery Hold. EV keeps the car running on pure electric power only (offering a realistic range of 15-20 miles). Hybrid uses a mix of electric and petrol power, while Battery Hold helps to preserve the battery by getting the petrol engine to do all the work.</p>

<p>Having the extra weight of the batteries does reflect in the handling, because the e-tron will wash wide through fast corners earlier than the standard A3 models, but no more so than the similar versions of the Golf or i3. Even so, the steering is well weighted and makes it easy to place the A3 on the road, and body lean is progressive and nicely controlled.</p>

<p>Ride comfort is great over high-speed undulations, and the e-tron feels settled and comfortable in most situations, but it can become a bit bouncy and jarring over hard-worn or rougher town roads.</p>

<p>Refinement is also an e-tron strong point. The brakes are a bit grabby, but don’t suffer from the snappiness that some hybrid cars do, while in electric mode it’s whisper quiet. You do notice a slight vibration and added noise as the petrol engine kicks in, but the engine is still smooth and a lot less intrusive than the two-cylinder engine found in the BMW i3. As your speed builds so do the levels of road and wind noise, but not to excessive levels.</p>

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<p>You’ll struggle to find a premium family car that does so much, so well, as the Audi A3 Sportback, especially in our favourite 1.4 TFSI 125 SE guise. However, for the ultimate in company car tax avoidance you might want to consider this plug-in hybrid e-tron model.</p>

<p>You can run the e-tron on the electric motor alone, or, when you need more performance, couple that with the 1.4-litre petrol engine. The combined power units are certainly effective, offering near hot-hatch levels of performance.</p>

<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5pEM8Tsx2Ng"></iframe></p>

<p>Mechanicals aside, the A3 Sportback is practical too, and it has a very plush interior with plenty of equipment.</p>

<p>It could also be a tempting proposition for the company car buyer, with low CO2 emissions offering extremely competitive benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax payments, and free road tax (VED).</p>

<p>Does this make the e-tron a better choice than a conventionally powered A3? Read on over the next few pages to find out.</p>

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<p>It’s easy to get comfortable behind the wheel of the A3 Sportback e-tron. There’s plenty of movement to the steering wheel – up and down as well as in and out – while the seat moves every which way, too. Once you have your driving position set, you’ll also find the steering wheel and pedals are nicely aligned.</p>

<p>It’s not as futuristic inside as the BMW i3, but the clean-looking, minimalist-style dash means there’s not a confusing array of buttons. Instead there are just the essential controls, such as those for the heating and air-con, positioned logically to hand.</p>

<p>Many of the car’s functions are controlled using the rotary dial and menu buttons placed behind the gearlever, and viewed on the clear and well-sighted 7.0in screen that rises out of the dashboard. It’s perhaps not quite as good as the BMW system but it’s still intuitive, and the rotary controller makes it easier to use on the move than the VW Golf GTE’s touchscreen system. It’s well equipped too, with sat-nav and DAB radio as standard, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.</p>

<p>The A3 has one of the best-finished cabins in the class. Predominantly, the surfaces look and feel upmarket, with soft to the touch materials, and switches that operate with a slick, precise action.</p>

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Hatchback

<p dir="ltr">Audi is a brand that sets the standard for interior quality, and this, combined with its vast and ever-growing model line-up, has helped it become one of the ‘big three’ German prestige car makers, along with BMW and Mercedes-Benz.</p>

<p dir="ltr">The A3 hatchback, A4 executive saloon and Q7 SUV have all won their classes at the What Car? Car of the Year Awards in recent years, while the TT coupé is the most decorated car in the history of the ceremony.</p>

<p dir="ltr">At least some of Audi's success over the past 30 years can be attributed to the growth in sales of vehicles with four-wheel drive; the company arguably led the way in bringing 4x4 technology into the mainstream, with its Quattro coupé in the early 1980s.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Today, most Audis are available with at least the option of four-wheel drive, while the list of SUVs from the brand includes the Q2, Q3, Q5 and Q7.</p>


AUDI

Available only in five-door Sportback form, the e-tron model is a plug-in petrol-electric hybrid. It’s really expensive on paper, although most owners will lease the car or use its incredibly low CO2 emissions to get low benefit-in-kind tax bills. It comes with a decent standard equipment list for the money: sat-nav, dual-zone climate control, full-LED headlights and Audi Connect online connectivity are all included.

E-Tron

<p>The Audi A3 e-tron is pricey, but it has all the classiness of the regular versions with potentially cheaper running costs</p>


<p>The A3 Sportback e-tron offers decent cabin space for a car of this size. The driver and front-seat passenger are the best catered for with lots of head and leg room, and there’s plenty of storage, too. This includes deep door bins, a couple of cup holders behind the gearlever, as well as a cubby under the front armrest. Space for knick-knacks is a little short, apart from a tray for a mobile phone on the centre console.</p>

<p>In the rear there’s space for two tall adults to be reasonably comfortable, or three with some squeezing, but it’s worth pointing out that the Volkswagen Passat GTE is a much bigger car for those that need more cabin space.</p>

<p>That applies to the boot as well, which isn’t the A3 e-tron’s strongest point. The batteries sit under the rear seats, so the fuel tank (reduced to 40 litres) has been moved to beneath the boot, eating into the boot space and reducing it to 280 litres (down from 380 in the conventionally powered A3 models).</p>

<p>Still, while the boot lacks the capacity and depth of the rest of the A3 range, it’s still a broad, square-shaped space that’ll be fine for light family use or weekend luggage. Also, there are 60:40 split-folding rear seats to manage longer loads, and it should be said that neither the BMW i3 nor Golf GTE are any bigger. Once again, look to the Passat GTE for the best load-lugging capability.</p>

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The Audi A3 e-tron is pricey, but it has all the classiness of the regular versions with potentially cheaper running costs. 

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Low running costs compared with solely petrol or diesel equivalents</li> <li>Very low official CO2 emissions to benefit company car drivers</li> <li>The same usability as a regular car</li> <li>Smooth transition between electric and engine power</li> <li>Small practicality compromise over conventional models</li></ul>

<p>Not so long ago, hybrids were the preserve of Hollywood stars, environmentally conscious 'early adopters' and the odd&nbsp;minicab driver looking to save a bit of money on fuel.</p>

<p>Since the collapse in demand for diesel, however, they have become&nbsp;much more popular, and it's easy to see why, with&nbsp;low tax bills and&nbsp;impressive MPG figures&nbsp;just a couple of the perks they offer.</p>

<p>There are two types of hybrid: 'self-charging'&nbsp;models, which mix petrol&nbsp;and electric power in an effort to maximise&nbsp;efficiency, and&nbsp;plug-in hybrids that can travel many miles purely on electricity before their engines need to cut in. This category is for the former type of cars.</p>

Hybrid

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of practical space </li> <li>Low running costs </li> <li>A comfortable ride </li> <li>A healthy equipment list </li> <li>Quality materials and thoughtful touches inside </li> <li>Rock-solid reliability</li></ul>

<p>Family cars arguably have the toughest brief of all: they have to be good at pretty much everything. They’re used as the daily drive, on the school run or work commute (often both), and have to be able to cope with a family’s clutter on weekends and holidays.</p>

<p>The Skoda Scala is a relative newcomer, but it's&nbsp;already carved out a name for itself in this segment.&nbsp;If you're looking for a moderately priced car that combines a supple ride, neat handling, a spacious interior and a capacious boot&nbsp;it's well worth a look.&nbsp;Alternatively, if you're looking for entertaining handling then the&nbsp;BMW 1 Series may well be for you. It's great to drive, rides well&nbsp;and also comes with a top-notch interior, featuring one of our very favourite infotainment systems.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Toyota Corolla&nbsp;is another great choice. This latest version of one of the world's best-selling cars of all time can be had with a choice of two different petrol-electric hybrid engines, both of which should mean&nbsp;potentially lower fuel bills. It's comfortable, well equipped and should be very reliable, too.&nbsp;</p>

Family

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Usefully long electric-only range</li> <li>Exceedingly frugal</li> <li>Cheap company car tax rates</li> <li>Smooth switching between electric and petrol power</li></ul>

<p>If you're not ready to commit to a fully electric vehicle&nbsp;but have the capacity to charge your car at home or at work, a plug-in hybrid could be the perfect compromise. Electric batteries paired with a petrol or diesel&nbsp;engine means you'll never be left short of charge&nbsp;but can capitalise on cheap running costs, thanks to a surprisingly long electric-only range.</p>

<p>There's plenty of choice, too, whether you're after a sporty saloon like the BMW 3 Series, the 330e variant of which providing up to 36 miles of electric-only driving on a full charge, or a large load-lugging large SUV, including the Volvo XC90 T8, which claims an extraordinary&nbsp;113mpg.</p>

<p>Throw in competent handling and driving prowess, despite the added weight of the electric batteries, and a plug-in hybrid&nbsp;makes a compelling case for frugal buyers.&nbsp;</p>

Plug-in hybrid

Audi A3 e-tron review

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Buying advice for the Audi A3 e-tron covering running costs, MPG, Fuel Economy, Reliability and Safety, from the expert What Car? review team.

Plug-in hybrids tend to work out more expensive to buy than their conventionally powered variants, and the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron is no exception. Our favourite A3 1.4 TFSI 125 SE is much cheaper. That said, the e-tron does qualify for a Government grant of £2500, and it has more standard equipment.,It’s also competitive against the competition. The BMW i3 with Range Extender is cheaper but won’t match the overall range of the e-tron, while the VW Golf GTE is slightly more expensive for the equivalent specification.,If you regularly travel long distances at motorway speeds a diesel might prove more economical in the real world, despite the A3 e-tron’s claimed fuel economy of 176.6mpg. That’s because once the e-tron’s battery is depleted - which in reality is after 15 to 20 miles – you’ll be running on the petrol engine; in our True MPG test it delivered 47.7mpg. Therefore the e-tron is best suited to those doing short trips, with good access to charge points.The other group that it will benefit is business users. With CO2 emissions of just 37g/km, you’ll pay very low BIK (Business in Kind) tax compared with a conventionally powered car, and you’ll pay nothing for VED.,The standard equipment in the A3 e-tron is generous, with goodies including sat-nav, a 7.0in infotainment screen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a DAB radio, Bluetooth, LED headlights, rear parking sensors, 17in alloy wheels and sports seats. Audi’s excellent but expensive Virtual Cockpit is available as an optional extra, as well as front seat lumbar adjustment, cruise control and heated front seats.,A three-year, 60,000-mile manufacturer’s warranty is standard, which can be extended at extra cost up to five years or 90,000 miles.For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here 

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