Audi A2 e-tron review

Our opinion on the Audi A2

The Audi A2 e-tron is nothing like as innovative or technologically ambitious as the original, but it is a well rounded and stylish new-age electric car with impressive levels of efficiency and practicality. Best in its simpler forms, if you look at models with the bigger battery, its value equation starts to break down – despite that impressive range figure.

About the Audi A2

The Audi A2 name is potentially one of the more contentious monikers to reboot, but Audi’s hoping that with an ‘e-tron’ modifier attached to the bootlid, the now electric hatchback will appeal to buyers in a whole new era; and if you think about it, it’s not actually that far-reaching from the 1999 original. 

Both have a similar mandate to extract maximum efficiency, but this new one goes about it with a very different set of technical underpinnings. Due to expensive aluminium construction, the nineties original was often classed as too expensive, too compromised and almost too clever for its time. Yet while not considered a fiscal success in period, the A2 has enjoyed a brighter reputation in retrospect – something Audi’s hoping will give this new model a bump in interest as it reaches showrooms.

The new A2 e-tron is nearly 50cm longer than before and more than 11cm wider. Yet thanks to an overall height that’s actually 2mm lower, it doesn’t feel too big in the flesh, and is quite compact in context to modern rivals.

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Audi will launch the new A2 with a fully formed range of powertrain options across four trim levels. Lower-end versions benefit from the UK Government Electric Car Grant to the tune of £1,500, helping to lower the starting price down to a quite impressive £32,200. However, more expensive variants lose this benefit, so there can be a relatively steep increase in price for long-range or high-performance variants.

Audi will offer a fairly wide range of powertrain options, from a surprisingly affordable entry-level option, via a long-range option with close to 400 miles of range, to a high-spec GTI-baiting model at the top with more than 320bhp. 

All share the same MEB architecture as cars such as the Volkswagen ID.3 Neo and Cupra Born. This defines its layout as a single motor mounted on the rear axle, but far from what might seem like an aging VW Group platform, thorough updates from the battery to the bumpers mean the A2 still offers a competitive package on paper. 

The lowest of the four powertrain options features a 168bhp e-motor paired with a 52kWh (gross) battery pack. Step up to the 62kWh battery option and you’ll unlock a slight uplift in power to 187bhp. These two options are available across three trim levels – Technik, Sport and S-Line – and the UK Government’s tier one Electric Car Grant (ECG) of £1,500 is applied to all of them. 

Step up to the larger 84kWh battery, fitted as standard with a 228bhp electric motor, and you’ll lose the ECG, but gain an impressive range figure in return. Finally, a high-performance 321bhp range-topper is also available, matching the new ID.3 Neo GTI for outright grunt. These two options are only available in S-Line and the top-spec Edition 1 trims.

Performance, 0-60mph acceleration and top speed

No A2 is ultra fast, but then they don’t really need to be. Even the entry-level variant with less than 170bhp feels fast enough, thanks in large part to a generous 350Nm of torque. The 8.8-second 0-62mph time feels conservative, so we wouldn’t put too much stock into that on-paper figure. 

At the other end of the spectrum is the 321bhp flagship, which feels more than powerful enough, if somewhat unnecessarily. Response from the powertrain is rather restrained, even in Dynamic mode, and you instead notice the extra weight of the larger battery and a slightly compromised ride on the 20-inch wheels.

Town driving, visibility and parking

This car’s general shape might look like it would offer excellent visibility with so much glass on the outside, but the high-mounted interior screens and relatively low header rail can make you feel slightly hemmed in, even if actual space up front is very good. Its large front quarter windows offer good visibility on the opposite side of the car, but can create a blindspot on the nearside – an unfortunate reality with such a steep windscreen. Visibility out the back is also hampered by the relatively narrow rear glass and the horizontal bar that splits the window, but it’s certainly no worse than other cars in this class. 

In terms of the actual driving experience, though, the A2 is perfectly suited to city driving. When fitted with the smaller batteries and wheels, the ride is excellent, with well damped movements that aren’t too soft. The steering is also nicely weighted and accurate, and the brakes have good modulation. 

However, the car’s low-speed manners do suffer when fitted with larger 20-inch wheels, even with the optional adaptive dampers fitted. The ride seems to stiffen up and the wheels tend to thump into bumps more readily. This is also due to the extra weight of the larger battery. 

Country road driving and handling 

As with low speed driving, A2s with smaller batteries and wheels are much sweeter to drive than those fitted with the 84kWh packs and top-spec 20-inch wheels. In these conditions, the A2 is a very competent, if largely unengaging experience. To be brutal, VW’s new MEB+ platform is a lighter and more charismatic experience, and even Cupra’s Born VZ feels more complete and engaging than the A2 with the same high-performance 321bhp motor. 

Motorway driving and long-distance comfort

If there was one place previous A2 buyers would want to see the greatest improvement over the original it would likely be on motorways, and in this case Audi has done a great job. The A2’s slippery body means it’s able to slip through the air, a byproduct being the excellent levels of general refinement and road noise. The car’s manners at high speeds are also very good, with calm steering and a surefooted ride quality. 

Once again, however, it’s the larger battery that feels the odd one out, because our test cars on 20-inch wheels generated considerably more road noise than the non-performance orientated rubber found on versions with smaller wheels. We didn’t find the adaptive dampers made much, if any, real difference to the general quality of the ride. 

"You don’t buy an A2 for the driving experience, but models with the smaller battery packs are perfectly adequate. Larger battery options are a little lumpen" - Jordan Katsianis, News Editor

A critical mandate for the previous Audi A2 was efficiency, and the same is indeed the case with this new e-tron version. Its technical make-up is perhaps less ambitious than before, because the new e-tron in effect uses a VW platform that’s been in production for more than seven years. However, in contrast to the eye-wateringly expensive aluminium spaceframe that was engineered just for the original A2, the business case is less perilous this time around. 

Audi’s engineering achievements with the new A2 e-tron are still not to be sniffed at, though, because we’ve already been hugely impressed by the car’s impressive levels of energy consumption. This is helped by small efficiencies throughout the engineering package, but also its super-slippery body and a low coefficient of drag. This should all help keep running costs down and maximise the potential range. 

Electric range, battery life and charge time

Audi offers four different powertrain options, spread over three battery sizes with four different e-motors. All have the same fundamental layout – a low-set battery between the axles and rear-mounted e-motor – and all feature a single-speed transmission. 

Kicking off the range is the 52kWh (gross) variant that is capable of 261 miles. The peak DC fast charging is average for 2026 at 100kW, but thanks to a compact battery it means it will still top up from 10 to 80 per cent in just 24 minutes. 

Step up to the 62kWh (gross) option and the range jumps to 310 miles with a slight increase in peak DC charging speeds of 105kW. That will achieve the same 10 to 80 per cent top-up in 26 minutes. 

Looking at rivals in the same price bracket, Kia’s EV3 is able to go 270 miles on a charge in entry-level ‘Air’ form, but costs the same as Audi’s 62kWh option and has a similar 105kW charging rate. Other rivals, including the closely-related VW ID.3 Neo and Cupra Born have just under the A2’s range, and cost slightly more – although they are a touch bigger. 

Audi’s larger 84kWh (gross) battery pack raises the stakes – in price, performance and range. The 228bhp example offers some serious numbers for the price, with as much as 395 miles of range on offer. Charging is also a decent chunk faster, at 183kW, which will just slip under the 30-minute mark for a 10 to 80 per cent recharge.

The top-spec 321bhp variant has the same battery size and charging rate, and depending on wheel size, only sacrifices around 12-15 miles of range compared with the 228bhp variant. On test, we saw up to 4.5 miles/kWh on a mix of A-roads and urban streets in models with the smaller 52kWh battery, which is impressive. The larger 84kWh variant didn’t do too much worse despite the extra weight and performance-orientated tyres, with around 4.2 miles per kWh. 

Insurance groups

No official car insurance groups have been listed for the A2 e-tron yet, but expect them to align with other BEVs in the same price bracket of anywhere between Groups 25-40 depending on powertrain choice.

Tax

The majority of A2 e-tron models will drop below the luxury-car tax supplement for VED, meaning annual road tax will be capped at £200. Only the very highest 321bhp Edition 1 variant breaches the £50,000 mark, meaning it’ll have the £440 premium added for the first five years after purchase.

Depreciation

As a new model to the market, depreciation rates have yet to be calculated, but we expect the A2 e-tron will be in-line with other premium BEVs which have a depreciation rate of around 45-50 per cent of their original value retained after three years. This could be ripe for change, however, because used BEV values have started to increase with fuel prices on the rise.  

It’s instantly clear the 2000s original has influenced the design of the new A2, with a similar monovolume silhouette that looks quite different to just about anything on the road today. However, this has enhanced this with plenty of contemporary styling cues that lie somewhere between Audi’s existing design language and the fresh one that’s being developed by the German company’s new chief design officer, Massimo Frascella.

Up front, the slim upper lights sink into a clean, crisp look with accentuated wheelarches and lots of aero trickery. The grille insert is more controversial, with a purely oblong shape that incorporates the main headlight units and half the badge. This creates a very distinctive appearance, even from far away. 

The rear is more faithful to the original, with a similar split rear screen that integrates a small spoiler. Thin tail lights create a near-full width light bar, but Audi – as with Porsche – is now moving beyond a simple strip that seems to have infiltrated almost every design studio in modern car design.

It was a risk reinterpreting a design that many people in period didn’t seem to accept, but in the flesh the latest A2 is actually quite a bit more compact than it appears in images, and thanks to large wheels (up to 20-inches) it certainly makes a statement in more mundane traffic. 

Audi will offer the A2 with two styling packages. The simpler base version is restrained and very contemporary, with the S-Line and its extra visual details leaning into more of a hi-tech feel.

Interior and dashboard design

The cabin tells a slightly more disparate story, with what looks like two competing eras of design in the one cabin. The dashboard architecture and general design elements look and feel bang-up-to-date, with a new sense of simplicity and boxy elegance that channels the ‘Radical Next’ design language that was previewed in the Concept C and more recently the Nuvolari supercar. 

The sculpted dash maximises the amount of visual space inside, with layered shelves mounted beneath that create clever junctions and lots of storage spaces. The optional glass roof and lighter interior fabrics also help, but there have been one or two compromises. 

The big one is the incongruence of the twin displays and their housing, a unit which is meant to mirror the shape of the old Audi grille – one which is not found on this new A2. The clunky unit and its large black bezels clash with the much sharper and cleaner aesthetic seen elsewhere in the cabin.

Materials and build quality

Material choices are another middle-ground area where you can see a tension between the brand’s brave new aesthetic and a more conservative outlook. Some models in European markets are available with a combination of neutral stone-coloured fabric seats and dashboard panels. However, many S-Line models available in the UK instead look backwards to black and grey materials meant to feel ‘sporty’, rather than contemporary. 

Edition 1 models double down on this with contrasting red stitching and even red plastic inserts on the centre bin and air vents; these feel completely out of step with the far more refined and elegant feeling of the wider design. 

Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo

Audi’s infotainment is a quirky and somewhat compromised system that feels less resolved and a little more old fashioned than rivals from BMW and Mercedes – but it still offers a premium-car experience. 

All A2s feature the same combination of 11.9-inch driver’s display and 12.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system mounted in a curved housing. This sits a little incongruously on the almost architectural dashtop, and jars with the rest of the cabin. 

However, the general functionality is all there. All models pick up embedded sat-nav and online services, however, there’s no Google integration like you’ll see on lots of other new models. Apple CarPlay or Android Auto is a quick cure for this, though, and the A2’s Magsafe charging makes the wireless connection a seamless process.

The overall system has also benefited from a range of small updates since it was first introduced on the current Q3 SUV. This includes more personalisation options for the driver’s display, including the ability to finally use full-screen maps, which leaves the centre screen free for media and other uses. However, Audi’s slightly odd narrow aspect ratio for the driver’s display remains. 

Not so nice is the shortage of physical controls. Audi’s kept the volume knob and a couple of essential controls such as the demists and hazard warning lights, but a few more wouldn’t go amiss. We’re reliably told these are coming on future Audis; the A2 was just a little too far into its development cycle before this change in tactic was locked in.

"If Audi is going to sell the A2 on its premium image and design, it’s a massive shame to see the materials that best express this aren’t available in the UK" - Jordan Katsianis, News Editor

The A2 e-tron might be a bigger car than the one it replaces, but it’s still quite a small model – especially by modern standards. General passenger space is impressive considering its footprint, but the boot might be just a little small for families. Unlike its predecessor, you will fit three across in the second row, and Audi’s also fitted in a critical storage space under the bonnet for cable storage – we maintain this is by far the best solution when room is tight in an EV. However, this is not available in models with the smallest battery pack. 

Dimensions and size

Audi has made full use of its native BEV platform to create an impressive amount of cabin space considering its external footprint. This is derived from the exceptionally long wheelbase considering its overall length, and the fact Audi’s engineers have moved the cabin seating position further forward than in many normal cars.

Seats & passenger space

By doing this, Audi has unlocked lots of space for passengers in both rows, with the sculpted dash and vast windscreen creating an impression of space in the front row, despite sitting very close to the front wheels. This also leaves lots of room in the second row and boot, despite tapering down to help aero efficiency. These types of mono-volume cars are exceptionally space efficient, and Audi has capitalised on that with the new A2.

Boot space

On paper, the 396-litre boot is only average for the class, but it’s a very usable and well rationalised space. The boot floor is a little higher than average, which helps with the load height and reducing the loading lip, but it does lack any major under-floor storage as you’ll find in most front-wheel drive competitors. 

The second row can fold easily to increase this space to 1,336-litres, however, it cannot slide to increase load capacity when the seats are in place. 

Towing

Audi’s optional tow package costs £770 in the UK, and is capable of towing up to 1,600kg with a braked trailer or 750kg without. The towball is a mechanically movable unit, which hides behind the rear bumper when not in use. 

The Audi A2 e-Tron has not yet been tested under the Euro NCAP testing regime, but with all its closely-related MEB models already achieving impressive results, there’s no reason to imagine the newcomer will do any worse. 

The same can be said for general reliability. MEB is an architecture that’s been around for a while, so any early issues have largely been ironed out, especially around the tech interfaces. Audi’s own systems have also been largely free of any major issues.

However, Audi is currently underperforming its key premium rival brands in our Driver Power owners survey, and while the A2 e-tron is still too new to make an appearance in our yearly survey, VW and Audi products often sit in middling positions. 

New active safety elements, such as remote parking and L2+ autonomous driving elements bring sophisticated features to a lower price point.

The Audi A2 e-Tron is best when in a simple form, because we found the smaller 52kWh and 62kWh battery options to be the better car; they also make more fiscal sense. As fitted, the A2 is sweeter to drive and more efficient. We’d also suggest keeping the wheel size down to 19 inches if possible. The headline range figures of the larger battery pack might make the noise, but it makes more sense when in a smaller and cheaper package.

Above £40,000, the A2 runs into a world of more capable and sometimes more premium rivals. However, we cannot deny that a well specified model fitted with all the toys is a lovely example of contemporary premium design. 

Audi A2 e-tron alternatives

With sharp pricing at the low end, yet impressive range and power figures for those more expensive models, the A2 has a wide range of potential rivals. Its size and proportions also put it in an odd place between a traditional supermini or supermini-based SUV, and something more substantial from the C-segment above. 

At the lower point of the range, cars such as the Kia EV3, Volkswagen ID. Cross and Skoda Epiq cost a similar amount and offer a comparable range figure, give or take a few miles. In terms of value, the Nissan Leaf is also a tough competitor which comes with a highly impressive range figure for a similar cost to the entry-level VW. 

However, none of these rivals could be considered a premium rival for buyers that are just as concerned about the badge, and there’s nothing at this level or size currently on offer from Mercedes, BMW or Lexus. The MINI Aceman is the potential exception to this rule, but can’t drum up quite the same range figures. 

Step up to the bigger battery options and the A2 finds itself priced equivalently to larger options, such as the Volkswagen ID.3 Neo and Cupra Born. Neither of those cars is quite as efficient, but they’re also larger inside and out. At the very high-end are much larger models like the Mercedes GLA and BMW X1, with the former offering very impressive range figures, which is where the value proposition for the A2 starts to break down. 

Audi A2 e-tron pictures

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