Skip advert
Advertisement

New Audi e-tron Sportback 2020 review

The coupe-inspired all-electric Audi e-tron Sportback gives the regular version a sleek new twist

Overall Auto Express rating

3.5

How we review cars
Find your Audi Q8 e-tron
Offers from our trusted partners on this car and its predecessors...
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car
Advertisement

Verdict

Whether you opt for this sleeker Sportback over the already quiet and comfortable e-tron SUV will come down to personal taste. You will need to step up to the more expensive specs, but like-for-like, the premium this car commands isn’t as sizeable as you might imagine. The Jaguar I-Pace is a superior all-rounder, however, with sharper handling and a better real-world range.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The Audi e-tron has been on sale for a little more than a year now, and as is the way with the German company’s product cycles, it’s time to welcome the coupé-inspired e-tron Sportback to the UK.

The recipe, as you’d expect, follows the format Audi has already applied to the Q3 and upcoming Q5. The e-tron Sportback’s sloping roofline sacrifices two centimetres of rear headroom for a shape that’s claimed to be more aerodynamically efficient. It’s certainly more eye catching – although whether that’s for better or worse, we’ll leave for you to decide.

However, this is still a 2.5-tonne SUV that not only looks huge, but feels it from behind the wheel, too. On the move, the newcomer is all but indistinguishable from the existing e-tron. It’s fast – 0-62mph takes 6.6 seconds (or 5.7 seconds in S mode) – and you can call upon the vast reserves of grip supplied by the quattro four-wheel-drive system to put all 402bhp to the road.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

On more technical roads the Jaguar I-Pace remains better to drive, with more precise steering and body control. However, the Audi excels when it comes to refinement. Double-glazed side windows are a £525 option and, when coupled with the £1,250 digital door mirrors that reduce wind noise at high speed, make the e-tron one of the quietest and most refined cars on sale. The Sportback isn’t available in cheaper Technik or Sport trims, so you’ll have to cough up more for S line and Launch Edition specs, or the generously kitted Vorsprung version.

Additionally, the Sportback is offered only with the larger (and more expensive) 95kWh battery; the regular e-tron has the option of a smaller 71kWh unit. So whereas the regular e-tron line-up starts from £60,650, the Sportback kicks off at a whopping £80,650. But compare like-for-like, and you’re looking at a premium of £1,600 for this sleeker model.

All e-tron Sportbacks get privacy glass and 21-inch alloys, as well as Matrix LED lights and leather sport seats, while quality is first rate. Rear space isn’t as compromised as you might expect; that two centimetre drop in head height feels negligible, and there’s plenty of legroom for stretching out. The boot shrinks by 45 litres, but with a 615-litre loading total (including space for the charging cables under the bonnet) this is still an impressively practical family car.

Of course, the trick charging system is this model’s trump card, with its 150kW maximum rate. We can vouch for the 80 per cent boost in a mere 30 minutes. If you’ve got the ability to charge at home, the e-tron will replenish its batteries in less than nine hours via an 11kW wallbox.

Model:Audi e-tron Sportback 55 quattro S line
Price:£80,650
Engine:95kWh battery, plus electric motor
Power/torque:402bhp/664Nm
Transmission:Single-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
0-62mph:5.7 seconds
Top speed:124mph
Range:241 miles
CO2:0g/km
On saleNow
Skip advert
Advertisement
Deputy editor

Richard has been part of the team for over a decade. During this time he has covered a huge amount of news and reviews for Auto Express, as well as being the face of Carbuyer and DrivingElectric on Youtube. In his current role as deputy editor, he is now responsible for keeping our content flowing and managing our team of talented writers.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Dacia Bigster: Duster's big brother is value brand's first mid-size SUV
Dacia Bigster - reveal front

New Dacia Bigster: Duster's big brother is value brand's first mid-size SUV

The Dacia Bigster will arrive next year, and is set to undercut the Nissan Qashqai
News
9 Oct 2024
Skoda Kodiaq vs Hyundai Santa Fe: a 7-seater SUV showdown
Hyundai Santa Fe and Skoda Kodiaq - front tracking

Skoda Kodiaq vs Hyundai Santa Fe: a 7-seater SUV showdown

The chunky new Hyundai Santa Fe squares up against the Skoda Kodiaq in a battle of the family-friendly seven-seaters
Car group tests
9 Oct 2024
Headlight glare on UK roads to be measured in government-backed project
Full-beam car headlights shining from a distance

Headlight glare on UK roads to be measured in government-backed project

Real-world testing aims to assess factors causing headlamp dazzle, and generate recommendations for government action
News
9 Oct 2024