Audi A3 Sportback e-tron Model Review

Key Features

• Starting at $39,500 MSRP
• 1.4 TFSI® PHEV Engine paired with a 75 kW permanent-magnet-driven electric motor
• 204 Combined Horsepower and 258 lb-ft of Torque
• MMI® touch with handwriting-recognition technology
• Audi pre sense® basic and Audi pre sense® front

• Available Audi Virtual Cockpit
• Standard Audi Advanced Key -- Keyless Start, Stop and Entry
• Available Parking System Plus with Rearview Camera
• Available Audi Smartphone Interface including Apple CarPlay™ and Google™ Android Auto™

About the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron®

If you're the kind of innovative driver who wants to be first with the coolest technology - the 2018 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron® is definitely the car for you. Breaking the stereotype that hybrid cars are boring, the A3 Sportback e-tron® is a plug-hybrid that doesn't sacrifice horsepower or torque. The use of two combined power sources -- a battery-powered electric motor and a gasoline-powered engine -- delivers over 200 combined horsepower and head-snapping torque from the moment you hit the accelerator.

But the A3 Sportback e-tron® brings more than just an innovative drivetrain. Standard Audi pre sense® basic and Audi pre sense® front deliver cutting-edge driver assistance. Available Audi Smartphone Interface including Apple CarPlay™ and Google™ Android Auto™ connect with your tech, while the MMI® touch interface with recognizes your handwriting. Add available features like Audi active lane assist and Audi virtual cockpit, and you'd swear this car could drive itself, although we think you'll be reluctant to allow anything to take that privilege from you.

What the Critics Say

"The Audi A3 e-tron's handling characteristics were better than expected…The battery's location beneath the rear seats improves the A3 e-tron's weight distribution, with the front end carrying 55 percent of the A3's weight" - Motor Trend

"Audi blends conventional A3 with futuristic drive tech to create its answer to the BMW i3." - Top Gear

Audi A3 Sportback e-tron® Video

Audi A3 Sportback e-tron® Features

Performance

You truly get the best of both worlds when you drive the A3 Sportback e-tron®. When you combine the electric motor with the gasoline-powered engine, you'll get an impressive 204 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. The A3 Sportback e-tron® can not only suit a range of driving conditions, but also meet the driver's preferred performance. It offers three driving modes -- EV for electric motor only, Hybrid for a combination of both electric and gasoline, and Battery Hold for hybrid driving to preserve EV for later use.

Advanced Driver Assist Technology

The A3 Sportback e-tron® offers a slew of driver assistance features that you wouldn't expect to find in a vehicle in the price range.. Audi Side Assist with Rear Cross Traffic Assist will be your extra set of eyes while reversing and Audi Active Lane Assist will warn you if steer into the next lane without signaling.

Audi Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, possibly a driver's most favorite feature, maintains a preset distance from the vehicle in front of you and brakes and accelerates to maintain that distance once the driver's engages with the system. The Stop & Go function allows for automatic braking to a standstill and will resume with the flow of traffic after a couple seconds.

Add an available Bang & Olufsen® Sound System with 14 speakers that deliver 705 watts of refined audio - specifically balanced to suit the acoustic properties of the A3 Sportback e-tron® interior, and you have one of the most feature-packed automobiles available today.

Futuristic Technology

The cabin is full of cutting-edge technology. Audi Virtual Cockpit is a fully digital 12.3-inch display that allows the driver to customize dashboard information and offers two viewing modes. Audi connect® paired with e-tron® services displays charging information and alerts when activated through the available A3 Sportback e-tron® app -available for iOS and Android phones, and included for three years with the e-tron®. Audi connect® services also offer the ability to check the status of the vehicle's doors, windows and lights, as well as enabling 4G LTE Wi-Fi.

The driver-centric, 7-inch MMI® center display allows access to driver assistance features, Apple CarPlay™ and Google™ Android Auto™, and works with MMI® touch with handwriting-recognition technology. As the driver, you can "write" your entry rather than select numbers or letters by moving a finger across the touchpad.

Trims & Specs

A3 Sportback e-tron Premium

• Starting at $39,500 MSRP
• Audi Pre Sense® Front
• Panoramic Sunroof
• Audi Advanced Key -- Keyless Start, Stop and Entry

A3 Sportback e-tron Premium Plus

• Starting at $42,600 MSRP
• Audi Side Assist with Rear Cross Traffic Assist
• LED Taillights with Dynamic Rear Turn Signals
• Parking System Plus with Rearview Camera

A3 Sportback e-tron Prestige

• Starting at $48,100 MSRP
• Audi Smartphone Interface including Apple CarPlay™ and Google™ Android Auto™
• MMI® Navigation Plus with Voice Control System
• Audi Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go