Audi A3 e-tron
Revised petrol-electric hatchback still struggles to convince
JUST as the regular Audi A3 was treated to some mid-life surgery earlier this year, the German brand’s most eco-focused model – the A3 e-tron – has also undergone a round of revisions.
Available only in five-door Sportback guise, this new e-tron features the same facelifted nose and other styling tweaks, including a new tail-light design. Under the skin, it’s mechanically identical to its predecessor – except for one significant change that we’ll come to later.
This means it still uses the VW Group’s 148bhp 1.4-litre TFSI petrol turbo engine, in conjunction with a 101bhp electric motor, to give a combined system output of 201bhp, and a healthy 350Nm of torque. This is a fair chunk of power in a relatively compact family hatch, so the e-tron covers 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds. However, the extra mass of the 8.8kwh battery pack means the Audi weighs 1,540kg in total, which dulls the performance suggested by the figures.
Once the A3 is rolling, it feels energetic up to 40mph. It will manage 81mph on electric power alone, but beyond about 40mph, the electric motor’s effect isn’t as noticeable, with the petrol engine cutting in for anything more than gentle acceleration.
It’s a smooth unit and the six-speed S tronic dual-clutch automatic gearbox changes ratios largely without fuss.
However, when you deplete the battery’s energy, the transmission struggles with the transition between the petrol and electric drive modes, with the gearbox sometimes clunking or not shifting too slickly. It’s here where the only major change is evident. In the previous A3 e-tron, there was a battery charge mode that enabled the car to use its petrol engine as a generator to top up the battery. In this facelifted model, Audi has done away with this function, as the TFSI unit was exposed to greater loads and therefore fuel consumption increased, defeating the point of the hybrid powertrain.
Instead, there’s a full EV mode for when the battery charge allows; a hybrid mode that intelligently manages the mix of petrol and electric power; and a hybrid hold mode, which conserves battery power to deploy in a low emissions area like a town or city. But without this setting for the drivetrain, it’s difficult to keep charge levels up once you’ve exhausted the claimed 29-mile electric range, at which point the effect of the electric motor’s boost is limited.
Even with clever cylinder deactivation, which shuts down two of the four cylinders to improve economy, it pays to plug the A3 in to maximise efficiency. If you do, the battery pack takes just over two hours to charge using a fast wallbox charger, or three hours from a standard three-pin plug.
With a full charge, Audi claims 166.2mpg economy and CO2 emissions of 38g/km, which means a lowest possible Benefit-inkind rating of seven per cent, which will draw company car buyers. Low emissions and that EV mode mean the e-tron qualifies for a £2,500 Government plug-in car grant, which takes the list price from £35,930 to £33,430 – but that’s still expensive when a regular 2.0 TDI S tronic A3 in S line trim costs a huge £4,595 less even after the grant.
The equipment spec is similar, too. The e-tron gets a seven-inch colour infotainment system with sat-nav, DAB and Bluetooth, while sports seats, LED lights, autonomous braking with pedestrian detection, cruise control and parking sensors are all standard.
The 280-litre boot is 100 litres down on the regular five-door A3’s due to the battery pack located in the back, plus this has an
impact on the handling. The suspension set-up is firm, but it tackles typically roughed-up British roads well enough, with the quick, pointy steering and solid body control offering plenty of safety and composure. You can still feel the extra weight at higher speeds, while on larger wheels, the chassis thumps over cats’ eyes and bumps in the road, although the dampers do well to reduce harshness.
Driving fast defeats the point of the e-tron, but even when cruising, it’s not the most effective hybrid. A BMW i3 REX offers more electric range, is more refined and efficient – and crucially, costs less.