2023 Audi e-tron S Sportback SUV

　　

2023 Audi e-tron S Sportback Review

byMark TakahashiCorrespondent

　　Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the zzdcar YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.

　　We knew Audi was onto something when it debuted the e-tron SUV back in 2019. With sensible range estimates, comfort galore, and plenty of technology, it proved a solid foundation to launch more models and variants. For drivers with a hunger for more performance, the e-tron S was introduced last year. While the standard e-tron comes with two electric motors, the e-tron S has three. One motor drives the front wheels and the other two each power a rear wheel. Combined, they produce a stout 496 horsepower compared to the regular e-tron's maximum of 402 hp.

　　

Audi e-tron S Sportback EV Insights

Trim:e-tron S Sportback Premium Plus

　　Premium Plus 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD) - $90,800 MSRPPrestige 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD) (Most Popular) - $97,900 MSRP

　　

Range

　　212 miles

　　EPA Estimated Range

　　EV batteries lose 1-2% of range per year. Est. range for this car is 180 miles after 8 years.Electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Recurrent's study of 15,000 EVs.

　　Estimated range mapThis map is a visual representation of the possible one-way and round-trips by this vehicle (on a full charge) from the geometric center of Rutland, North Dakota. The depicted ranges are based on the estimated new vehicle range value provided by the EPA, rounded down to miles for one-way and miles for round-trip. Actual range will vary depending on the condition of this vehicle’s battery pack, how you drive, driving conditions and other factors.Map display generated using: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © Recurrent contributors | Recurrent

　　from 58067

　　

EV Battery Warranty

　　8 yrs or 100,000 milesThe federal government requires that EV batteries be warrantied for a minimum of eight years or 100,000 miles. The EV battery warranty includes replacement if your battery capacity drops below a certain percentage of the original capacity.

　　

Charging at Home

　　10 hours

　　Total Charging Time (240V outlet)

　　SAE ComboStandard port for most electric models. Supports Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast charging.

　　Plug Type

　　

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

　　$400

　　Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.

　　Utility EV Charger Offer

　　$400

　　Restrictions: Otter Tail Power offers EV owners a rebate of up to $400 towards the installation of a Level 2 charging station. To qualify for this rebate, the customer and/or charging station must meet the following requirements: Receive electricity from Otter Tail Power.

　　To learn more, visit Recurrent

　　Complimentary Charging Offer

　　Restrictions: This program is a charging agreement between Audi of America and Electrify America. Customers who purchase a new Audi e-tron model (excl. e-tron GT or RS e-tron GT) will receive 250 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of complimentary charging on the Electrify America network. Complimentary charging expires 2 years from date of sale. Offer is non-transferable. See your participating dealer for details.

　　

Cost to Drive

　　$96/mo

　　e-tron S Sportback

　　vs

　　$183/mo

　　SUV Avg.

　　Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　

Am I Ready for an EV?

　　EV ownership works best if you can charge (240V) at home or at work This typically means a 240V home installation, but you could also have a similar setup at your office or other places your car is already parked for several hours each day. Don't expect a regular household outlet (120V) to suffice unless you've got a plug-in hybrid, in which case overnight charging at home is feasible.

　　If you can’t charge at home, charging at a charging station could take at least 10x longer than at a gas station With public charging infrastructure still in its infancy, the user experience can be maddeningly inconsistent. Tesla owners tend to rave about the reliability and speed of the company's proprietary Supercharger stations, but rival DC fast options have thus far been plagued by technical issues and overcrowding. It's an evolving landscape and our best advice is to do your research on the available options for the EV you want to buy.

　　Adding a 240V home charging system could cost up to $1,600 or more If your existing electrical service can handle the additional demands of EV charging, you may be able to add Level 2 charging at home for less than a grand, including installation. But your costs will multiply if you need to upgrade your electrical panel or add a dedicated circuit.

　　The 2023 Audi e-tron S Sportback is essentially the same, but it adopts a tapering rear roofline for a sportier appearance. We typically steer people away from today's "coupe-like" SUVs because they trade interior space for their sporty silhouettes, but the 2023 Audi e-tron S Sportback makes far fewer sacrifices. Its interior is almost as spacious and accommodating as the standard e-tron's, both in terms of rear passengers and cargo. Add in the standard adaptive air suspension that's tuned for sporty handling, and the Sportback is even more appealing.

　　There is a catch, though, and it's the cost. With a starting price above $90,000, the e-tron S Sportback is expensive for the class. That would be less of an issue if it held a significant advantage over rivals, but that's not the case. As good as it is, the e-tron S Sportback falls short of the mark set by our class-favorite BMW iX. There's also Audi's own Q4 e-tron and the Mercedes-Benz EQB that are much more affordable and deliver more range.

　　

Which e-tron S Sportback does zzdcar recommend?

Since the e-tron S Sportback starts above $90,000, it seems unlikely you'd break the bank by stepping up to the Premium trim. For the added expense, you'll get several tech and luxury features that enhance the overall experience enough to justify the cost.

　　

Audi e-tron S Sportback models

The 2023 Audi e-tron S Sportback comes with all-wheel drive and three electric motors good for a combined power output of 429 horsepower and 596 lb-ft of torque, with a temporary boost mode to 496 hp and 717 lb-ft. Audi sells this electric SUV in Premium Plus and Prestige trim levels. Range estimates vary from 185 miles to 212 miles depending on configuration.

　　e-tron S Sportback Premium Plus

　　Comes well equipped with:

　　20-inch wheels DC fast-charging capability (up to 150 kW) Adaptive air suspension (adjusts for ride height, ride comfort and handling stability) Hands-free liftgate Panoramic sunroof Digital instrument panel Power-adjustable, heated steering wheel Leather upholstery Configurable ambient interior lighting Heated front seats Heated steering wheel Four-zone climate control system Heated rear seats The e-tron S Sportback also has:

　　16-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system Wireless phone charging and an onboard signal booster 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration Navigation system with traffic sign recognition Standard driver assist features include:

　　Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios) Blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning (alerts you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while reversing) Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane) Front and rear parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible in front of or behind the vehicle when parking) Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the vehicle and the car in front ) Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane) Emergency assistance (detects an unresponsive driver and brings the e-tron to a safe stop) Turning assistance (detects when a driver is making an unsafe turn across approaching traffic and automatically stops the e-tron) Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the e-tron and its surroundings for tight parking situations) Rear automatic braking (brakes if sensors detect an imminent collision with an object behind the vehicle) e-tron S Sportback Prestige

　　The elite Prestige trim for the e-tron S adds:

　　Matrix-design LED headlights (selectively block sections of the high beams to keep from blinding oncoming traffic) Dual-pane acoustic glass for a quieter cabin Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line on the windshield) Rear window sunshades Soft-close doors (catch as they're being closed and gently pull shut) Intersection assist (warns you of cross traffic in an upcoming intersection) Both the Premium Plus and Prestige trims are available with the following optional packages:

　　Individual Contour Seat package Upgraded front seats with ventilation and massage Premium leather upholstery Adds memory function for front passenger seat Black Optic package 22-inch black-painted wheels Black roof rails Black-painted exterior styling elements Configurable ambient interior lighting Towing package with 3,300-pound towing capacity

　　zzdcar Latest Audi e-tron S Sportback News

　　zzdcar Tested: Electric Car Range and Consumption

　　2024 Audi SQ8 e-tron Review: Big Changes, But Not a Game-Changer

　　zzdcar U-Drags: Audi RS Q8 vs. Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat

　　The Refreshed 2024 Audi Q8 Gets a Little Extra Zest