2023 Audi e-tron S SUV

　　

2023 Audi e-tron S 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.

　　Audi first got into the EV game back in 2019 with the e-tron SUV. This electric overture proved the carmaker was indeed ready to make the transition away from internal combustion, with its potent power and easy-to-drive nature. In typical Audi fashion, the automaker also offers a more powerful and sporty version: the e-tron S.

　　

Audi e-tron S EV Insights

Trim:e-tron S Premium Plus

　　Premium Plus 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD) - $88,200 MSRPPrestige 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD) (Most Popular) - $95,300 MSRP

　　

Range

　　208 miles

　　EPA Estimated Range

　　EV batteries lose 1-2% of range per year. Est. range for this car is 177 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

　　$98/mo

　　e-tron S

　　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.

　　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. That scoots the e-tron S to 60 mph in an estimated 4.3 seconds, which is a full second quicker than its sibling. More importantly, the e-tron S benefits from a standard adaptive air suspension that's tuned for sportier handling — something we wish the supporting e-tron had more of.

　　As good as all of this sounds, the e-tron is held back by one of the most significant concerns among EV shoppers: range. It's only estimated to go up to 208 miles. That's well below what we expect from contemporary EVs, but we must acknowledge it's likely enough for most drivers most of the time. Even more concerning is its price. The e-tron S starts at almost $90,000.

　　As enticing as the 2023 Audi e-tron S may be, we suggest checking out the more accomplished competition. If you're looking for the best in this class, we recommend the BMW iX. There's also Audi's own Q4 e-tron SUV, which costs significantly less. For an even more affordable alternative, we suggest the Mercedes-Benz EQB.

　　

Which e-tron S does zzdcar recommend?

If you're already shelling out almost $90,000 for the base e-tron S, it likely won't break the bank to step up to the Premium trim. In return, you'll get some features that increase the tech and luxury feel, with slick new matrix-design headlights, a head-up display, rear sunshades and soft-close doors.

　　

Audi e-tron S models

The 2023 Audi e-tron S is an all-electric midsize SUV. It has all-wheel drive and three electric motors good for a combined power output of 429 horsepower and 596 lb-ft of torque, with temporary boost capabilities delivering 496 hp and 717 lb-ft. Audi sells the e-tron S in Premium Plus and Prestige trims. Range estimates vary from 181 miles to 208 miles, depending on configuration. There's also a related e-tron S Sportback model with a sloping roofline that's covered in a separate review.

　　e-tron S Premium Plus

　　Comes well equipped with:

　　LED headlights 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 and ventilated front seats Four-zone climate control system Ambient interior lighting Heated rear seatsThe e-tron S 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 10-speaker audio system Navigation system with traffic sign recognitionStandard 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 assist (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) Automatic high beamse-tron S Prestige

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

　　Matrix-design LED headlights (selectively blocks 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)The Premium Plus and Prestige are is available with a few optional packages:

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

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