The plug-in hybrid version of the premium-compact hatchback from Audi went through a facelift in 2016. It joined the rest of the revamped lineup of the A3.
Audi started to build electrified models for several years and the A3 was seen as the best option to start with, due to its high demand on the market and light bodywork. Moreover, the car didn't need too many batteries to transport its occupants around town, since it also featured an internal combustion engine.
To distinguish it from the rest of the stable, the A3 e-tron featured a big, silver, single-frame grille. It was interrupted only by the bar needed for the license plate. A new pair of Matrix LED headlights were offered as an option, while the standard came equipped with Xenon plus units as standard. Behind the Audi badge on the grille, there was the charging port
Inside, the Audi A3 sportback e-tron featured the same premium interior as for the other versions. It featured a standard automatic transmission and an infotainment system that supported Google maps The instrument cluster featured different dials for the charging or driving modes.
Under the hood, there was a 1.4-liter turbocharged gasoline engine with direct injection or TSI for short. It was aided by an electric motor of 75 kWh. In total, both engines offered 204 hp. If charged from a 120 V plug, the charging time took around 8 hours, but charged from a 240 V outlet would cut that time to just barely two hours.
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