2023 Audi e-tron Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Now competing against newer EVs from Mercedes and BMW, the Audi e-tron SUV arrived a few years ago, when the competition was largely just Tesla. It was Audi’s first long-range electric vehicle, and by that, we mean it could go more than 300 kilometres on a full battery charge. It has seating for five people and is sized between the Q5 and Q7. Logically, it should be the Q6 e-tron, but we’re content creators, not automotive marketers, so what do we know? Standard and Sportback body styles are available, the latter featuring a faster roofline that makes it a trendy SUV coupe.

That’s the version of the 2023 Audi e-tron we’re reviewing here. To add to the confusion, Audi also now sells a Q4 e-tron, a Q8 e-tron, an e-tron GT, and an RS e-tron. Today’s car is none of those.

In Canada, the 2023 e-tron Sportback comes in Progressiv and Technik trim, and prices start at $87,342, not including a $2,850 destination charge. The test vehicle is the U.S. equivalent of the top Technik trim, which is referred to there as the Prestige trim. Here, the as-tested Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of this electric SUV would be $99,192, including destination.

The Audi e-tron Sportback might be the first SUV of its kind that we think looks normal. Appealing, even. Unlike other SUV coupes, the e-tron Sportback’s styling demonstrates balance and grace.

Anchored in front by Audi’s trademark Singleframe grille, matrix-design LED headlights, and standard S-line styling details, the e-tron Sportback displays tautly penned shoulders and subtle fender swells in a nod to the original Quattro model. These elements pair with an artfully curved roofline with thin or hidden pillars and simple, conservative detailing all around. Aerodynamically, the Sportback’s bodywork has a 0.28 coefficient of drag compared to 0.31 cd for the standard e-tron.

With Technik trim, the Sportback’s gorgeous Turbine-design 22-inch wheels do all of the talking, along with orange brake calipers that match the e-tron emblem on the charging port door. (Note these together cost $1,700 in Canada.) And while our Glacier White test vehicle looked terrific, we’re suckers for the Plasma Blue colour that is also available for the e-tron Sportback. Yummy. A black optics package with black roof rails is also offered.

Naturally, the e-tron Sportback offers a Black interior with gray stitching and Volcano Gray Ash wood. For greater visual contrast, any of the three other colours will look terrific: Flint Grey-Orange, Okapi Brown, and Pearl Beige. A panoramic sunroof adds natural light to the interior, but it’s not particularly large.

The interior looks and is high-tech. Drivers face three display screens, and the dashboard has a minimum of physical controls. Overall, the e-tron Sportback Technik’s cabin boasts beautiful materials, exudes quality, and demonstrates innovation. The transmission selector is a perfect example of all three traits, conveying the heft of quality while proving simple to use and elegantly integrated into a wrist rest on the centre console.

Compared to a standard e-tron, the e-tron Sportback loses 28 millimetres of rear-seat headroom, 37 litres of cargo room behind the back seat, and 54 litres of maximum cargo room. Otherwise, it is just as roomy for five people and their luggage as the standard e-tron.

Every 2023 Audi e-tron has dual electric motors that create a Quattro all-wheel drive system, single-speed transmissions at each axle, and a 95-kWh battery pack. Together, these components provide 355 horsepower, 414 pound-feet of torque, and 364 kilometres of driving range (362 km in the Sportback). Use the Boost mode to access 402 hp and 490 lb-ft of torque for short periods, which helps accelerate the electric SUV to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds, according to Audi. The towing capacity is 1,814 kilograms (4,000 pounds), when the e-tron is properly equipped.

Drivers can choose between Efficiency, Comfort, Auto, Dynamic, and Individual driving modes. Additionally, the standard adaptive air suspension offers Efficiency, Dynamic, Standard, Allroad, Off-Road, and Lift settings. The e-tron Sportback also employs progressive-rate electric steering and brake-by-wire regenerative brakes employing robust six-piston front calipers.

Audi says you can recharge the e-tron in about 10 hours using a 240-volt, 9.6 kW, Level 2 home charging station. Use a 150-kW DC fast charger, and Audi claims it takes about half an hour to bring the battery from five percent to 80 percent.

Testing week was an unusually hot and muggy one, and on evaluation day local temperatures crested 35 degrees Celsius. We set off on our evaluation loop with 260 kilometres of indicated range, the drivetrain in Auto mode, and the suspension in Standard mode.

At the end of the drive, we’d traveled 114 kilometres, had 136 km of range remaining, and averaged 3.4 km per kWh (or 29.4 kWh/100 km). That result reflects less efficiency than the official Natural Resources Canada estimate for the e-tron Sportback, which is 26.8 kWh/100 km combined. But the climate control system was working overtime that day.

Though we don’t doubt Audi’s claim that the e-tron accelerates to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds, it is slower compared to other electric luxury SUVs, so don’t bother accepting any stoplight challenges. Also, during a week of driving experience, the e-tron Sportback consistently overestimated how far it could travel on its remaining range, setting us up for disappointment. However, the SUV’s lack of thrust and range are the only downsides to driving it. Otherwise, this is a fantastic electric luxury SUV.

From its structural integrity over sharp bumps and quick steering that makes parking a snap to its flat cornering attitude and outstanding grip, the e-tron Sportback demonstrates the expected driving dynamics of a German-engineered SUV. Furthermore, on long stretches of highway, the e-tron is smooth, silent, and sumptuous.

However, the brake-by-wire system proves a little tricky at times, making modulation a challenge. This isn’t related to regenerative braking, either. Instead, if you’re braking in advance of a corner or a curve, and you want to release just a little bit of pressure, the system responds with more than you anticipate, causing minor moments of panic. It’s not consistent, either, making it hard to predict and adapt to it.

In braking-related matters, the e-tron has paddles on the steering wheel that activate more aggressive levels of regenerative braking when you lift off of the accelerator pedal. This allows you to proactively attempt to preserve as much battery charge as possible. In the test vehicle, we had to actively manage this during the drive because after each use it returned to a state of little to no regenerative braking. This adds an element of engagement to driving the e-tron, but if you want to set-it-and-forget-it, you might be out of luck.

Additionally, the e-tron appeared to have a proactive driving assist function that automatically slowed the SUV when we too closely followed traffic ahead. It was so subtle that we barely detected it, but the test vehicle appeared to have this functionality.

Overall, this EV is enjoyable to drive. However, we do recommend using the Individual driving mode to set the ride and handling up to personal preferences. That’s because Auto mode can feel too soft and wallowy at times, and Dynamic mode can feel too aggressive at times. With Individual mode you can attempt to find the right balance.

At our closest 150-kW fast charger, we pulled in with 76 kilometres of remaining range and a 24% battery charge, according to the e-tron’s trip computer. We connected to the charger, started the session, walked to a nearby coffee shop for a beverage, and returned to the Audi. It was already charged to 45% and 145 km of indicated range.

The e-tron reached an 80% charge 21 minutes after starting the session, and a 94% charge in 30 minutes of charge time. At this point, we stopped the session, during which the charger delivered electricity at a 138-kW charging rate.

Unlike with other EVs we’ve used at this bank of chargers, the e-tron’s charger disconnect process is a two-handed operation. Apparently, you need to push the external power port release button in addition to pulling off the charger. Since we were unaware of this, we called the charging brand’s customer support for help in figuring out why the charger was seemingly stuck to the port.

Of course, if you buy an Audi e-tron, the dealership is going to show you this process so that you’re aware of it. Still, this extra aggravation to cap an otherwise flawless charging experience was unwelcome.

In addition to being a joy to drive, the Audi e-tron Sportback is whisper silent inside. The electric drivetrain has plenty to do with this, of course, but the SUV also has dual-pane acoustic glass to help hush the cabin.

Our test vehicle’s Technik trim level came fully loaded with ambient interior lighting, a power panoramic glass sunroof, a four-zone automatic climate control system, and a full Okapi Brown leather interior with a higher-quality grade of hides for the seats. Sumptuous is the best way to describe it.

In front, the driver and passenger side enjoy 18-way power-adjustable seats with heating, ventilation, and massage. A power tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel further ensures comfort, and this combination of features went a long way toward making the e-tron a delightful place to spend time.

Furthermore, the four-zone climate control system proved exceptionally good at combatting the hot temperatures and higher than normal humidity levels. You can precondition the cabin before driving the e-tron, cooling or heating the interior while the SUV is still plugged into the grid.

Coupe-style SUVs typically offer less rear-seat room than their conventional counterparts. That’s true of the e-tron Sportback, though the differences are negligible. Our test vehicle had heated outboard cushions, two sets of air conditioning vents, rear side window shades, and a separate climate control panel to allow passengers to customize their environment.

We found the e-tron Sportback to provide good rear-seat headroom and leg support, but the seat cushion is mounted a little low for an SUV. Also, Audi panels the front seatbacks in hard plastic with storage nets, materials that are unkind to knees and shins. However, there is enough legroom as long as front-seat occupants don’t recline much.

Practical storage space is a mixed bag. The centre console storage bin under the sliding armrest is small, and Audi provides a narrow bin to the left of the cupholders. Tamboured covers slide over the bin and the cupholders, creating a tray of sorts, but you can’t put things on it because there are strange hand grips on either side of the console, which allows items to slide off into the nether regions between the console and front seats. However, the front door pockets are large and deep, and you get thoughtful coat hooks in the back. The rear centre armrest contains a shallow storage tray and cupholders.

A power rear liftgate rises to reveal a 770-litre trunk with storage underneath the floor panel. The liftover is high and the two-piece cargo cover cuts into the available space, so you should plan to use about half the claimed volume unless you make every effort to maximize it. Fold the rear seats down, and up to 1,543 litres of cargo space is at your disposal.

Justifiably or not, Audi has cultivated a technologically advanced brand image reflected in its purposeful no-nonsense design, innovative powertrain advancements, and breakthrough features. Unsurprisingly, then, the Audi e-tron is loaded with tech, but we find it approachable rather than daunting.

For example, changing the 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit Plus digital instrumentation themes and adjusting the configurable display panels is relatively easy to figure out. Furthermore, the Audi Multi-Media Interface (MMI) touchscreen infotainment system is remarkably easy to set up and use thanks to a simple interface and haptic feedback that confirms on-screen selections.

Highlights of the MMI include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, Audi Connect connected services with complimentary trial subscriptions, a navigation system with Google-sourced satellite imagery, and a natural voice recognition system that serves as a digital assistant. Thoughtfully, when you have a destination programmed into the navigation system, the map shows you where the charging stations are as you’re driving.

Early in our week with the e-tron, the infotainment system suffered a glitch. When trying to use the voice recognition system, a notification appeared that the “speech dialog system” was unavailable because the “parking aid is active.” Also, all of our favourite pre-set radio stations disappeared. But this quickly resolved itself. The e-tron had been in the hands of two different valet parkers earlier in the day, so perhaps that had something to do with the problem.

When the voice recognition capabilities returned, the system accurately responded to every one of our standard commands and a couple of new ones, like “Where is the nearest charging station?” and “Where is the closest Korean restaurant?” If there is anything to criticize here, it’s that the system is somewhat slow to respond. But we’ll take accuracy over speed any time.

There is an MMI data panel that shows you how to increase your range by turning off power-robbing functions and features. For example, it told us we could increase the e-tron’s range by 22 kilometres by turning off the air conditioning and ventilated driver’s seat. But with the hot temps, that wasn’t in the cards.

Beneath the MMI screen Audi provides a touch-sensing climate control panel. Like the MMI, it provides haptic feedback to confirm selections, but here you can use touch-sensing sliders to alter temperature. This panel can also show additional data, helping you to tailor the displays to provide the maximum amount of information at a glance.

The test vehicle had a 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium sound system. Normally, we look forward to enjoying this company’s speakers, but in this e-tron it seemed as though something went missing from the usual outstanding B&O recipe. It still sounded great, just not as immersive as we’ve come to expect.

Additional tech includes Audi Phone Box wireless charging and signal boosting, a head-up display, front and rear parking sensors, and a top-view camera system. It’s worth noting here that the e-tron Sportback’s small rear quarter windows are helpful when reversing from slant parking while looking over your shoulder.

As you might expect, an e-tron Sportback Technik comes with every safety feature in the Audi arsenal. Unfortunately, most are named in a way that you have no idea what they do.

To summarize, our e-tron Sportback had collision preparation systems, collision avoidance systems, blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, and active driver assistance systems related to speed and distance maintenance, lane departure warning and lane-keeping, intersection monitoring, and emergency stopping due to an unresponsive driver. You can turn some of these features on and off, and you can adjust their sensitivity to Basic, Maximum, or Individual settings. Additionally, Audi installs standard rear side-impact airbags with Technik trim.

During testing with the advanced driving assistance systems in Maximum sensitivity mode, we found these systems to be effective and mostly accurate. The adaptive cruise control with lane-centring assist is impressive enough on highways that we think Audi is almost ready to offer a hands-free driving assistance system. As is commonly the case, the steering assistance makes a nuisance of itself on twisty mountain roads and curving coastal highways, but you can easily shut it off using a button on the tip of the turn signal stalk.

During our week with the e-tron, we did experience an unsettling forward-collision warning and automatic braking event (Pre Sense Front, in Audi parlance). The collision warning system blared inappropriately during a slight curve followed by a sharp, momentary activation of the automatic emergency braking system. This was so startling to all four occupants that we have no idea if the Pre Sense Basic technology also activated, but most likely it did. In any case, the tech quickly determined that a collision was not going to occur, the brakes released, and we continued around the slight bend in the road and through the intersection.

Fortunately, nobody was directly behind the e-tron when this sudden, unwarranted braking event occurred. But this is not our first rodeo with an Audi that suddenly brakes for no good reason. We’ve had this happen in an A6 and a Q7 in the past, but in completely different situations. So, maybe the company should dial it down a little.

The 2023 Audi e-tron carries over the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick+ rating for 2022. The vehicle also has a five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Mostly, we enjoyed our time in the 2023 Audi e-tron Sportback. It is quick, comfortable, quiet, beautifully designed and outfitted, and equipped with largely intuitive and effective technology (except as noted above). However, the price tag is too high for an EV that is dramatically down on performance and range compared to the competition.

Increasingly, Audi faces more rivals than the Tesla Model X, and they often cost less while offering more range and performance. Prime examples include the Cadillac Lyriq and Genesis GV60, though neither can match the quality our e-tron Sportback Technik oozed from its every pore. Even the aging and frequently overlooked Jaguar I-Pace makes a case for consideration here.

In reality, most people who buy an Audi e-tron will upgrade to a 240-volt home charging station that can fully recharge the battery overnight. And if you’re away from home, a 150-kW fast charger can provide plenty of juice in the time it takes to get a coffee, check your email, and scroll your socials. Nevertheless, people compare vehicles based on specs and stats, and the e-tron needs to improve in this regard.

Overall, we genuinely like the e-tron Sportback. It demonstrates that legacy automakers can build a compelling electric vehicle. But it would be much easier to recommend, especially at the as-tested price, if it had more competitive performance, range, and efficiency numbers.

Note: Images show a US model.