Drive with us: Audi e-tron Sport 50 Quattro review (2022)

Audi’s original electric SUV combines luxury and efficiency, but how good is it?

Having cracked the premium SUV market when it comes to combustion engines, Audi now want to turn their attention to producing equally luxurious electric cars.

When it was first launched, the Audi e-tron was the German’s first fully electric SUV to hit the market and it has since been followed by the Q4 e-tron.

Among its rivals are the plush Mercedes-Benz EQC, BMW iX3 or even the punchy Jaguar I-Pace, in what is one of the fastest growing classes.

To see how this e-tron ranks among its rivals, we’ve been testing this Sport 50 Quattro edition to see how it compares.

What did we drive?

Model: e-tron Sport 50 Quattro

Transmission: Automatic

Power: Electric

Colour: Typhoon Gray

Wheels:  20" x 9.0J '5-arm' dynamic design contrasting grey alloy wheels

OTR: £62,785

Price of model driven: £65,485

*Prices correct at the time of publication

Price

Entry-level e-tron prices start from £62,785 for the Technik trim and rise to a whopping £95,685 for the range-topping Vorsprung edition.

Our Sport variant starts from £65,485 and might be the edition that we would recommend as the best value for money. It has a fine balance of sporty design, impressive technology, and efficient performance.

At the time of writing, an Audi e-tron lease with Carparison will cost in the region of £437 per month, ex VAT.

Not only is it a cost-effective choice as a personal lease deal, but for business customers too. The e-tron benefits from 2% Benefit in Kind tax rates and will be no struggle to drive on those long commutes!

*Prices correct at the time of publication and subject to change

Batteries & Power Units

There are two variations of the e-tron model, the 50 and the 55. The former is available with a 71kWh battery pack.

If you upgrade to the e-tron 55, you’ll enjoy a bigger 95 kWh battery pack. The smaller 71kWh battery still packs at a punch at 308HP, while the bigger battery weighs in with 402HP.

The individual trim levels include Technik, Sport, S Line, Black Edition and the range-topping Vorsprung.

If you don’t want the e-tron SUV body style, it is also available in Sportback and e-tron S body styles.

Electric Range & Charging

Depending on your model choice, the Audi e-tron comes with a claimed range of 252 miles.

Our Sport edition has a claimed range of 198 miles, but we found the real-world range during our review to be closer to the 165 mark after averaging 2.3 miles per kWh.

If you need more range from your Audi lease deals, you may want to consider the Technik 55 Quattro for more durability.

The e-tron can be charged at up to 150 kW, which will take it up to 80 per cent in just 30 minutes if you can find yourself one of these charging stations.

Should you use a more traditional 7kW wall box, this will take around 12 hours. This narrowly puts it ahead of rivals like the Jaguar I-Pace, but not as quick as the Mercedes-Benz EQC, which will take around 10 hours.

Placing a charging port on either side of the front of the vehicle is a small but effective touch in the e-tron’s design and it takes the stress out of worry about the length of your charging cables.

*Electric range figures are subject to external conditions such as driving habits or weather conditions and may vary

Drive

You get a sense of the quality of the e-tron as soon as you set off. It is a brilliant cruiser, providing immaculate comfort and control.

Despite the size of the vehicle, it doesn’t ever feel excessive to drive as some bigger SUVs can do. You’re offered great visibility around the vehicle and thanks to the onboard cameras, parking is no fuss.

You notice how heavy the car feels to drive, but despite all that weight, it feels very assured. The Quattro drive system provides stunning control of the vehicle and as a result, the drive is incredibly smooth.

I love the way Audi have redesigned the gear selector in the e-tron. I must admit, I was sceptical at first, but it feels very rewarding and natural to use on the go.

Not only that, but it also feels well-built and premium, especially when compared to the stalk-style selectors you see from Mercedes.

Design & Interior

I’m a huge admirer of the understated nature of the e-tron’s design. It’s incredibly modest and I say that in a good way.

At a glance, it looks like your typical Audi and blends into the wider Audi range effortlessly with its swooping roofline, trademark LED lights and smart touches that bring out the premium underpinnings.

Audi, like Mercedes and BMW have followed the trend of subtle designs for their new electric cars, avoiding the temptation for shouty and outlandish looks. 

This adds to the level of luxury and refinement in my opinion. It provides all the presence that you’d like from a big SUV without feeling excessive.

It shares a lot of exterior styling with the Q4 e-tron and I much prefer the false front grille that the Audi installed on the latter. It’s been designed with air intake in mind, but it does also remind you of a half-open venetian blind.

The story is no different once you’re behind the wheel. As they have been for many years, the Audi interior is comfortable and plush.

Everything is well positioned, and you can easily get that commanding driving position that SUVs offer.

The e-tron is available with Virtual Door Mirrors, but our model had the traditional options fitted. I’ll leave you to make your own mind up on Virtual Door Mirrors, but if you don’t have them fitted, you are left with an insert on the door of where they would be, which can look a little odd.

Space & Practicality

The e-tron is as practical as it is spacious, with competitive storage opportunities throughout the cabin.

The door bins are suitably deep and run surprisingly far back, so if you do happen to drop your keys down there, you really have to lean in to find them…they just keep going!

Audi have been clever not to take up loads of space in the centre console with wireless charging plates. Your phone slots in on its side to charge, keeping it neatly out the way.

The e-tron’s combined boot space is very competitive and up there with the best in this class, at 605 litres. This rises to 1,755 if you drop the rear seats down, which can be done effortlessly through a lever in the boot.

Where Audi have got the upper hand on some of its rivals is through the addition of frunk storage. It’s only a small compartment, but there’s room to get your charging cables, which avoids taking up valuable boot space.

Passengers in the back will have a great amount of head and legroom, even if they are six feet and above. Thanks to a small transmission tunnel, you can also get by carrying three adults if required.

Technology

The technology available in the e-tron was very well rounded and competitive for this class, but not quite class-leading.

Dual touchscreens come as standard, with a 10.1-inch display on top and an 8.8-inch screen that controls the climate control just below it.

Historically, Audi systems have been very user friendly and generally speaking, that remains the case. There are lots of sub menus to jump through, but once you’re set up it works very well. 

We found ours to be a little slow to respond at times, but overall it’s a reliable system and the haptic feedback – though very much personal preference – adds in a layer of user reassurance.

All three screens have been integrated beautifully and they complement one another effortlessly. 

In both the front and the back of the vehicle there are two USB C ports and a 12v socket, so both driver and passengers have plenty of connectivity options.  

Safety

If you’ve got your heart set on Audi leasing, the e-tron is one of the safest options you can choose for your next car.

During its Euro NCAP safety tests, it scored five stars, with a 91% score for adult occupants and 85% for child occupants. 

For further peace of mind, add on the Technology Pack and you’ll enjoy an impressive 360-degree camera that will make parking a doddle. 

Model Lines & Equipment

Technik – from £62,785

• 20" x 9.0J '5-arm' design alloy wheels
• LED headlights with Function-on-Demand preparation
• Contrast finish bumpers
• Audi Virtual Cockpit and MMI Navigation Plus
• Deluxe 2-zone electronic climate control including remote preconditioning

Sport – from £65,485

(In addition/replacement of Technik)

• 20" x 9.0J '5-arm' dynamic design contrasting grey alloy wheels
• Front Sport seats in Valcona leather upholstery
• Comfort front Centre armrest

S line – from £69,585

(In addition/replacement of Sport)

• 21" x 9.5J '5-arm turbine' contrasting grey design alloy wheels
• Audi Matrix LED headlights with dynamic front & rear indicators
• Adaptive sport air suspension
• S line exterior styling with privacy glass

Black Edition – from £71,135

(In addition/replacement of S Line)

• 21" x 9.5J '10-spoke rotor' gloss Anthracite black Audi Sport alloy wheels
• Black styling pack -consists of front grille, window surrounds and trim strips on front & rear bumpers in black
• 3-spoke flat-bottomed steering wheel

Vorsprung – from £95,685

(In addition/replacement of Black Edition)

• 22" x 9.5J '5-spoke structured' matt titanium finish Audi Sport alloy wheels
• Digital Matrix Lights with Enhanced light animations allows driver customisation.
• Super sport seats with diamond stitching
• Bang & Olufsen Sound System

Verdict

The Audi e-tron was one of the most well-rounded and well-executed electric SUVs that we have had the pleasure of testing.

We say this is the nicest possible way, but Audi haven’t reinvented the wheel with anything in the e-tron, because let’s face it, they know a thing or two about producing premium SUVs.

The e-tron excels in almost every category. The real-world range on our Sport edition was the only slight downfall.

To really maximise the e-tron’s potential, upgrading to the bigger battery pack may not be the worst idea.

However, it’s not a car you’re going to be picking too many faults with.