We review the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron from price to economy and all its features

HERE’S a car worth thinking about – Audi’s first petrol/electric plug-in hybrid.

The A3 Sportback e-tron does 130mpg in real driving conditions, has a range of 584mph, yet still glides to 137mph.

3

Pure electric ... Audi A3 e-tron

It can even do up to 80mph for 31 miles on PURE ELECTRIC.

The A3 e-tron isn’t a direct rival to the futuristic BMW i3 but it is an alternative and a smaller step into electric cars. VW are launching an e-Golf too.

We spotted Rodin’s famous statue, The Thinker, on a test drive in Vienna (see, I was listening in art class, Mr Broadbent) and here are my thoughts...

3

No brainer ... plug-in hybrid makes perfect sense

FIRST IMPRESSIONS? Half-year sales for alternative fuel vehicles are up 51 per cent to 23,337 in the UK — so Audi’s timing is perfect. The A3 e-tron is available to order later this month from £29,950 (including £5,000 Government grant) with first deliveries in January.

It looks like a normal A3 Sportback and pretty much drives like one. But you get a bit of e-tron bling, LED lights front and rear, and 17in alloys. The charging connection is cleverly hidden behind the four rings in the front grille.

more motors

expensive, classy, invincible

We review the Mercedes S500 Coupe from price to economy and all its features

big grille with sweeping headlights

We review the DS Divine (from Citroen) from price to economy and all its features

fun and powerful whatever the weather

We review the Mazda MX-5 from price to economy and all its features

Supergreen supercar

We review the BMW i8 from price to economy and all its features

HOW DOES IT DRIVE? Great fun — with instant torque and that super-smooth Audi ride and handling.

The six-speed 1.4litre TFSI petrol engine, linked to a 75kw electric motor, produces 204bhp and does 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds. I got close to 130mpg-plus on normal roads and I wasn’t driving like your granny either.

So you get good performance AND efficiency with just 37g/km CO2 output — that means no road tax or congestion charges.

There are four settings — pure electric, hybrid auto (petrol/electric), hybrid hold (keeps battery charge for later use) and hybrid charge (which uses the petrol engine to recharge the battery).

And when you brake or coast downhill, the battery gets a boost.

3

Good thinking ... charging point hidden behind rings

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE? Clean and stylish — the quality you expect from a premium German motor.

I like the pop-up 7in display screen and Bang & Olufsen sound system. The car doesn’t make much noise but you can.

The rev counter has been replaced by a power meter which shows battery charge and driving efficiency. There’s two easy-reach cupholders and the CD player/SD card reader is in the glovebox.

The battery is under the rear seats but there is no compromise on space. This is still a decent five-seater. The boot is 280litres and can easily fit a pram.

WHAT ABOUT CHARGING? The A3 takes 4hrs to fully charge at home. Public charging — or a wallbox fitted at home — takes 2hr 15min.

Both charging cables are supplied and the A3 battery with its eight-year warranty is included in the price of the car. A special app lets you start charging, and set your air con temperature, from your smartphone. Cool.