Audi A3 Sportback E-tron In-Depth Review 2022 | Is it worth it?

So, what do you think of electric cars? Interesting? Intriguing? Definitely the way forward? But would you actually buy one on the used market? If the answer to that is still 'no', then it might be time to think again. In this A3 Sportback e-tron 'Typ8V'-series Plug-in hybrid model launched back in 2016, Audi set out to re-define what an electric car could be, mixing pokey petrol power with real-world battery range and frugality. Does it make sense as a used buy? Let's find out.

History
We live in a changing world. And drive, if we can, cars that reflect our growing need for cleaner, more frugal motoring. Cars perhaps, like this one, Audi's A3 Sportback e-tron, launched in 2016. What we got here was the brand's very first production plug-in hybrid model, an example of technology that seemed to blend the efficiency and some of the cost savings of all-electric power with the range and flexibility of a conventional diesel. Back of the turn of the century, we were all told that ordinary Prius-style petrol/electric hybrid models would do that, but it didn't quite work out that way. That hybrid concept was good, but the way that it used an inefficient combustion engine to re-charge its system batteries wasn't. If though, owners could plug their hybrids into a mains outlet and let a power station do the job instead, a much better solution was promised.

So it was that plug-in hybrid models were born and developed to a simple concept. That of a normal petrol engine beneath the bonnet also boosted by rechargeable battery packs under the back seats. Plugging these into a mains supply with the car parked up for a few hours would then give owners enough electrical power to cover most short journeys. Should the battery power get too low, in would come the petrol engine, so there would be no question of the kind of 'range anxiety' you'd get in a fully-electric car.

Sounds ideal doesn't it? If you only ever used a car like this for short journeys, you'd hardly ever have to fuel up. Unfortunately though, this technology proved to be expensive to develop and it took some time for the industry to figure out how to price it within reasonable bounds. Audi was aided in that by being able to share development costs with its Volkswagen Group sister brands. Hence the way that back in 2016, with the aid of a government grant, the company could offer this car for not much more than the cost of a comparably-sized well-specified diesel automatic model from the same segment. And the Ingolstadt maker claimed that buyers comparing this car to something conventionally fueling from the black pump would find it to be twice as frugal - and twice as clean. It was quite a prospect.

The A3 Sportback e-tron sold until late 2019, when an all-new fourth generation A3 model was launched. For the last year of production, it was badged as the A3 Sportback 40 e-tron.

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