2021 Audi e-tron electric Sportback

The e-tron Sportback strikes the balance between style and functionality whereas major competitors from the leading competitor look bland and too simple. One major change is that the First Edition trim of the e-tron Sportback has been discontinued and a new base ‘Premium’ trim has been added to the trim list. The powertrain under the hood of the e-tron Sportback is a twin-electric motor setup mated to a one-speed direct-drive transmission powering all four wheels via the proprietary Quattro AWD drivetrain. It competes against the 2022 Jaguar I-Pace, the 2021 Tesla Model X Long Range, and the Mercedes-Benz EQC400 4Matic. 

The 2021 Audi e-tron is available in three trim options which are the base Premium, mid-level Premium Plus, and the top-end most luxurious Prestige trim. All models are powered by the same dual-electric motor setup, 1-speed transmission, and the Quattro AWD drivetrain. There are also some packages on offer with each trim. The base Premium trim gets the Convenience Plus package ($3,500) that adds Audi active lane assist with emergency assist, Top view camera system with Virtual 360° view, Audi adaptive cruise assist with turn assist and efficiency assistant. 

The Black Optic exterior package consisting of the Singleframe grille, roof rails, window surrounds, front & rear bumpers coated in black is available for the mid and high levels trims along with the Black optic package (Premium Plus) / Black optic plus package (Prestige) that further adds 21" 10-spoke design wheels, bi-color with 265/45 R21 all-season tires in the Premium Plus trim and larger 22" 5-spoke-Turbine design wheels with 265/40 R22 summer performance tires in the Prestige trim. The Digital Matrix-design LED Headlights are also a $3,000 optional feature available for the higher-end trims.

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The base Premium trim would be the ideal choice as the mid-level Premium Plus trim is too much more expensive than the base trim. The Premium Plus offers a better set of features, but there are no improvements in performance, fuel economy, or range which is disappointing. The Prestige trim comes with a great set of standard features and that makes it the better choice.

The 2021 Audi e-tron comes with a twin electric motor powertrain under the hood mated to a 1-speed direct-drive transmission transferring the power to all four wheels via the Quattro AWD system. The engine puts out a maximum power and torque output of up to 402 hp and 490 lb-ft of maximum power and torque with Boost engaged. The electric motors are located in the front and rear axles respectively powering the respective wheels. This system enables the e-tron to tow up to 4000 lbs which are impressive. 

The e-tron can reach s speed of 60mph in 13.8 seconds and cross the quarter-mile in 13.8 seconds. These figures are good and the e-tron is limited to a top speed of 124 mph. Acceleration is quick and sharp as seen generally in EVs in a silent and smooth manner. Power and torque are available instantly and the twin-electric motor setup is capable and powerful. The e-tron Sportback performs very similarly to the normal e-tron as both are powered by the same powerhouse underneath.

The 2021 Tesla Model X is the absolute beast in this segment, outputting the most power and torque while the rest of the competition is in similar territory in terms of power output. It delivers lightning-fast acceleration and is a whole second faster than the Jaguar that comes in at a second place. The Audi e-tron is the slowest machine on this list while the Mercedes is marginally faster. The Tesla, however, is significantly more expensive compared to the others and that makes the difference in performance seem insignificant. 

How well does the 2021 Audi e-tron Sportback Drive and Handle?

The 2021 Audi e-tron Sportback is a great handling machine. The coupe-style SUV offers impressive amounts of stability as well as the grip around corners and it feels amazing to drive. The Sportback is just 4 lbs lighter than the normal e-tron and that doesn't bring any mighty difference in terms of driving dynamics. It is fun to drive and putting it into the S mode provides an extra boost unlocking the full potential of the vehicle. 

The e-tron Sportback comes with an adaptive air suspension setup that adjusts automatically to optimize driving dynamics. The ride height could also be adjusted so that it could be more practical in rough road conditions. Overall the e-tron gives a smooth and quiet ride with lots of luxury inside the cabin. The e-tron Sportback is one of the most silent vehicles even while EVs are already extremely silent in nature. 

How efficient is the braking performance of the 2021 Audi e-tron Sportback? 

The 2021 Audi e-tron Sportback comes with a strong and progressive set of brakes. Being an EV, it does come with regenerative braking, but it is not strong enough to drive using just one foot. This cannot be termed as a positive or negative, as some might like aggressive regenerative braking while others may not. The e-tron is equipped with 15.7-inch rotors in the front and 13.8-inch ones in the rear and they together bring the vehicle to a stop at 117 ft from a speed of 60mph. This is a good distance and the braking side of the e-tron Sportback is appreciable. 

The fastest one here, the Tesla also comes with the strongest brakes. The e-tron has larger brakes in the front whereas the Model X comes with larger rear rotors. The Tesla comes to a halt from 60mph in below 110 ft which is a short distance and the braking as well as regenerative braking are strong and offer a good bite. The Mercedes and Jaguar are in the same territory in terms of braking distance while the Audi is slightly better than them. 

The 2021 Audi e-tron Sportback has a 95 kWh battery pack fitted inside it and the base Premium trim has a single charging port while the Premium Plus and Prestige trims get dual charging ports that enable charging from either side making the process easier. Charging up the battery takes about 10.5 hours through an AC power supply while a 150.0 kW DC fast charger takes just 30 minutes to recharge the battery up to 80%. The e-tron Sportback delivers a combined fuel efficiency of 77mpge which is a respectable figure while the range of 222 miles could have been slightly better, but it still is impressive. 

The Tesla Model X Long Range is the best in terms of fuel economy. It provides an average fuel economy of around 89 mpge which is significantly more than the competitors. The battery specs of the Tesla is not available to compare while it comes with the highest range of 360 miles. The Jaguar even with a slightly smaller battery compared to the Audi still delivers a bit more range while the Mercedes remains at last. 

The Audi e-tron features an updated-looking interior made up of high-quality materials and premium elements and the fit and finish all around the cabin are extremely impressive. There is enough space inside the cabin even though the sloping roofline does eat into the rear-seat headroom, but not by a significant margin. The dashboard is nicely crafted with the right amount of sharpness in the design. The virtual cockpit setup features two screens in the center console and a digital instrument console also. 

The seats are covered in black leatherette with Rock Gray stitching/Okapi Brown/Pearl Beige with Agate Gray stitching, while the dashboard, as well as carpets, are also in a black shade while the headline comes in Moon Silver or Black. The Premium Plus trim comes in the same shades while the Premium trim adds a full leather package as standard that comes with premium Valcona Leather and one more shade for the seats which is Monaco Gray. The e-tron Sportback comes with a very spacious cargo capacity that offers enough space for all your luggage. 

The Tesla might be the most capable and powerful one here, but it also comes with the least luxurious and plain-looking interior. The EQC has the most flashy-looking interior while the inside of the Audi looks futuristic. The Jaguar also features a sleek and stylish interior and that makes the most expensive Model X bashful and too simple. The Audi is also the most spacious option here and also provides the largest cargo area while the Jaguar has limited legroom in the second row. The following are the prominent interior features of the 2021 Audi e-tron Sportback-

• Extended leatherette interior package
• 18-way individual contour front seats
• Power panoramic sunroof
• Four-zone automatic climate control system
• Auto-dimming interior rearview mirror with digital compass and Integrated Toll Module®
• LED interior lighting package 
• Power tilt and telescoping steering wheel
• Dual front sun visors with lighted vanity mirrors
• Leather seating surfaces
• Heated front seats
• Dark Brown Walnut Wood inlays

How intuitive is the 2021 Audi e-tron Sportback’s infotainment unit?

The 2021 Audi e-tron Sportback features a highly advanced Audi MMI infotainment unit consisting of dual touchscreens. The 10.1-inch display on the upper dashboard is the primary infotainment screen while the 8.8-inch unit below it controls the air con and similar vehicle functions. Along with this the e-tron Sportback also features a 12.3-inch Audi Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster. The tech is innovative and updated, but it is complex to use and does come with a learning curve. The standard audio system in the Premium trim is a 10-speaker unit while the higher-end trims get a premium 16-speaker unit from Bang and Olufsen. The following are the standout infotainment features of the 2021 Audi e-tron Sportback-

• MMI Navigation plus with touch response
• Audi virtual cockpit plus
• Audi smartphone interface
• Bang & Olufsen 3D Premium Sound System
• Six-month trial subscription to Audi connect PRIME and Audi connect PLUS online services
• Bluetooth wireless technology preparation for mobile phone

The e-tron Sportback is a sportier-looking version of the normal e-tron SUV. It is offered in nine color choices and comes in an S line exterior appearance featuring sporty bumpers and styling elements. The front end features standard Matrix-design LED headlights while they could also be upgraded to the optional Digital Matrix LED headlights that consist of a 1.3 million pixel projector. The front Singleframe grille with an aluminum finish looks a bit weird as it stands out and looks a bit flashier than a chrome grille. 

The standard wheels are 20" 5-double spoke, turbine-design, bi-color wheels in the base trim while the higher trims could be equipped with the 21" 10-spoke design, bi-color wheels if you choose the Black optic package while the top-end Prestige trim gets optional 22" 5-spoke-turbine design wheels with 265/40 summer performance tires for a price of $1,500. The e-tron Sportback is an overall beautiful-looking machine that has a high-tech design language with sharp lines and coupe-styling. 

The Mercedes looks the most elegant and luxurious while the Tesla is the simplest and silent one. The Audi and Jaguar are sporty but the Jaguar is the only one here that looks like a normal, good-looking SUV while all others have EV-specific design elements all around. The Audi is the heaviest one while the Jag is the lightest. The Audi overall is a good-looking machine while the Mercedes could be considered as the looker among these. The following are the prominent infotainment features of the 2021 Audi e-tron:

• Vehicle tool kit and a floor jack
• Body-colored rear spoiler
• Full LED headlights
• 255/50 R20 All-season tires
• Side and rear windows in heat-insulating glass
• Aluminum exterior window surrounds
• Comfort adaptive air suspension
• 20" 5-double spoke, turbine-design, bi-color wheels

The 2021 Audi e-tron Sportback has been crash-tested by both NHTSA as well as IIHS. It gets an impressive overall safety score of 5-stars from NHTSA with individual safety scores of 4 or perfect-5 under all parameters. The rollover protection rating that the e-tron received is also an outstanding 5-stars which is appreciable. IIHS has selected the e-tron Sportback as one of the Top Safety Pick+ in the segment for the 2021 model year. This ensures that the e-tron Sportback is a really safe machine. The following are some of the most important safety features incorporated in the 2021 Audi e-tron Sportback-

• Audi side assist with Rear cross traffic assist and Vehicle exit warning
• Lane departure warning
• Audi pre sense front
• Audi connect CARE assistance and security services (limited time subscription)
• High-beam assist
• Parking system plus
• Audi pre sense basic and rear
• Rearview camera

2021 Audi e-tron Sportback vs 2022 Jaguar I-Pace 

The 2022 Jaguar I-Pace is an impressive competitor against the Audi e-tron. The Jag is significantly less expensive than the Audi while being faster. The I-Pace is obviously the more value for money choice as it comes with a high-quality interior along with similar efficiency figures as the Audi but with a slightly longer range on offer. And since the price difference is significant, it would be wise to opt for the I-Pace as it is such a good deal for the price it is offered.

2021 Audi e-tron Sportback vs 2021 Tesla Model X Long Range

The Tesla Model X Long Range model has a super-strong powerhouse under the hood and it is significantly faster than the Audi while also being much more expensive. It also provides better mpg figures and a much longer range. So considering all these positives, the Tesla is a great option. But, the interior of the Tesla looks dull and too simple whereas the Audi evidently has a more luxurious interior that is made up of higher quality material. That is clearly a dealbreaker and since the performance difference doesn’t actually justify the drastic price difference, the Audi e-tron Sportback would be the better choice and it also looks better. 

2021 Audi e-tron Sportback vs Mercedes-Benz EQC 

Mercedes has not launched the EQC in the US market yet and it is expected to debut in 2023 while we haven’t received any confirmation regarding that. The EQC however is an impressive machine offered at a great price. It is adequately powerful and the interior is supremely luxurious. The EQC is also one of the best-looking machines in the segment while being slightly faster than the Audi. The e-tron however, provides a better range and slightly better efficiency figures. Overall, as of now, the e-tron Sportback is our only available option and we’ll have to decide on the EQC once it’s launched. 

The 2021 Audi e-tron Sportback is a super competitor among luxury electric SUVs. It is more stylish than its normal sibling the e-tron with its district coupe styling and sleeker aesthetics. The e-tron has a powerful and capable powertrain under the hood which also provides a good range as well as efficiency figures. The interior is spacious and luxurious and the ride quality is also cozy and comfortable. It also handles well and the driving dynamics are also confidence-inspiring. It is a great choice in the segment and an overall superb package.