I bought this car in late 2015 and since then I have been saving atleast £250 every month on fuel, last time I filled up tank for £35 and done 1600 miles so far, car is mostly in use for school run arround 30-35 miles a day and we religiously charge it as soon as it comes back to driveway, takes less than 2 hours to charge and gives not more than 20-25 miles / charge. due to bulky battery, body roll is one of my biggest dislike other than this I don't have any bad thing to say, I don't pay Road Tax, Congestion Charges and save lot on fuel, for us family of 4 living in London I think we made right decision buying this car. If you have small family and you live in City and drive not more than 40-50 miles a day and has driveway with 7kw Car Charger and would like to keep car for long terms then Audi A3 E-tron makes perfect sense, I hope 5min of my time writing this short review will help someone making right decision.
Cheers, mate. Appreciate your comment as I am thinking of it, good second hand 2015 one Is now just over 13000 quid. Meet the criteria perfectly with only difference being in Manchester, so we don’t have congestion charges. A few questions, how is the reliability? Can u really drive electric only at motorway speed? I drive 20 miles round trip commute with 8 miles of motorway each way. Thanks again.
As someone who daily drives this car, I don't know how you can say that a regular A3 is more fun. Did you floor the accelerator in dynamic mode? This is a sleeper car for owning BMW's with. The 0-100km/h time does not tell the whole story, as the FWD e-tron struggles to get off the line. While moving the e-tron has super good acceleration, it barely takes any time to get to 220km/h (I may or may not have tried it)...
In the San Francisco Bay Area, PHEV and EV vehicles have an advantage of car pool access. This is huge since there are two major bridges that would allow you to use this lanes. Not applicable to regular hybrid vehicles.
Your reviews have been watched by all around the world so please use metric measurements along with english ones to make us understand your reviews properly. Thank you in advance.
And it is not even the truth, the battery unit sits beneath the rear seats and the smaller fuel tank is in the rear. The low voltage 12V battery has also moved to the rear. This review is not so accurate on several points. I very much like the A3 etron and it is a perfectly good incidental long distance hauler with a very powerfull drivetrain and smooith gearbox. Bought it used, and have had no trouble/issues in over 2 years of usage. The tire repair kit is somewhere in a hidden compartment in the rear, if you ever need it. (I will call road assistance and let them repair my tire on the spot)
Electric, perhaps yes. But Hybrid is already viable in a number of vehicles. I regularly get 67 mpg in mine, and 80 mpg if I am really careful, in a car which cost me £9500.
We done 150 miles yesterday from Peterborough and we got just over 70 mpg in a 1.5 dci qashqai. I don’t think any hybrid can do this on a motorway for long distance.
Hybrids more suited for short journey urban driving in traffic and taxis but diesel if your always doing long journeys and dont mind the costs of dpf and egr valve getting blocked and then if its a modern one with ad blue u have to factor the cost of that aswell as the higher price for diesel fuel is it really worth it
nice review shame about the car 29 miles electric range. Pathetic range but I get it for in town as you would use the electric mode. Bring on a full electric A3 with 200+ mile range
I don't like the new front end but that is nothing compared to the nonsense of a car that has 2 engines. When you run on petrol you lug around the weight of the electrical drive system and when you run on electricity you lug around the weight of the petrol system. Crazy tax systems may make it work for a few but otherwise its the worse of both drive systems.
James, why are you so in and out of the lives of Carbuyer like a bad “batch” of dads comes in and out of the lives of children raised by single parents? Stay!!!
So you’re suggesting to buy a diesel A3 instead of this e-tron... well, I think it all depends on what you need the car for. For instance, I live in central London and don’t usually do more than 10-20 miles per day. Why on earth would I go for a diesel when I can easily zip through town on full electric power most of the time? I think it’s obvious that people who choose this car are not those who spend most of their time on a motorway or do lots of miles. Bye bye diesel!
Most car miles driven are not driven in towns, they are driven on A routes and motorways. These hybrids mat suit the uneducated city luvvies but for most the figures simply don't stack up. So essentially, at the moment, super clean euro 6 and euro6b diesels are the way to go for the majority. Only when genuine range increases will the equation change.
george mcray most car miles driven by whom? As I said, it all depends on what you need the car for. You do lots of motorway? You buy diesel. You spend most of your driving time in congested town centres? This e-tron is a very valid alternative. 30 miles a day of pure electric motoring is awesome
Personally I wouldn't buy a hybrid with such a limited range because when it comes time to resell, you're severely limiting potential buyers. I'd rather charge and fill up once a week rather than every commute. It's really not been thought through. It's more practical to haul a full size battery and get lots of range rather than a limited range battery which you will be lugging around most of the time. Queues and waiting times for charging points are already becoming a thing.
@@sweetfreedomGB a model 3 will be out of range exactly when im so bloody exhausted that I would take a break anyways. They made electric cars practical without compromise. Although im still waiting for the base model 3.
Regular Auris Hybrid will do better job for a lot less money . If I go fir Audi I will get a diesel one, sorry but e-tron is too overdone and it screams unreliable
An Auris Hybrid has like what, 5 miles of pure electric range up to some mind numbing 20 mph? To top that off the A3 accelerates like a rocketship compared to the Auris, the top speed is in a different league and it does not make scooter noises when floored.
I went for e test drive as I was very interested in purchasing the A3 e-tron. Quite by accident, I noticed there wasn't a spare tire, AND the tires are not run-flat. If you get a flat tire, you are forced to have roadside assistance tow the Audi to a garage to get it repaired. I was shocked Audi would make a vehicle without a spare tire. Very inconvenient.
29 miles of electric driving??? Again ... 29 miles?? This is ... outrageous. And another thing: lose those pants, you have them on in too many videos already.
Heavens_Time typically a reply from someone who has no arguments. 'If you don't like something, just move on'. NO!!!! If I don't like something, I speak (write in this case) and specify what I don't like and WHY I don't like it. What if he was in a skirt? Would you give me the same argument? "Don't comment about the man's skirt, if you don't like it, don't watch". I have no problem with the color of the pants or the model, I have a problem with the fact that he wears them too often. Much too often!
PULIX PULIX ha red pants. Trade mark for ye old British boy. Bit pink tho. Ive warmed to him. Anyone who thinks he's wooden is wrong. He's a nice boy, nothing gay.
Ok if 29 is the electric range how can we get 166mpg. Does the gas engine charges the battery just like in ford fusion hybrid. But its a plug in hybrid right ??
Heavens_Time dont agree with that! Name one ecar people were waiting in lines for days just to give downpayment and then wait a year for that car! Thats what I call being popular!
Most likely this version of the A3 is just a gimmick to please the current, tyrannical British gov and their insane, far left quotas. 29 miles and ...how much does the battery weigh? Again, some important information missing (as it usually is from reviews on EVs). I would've liked to know how far you can drive in normal mode (where the car chooses the balance between the EV and ICE engines) before the electric motor runs out of power. If the battery has only 29 miles, I can't imagine it's that far... What a waste of a car, probably the worst Audi makes. What a waste of precious materials, not to mention how much natural resources went into making this damned thing. Yeah, very environmentally friendly.
Cars like this I just don't understand 29 miles of battery shure where it gods name am i going to go with that . Now if AUDI had regenitive braking U KNOW CHARGE WHEN U BRAKE might make sense but this car is a COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME
I bought this car in late 2015 and since then I have been saving atleast £250 every month on fuel, last time I filled up tank for £35 and done 1600 miles so far, car is mostly in use for school run arround 30-35 miles a day and we religiously charge it as soon as it comes back to driveway, takes less than 2 hours to charge and gives not more than 20-25 miles / charge. due to bulky battery, body roll is one of my biggest dislike other than this I don't have any bad thing to say, I don't pay Road Tax, Congestion Charges and save lot on fuel, for us family of 4 living in London I think we made right decision buying this car. If you have small family and you live in City and drive not more than 40-50 miles a day and has driveway with 7kw Car Charger and would like to keep car for long terms then Audi A3 E-tron makes perfect sense, I hope 5min of my time writing this short review will help someone making right decision.
Cheers, mate. Appreciate your comment as I am thinking of it, good second hand 2015 one Is now just over 13000 quid. Meet the criteria perfectly with only difference being in Manchester, so we don’t have congestion charges. A few questions, how is the reliability? Can u really drive electric only at motorway speed? I drive 20 miles round trip commute with 8 miles of motorway each way. Thanks again.
Will the battery still have same autonomy after 4years/ 100k miles? Thanks
Thanks for explanation, what is your real miles done on pure ev and average mpg for petrol?
Thanks.
Trying to live with a car in London sounds insane, bruv.
Thank you so much! I'm considering buying a used one
With this nice grill it looks so elegant
As someone who daily drives this car, I don't know how you can say that a regular A3 is more fun. Did you floor the accelerator in dynamic mode? This is a sleeper car for owning BMW's with. The 0-100km/h time does not tell the whole story, as the FWD e-tron struggles to get off the line. While moving the e-tron has super good acceleration, it barely takes any time to get to 220km/h (I may or may not have tried it)...
In the San Francisco Bay Area, PHEV and EV vehicles have an advantage of car pool access. This is huge since there are two major bridges that would allow you to use this lanes. Not applicable to regular hybrid vehicles.
We need to have a discussion about the meaning of “completely flat load floor”🤣
still can't get over the fact that "etron" stands for "turd" in French.
Your reviews have been watched by all around the world so please use metric measurements along with english ones to make us understand your reviews properly. Thank you in advance.
The battery is under the rear seats where the fuel tank normally is, and the fuel tank is now in the boot. No spare like most modern cars
Mr Pink Trousers. Just Kidding, I like James. Always liked his videos
The glove box is a good size yeah for a birthday card...
Please remember. In winter you get around 18 miles from the battery pack, even if charged prior to starting your your journey.
Martin Allen 3 hrs of charge for 18 miles? Lol a used eGolf makes so much more sense
29 miles ? It’s a compliance car
James is back😎
Wanna see a pure electric version in the next gen. Like the E-Golf
Great review. Do you have any idea how the power of this car compares to a Prius in "Power" mode? Thank you.
Does the 2020 model have Apple CarPlay?
That boot is a good 50% larger than any Mark III Ford Focus though...
To be honest I’d rather have the normal petrol A3 sportback in Sport trim
So...
Battery under the boot floor. Great!
So, where is the spare wheel?
Very few cars have a spare wheel these days
And it is not even the truth, the battery unit sits beneath the rear seats and the smaller fuel tank is in the rear. The low voltage 12V battery has also moved to the rear. This review is not so accurate on several points. I very much like the A3 etron and it is a perfectly good incidental long distance hauler with a very powerfull drivetrain and smooith gearbox. Bought it used, and have had no trouble/issues in over 2 years of usage. The tire repair kit is somewhere in a hidden compartment in the rear, if you ever need it. (I will call road assistance and let them repair my tire on the spot)
Woohoo he is back!,,
Excellent. But I have a question James. After the big bottle test you got off the car to go... where? Supposed it's time to drive 😁😁
So what mpg did you actually get James??? Do tell !
Good to see James back! Interesting car - but electric / hybrid technology has a long way to go before it's truly viable.
Electric, perhaps yes. But Hybrid is already viable in a number of vehicles. I regularly get 67 mpg in mine, and 80 mpg if I am really careful, in a car which cost me £9500.
We done 150 miles yesterday from Peterborough and we got just over 70 mpg in a 1.5 dci qashqai. I don’t think any hybrid can do this on a motorway for long distance.
Yes but they don’t spew out dirty diesel fumes that’s the point!!!!
Hybrids more suited for short journey urban driving in traffic and taxis but diesel if your always doing long journeys and dont mind the costs of dpf and egr valve getting blocked and then if its a modern one with ad blue u have to factor the cost of that aswell as the higher price for diesel fuel is it really worth it
2:43 we see the oh so eco a3 averaging 36 mpg...
CJ Green ouch
Love the new front end=) Awesome car=)
Love the new front end
1:40 that’s not completely flat at all though
Maybe he wears the same pants because they shoot tens of videos during the same day.
Quentin Wilson regenerated...
until these cars are the same price or cheaper than standard combustion engines i really dont see the point...were are the savings?
nice review shame about the car 29 miles electric range. Pathetic range but I get it for in town as you would use the electric mode. Bring on a full electric A3 with 200+ mile range
Is it all-wheel drive?
Ryan Tang no
I don't like the new front end but that is nothing compared to the nonsense of a car that has 2 engines. When you run on petrol you lug around the weight of the electrical drive system and when you run on electricity you lug around the weight of the petrol system. Crazy tax systems may make it work for a few but otherwise its the worse of both drive systems.
Do a video on the 2018 S3 and RS3.
It is faster than 7.6 in s mode btw
I thought e-tron stood for full electrical car
The batteries are under the boot floor. Fine.
What about the spare wheel?
Xavier Zymantas thats around your waist
Greg Mieg .. I’d rather be temporarily fat than permanently stupid.
that was rude
No way!! audi drivers get a full frontal lobotomy when they pick these up at the dealers
Skoda Version when? Otherwise no interest!
Cheap used in trade. Car trade. Means dealers don't want sell it. Depreciates harder than other a3s.
Why is this guy so affected? I can't bare his reviews. He's so "off".
1:21 All these beefy cables are not going to be so Green or Eco friendly! Can't they get them to charge by Micro usb or usb c haha
James, why are you so in and out of the lives of Carbuyer like a bad “batch” of dads comes in and out of the lives of children raised by single parents? Stay!!!
You are back with your flashy pants..huh?
So you’re suggesting to buy a diesel A3 instead of this e-tron... well, I think it all depends on what you need the car for. For instance, I live in central London and don’t usually do more than 10-20 miles per day. Why on earth would I go for a diesel when I can easily zip through town on full electric power most of the time? I think it’s obvious that people who choose this car are not those who spend most of their time on a motorway or do lots of miles. Bye bye diesel!
Most car miles driven are not driven in towns, they are driven on A routes and motorways. These hybrids mat suit the uneducated city luvvies but for most the figures simply don't stack up. So essentially, at the moment, super clean euro 6 and euro6b diesels are the way to go for the majority. Only when genuine range increases will the equation change.
george mcray most car miles driven by whom? As I said, it all depends on what you need the car for. You do lots of motorway? You buy diesel. You spend most of your driving time in congested town centres? This e-tron is a very valid alternative. 30 miles a day of pure electric motoring is awesome
Personally I wouldn't buy a hybrid with such a limited range because when it comes time to resell, you're severely limiting potential buyers. I'd rather charge and fill up once a week rather than every commute. It's really not been thought through. It's more practical to haul a full size battery and get lots of range rather than a limited range battery which you will be lugging around most of the time. Queues and waiting times for charging points are already becoming a thing.
@@sweetfreedomGB a model 3 will be out of range exactly when im so bloody exhausted that I would take a break anyways. They made electric cars practical without compromise. Although im still waiting for the base model 3.
I genuinely don't understand why you would buy this. 29 miles.....
Blake Swan most tris ate short and it has a combustion motor also.
Average uk daily car journey = 30miles
Where are all the haters? =)
Regular Auris Hybrid will do better job for a lot less money . If I go fir Audi I will get a diesel one, sorry but e-tron is too overdone and it screams unreliable
An Auris Hybrid has like what, 5 miles of pure electric range up to some mind numbing 20 mph? To top that off the A3 accelerates like a rocketship compared to the Auris, the top speed is in a different league and it does not make scooter noises when floored.
I went for e test drive as I was very interested in purchasing the A3 e-tron. Quite by accident, I noticed there wasn't a spare tire, AND the tires are not run-flat. If you get a flat tire, you are forced to have roadside assistance tow the Audi to a garage to get it repaired. I was shocked Audi would make a vehicle without a spare tire. Very inconvenient.
29 miles of electric driving??? Again ... 29 miles?? This is ... outrageous. And another thing: lose those pants, you have them on in too many videos already.
Heavens_Time typically a reply from someone who has no arguments. 'If you don't like something, just move on'. NO!!!!
If I don't like something, I speak (write in this case) and specify what I don't like and WHY I don't like it.
What if he was in a skirt? Would you give me the same argument? "Don't comment about the man's skirt, if you don't like it, don't watch".
I have no problem with the color of the pants or the model, I have a problem with the fact that he wears them too often. Much too often!
PULIX PULIX ha red pants. Trade mark for ye old British boy. Bit pink tho. Ive warmed to him. Anyone who thinks he's wooden is wrong. He's a nice boy, nothing gay.
Pulix pulix this is a car review who cares what he's wearing.
Ok if 29 is the electric range how can we get 166mpg. Does the gas engine charges the battery just like in ford fusion hybrid. But its a plug in hybrid right ??
Please give me some info
My friend went from a BMW 435i Coupe, to a Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, to this Audi. Talk about a downgrade lol.
Your friend is smart.
Nice review but horrible car for daft smug early adopters only
29 miles? Lol...Why even bother...Tesla it seems is literally 10 years ahead of the competition.
ezumach
This isn't trying to be pure electric.
Plugged in hybrids are so stupid!
It’s like an old woman reviewing a car
Chris Blunt .. i like these reviews
Another crappy hybrid to clog up the charging stations, just get a proper EV. . . . .
The truth is we could have fully electric cars doing 200mpg but how much money would they make then?
Its funny how now that Tesla popularized e-cars, eeevery car manufacturer has an e-car ready to sell!
Also, new regulation is forcing automotive manufacturers to increase their offerings of electric and hybrid technology cars.
Heavens_Time dont agree with that! Name one ecar people were waiting in lines for days just to give downpayment and then wait a year for that car! Thats what I call being popular!
Sooooooooooo overpriced
Stop lying to yourselves and keep on buying diesels instead. 55mpg and more performance is far more than batteries with a petrol engine.
Most likely this version of the A3 is just a gimmick to please the current, tyrannical British gov and their insane, far left quotas.
29 miles and ...how much does the battery weigh? Again, some important information missing (as it usually is from reviews on EVs). I would've liked to know how far you can drive in normal mode (where the car chooses the balance between the EV and ICE engines) before the electric motor runs out of power. If the battery has only 29 miles, I can't imagine it's that far...
What a waste of a car, probably the worst Audi makes. What a waste of precious materials, not to mention how much natural resources went into making this damned thing. Yeah, very environmentally friendly.
Cars like this I just don't understand 29 miles of battery shure where it gods name am i going to go with that . Now if AUDI had regenitive braking U KNOW CHARGE WHEN U BRAKE might make sense but this car is a COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME
0:38 - My ears must deceive me. 2-3 hours of charging for 29 minutes of electric drive! Useless! No car motion battery charging. More useless!
29 Miles of driving….
This car sucks