The Audi e-Tron Sportback is a fully electric, five-seater SUV. This is a seriously fun, fast and futuristic car to drive.
By far its most stand out feature is the robot-like arms protruding out of the doors instead of wing mirrors on this top-spec First Edition version (optional on other versions), it definitely turns a lot of heads!
This is then viewed in screens on the inside of each door which have fantastic image quality.
The Audi e-Tron is a great car to drive, there is no doubt about that! It feels robust and responsive and glues to the road on bends. When it comes to our more day-to-day driving and school drop-offs, it is practical but I found visibility a bit tricky with the shape of the Sportback roof (there is a regular SUV shaped one available too) and seeing past child seats installed in the back.
Also, the position of the camera wing mirrors also makes it harder because the angle I have to look down at to view them really takes away from looking at the road.
Let's talk about those little passengers in the back. There are ISOFix points in the two outer rear seats and top tether anchorages on the back of all three, which are easily accessed through the boot.
I could fit three forward-facing Infasecure child seats easily across the back seats. I installed the Infasecure Achieve More, Aspire More and Attain More child seats. Or there was space for me to sit between two child seats comfortably.
The rear seats in the Audi e-Tron are very generous in size, however, they are quite sculpted too.
One of the smallest but best details in the Audi e-Tron for families is the illuminated seat belt buckles for the outer rear seats. This would go unnoticed for many users however at night or when doing up seatbelts when you have child seats installed it is a game-changer and makes it so much easier for adults and children to locate and fasten the right seatbelt buckle.
So although there is the space to fit three rear-facing child seats across in the back of the Audi e-Tron, I found it a more comfortable fit with two because of the seat sculpting. I installed the Infasecure Attain More and Achieve More child seats rear-facing.
The great thing about all the Infasecure child seats, unlike others, is it is very simple to switch which side of the seat the top tether adjuster is on. This means you can put your rear-facing child seat on either side of the car and easily adjust the top tether strap.
Legroom is fantastic in the Audi e-Tron, we can fit a 186cm driver in front of the rear-facing Infasecure Achieve More child seat.
Storage throughout the Audi e-Tron is practical, with two good size coffee cup holders in the front and back and door bins that will hold large refillable water bottles.
There is a tray to store phones in the back as well as a wireless phone charging slot in the front centre console too.
The Audi e-Tron has my favourites… rear pillar air vents!
It has more vents and digital controls in the back of the central console box too. All great for keeping rear passengers at the right temperature.
There are two USB ports and a 12V socket in the back of the central console box for rear passengers too.
When it comes to storage in the boot the Audi e-Tron will hold fifteen shopping bags when empty.
This is comparable to the Tesla Model SÂ which also holds fifteen shopping bags as well as the Jaguar i-Pace and Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo that both hold thirteen shopping bags.
A twin pram fits in the boot with six shopping bags, however, the shape of the rear windscreen means that if you need to transport your family dog in the boot then only a small or medium-sized dog would fit and they may need to lie down.
The Audi e-Tron also has a front boot which is where the charging cables are kept.
The Audi e-Tron is fully electric so you have all the wonderful benefits of an EV, like a silent start and smooth, quiet drive, you can drive your baby to sleep without burning fuel and you can sit quietly with the aircon running while they are asleep without wasting money on fuel or pumping exhaust fumes into the surrounding area.
The Audi e-Tron does around 400km to a full battery charge and is one of the faster charging EVs on the Australian market. You can see your battery range in the driver's display screen. There is a socket on both sides of the car, one for fast charging and one for not.
The interior of the e-Tron is crisp and modern, with two screens in the centre. The lower one is for climate and heated seats.
The media screen at the top has all your normal options, like inbuilt navigation, media, car settings etc.
The Audi media system is nice and modern and easy to navigate your way around.
Having Apple CarPlay makes it really nice and easy to access your phone for calls, music etc while driving too.
The reversing camera has a very crisp, clear image and a 3D camera too so you can view the exterior of the car.
The Audi e-Tron Sportback is a great five-seater luxury SUV for families in terms of drive, functionality and space, with a great media system and reversing cameras. To me. the signature wing-mirror cameras are the weakest link for families and I would rather opt for conventional mirrors to have better visibility when driving and parking. Good job normal mirrors are available on most of the range!
The Audi e-Tron Sportback scored a five-star ANCAP safety rating, it has six airbags as standard. Including dual frontal airbags, side chest-protecting airbags for the front and second row and side head-protecting curtain airbags for the front and second row.
BabyDrive Indepth
BabyDrive Indepth - Storage
How big is the boot of the Audi e-Tron Sportback?
The Audi e-Tron Sportback has a very big boot that will hold fifteen shopping bags. That is the same as the Tesla Model S, and two more than the Jaguar iPace and Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo that both hold thirteen shopping bags.
The twin stroller fits in the boot of the Audi e-Tron with six shopping bags.
A tandem pram fits in the boot with seven shopping bags beside it.
The boot space and its functionality are really important. I like to have a big boot space and little side wells or areas I can divide things into. So something I don’t want to move around while I’m driving such as Bub’s lunch bag or her wet swimming gear can be sectioned off in a little well where it’s not going to spill or get squashed by the rest of the things in the boot.
Hooks for securing shopping bags to are also favourites of mine, I like being able to secure the bag containing more fragile things like eggs so they don’t move around on the journey.
I measure the boot space in freezer shopping bags, prams and dogs. Not because I think all there is to a mum’s life is food shopping, prams and dogs. (Although it can feel like it sometimes!!) But because these are visually mesurable items we can all associate with. For me, the car company boot measurement of litres is not an amount I can easily visualise and 400L in one car may differ in usability to that in another due to the configuration or shape of the space.
The single pram fits in the boot of the Audi e-Tron with eight shopping bags beside it.
The compact stroller fits with eleven shopping bags beside it.
Or you could fit your family medium size dog in the boot, they will have to lie down due to the sloping shape of the Sportback (a regular SUV version of the e-Tron is available).
There is a netted storage area on both sides of the boot which are great for popping things like lunch boxes in that you don't want to roll around the boot.
Underneath the boot floor is a space-saver tyre and a large plastic storage area that I found great for wet or sandy things after the beach.
How good is storage inside the Audi e-Tron Sportback?
Storage throughout the interior of the Audi e-Tron Sportback is good. There are two cup holders in the central console that will hold a re-usable or disposable coffee cup, there is a wireless phone charging slot beside them and two USB and 12V sockets too.
Behind them is a small central console storage box; it is felt-lined so nothing in there will rattle around.
There is no glasses case in the ceiling which is disappointing but there is a felt-lined drawer by the driver's right knee, which I found fitted mine without damaging them.
The glove box is a nice big size in the Audi e-Tron Sportback and would easily hold my wallet and iPad with the manual.
The front door bins of the Audi e-Tron are generous too and will hold an iPad as well as a large refillable water bottle.
The rear doors of the Audi e-Tron Sportback will hold a large refillable water bottle.
There are net map pockets on the back of both front seats that will hold but not conceal an iPad, tyre are two USB ports and a 12V socket in the back of the central console to allow rear passengers to charge devices while travelling along too.
There is a fold-down armrest in the central seat back with two cup holders and a lidded tray we found good for storing rear passengers phones.
BabyDrive Indepth - Noise
How noisy is the Audi e-Tron Sportback?
The Audi e-Tron Sportback is a lovely quiet BabyDrive. Being fully electric, the e-Tron starts silently and drives quietly and smoothly. Also, being a luxury SUV, you are cocooned from a lot of the usual exterior noise and stimulation when driving.
The media system in the Audi e-Tron Sportback is split across two screens, the same as in the Audi Q7, Audi Q8, Jaguar i-Pace and Range Rover Velar. It really minimises the buttons and dials on the dashboard and central console.
The top screen contains built-in sat-nav, vehicle and settings, phone and media. The system is nice and simple making it easy to navigate.
The e-Tron has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto too, which was great for easily connecting my phone.
The aircon and seat heating etc are all within the lower screen. I found these controls easy to reach and use while driving.
The reversing camera image quality is excellent in the Audi e-Tron. It is crisp and clear and you can select between different camera angles as well as having a birds-eye view too. It is very easy to mute the parking sensors with a button on the bottom left of the screen and you can turn the parking sensors off with a button on the central console too.
The Audi e-Tron has a 3D camera too so you can see all the exterior of your car, which really helps with visibility having the Sportback shape.
The indicators are not too loud in the Audi e-Tron and didn’t disturb my sleeping children.
The Sat-Nav is good in the Audi e-Tron and is easily accessed through the main media screen.
You can adjust the volume and mute the guidance voice with a button on the left-hand side on the main media screen map and within the media screen settings.
Becoming a parent I soon realised there are some noises and sounds I feel are unnecessary and I could happily live without if it meant my baby stayed asleep!!
That often the distraction of my screaming, distressed baby is more dangerous when driving than not having a lane departure warning for example.
If it is the lane departure warning beeping that creates distress with my baby then which is safest?
It’s where I think we need to be able to strike a balance and choose when we can mute the warnings or swap them to a vibration in the steering wheel or flashing light perhaps?
A lot of these noises come with the increase in technology and especially linked to safety features and alerts. For me these all have their place.
Another thing I have realised is I spend my time in a lot more places where small children roam, parks, beaches, play gyms, swimming lessons, daycare centre etc. I have become more aware that when I’m reversing or manouvering in the car parks I have to tripple check for small children running around behind me or being in my blind spot when reversing. For this I LOVE reversing cameras, I just don’t like their beeping sounds!!
I have become so much more aware of safety and potential accidents or hazards since having a child and so I love the peace of mind that I get from the cameras and sensors combined with my own vision from windows and mirrors as I don’t trust cameras alone.
The windows of the Audi e-Tron Sportback are nice and quiet to open and close and I found I could come to a stop and get out with the ‘engine' running without sounding any baby-waking alarms. Or I could sit with the aircon running and not worry about using fuel or pumping fumes into the surrounding area because it's an EV.
Since becoming a mum I spend A LOT of time parked up somewhere with a nice view while my daughter is asleep in the back! If it's hot I need to leave the engine running and the aircon on but I do like to get out and drink my cuppa tea in the fresh air while enjoying the fact my limbs are free from said dangling child!!
So this is a very important test as I have found that sometimes I have been held hostage by a cars BEEEEPING alarms when I have taken off my seatbelt or opened the door while the engine is still running!! (I only stand outside the car, I am not a bad mother!!)
The Audi e-Tron Sportback has a great BabyDrive feature for being able to independently lock the rear doors and windows. This gives you the flexibility if you have children of different ages in the back, an adult or teenager and a little child that not everyone is locked in.
Being fully electric, the Audi e-Tron has a silent start and then is a really nice, quiet and smooth car to drive and because it is made by a luxury brand, you are cocooned from a lot of the exterior road and wind noise more than you are in most other cars. Which minimises a lot of the things that cause driver fatigue.
The charging cables are stored in the front boot of the e-tron. There s a charging port on both sides of the car; the one on the driver's side is for fast charging and the passenger side for regular chargers.
The Audi e-Tron Sportback does around 400km to a full battery charge and is one of the faster charging electric cars on the Australian market.
The driver display also clearly tells you your distance to empty, which is another great BabyDrive feature.
The cruise controls are on a stalk behind the steering wheel. I found them quite easy to use once I was used to their position and the cruise control was incredibly accurate at high speeds on motorways as well as at slower speeds on undulating roads.
BabyDrive Indepth - Car Seats
How many child seats fit in the Audi e-Tron Sportback?
There are top tether anchorages in the back of all three of the Audi e-Tron's rear seats, they are clearly labelled and within plastic guides which makes them nice and easy to connect to.
There are ISOFix points in both the outer rear seats, they are within plastic guides and easy to connect to.
The rear seats of the e-Tron are very spacious and quite sculpted too…
…so I found when installing rear-facing child seats they fitted nicely with one in each of the outer seats. I fitted the Infasecure Attain More and Achieve More rear-facing. You could definitely fit three rear-facing Infasecure child seats across, or there is room for you to fit a passenger between the two child seats.
Legroom is fantastic in the Audi e-Tron and with the Infasecure Achieve More child seat installed rear-facing, a 186cm driver could fit in front.
I found posting bub into their rear-facing child seat to be good from outside of the car in the Audi e-Tron. The doorway is quite shaped so you can slot your child easily into their seat. The ceiling is high enough inside that posting Bub into their seat from inside is easy too. There are handles above both the rear doors to hang a child's toy from.
Australia being a country of weather extremes; blazing sun and torrential rain, mean you may find it easier to put Bub into their seat from inside the car sometimes. If it’s hot you can get the air-con going, cool the car down and not stand out in the sun while you fasten them in or shelter from the rain and not get soaked yourself whilst you’re doing it. So it is important to test whether Bub can be easily installed from either direction!
There is plenty of room to feed Bub in the back if you only have one child seat installed, the interior is very spacious.
BabyDrive Indepth - Drive & Comfort
How comfortable is the Audi e-Tron Sportback? And How good is the Audi e-Tron Sportback to drive?
The front seats of the Audi e-Tron Sportback are very comfortable but the headrests are not adjustable which means you cannot wear a ponytail while driving.
I had spent hours styling my hair this morning to get this ponytail just right too… said no new mum ever!!!
The seats are electronically adjusted, with controls on the side of the seat base.
The grey quilted leather seats throughout the Audi e-Tron Sportback are very nice and comfortable but the quilting wouldn't be the easiest to keep clean.
For a mum travelling in the back with bub, the seats are very comfortable, the rear central seatback is a bit firm where you have the fold-down armrest and storage.
For the first year of my babies lives when we would go out as a family, if I wasn’t driving, I would travel in the back with them so it’s important to check the back seat comfort as you may be spending a lot of time in them! They were never something I gave any thought to before but I definitely notice a good or bad back seat now!
The steering wheel is fully adjustable in/out and up/down as well in the Audi e-Tron Sportback.
There are four air vents in the front of the Audi e-Tron Sportback, two in the centre of the dashboard and one at either end.
There are vents in the back of the central console box for rear passengers…
…as well as in the side pillars, which are great a BabyDrive feature compared with central console ones that can be a bit too low or, ceiling ones that can upset rear-facing children by blowing onto their heads and faces.
The aircon for front and rear passengers is easily controlled in the front within the lower screen…
…or the second-row passengers can control it through the screen in the back of the central console box.
Visibility in the Audi e-Tron Sportback is not so great due to the sloping shape of the back of the vehicle and the camera side mirrors don't give as good visibility as actual mirrors. Also, when you have all three child seats installed, visibility is further impaired out of the back.
That's why the really great quality rearview camera is so helpful.
One thing I have noticed since being a mum is I hate it when I reach a destination or get home from being out and Bub has either done really well in the car or she is screaming her head off and I have done really well to keep it together for the entire journey (usually the latter!!) and it takes 10 minutes to park the car! It can be really stressful. Usually I dread parking new cars as they take longer in our tight apartment block carpark, the Audi e-tron Sportback was a bit tricky to park but the using the cameras do help.
In testing, it scored 88% for child occupancy protection and 91% for adult occupancy protection.
In the child occupancy crash testing ANCAP wrote:
In the frontal offset test, protection of the neck of the 10 year dummy was ADEQUATE, while the protection offered to all other critical body regions was GOOD.
In the side impact test, protection of all critical body areas was GOOD for both child dummies.
Installation of typical child restraints available in Australia and New Zealand showed most child restraints could be accommodated in most rear seating positions, though the Type A capsule could not be correctly installed in the centre rear position.
The Audi e-tron is fitted with lower ISOFix anchorages on the rear outboard seats and top tether anchorages for all rear seating positions.
Six airbags come as standard in the Audi e-Tron Sportback; there are dual frontal airbags and front side airbags and side head curtain airbags for the front and both rear rows side passengers.
Some of these safety features are also features that drive me crazy as a mum! Like the lane departure and forward collision alert or the parking sensor beeping sound. I want all the safety technology AND to be able to mute the sound when Bub’s asleep!
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About Tace Clifford
Tace Clifford founded BabyDrive in 2017 after discovering a huge information gap in mainstream car reviews that left new parents and expanding families in the dark when it came to one of the biggest purchasing decisions of their lives.
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