2021 (71) Audi A3 40 TFSI e S Line 5dr S Tronic[C+S] [17 inch Alloy]

The much improved Audi A3 40 TFSI e Plug-in Hybrid looks to offer a smart way of combining petrol and electric power. Jonathan Crouch reports.

Ten Second Review

The Audi A3 40 TFSI e Plug-in Hybrid makes some interesting numbers. It's claimed to return up to 941.6mpg, emit up to 6g/km of CO2, offer 88 miles of EV range and get to 62mph in just 7.4 seconds. Real world economy is way below this number, and the asking price isn't inexpensive but this is a very complete piece of Ingolstadt engineering.

Background

It'll be interesting to see how long the Plug-in Hybrid era lasts. Some European governments say they're already looking to ban cars like these by 2035 - which seems a bit premature, particularly as PHEV tech is now really getting into gear. To an extent showcased in the premium compact hatch segment by this car, the Audi A3 Sportback 40 TFSI e. Audi's been offering a Plug-in Hybrid version of the A3 since it launched the A3 e-tron, back in 2016, always with the Sportback body style. The 'e-tron' badge is these days reserved for the brand's full-EVs and was removed from the A3 PHEV in 2020 when the MK4 A3 design arrived in 40 TFSI e Plug-in Hybrid form. Four years on, to coincide with the fourth generation A3 facelift, the PHEV drivetrain gained a much larger battery and an uprated 1.5-litre engine to create the car we're going to look at here.

Driving Experience

Conventional A3 Sportbacks offer a degree of electrification but the mild hybrid lower order petrol versions of this car aren't proper hybrids. If you want an A3 that is, you'll need the PHEV model, specifically the 40 TFSI e variant we look at here. As before, this Plug-in Hybrid borrows the latest version of its drivetrain from a PHEV segment pioneer, Volkswagen's Golf GTE, which means a four cylinder TSI petrol engine now up in size from 1.4 to 1.5-litres, mated as before to a 6-speed DSG auto gearbox. The electric motor this package works with remains at 115PS in output (creating total powertrain output of 204PS) but is now mated to a much larger 25.7kWh lithium-ion battery (up from 13kWh) that when fully charged can offer a WLTP-rated all-electric driving range of up to 88 miles (it was previously 41 miles). And a (rather academic) all-electric top speed of up to 87mph (7mph up). Rely primarily on petrol power and the 62mph sprint occupies just 7.4s en route to 140mph. Starting is always electric, even when the temperature drops down to -28° C. The driver can prioritize electric drive with the EV button in the switch panel or by selecting it in the MMI centre screen, which enables the vehicle to operate like a fully electric model. In 'Auto Hybrid', the primary operating mode, the combustion engine and electric motor share the work intelligently - purely electric driving at low speeds, with the TFSI engine taking priority at higher speeds; often both drive together. Depending on the situation, the A3 Sportback 40TFSI e can coast, recuperate - both in thrust and braking - or boost together with the electric motor and TFSI. In addition, the hybrid management system keeps the battery charge level constant to save enough electrical energy for later use, for example, in a low-emission zone. Otherwise, it's just like any other A3 Sportback to drive.

Design and Build

The 40 TFSI e is offered in the five-door A3 Sportback body and doesn't look a whole lot different to any other Sportback. There's some subtle badging at the back and the charging point is typically Audi-slick. Inside up front, there's an immersive style of ergonomic design - in the way the air vents combine with the instrument binnacle and the manner in which the centre screen and the climate controls just below have been canted towards the driver. Much effort has gone in to visually emphasise the width and spaciousness of this cabin, most notably with precise horizontal lines and surfaces. And you're going to really like the quality and classy design on show here. There's also a high level of digital technology. The brand's 'Virtual Cockpit plus' instrument screen is standard and the 10.1-inch central MMI monitor has been updated in various ways, allowing it to be customised with a wider range of applications, including Amazon Alexa. This MMI system is permanently connected to the internet, with high speed access via an embedded eSIM, which means you can create in the car a WiFi hotspot and access things like online music streaming, online traffic information and hybrid radio. This central screen's also your access to an audio upgrade that's now provided by Sonos, a 3D system. As previously, on the rear seat a six-footer can sit behind an equally lanky driver, but it's a fairly snug fit and, as you'd expect from this class of car, three across the back here only really works if the people concerned are of school-going age. Out back, boot space falls from 380-litres in the standard model to just 280-litres in this one thanks to the battery pack beneath the floor.

Market and Model

The big issue for most buyers is whether they see this A3 40 TFSI e variant's £39,000 asking price as being justifiable when a 35 TDI 150PS diesel A3 Sportback model will typically cost around £6,000 less. That six grand would buy you a lot of black pump fuel. In terms of pure hard-headed finance, it's going to find it hard to justify sales against a diesel; in the short to medium term at least. There are 'Sport', 'S line' and 'Black Edition' versions of this model. Standard equipment features DAB+ digital radio and a 10.1-inch central MMI touch display, along with the 'Audi virtual cockpit plus' instrument screen and an inductive smartphone charger. In addition to the two USB-C charging ports in the centre console in the front, two additional ports in the rear also come standard. Other features include MMI navigation plus, along with the complete connect portfolio and access to the app store, which allows the driver to use a wide range of applications via the vehicle's display. By embedding the store, customers can directly and intuitively access popular third-party apps on the MMI touch display by means of a data link in the vehicle. For our market, two individual infotainment and comfort functions can be added online via the myAudi app, even after the vehicle has been purchased. Functions include adaptive cruise control and high-beam assist. They can be booked for one month, six months, one year, three years, or permanently, depending on the customer's individual needs. If, for example, a long holiday is planned with the A3, adaptive cruise assist may be a useful addition for relaxed travel on long stretches of motorway.

Cost of Ownership

The quoted WLTP stats for a 40 TFSI e model are a fantasy land combined cycle fuel figure of up to 941.6mpg and a CO2 reading of up to 6g/km. That latter stat means a super-low Benefit-in-Kind tax rating. In comparison to a conventional 35 TFSI model, that'll cut your BiK tax payments by as much as 75%. Over the kind of A3 Sportback TDI diesel model that would probably return very similar real world consumption figure of around 40mpg. To do better, you might have to learn a different style of driving - steering wheel paddles are now offered to control the degree of recuperation in EV mode, though the optimum driving level is set in the background.. When you take your foot off the accelerator pedal, this PHEV A3 coasts with the engine switched off, or the electric motor recuperates in its overrun mode. This depends on the driving situation. When braking, the electric motor takes over the deceleration alone up to around 0.3g and thus covers the vast majority of all braking processes in everyday driving. The hydraulic wheel brakes only come into play when you step harder on the brake pedal. The transition is almost imperceptible, and recuperation remains active. When braking, the electric motor can recover up to 43kW of power. For the first time, Audi is offering DC charging at fast-charging stations for a Plug-in Hybrid model. The A3 Sportback 40 TFSI e uses DC charging with up to 50kW which means a battery recharge from 10-80 percent can be achieved in less than half an hour. In addition, it is possible to charge at AC charging points such as a wallbox or municipal charging stations with three-phase charging at up to 11kW. The charging process takes 2.5 hours. The necessary Mode 3 cable is included as standard.

Summary

Although the headline numbers of 941.6mpg, 6g/km of CO2, 88 miles of EV range and a 0-62mph time of just 7.4 seconds make the Audi A3 40 TFSI e appear quite a game-changer, look behind the numbers and you'll find things not quite so clear cut. In fact, a counter perspective might well be that you're paying around £4,000 over the top of an A3 Sportback 35 TDI 150PS diesel and getting a car that's slower, drinks more fuel, carries less luggage, offers inferior touring range and once out of charge will drink much more fuel. Of course, the A3 40 TFSI e has other benefits. It can run in a pure EV mode and it feels a far more special piece of kit than a diesel hatch. Can you put a price on that? You can perhaps if you measure the savings you'll make in company car tax. And this model certainly scores as a car you can drive as an EV on short commutes to work, but which is capable of long weekend trips. As a technical showpiece, it's an intriguing thing. As a sales proposition though, you might need to scour the small print quite carefully.