METROLife Drive
The New Electric SUV From Audi
A first for me, my first all electric test drive. From the outside you would never think the e-tron was electric, well outside of the oversize graphics on our test car. (Don’t worry, this is just on the promotional rides.) When you first sit behind the Virtual Cockpit, it’s a lot to take in. Not because it’s an electric car, but because Audi just has an amazing digital instrument cluster. Within a few minutes, you realize how the design is so intuitive. Like many people, I was unsure of how far I could drive an electric car, before worrying about the need to plug it in. For three days I drove without needing one charge. Back and forth across the Bay and to our many weekend events, you start to forget that the e-tron is electric, and begin to enjoy it for the beautiful drive it is. While the exterior is stylish and resembles similar Audi SUV Q-models,
the e-tron delivers in the electric vehicle arena. The interior of the e-tron is spacious and offers comfortable seating for five. The hatchback offers 29 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats for hauling groceries or other necessities. It’s great to carry the kids’ sports equipment and the seats fold down for those trips to Home Depot. The e-tron will tow up to 4,000 pounds and has a spare tire. I was particularly impressed with the acceleration of the vehicle. The vehicle
goes zero to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds and zero to 100 in 18 seconds. Top speed is 124 mph. The smooth and quiet ride of the e-tron makes it a true pleasure to drive. The numerous cameras and sensors allow for easy maneuvering into parking spots and assist in backing up. The auto assist on the highway can almost virtually drive the car for you. If the vehicle senses a slow down in traffic, the e-tron automatically will apply brakes in the auto mode. The EPA Range on the Audi e-tron is 200 plus miles — it is great for driving around town, and for those who charge their battery at home, the car is fully charged in about nine hours. If you are looking for a new alternative to traditional gasoline cars and want the luxury and state-of-the-art technology behind Audi, certainly schedule a test drive of the new 2019 e-tron. —Steve Parag
To schedule a test drive or learn more about the new Audi e-tron, visit Audi Tampa at Reeves Import Motorcars, 105 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL 33612. Call 813.499.2210 or visit www.auditampa.com.
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September 2019
www.TampaBayMetro.com