► S e-Tron GT driven in 2025
► Now Audi’s entry-level four-door EV
► Interior feels doesn’t match exterior
Remember the e-Tron GT? Audi’s take on the Porsche Taycan runs on the same J1 platform as its Stuttgart twin, but uses it to create a more accessible blend of performance and comfort. It’s a formula that’s worked well in the past and suits the Audi brand to a tee: think of the e-Tron GT as an all-electric S7 or RS7, and you’re pretty much there.
Now, the Audi e-Tron GT returns with a boost in power performance – and the removal of the entry-level model, so only S and RS models are available. We’re driving the former here, but you can read about the RS and RS performance (which happens to be the most powerful Audi road car ever) in a separate review.
So just where does the Audi S e-Tron GT fit in, and is it worth buying in its own right? To find out, I drove one for over a week, using it for everything from short errands to airport runs – with some entertaining roads around the Goodwood motor circuit in between. Keep reading for your full review of Audi’s understated four-door.
At a glance
Pros: Flys under the radar, snappy performance, feasible range
Cons: Not much storage space, cabin feels dated
What’s new?
Not that much, so you’ll have to look closely to notice the differences on the outside. Audi’s designers are obsessed with making headlights even sharper-looking, so you’ll find the new S e-Tron GT gets slightly thinner ones than before. There’s also more body colour between them, making the whole car look a little slicker. It runs on eye-catching at least 20-inch alloys, whichever trim you go for.
Instead most of the changes come under the bodywork, with new powertrain tech that gives more performance and more range. Keep reading to find out more.
What are the specs?
Audi has given the e-Tron GT a new 102kWh battery (97kkWh usable) and it’s paired to front and rear motors to deliver 670bhp in total. That headline figure is with launch control enabled, and it’ll put 583bhp and 546 lb ft of torque on the road during normal driving. 0-62mph is 3.4 seconds with all the bells and whistles enabled and 3.6 without. Top speed is limited to 152mph.
All new e-Tron GTs also benefit from a new two-chamber, two-valve air suspension – with Vorsprung models getting a fully active system. Audi claims this makes for a flatter, more responsive car that rolls even less than before.
As you’d expect, this gets the least power in the now more top-heavy e-Tron GT range – though it means the S e-Tron GT can eek out the most mileage: it gets a max WLTP figure of 378 miles per charge, edging out the 372 of the RS. Efficiency is rated at 3.4 miles per kWh.
When do you run out, 320kW charging is available, thanks to the same battery management tech seen in the Taycan update. Battery charge can jump from 10–80% in as quickly as 18 minutes – provided you find a free, compatible charger.
What’s it like to drive?
It’s tempting to perceive the Audi e-Tron GT as a watered-down Taycan – but jump behind the wheel for a few miles and you’ll find this is an impressive car in its own right. Within the model range, the S e-Tron GT’s 3.6 second launch looks slow, but in the real-world it feels positively ridiculous. Even without launch control enabled and just the 583bhp on tap, driving the S e-Tron GT can feel like simply hitting fast-forward.
The S e-Tron GT feels extremely capable in all phases for the corner. The brakes (390mm front and 358mm rear) while not quite as tactile some – do a good job of communicating the car’s stopping capability. They’re also powerful enough to make braking late enjoyable rather than terrifying, which isn’t always the case in performance EVs.
The steering is what you’d hope for in a GT car: precise enough for quick driving, though easy for manoeuvring the car into tight spots and around town. The latter is particularly useful due to the e-Tron GT’s relatively wide (2158mm including mirrors) footprint.
Midway through the corner you once again feel the e-Tron GT’s weight (2.3-ish tonnes in total) but you also feel the car’s new intelligent suspension keeping its chassis flatter and more stable than before. The standard car didn’t really suffer with roll at the best of times thanks to its super-low CoG, but it’s even less of an issue here.
Finally, nail the throttle on the way out for Looney Tunes acceleration. The world of EVs has democratised and warped our sense of speed, but the S e-Tron GT is quick by any measure. Crucially, the response is smooth enough to feel precise when it needs to, but also refined and easy in more mundane use.
Hitting motorway speeds immediately or getting up to speed on a B-road is instantaneous and addictive. It’s hard to see what you gain from being even faster.
What’s it like inside?
The interior of the e-Tron GT is smart, if not a little old-school. Look at the pictures here and you’ll see a large transmission tunnel, and vents that look as though they’ve come from the 90s. It’s not a huge issue, but it sets this car aside from Ingolstadt’s most recent efforts.
There are two screens: a 12.1-inch panel for the cockpit dials and another 10.1-inch display to take care of all your infotainment needs. The latter now feel incredibly small for a car of this price and segment: take the new A6 for example, which uses a gargantuan 14.5-inch panel for its infotainment system. Worse still, the A6 is around half the price of the car e-Tron GT I’m driving.
Still, that’s not to say the e-Tron GT’s cabin is a bad place to spend time. The black leather free interior – which is a £615 extra here – is smart. Combined that with the Birch wood, natural anthracite inlays our car has (an optional £795) option, and the e-Tron GT’s cabin is positively premium.
Much of the switch gear is carried over from other Audi models and the steering wheel also gets fiddly haptic problems – which can be annoying at times.
On a more practical note, the boot is 350-litres – which isn’t great for a GT car – even when you throw in the 85-litre frunk.
Before you buy (trims and rivals)
In the UK, the S e-Tron GT comes in standard and Vorsprung guises – but even the basic S model gets a strong spec sheet. There’s a Bang & Olufsen sound system which has a nice combination of clarity and punch, and there’s also a head up display – though it’s less sophisticated than that of the Q6’s for example. You’ll also get Matrix LEDs and e-torque vectoring, for even more grip on corner exits.
Jump up to the S Vorsprung trim and you get everything from night vision and acoustic glass to ventilated massaging front seats. This trim also gets you rear-wheel steering and 21-inch alloys, which come as standard on the RS.
The e-Tron GT’s direct rivals are the RS model above, and the Porsche Taycan models adjacent to it. However, as should be clear by now, Stuttgart’s J1 car is an altogether different proposition, with a focus on precision and driver engagement. The S e-Tron GT, on the other hand, is all about ease and comfort.
The RS e-Tron GT offers even more of the same formula – but much like with the difference between S3 and the RS3, the S e-Tron GT feels rapid and premium enough for me.
Verdict
The Audi e-Tron GT is often overlooked when it comes to electric GT cars, but in S form it hits a sweet spot of accessibility and performance. The WLTP range is just about acceptable for a GT car and its point and squirt performance is surreal in the real world– even if it lags behind in the ludicrous specs of performance EVs. Combine that with a cabin that feels premium and looks that go under the radar somewhat and the S e-Tron GT is a compelling, well-balanced package.
My only issue? The interior, while cutting-edge at the point of release, feels old-fashioned in 2025.