The 2020 Audi E-Tron Sportback electric SUV gets the same top-tier United States safety ratings as the standard E-Tron.
Both the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have carried over the Sportback's Top Safety Pick+ and five-star rating, respectively, from the E-Tron SUV—due to its relatively minor differences from the boxier E-Tron.
Last year, the E-Tron SUV was the first EV ever to earn the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating. The Tesla Model S had previously earned a five-star rating from the NHTSA, but fell short in IIHS testing.
On sale this week, the Sportback differs from the standard E-Tron mostly in exterior styling. Where the E-Tron is styled to look like a conventional SUV, the Sportback is meant to be more of a fashion statement.
Audi E-tron Sportback
Audi has said that the Sportback “combines the power of a spacious SUV with the elegance of a four-door coupe and the progressive character of an electric car.”
With its lower, sleeker roofline, the E-Tron Sportback carries the SUV coupe styling trend to EVs. Despite reducing cargo space, gasoline-powered vehicles like Audi's own Q8, as well as models from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche, have proven popular.
One other key difference is that Audi enables more usable battery capacity—from the current E-Tron's 83.6% up to 86.5%, and incorporating changes including “optimized drive system hardware with software adjustments to improve efficiency.” That's boosted the E-Tron Sportback's official U.S. range to 218 miles (vs 204) and boosted its efficiency.
