Audi e-Tron Sportback Luggage Test | How much cargo space?

Mercifully, Audi does not refer to the versions of its sedans and SUVs with aggressively raked rooflines as "coupes." Instead, they are "Sportbacks," in part to indicate they have a hatchback trunk in addition to that roofline. The Audi e-Tron electric crossover is the latest model wearing the four rings to get Sportbacked. 

Now, you might suspect that the new e-Tron variant's roofline would reduce cargo capacity. You'd be correct. The specs say the Audi e-Tron Sportback has 27.2 cubic feet behind its back seat. The regular e-Tron has 28.5, so the difference is tiny. Meanwhile, the mechanically related Audi Q5 has 25.1, and our testing confirmed there's a comparable difference between the two.

Besides the intra-Audi comparisons, you know what has a very similar cargo area? The Mustang Mach-E I tested last week. It could not only swallow all the luggage in my garage, but it could fit them below its cargo cover. Let's see how the e-Tron Sportback does.

As in every luggage test I do, I use two midsize roller suitcases that would need to be checked in at the airport (26 inches long, 16 wide, 11 deep), two roll-aboard suitcases that just barely fit in the overhead (24L x 15W x 10D), and one smaller roll-aboard that fits easily (23L x 15W x 10D). I also include my wife's fancy overnight bag just to spruce things up a bit (21L x 12W x 12D).

Yep, they all fit, though it was just a bit easier in the Mach-E.

The cargo cover being in place is key when comparing to the Audi Q5. With its cargo cover in place, it wouldn't come close to fitting all this. You'd need to remove it just to match the e-Tron Sportback, although the Q5 does offer a sliding back seat that adds cargo space at the expense of rear seat legroom. 

As for the Sportback's cargo cover, it's actually two rigid pieces: one that's affixed over the cargo area and another attached to the liftgate. This definitely does the job of covering cargo, and is certainly more elegant and sturdy than the Mach-E's foldable mesh unit, but good luck storing those slabs inside should you suddenly find yourself in need of extra space. 

That said, not that much extra space is gained by removing the covers. You can probably add a duffel bag plus maybe a pair of shoes. I would imagine that the regular e-Tron might be better in this regard with its admittedly small amount of extra room. 

As a quick bonus, I happened to be testing a GoCycle electric bike at the same time as the e-Tron. It's a pretty cool thing — darn quick, makes tackling hills a breeze, and crucially, it folds up so you can easily store in your office during the weekday. It also fits quite easily in both the e-Tron and the Mach-E. More on the GoCycle in the future. 

The cargo story doesn't end there, though.

There's some bonus space under the floor adjacent to the spare tire. Audi thoughtfully lets you lift out the container to empty or clean, making it a great place to store muddy shoes. 

Then there's the frunk.

Audi doesn't provide a measurement for the frunk, so it's a good thing I can put it into perspective with this small carry-on bag.

This frunk would be smaller and less useful than what you'll find in the Mach-E, but my test Mach-E had an odd divider that prevented storing anything larger than maybe the charge cord. Speaking of which, let's end with the e-Tron's inside the frunk.