2004 Audi A3 Reviews

Audi is often in the forefront of vehicle design and the A3 is a classic example. The company was the first of the upmarket German marques to make the bold, some thought foolhardy, move to smaller, relatively affordable cars.  Prior to the Audi A3 you had to spend upwards of $60,000 to get into one of the big make

Audi is often in the vanguard of vehicle design and the A3 is a classic example. Audi was the first of the iconic German makers to make the bold move of moving down into smaller, relatively affordable cars.Prior to the Audi A3 you had to find something north of $60,000 to get into one of the big make Germans. The A3 dropped the starting price to the sub-40 grand region. There were mutterings that this would devalue the prestige rating of the larger, more expensive models in the range. That didn’t happen and soon arch rivals Mercedes and BMW joined Audi in introducing smaller, affordable cars.Though the Audi A3 is considered a small car by Australians, in Europe it’s often used as a family car. Four adults are more comfortable than you might expect given the relatively small size of the car. Rear-seat access in the three-door is better than in just about any other car of its type with front seats that move right out of the way in an ingenious fashion. Having said that, the five-door is obviously more practical if the back seat is going to get a lot of use.The Audi A3 has the solid feel that’s very much part of the marque.There’s plenty of stowage space in the cabin so this is a practical machine that suits many people living in crowded suburban regions in Australia. Two good sized suitcases can be carried in the boot together with some small bits and pieces. Tie-down clips secure the load in a crash or under heavy braking.Audi A3 sales were reasonably good from the May 1997 launch of the three-door, but didn’t really get up to full speed until the introduction of the five-door models in October 1999. Many of the earliest A3s are now on the used-car market, but they may be nearing the end of their lives - and they aren’t as cheap to repair or service as more mundane cars of this size.The Audi A3 has the solid feel that’s very much part of the marque and this has shown up in good durability as the years have gone by. Handling is very good, though there is perhaps just a little too much understeer at the limit to suit the full-on driving enthusiast.Engine choices in the original A3 were a 1.6-litre single-cam unit with two valves per cylinder and two 1.8-litre twin-cam models with the Audi trademark of five valves per cylinder (three intakes and two exhausts). The 1.8 came with or without a turbocharger, with the turbo engine tuned to give flexible torque and economy at low to mid-range engine speeds, rather than flat-out sports performance.Power in most Audi A3 models is transmitted to the front wheels.The second-generation cars retained the 1.6-litre in the entry level models, but also offer a 2.0-litre FSI petrol unit, with or without a turbo. It was also available with a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel. Best of all is a 3.2-litre V6 petrol engine that gives a huge amount of get-up-and-go in a relatively small car like this one.Power in most Audi A3 models is transmitted to the front wheels, the 2.0 turbo-petrol can be specified with Audi’s famed quattro all-wheel-drive system. It comes as no surprise that quattro is mandatory with the big V6 engine.Audi S3 is the high-performance variant. The S3 has a sporting three-door body and uses a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine driving all four wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox.Audi has been on fire in the Australian sales race over the last few years and the number of authorised dealers has increased as a result. Naturally, there’s a concentration on the major metropolitan areas, but some regional areas are starting to get into the act as well.Spare parts and servicing are reasonably priced for a prestige car but fairly expensive for a machine of this size. If you are shifting up to an Audi from an Asian or lower priced European car ask the dealer about servicing costs.Check your insurance company’s policy on turbo-petrol engines as some charge very high premiums that can add significantly to the purchase price of a used car.WHAT TO LOOK FORMake sure the engine starts quickly and idles smoothly even when it’s cold. If there’s any hesitation from the engine under hard acceleration there could be computer problems.Check that a manual gearbox changes smoothly and quietly and that an automatic transmission doesn't hunt up and down the gears when climbing moderate hills with light to medium throttle openings.Uneven front tyre wear probably means the car has been the subject of some hard driving, so is more likely in one of the high-performance models.Uneven tyre wear may also mean one of the wheels is out of alignment as the result of a crash, though that crash may have simply been a hard thump against a kerb.CAR BUYING TIPUpmarket cars almost invariably cost more to run than everyday ones, be sure to factor this into your purchasing budget.

Not so long ago you would have been laughed at if you'd suggested that your aspiration was to own a small car, but that's how far the market has matured in a very short time.Such is the maturity in our market that when Audi launched the A3 in 2004 it was quite open about its ambition for it to be a small car people would aspire to own.Audi said upfront that it wasn't out to become the volume leader in the segment; its ambition for the A3 was for it to be the benchmark in the class.MODEL WATCHThe A3 was the entry model in the fast growing Audi range and that put it up against cars like the BMW 1-Series, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Volvo S40 and even the Alfa 147. Although it looked less aggressive than its predecessor, and was 55 mm longer, 30 mm wider and 10 mm lower, there was still a familiarity about it that reminded you of the old model.While the A3's looks were underwhelming there was big news under the skin with a number of innovations including new suspension, electro- mechanical steering, a new and innovative direct injection engine and a direct shift gearbox.The engine range was made up of three petrol engines and a turbo- diesel. It kicked off with a 1.6-litre single overhead camshaft four- cylinder engine that produced 75 kW at 5600 revs and 148 Nm at 3800 revs and ended with a 3.2-litre V6 that offered 184 kW at 6300 revs and 320 Nm at 2500-3000 revs, but the real interest was in the 2.0- litre FSi engine and the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel that fitted in between the bookend engines.The FSi was a direct injection engine where the fuel was vaporized in the combustion chamber and not in the intake manifold, as is the case with most petrol engines. Audi claimed significant improvements in response, economy and efficiency for the new engine, which put out 110 kW at 6000 revs and 200 Nm at 3500 revs and promised 0-100 km/h sprinting in 9.1 seconds. The turbo diesel produced 103 kW at 4000 revs and 320 Nm at 1750-2500 revs.The 1.6-litre engine was available with a five-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed tiptronic auto, FSi buyers could choose between a six- speed manual and six-speed auto, while diesel buyers got a DSG sequential-shift manual shift six-speed.The DSG was an innovative gearbox that had two clutches working in tandem for smooth, seamless shifting. While one clutch was engaged the other one preselected the next higher gear; then when it was time to shift up one clutch disengaged and the other automatically engaged bringing the higher gear into play.It works much like an auto 'box without the losses that come with an automatic transmission, and without the sloppiness that characterized the shifting of most other automated manual shift gearboxes.Audi offered two models in the A3 range, the entry level Attraction and the uprange Ambition. The Attraction came with a choice of the 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre FSi engines, along with 16-inch alloy wheels, cloth trim, split-system air, eight-speaker CD sound, stability control and traction control. The Ambition was available with the 2.0-litre FSi engine and the turbo-diesel. Perched above them all was the Quattro Ambition with the 3.2-litre V6, all-wheel drive and DSG transmission.IN THE SHOPOverall the A3 appears to be holding up well since its launch in 2004. The things most reported by mechanics are oil leaks and brake wear, the latter a common issue raised by owners of most European cars. Check for a service record to make sure the oil has been regularly changed; old oil can be a killer of engines.IN A CRASHWith front airbags, head and side airbags the A3 had plenty of protection in a crunch, while standard ABS braking, ESP stability control, and traction control it was also packed with the electronics to help avoid the crunch. When tested by ANCAP the A3 was given a four-star rating.UNDER THE PUMPThe turbo-diesel is the hero when it comes to fuel consumption with a claimed average of 5.7 L/100 km. Of the petrol engines the 2.0-litre FSi sets the pace with a claimed average of 7.7 L/100km, while the 1.6-litre has an average of 8.1 L/ 100 km and the V6 9.9 L/100 km. When Cars Guide tested it the 2.0-litre FSi Attraction averaged 8.9 L/ 100 km.OWNER SAYSThe only thing Aldo Scodella doesn't like about his 2007 Audi A3 is the cost of servicing it. It costs a "fortune" he says. It's a 1.8- litre TFSi and he's done 20,500 km so far without any trouble to report, but says he's still getting used to the hill-start assist and is having trouble getting away smoothly.LOOK FORUninspiring looksGood build qualityFSi performanceDiesel economyRobust and reliable.THE BOTTOM LINE: A well equipped, smooth and advanced small car that grows on you.

You don’t have to have a long memory to recall the time when bigger was considered better and you bought a bigger car when you wanted a more prestigious drive. Thankfully our market is much more sophisticated today and prestige also now comes in smaller packages, like the Audi A3.Small cars once spelt poverty, they were cars you gave your wife to drive or if you drove one yourself it was because you couldn’t afford anything bigger. The normal family car was a Commodore or Falcon and you stepped up to the prestige of a Statesman or Fairlane when you’d made it.Now, largely since the influx of European makes over the last 20 years or so, prestige is no longer measured in metres of metal. It’s also true that the European makes have downsized as they’ve attempted to make their cars more affordable, and therefore more available to more people. You no longer have to be well heeled to get behind a three-pointed star or blue-and-white spinner.The big European makes, BMW and Mercedes-Benz now have smaller models, and other makes like VW and Audi have become more serious players in the local prestige market.MODEL WATCH The A3 brought new choice in prestige small cars when it arrived here in 1997. BMW’s 3-Series Compact was already on the market, setting a trend in delivering European prestige to those who would normally be able to afford it, and the A3 added another choice. At first there was only a three-door hatch on offer, but a five-door hatch replaced that in 1999, which added to the appeal of the small Audi.Audi offered a choice of three engines in the front-wheel drive A3 hatch. The entry engine was a 1.6-litre 12-valve single overhead camshaft fuel-injected four-cylinder unit that put out 74 kW at 5600 revs and 145 Nm at 3800 revs for brisk performance.There was also a fuel-injected 16-valve double overhead camshaft 1.8-litre engine that boasted 92 kW at 6000 revs and 173 Nm at 4100 revs and boosted performance nicely to be the pick of the bunch. For the most zip Audi also offered a turbocharged 1.8-litre engine that pumped out 110 kW at 5700 revs and 210 Nm at 4600 revs.A3 buyers also had the choice of a four-speed auto transmission or a sporty five-speed manual. All of that rode on a nimble front-wheel drive chassis with power steering, four-wheel anti-skid ABS disc brakes and alloy wheels.As would be expected given its prestige tag the A3 came with plenty of fruit, including central locking, immobilisers, power windows, tinted glass and four-speaker sound. After the 1999 update to the five-door hatch it also came with air-conditioning, CD player, power windows, remote central locking, leather steering wheel and a tilt adjustable column. Atop the range the turbo had sports suspension, sports seats, steering wheel and shift knob, along with exclusive cloth trim.IN THE SHOP While Audi quality has improved markedly in recent years there was a time when it wasn’t up to the standard set by BMW and ’Benz, so inspect early A3s carefully. Look for collision damage on the body, particularly for doors or hatches that down open or close properly. Paint overspray and mismatching colours can also be a give-away of crash repairs.Audi engines are known to consume oil, which isn’t a problem if owners dip their engines regularly. Many owners who bought Audis simply didn’t bother to check the oil between services and only discovered their engines thirst for oil when they developed the death rattles. Lift the dipstick and check the oil level, and take a look inside the oil filler cap for sludge, the presence of which would suggest poor servicing. It’s important to have a service record, some owners might have been able to afford to buy prestige, but might not have been able to afford the upkeep that goes along with it.IN A CRASH Early A3s came with dual front airbags; later ones also had side airbags fro front seat occupants providing decent secondary crash protection. Anti-skid ABS brakes and decent handling gave drivers a chance of avoiding a crash.OWNERS SAY Paul Skaraiev was looking to downsize from his Holden Berlina V8 when he bought his 2000 Audi A3 Turbo in 2001, but he still wanted a prestige model. The A3 had done 56,000 km when he bought it and it has now done 105,000 km without any significant problem. He says he’s rapt in its looks, loves its performance, reckons the 7.9 L/100 km fuel consumption is great and is happy with its reliability, but he isn’t so enamoured with the cost of servicing and parts.LOOK FOR • oil consumption• service record a must• check for damage to body• spirited performance from 1.8 and 1.8 turbo• agile and responsive handling• European prestigeTHE BOTTOM LINE Good handling and performing small prestige hatch with the 1.8-litre the best choice.RATING 70/100

The diesel pump nozzle doesn't quite fit into the spout opening, so you have to pour it in slowly to prevent spillage.It is the only drawback in what is a fabulous turbo diesel engine.The new two-litre A3 comes with either a fuel stratified injection (FSI) petrol engine or a turbo direct-injection (TDI) diesel donk.You will pay an extra $8800 for the diesel and bright mathematicians will be able to work out that with diesel prices sometimes higher than unleaded fuel, it could take quite a while before the better fuel economy in the diesel starts to flow through as savings.But is that the only reason why people should buy a diesel car like the A3?Diesel engines are no longer noisy, smelly, slow or dirty. Quite the opposite. And this one is a great example.A little clatter at idle soon disappears and returns as a "junior" V8 growl when you get up it. There is no smell and very little emission thanks to European pollution laws.And as for its speed, get this: it has 320Nm of torque, which is about the same as some large family cars and 120Nm more than the A3 petrol equivalent.Plenty of torque means plenty of launch off the line. It also means that filling the back seat and the boot area won't drain the power, nor will hills.Married to the six-speed auto box with sports shift and sequential options on the T shift and paddles on the wheel, it is truly inspiring.In normal Drive mode, it tends to change gears too early for the petrol-engined FSI and will drive around town in sixth gear.Yet this is fine for the torquey diesel engine which will pull from these low revs with a nice growl.In the petrol engine, it's a little under-revved and you must wonder what it is doing to itself.Coming up to a corner, if you bang it across to sequential, you will often find you are in one or even two gears higher than expected.With no time to glance down and check what gear you are in, you drop it down one or two cogs and still find you are in a gear or two higher than where you want to be.In Sports shift, it changes gears so intuitively you don't really need to go for the sequential shifter. Besides, you have to go back to Drive to get it across to the sequential, unless you have the optional paddle shifters on the wheel.The paddle shifters are fine for driving sweepers and highways where your hands don't move around the wheel, but around town and in tight turns you can lose those paddle shifters just when you need them.In Sports shift, the A3 holds gears well as you accelerate; heading downhill it hangs on to gears so you don't roll on speed and when you need more oomph, it drops down quickly and delivers.I expected cruise control on a car in this price range. Sporty drivers may say that it's not important, but perhaps it's even more important when the car wants to give you this much power in a small package.On several occasions I found it accelerated so fast and effortlessly that I was way over the posted speed limit. If not a cruise control, then how about a speed-limiter like Mercedes-Benz employs, or at least an audible speed warning?Styling is beautiful, with fine touches of brushed aluminium, such as in the rim around the instruments.The sound system is superb, especially with the Bose speakers option, and also comes with a tape deck in case the solid suspension is too much for the CD player.But it would be nice in a car of this price to have the audio controls on the steering wheel.The sound system is obviously set up for left-hand drive as the volume control is all the way over on the left. That's a distraction you don't need when you are driving a sporty car.It is based on the Golf chassis and some of the knobs, instruments and do-hickeys are shared.You sit down in it, more so than the Golf. Seat height adjustment also helps here.Quality abounds and the suspension and driver aids all add up to making this a superior road-holder.However, the traction control could not have been more brutal, giving a couple of huge transmission thumps when it activated. That's fine when you are giving it a go and you expect a bit of noise, but when it activates in the wet – and after all it's a front-wheel drive – it is awfully disconcerting and surprising.There is a fair bit of torque steer from the electro-mechanical system which you have to fight when the front steering drive wheels get light or break traction, but after a while you get used to it and actually enjoy the feel. It is speed-related with servo assistance, so it does away with a pump. Understeer is predictable and never a problem and works in just fine with the torque-steer feel, trying to right itself and point the wheels straight.

While not exactly the definitive profile of the "little Aussie battler" the four-ringed marque has certainly spent a long time as the one having sand kicked in its face in its respective playground.While still struggling against the Euro-lux big boys – BMW and Mercedes-Benz – Audi is continuing to win some small victories in the turf wars.The A8 is now widely regarded as the benchmark for large-car luxury, usurping both BMW's 7 Series and the ageing Mercedes S-Class, while Audi's RS performance cars have won praise as athletes you can live with day to day.But it is at the bottom end of the size scale where the scrapping is likely to be fiercest.The A3 is the gateway to the world of Audi, a (relatively) affordable introduction to Europe's junior luxury club.With the latest model, Audi has polished up the interiors, produced a platform to be proud of and found a couple of new engines – but is it enough?Within a couple of months the A3 will have fresh challengers, led by BMW's 1 Series and to be followed within a year by the all-new Mercedes A-Class.Time spent in the new A3 range – 1.6-litre petrol, 2.0-litre petrol and 2.0-litre turbo diesel – suggests Audi is up for the challenge.The first impression of the new range is that they have been given a dose of attitude.A little wider, a little lower and a little more launch feel – in all but the 1.6 – the changes are subtle but together noticeable.For its size, the A3 is a substantial car. Weight-saving has not been top of the list in this car and it is the 75kW 1.6 that suffers.Up and cruising the entry-level engine has all of Audi's niceties in ride quality and handling, but away from the mark and in acceleration it is hoppled by its 1200kg mass.Step up to the 2.0-litre FSi (fuel stratified injection) and things start to look up.With some 30 per cent more power and torque than the 1.6, the FSi engine is a far more lively proposition.The six-speed tiptronic box is well matched to the engine and in full automatic delivers enough mid-range urge that manual shifting only becomes an attraction on that special piece of road.However, the pick of the litter – and the one least likely to be bought by Australians – is the 2.0-litre turbo diesel.The trick DSG (direct shift gearbox) offers less to the mix than its hype would suggest, but the engine is a treat.With 103kW – not bad for a small oil-burner – the power is sufficient for comfortable top-end cruising but it is the way you get there that makes the difference.Pulling peak 320Nm from 1750rpm through to 2500rpm the Audi TDi has mid-range urge to die for.Noise isolation is good – partly from sensible engine mounting isolation and partly from lots of sound insulation in the car body – and while you still know it is a diesel on start-up the impression doesn't hang around for long.A stand-out feature from all the cars was the new electro-mechanical power steering which allows superb feedback and surety of turn-in while retaining a nice weighting and enough off-centre feel to make high-speed cruise a breeze.As you would expect from Audi – and for any small car which is going to hit the pocket on a sliding scale from $40,000 – the inclusion list is good and of good quality.ABS and electronic stability control are standard, along with 16-inch alloys in the lower-end models. Duel front, side and curtain bags are the norm as are climate control air, full electric windows and mirrors, reach and tilt steering wheel adjustment, and five lap-sash belts.Further up the model range you will get 17-inch alloys, sports suspension, fog lamps, trip computer and a sports leather trim.

There is little doubt Audi is setting the pace in styling terms over its most direct European competitors.Look at the new A3 – a sexy looking, well-proportioned car if ever there was one.With subtle links to the first A3 from 1996, the new model has progressed to the point where other companies would be silly if they didn't copy elements of the A3 look. And they will, wait and see.Like all the other Audis in the currentl line-up the A3 with its high door sills is body beautiful.And then you drive it.Things get better from here. v This was the "base" model, 1.6-litre, three-door hatch with optional six-speed tiptronic automatic transmission selling for about $37,000. v What is impressive about this powrtrain is the auto trainsmssion – not yet available on any other car in this segment. Others make do with four or five cogs in their small car automatics.EVen better are the A3's steering wheel shift buttons so you can pretend you are behind the wheel of an F1 car.The 1.6-litre hi-tech, petrol engine is good for 75kW/148Nm output.Not a lot on the face of it, especially in the weighty A3 but the six-speed auto does an excellent job of marshalling engine output and feeding it through the front wheels to the road.This layout – small capacity engine with a six-speed auto – could point the way to the future, especially in small petrol-powered vehicles.The engine is sweet running and economical and has good response from low in the rev range. It spins out freely and is quiet in cruise mode.The auto shifts smoothly and adapts to various drivin styles and conditions.Audi has given the new A3 tidy dynamics that deliver a sporty, taut on-road feel which flows through to other areas of the car. The electric steering for example is direct and firm and the brakes are powerful.It is well suspended and feels like a larger car. It is in fact slightly larger than the previous A3.The interior is up to expected generic high Audi standards and is functional and attractive with some arty touches to liven things up.Access to the rear seats is OK, aided by a clever front seat folding mechanism. Once you're there the rear seat isn't bad. The boot is large for a car of this size.It is well equipped and has quality ancillaries.Can't wait for the five-door version to arrive.

The seemingly sedate dash lights up a brilliant red, as he goes from angel to red-hot party animal.I can't tell you my delight at accessorising my hair with my dash, though sadly, because it is dark, the full effect is lost somewhat.Suddenly, you have a licence to thrill, to shed those sensible Audi shackles and live life on the edge.It's the ultimate boyfriend – the type your mum would approve of – good breeding and pedigree, but once safely away from prying eyes it fires up.The little A3 is too cute for its own good. Jealous stares come from males and females alike, though it's a little disconcerting when 50-year-old men approach you to say they love your car.But proving as always that looks can be deceiving, there are a few design flaws that befuddle.For instance, when the armrest is down, if you apply the handbrake your arm and the brake hit the armrest. OK, so this is easily remedied by placing the armrest in an upright position (see, I could have been a hostie) but, seriously, why should you have to?Surely someone sat in the car before it was put on the production line? OK, maybe not.Then there's a rather uncomfortable accelerator pedal, which feels like your foot is at a 90-degree angle.Although I have never had the pleasure (or displeasure) of giving birth, I felt like my feet were in stirrups ready to launch.And don't they think of things like high heels when designing a car which mainly women will drive?However, one thing Audi has done right is the vanity mirrors, which have a light that switches on automatically when you slide the mirror cover across.Anyone (we'll assume it is women, but you should never rule things out) who has tried to apply lipstick in a dark car using only the interior light will extol the perfection of this invention – no more panda eyes from eyeliner you thought was in place and no clown-style lipstick.Which is a good thing, because we are headed for a party, after all, my Audi and I.

It's the clatter of tiny pistons in the driveway and, similarly, it represents a big lifestyle change.Welcome to the new age of diesel-engined – or perhaps more correctly, diesel-fuelled – cars.Australia has been poorly served by diesel passenger vehicles while owners in Europe bask in the mechanical chatter of fuel-efficient, durable and reliable oil-burning cars.It's easy to see why – diesel in most other nations is half the price of petrol, unlike the general parity in Australia.Some are already here – Peugeot and Citroen especially – though Australia's grotty, high-sulphur diesel fuel has restricted imports of high-performance cars.It's getting better.The sulphur content of Australian-supplied diesel fuel is as high as 500ppm (parts per million), but that will fall to 50ppm by January 1, 2006, allowing new-generation, high-performance engines to run cleanly and trouble free.But we don't have to wait that long. Audi this month unleashed its first performance diesel – appearing in the A3 – and more will come from the maker.Mercedes-Benz and BMW have less fuel-sensitive diesel-engined vehicles on the market, though they – and others – will offer better engines by 2006.Which leaves us at 110km/h on a flat ribbon of bitumen east of Perth with the Audi A3's engine humming at a mere 2000rpm.Other than the muted gruffness and subtle clatter of the engine at idle, there is no hint that this car is alternatively fuelled.Drive it – really drive it hard – and it feels like a very torquey petrol engine.It does suffer from some lag off the mark, though clever drivers can use the automatic transmission's manual shift to reduce this.The engine dislikes high revs – it redlines at 4500rpm – but there's no need to go that hard because all the oomph comes in mainly from 1500-3000rpm. Over-revving merely causes engine wear and high fuel consumption – it doesn't improve performance.The A3's handling and road manners are confident, impressing more in the country where its solid feel makes the driver test the sensational handling.It is as easy to drive as a petrol-fuelled car. Earlier dieselsrequired the driver to wait a few seconds before cranking over the engine to allow time for the glow plugs to heat up.Despite a rather unpleasant 0.6C Sunday morning recently, the Audi started first turn without any waiting.Now if you think all that's pretty smart, have a look at the gearbox.This is Audi's six-speed DSG (direct shift gearbox) transmission that acts like a conventional automatic but with the option of using the Tiptronic function, operated either by the gear lever or small paddles on the steering wheel.The trick is the speed of the gearchanges – not only better than a manual, but better than any sequential semi-automatic.The reason is the DSG has two clutch plates. While happily accelerating in first gear, the second clutch engages second gear and spins it up to the required speed, before it falls straight into the drivetrain with virtually no pause.While second gear is engaged, the DSG gets third gear ready, and so on right through the six ratios. It's speed of engagement makes it more than a rival for any standard manual gearbox, so why buy one?DSG is offered only on the model tested, an A3 TDI, and the 3.2-litre petrol V6 version.The new A3 three-door hatch is visibly cleaner than before, though its bland shape does suffer an identity crisis. That aside, the build quality is fantastic. Yes, better than Mercedes and BMW.The panel fit of the body, the superb materials used in the cabin and the way everything works so well puts it above even Lexus.There's a big boot that expands thanks to a split-fold rear seat, but beneath the luxurious carpet in the cargo area is a stupid space-saver tyre.There are six airbags, a brilliant Bose sound system, dual-zone climatic airconditioning, electric windows, leather upholstery and big alloy wheels.But you pay for it. The A3 TDI's $47,800 price tag – plus onroad costs – is an awful lot for a small four-seater ostensibly as functional as a $21,000 Toyota Corolla hatch.

The brand says its new small hatch/coupe will become the light-car benchmark. And they are hoping it is the first step in converting the next generation of luxury car buyers away from rivals BMW and Mercedes before they reach luxury car buying age."We're putting the cards on the table up front and challenging not for volume leadership but for benchmark status," Audi Australia managing director Graham Hardy says."The role of this car is to secure the leading position in the A (light) segment in terms of design and aspiration and to defend its position against future competitors."The new design will have to defend its position for seven years, the expected life-cycle of the model.Audi describes the A3's appearance as "aggressive", though it is similar to its predecessor and is much less confrontational than the cars Audi names as its main competitors, the radical BMW 1-Series and the Mercedes-Benz A-class.Despite visual similarities to the previous car, the A3 is 55mm longer, 30mm wider and 10mm lower.The A3 has a true three-pronged attack with, in the beginning, three very different engine types, to be joined by a fourth in August.At the bottom of the A3 chart is the relatively conventional 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine with 75kW of power and 148Nm of torque.The most important engine in terms of sales volume is the 2.0-litre FSI (Fuel Stratified Injection), a direct-injection engine in which the fuel is atomised into the combustion chamber rather than through a manifold. The FSI has an output of 110kW and 200Nm of torque and Audi predicts it will make up about 60 per cent of sales.Unfortunately, the high sulphur content of Australian fuel means that one particularly useful feature of the engine – its lean-burn mode that reduces the amount of fuel used when the engine isn't working as hard – has been turned off for local conditions because of potential nitrous oxide pollution.A first for Audi in the A3 is the 2.0-litre TDI (turbo-diesel injection), with a useful 103kW of power and an impressive 320Nm of torque.Audi predicts 20 per cent of A3 buyers will take up the diesel option.The 1.6-litre will be offered with a five-speed manual or six-speed tiptronic auto.A six-speed manual is available for the FSI, along with the six-speed auto, while the TDI has a Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG), a sequential manual gearbox.The DSG has two clutches. While one clutch is engaged, the other preselects the next highest gear (or fifth gear if it is already in sixth).When it's time to change it simply disengages one clutch and automatically engages the other, promising slicker gear changes without the loss of power in an automatic caused by the torque converter.Across the range there are two equipment levels, the base model, Attraction, with 16-inch wheels and cloth trim, but with split-zone climate control, eight-speaker stereo with CD, stability control and traction control as standard.The up-spec Ambition has 17-inch cast aluminium wheels, a higher-level cloth trim, sports seats in the front, trip computer, fog lights and sports suspension.The Attraction is available with the 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre FSI engines. The Ambition level is offered for the FSI and 2.0-litre turbo-diesel.The top-of-the-range A3 Quattro Ambition with a 3.2-litre V6, all-wheel-drive and the DSG transmission arrives in August.According to Hardy, Audi Australia is still hoping for an 11th-hour price cut for Australian A3 customers from the company in Germany, even though some of the cars have already landed in Australia."The price was finalised but the case has been re-opened and we have a more competitive price than we had last week."We've taken the view that it's worth it for positioning the car for the next six or seven years."ON THE ROADNOT long ago buying an Audi was the left-field option for those wanting something different to the "safe" choices of a Merc or BMW.Looking at the new smallest-car offerings from the three German brands you'd be forgiven for seeing it the other way round.Next to the quirky Mercedes-Benz A-Class and the confronting BMW 1-Series, the new A3 looks conventional and handsome.While appearance is subjective, we think the Audi's looks will get people trying and liking it, whether they sneak in at the bottom, or go the extra distance in the turbo diesel.If you're going to tour the north-east Victorian wine district and the Great Dividing Range in a small car, we couldn't think of a more pleasant way of doing it than in the new A3.Our first impression of the car is that it's solid. Whether it be the doors, controls, steering or handling, nothing feels flimsy.We gave all three engines – the 1.6-litre four, the 2.0-litre FSI and the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel – a good workout.Buyers should be given a good reason to spend extra on going the next step up on the model ladder and, while it is a serviceable enough engine, the 1.6 does give a strong case for the other two.We drove the 1.6 with the five-speed manual through undulating roads near Beechworth and, having to cart around a kerb weight of 1205kg, it was competent but hardly "sporty" in the way Audi says. There is a dullness when accelerating, especially uphill, often requiring a shift down to give it a hand.The handling, however, feels almost foolproof. At night with dew beginning to settle on hilly roads, the A3 sits flat and comfortable on the tarmac, with an impressive level of grip and balanced steering.From the TT to the A8, Audi has been without peer when it comes to designing an interior and instrument layout that's attractive and easy to use. The A3 continues the trend, giving the car a level of class well above most European rivals.The seats are a fine balance of comfort and support, and the seating position feels right too.Climb into the 2.0-litre FSI car, and what's missing from the base A3 1.6 becomes obvious. The FSI has a glorious note that even an Alfa Romeo fanatic would find difficult to fault, and an extra 35kW and 52Nm of torque. Combine the tiptronic automatic with some ripper winding roads near Bright and you have as good a Euro hatch experience as you could wish for.But it's the turbo-diesel that Audi is most excited about, claiming it is the fastest and most economical A3 in the range. The most impressive thing about it is the "average litres per 100km" on the trip computer screen, which hovered around 6.5.