2023 Audi A3 Reviews

Australians are moving away from large cars into smaller ones, but many are refusing to accept any loss of comfort or performance. And if possible they would like a solid dash of prestige at the same time.Between you me and the gatepost, you'd buy an Audi A3 in front of the larger A4 every day. Why? Apart from costing substantially less, the new generation A3 looks almost the same as its bigger brother and offers only marginally less room inside.VALUEThis is the third generation A3 which has form going back to 1996. It was part of a push back then to deliver premium compact cars to more discerning buyers and nothing has changed.It means plenty of goodies for buyers - the latest powertrain technology, eco-efficiency and generous luxury kit as well as the desirability factor in a concentrate. But Audi still offers options up to your eyeballs if you so choose.Starting point for the new five door A3 Sportback (a sedan, wagon and three door variants follow), is $35,600 for the 1.4 TFSi petrol Attraction complete with a seven-speed dual-clutch S-Tronic transmission, paddle shift, auto lights and wipers, tyre pressure monitor, parking assistance, cruise control and plenty more.Driver assist features are available, many as options or part of an option pack. They include adaptive cruise control, side assist, active lane assist and pre-sense for collisions. A driver information readout is standard along with rest recommendation.The green vehicle rating is five stars.TECHNOLOGYFour engines are available, two petrol and two diesel and all are force fed turbos. The petrol 1.4 and 1.8 TFSi units feature direct fuel injection and variable valve timing.The smaller unit achieves 90kW/200Nm while the larger capacity unit is good for 132kW/250Nm. The diesels are in 1.6 and 2.0-litre capacities with the former good for 77kW/250Nm and the latter 110kW/320Nm.The 1.6 diesel is economy king sipping an astonishing 3.9-litres/100km. All engines attain 5.6-litres/100km economy or better on the combined cycle.A3 has two grades, Attraction in the two smaller capacity engines and Ambition in the two larger. All have an S-Tronic gearbox with all but the 2.0-litre diesel getting seven cogs. It has a six-speeder.A six-speed manual 'box is available on petrol models on customer order. Drive goes to the front wheels through an electronic limited slip differential.The desirable 'drive select' system that alters calibration of the steering, gearbox and engine is on the higher grade Ambition models.Audi cut A3's weight by using aluminium for the bonnet and front guards as well as suspension components. It's shed up to 85kg compared with the previous model.DESIGNThe new A3 is built on Audi's latest modular platform shared with VW's Golf 7 that is set to underpin a whole range of models from both manufacturers into the future. The platform optimises interior space as well as forming a solid base for all functions of the recipient car.SAFETYSafety rating is five stars.DRIVINGWe drove a selection of new A3s in Queensland and found it difficult to pick a favourite. All have excellent ride and handling characteristics capable of smoothing rough roads while delivering sporty cornering and other dynamics.The 1.8-litre TFSi was possibly the pick and is the same price as the 2.0-litre diesel. Now there's a difficult call.The interior has a classy look to it with highlight metal ringed air vents and an understated look to the controls. The bank of piano key switches under the retractable info screen is a stand out interior feature.VERDICTIt's quiet, composed and classy. Better than a Golf 7? Maybe.Audi A3 Sportback Price: from $42,500 Warranty: 3 years/unlimited kmService interval: 12 months/15,000kmSafety: 5 starsEngine: 1.4 and 1.8 4-cyl turbo-petrol or 2-litre turbo-diesel; 103kW/250Nm and 132kW/250Nm or 100kW/320NmTransmission: 6 or 7-spd dual-clutch auto or 6-spd manual; front drive or AWDThirst: 4.7L/100km/5.6L/100km or 4.2L/100km; 95RON; 110/130 or 108g/km CO2Dimensions: 4.3m (L), 1.8m (W), 1.4m (H)Weight: from 1205kgSpare: Space-saver

Australians are moving away from large cars into smaller ones, but many are refusing to accept any loss of comfort or performance. And if possible they would like a solid dash of prestige at the same time.Audi invented the premium small-car category way back in 1996 and has worked hard over the intervening years to maintain its position at the head of the upmarket German field. The introduction of the third generation Audi A3 lifts the game significantly.DESIGNThe company’s designers have come up with a sleek, sporting stance that works beautifully. The shape of the famed Audi single-frame grille provide a focal point that carries back to create a continuous theme over the headlights then onto the distinctive highlights on the doors. The rear hatch is aimed at visually emphasising the horizontal shape.At this stage only the five-door hatchback is on sale. A four-door sedan will come downunder before the end of the year as will the full-on S3 variant. Quattro S3, powered by big grunt turbo-petrol engines, is something we can’t wait to sample when they arrive in the first few months of 2014. Other models are on their way, with an interesting plug-in hybrid due here in 2015.New A3 Sportback has a body and wheelbase that are greater than the outgoing model to improve cabin and luggage space. Yet a clever ‘back to the drawing board‘ redesign means its lighter and stronger.About 85 kilograms has been taken out of the A3, chiefly by the use of an all-new design of platform, tagged as the MQB. This minimises the use of materials, without the need for expensive metals. Aluminium is used in the bonnet and front guards, important crash safety areas use ultra-high strength steels.Despite the relatively steep slope of the rear, new Audi A3 Sportback has good headroom in the back seat. While aimed at the family unit of two adults and three children, it’s possible to fit three adults in the rear provided they aren’t into their large-teenage years.A3 is sold in two levels of trim, Attraction and Ambition and with several options packages to further let you customise them.TECHNOLOGYPrices begin at a handy $35,600 plus on-road costs for an Attraction with a 1.4-turbo-petrol and range up to $42,500 for the topline models with either a 1.8-litre turbo-petrol or 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine.We drove a range of petrols and the diesel on a course chosen by Audi Australia in far north Queensland and found them to be impressively tractable at low engine revs. At the other end of the scale the petrol powerplants were more than happy to rev right up to the top of the tacho.Even the diesels can stretch out to 5000 revs, a higher than usual number for this type of powerplant, giving them a sportier feel than most others of their type.DRIVINGNimble handling shows the new Audi A3 is so well balanced it’s hard to realise it’s being driven by the front wheels. Comfort remains very high, despite the strong sporting dynamics tuned into the car.Noise and vibration levels are very low and more like those of much larger, more expensive luxury cars. Australia’s notorious coarse-chip surfaces did increase noise levels, but seldom to an irritating stage.VERDICTThe all-new Audi A3 Sportback provides an impressive combination of luxury and sportiness and seems likely to remain in a strong position in the premium small-car sales race in Australia.Audi A3 Sportback Price: from $42,500 Warranty: 3 years/unlimited kmService interval: 12 months/15,000kmSafety:5 starsEngine: 1.4 and 1.8 4-cyl turbo-petrol or 2-litre turbo-diesel; 103kW/250Nm and 132kW/250Nm or 100kW/320NmTransmission: 6 or 7-spd dual-clutch auto or 6-spd manual; front drive or AWDThirst: 4.7L/100km/5.6L/100km or 4.2L/100km; 95RON; 110/130 or 108g/km CO2Dimensions: 4.3m (L), 1.8m (W), 1.4m (H)Weight: from 1205kgSpare: Space-saver

The problem with the A3 has been not so much what it is as what it isn't. It's been too much of a Volkswagen Golf and not enough of an Audi. Still, if you're going to embark on badge engineering you could do no better than to base your compact hatch on the same platform as that of the Golf, especially the deliriously received new Mk VII.If you're going to call it an Audi and charge a bulging premium before the buyer so much as ticks an option box (of which there are not a few), it had better boast some pretty dramatic points of departure. Or so goes logical thought.Audi's new boss Andrew Doyle will tell you, however, an A3 punter simply doesn't consider a Golf. Imagine a Grange lover going in for Koonunga Hill. If you don't do plonk, imagine eschewing a long neck of Cooper's Pale Ale for a can of VB.It's not that the A3 is better than the Golf in a functional sense because it isn't. This time though, it's different enough. Besides - and this is kind of its point - you look better in an A3 at the golf club.VALUEThis A3 starts at a new low price. So does the Golf (less than $23K) but enough of that for now. The auto trend of the year is affordable, compact, prestige hatches. The A3 belatedly joins BMW's 1 Series, Benz's A-Class and the V40 Volvo at the $35K starting point. It's been out for ages - before the Golf, in fact. (Sorry - it just keeps cropping up.)In entry level Attraction trim, the kick-off sticker is $35,600 for the 1.4 petrol and $36,500 for the 1.6 diesel with its meagre 3.9L/100km. Ambition is the top level before quattro and S models arrive later in the year. Starting price for both 1.8 petrol and 2.0-litre diesel is $42,500.All are decently equipped but Audis are built as essentially blank canvases to be coloured with options. There are no less than six bundles of these, Assistance package being the least expensive at $1800 for adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and high beam assist, which dips the lights automatically as a vehicle approaches.For $2K more a Style package adds xenon lamps with daytime running lights and 17-inch alloys to Attraction variants. The Ambition version of that gives you the lights, 18s, sports suspension and 15mm lower ride. A Technik pack hits you for $2990 and adds navigation system with touchpad, seven-inch monitor and park assist with rear view camera.Had enough? Then chill with the Comfort kit, a $2200 ask for electrically adjustable and heated front seats with lumbar support, keyless go, auto dimming rear vision mirror and folding exterior mirrors with kerb view.Ambition owners can also chuck $4200 at the S line pack, which adds some of the above to 18s and go-fast-looking bits. These are largely superficial but it's almost necessary to add some - any - visual flair. Dual-clutch auto transmission is standard on all models. You want a manual? Really? It's special order - a free option no one will take.TECHNOLOGYHere's where the Audi begins to depart from its sister model. You begin to suspect you're in a good thing when, without prompting, a senior executive of another German car company starts praising the A3 for its use of aluminium to save weight. This model is up to 85kg lighter than the one previous with commensurate savings in fuel.If CarsGuide can at times appear infatuated with small and uber-efficient German turbo engines it's only because we are. Especially those that run on petrol. So sharp have these become that the economy advantage of turbo diesels - which is in any case largely denuded in urban traffic - is ever more slight. Generally it's a matter of about 1.0L/100km.Of the four VW Group engines in the starting line-up, the one unique to the A3 (oh, and Skoda's new Octavia) is the 1.8 TFSI, which CarsGuide drove earlier this month. No doubt capable of greater outputs than its 132kW/250Nm, this is nevertheless enough for a 0-100km/h sprint approaching that of a hot hatch - 7.3 seconds isn't much outside a MkV Golf (whoops) GTI. Its 5.6L/100km, however, would keep the A3 going long after the latter had dried up.Whether you call them S tronic, DSG or Fred Smith, the shift quality of twin-clutch automatics varies wildly between not just model lines but different cars. Audi's have as a rule been among the nicer to live with but they still frustrate those of us who believe the left foot is for braking. If you're not careful to lift clear of the stop pedal before pressing the accelerator, the throttle is electronically cut and an agonising pause can result - often just when this is least desirable.DESIGNThe car you see here is the new A3. No, really. Look again. All right, look closer. Understandably Audi has gone for design continuity, wishing to create from this still fairly recent model line the dynastic sense of, um .th.th. the Golf. This aspect of the brief just might have been taken too seriously, because if you can on first glance distinguish the new one from the 2005 model, I'd like the number of your optometrist.Our test car was of a dull grey hue. We used images of the red 90 TFSI, because these are not adjacent to invisible. Of course there are differences between old and new. For instance, the standard alloys are not as ugly as those previous.Open any of the Ambition's doors and the generational change becomes obvious, especially (but not only) up front. Not as overt as Benz's A250, this is still one of the inside stories of the year, a compacted but not diluted take on one of Audi's bigger luxury devices, such as the $80K A6.In S and special-edition variants, this interior will doubtless be embellished with coloured stitching and such-like, but not I hope to a distracting extent. The feature here is the four big circular air nozzles. As simple, functional and pleasing as these appear, they contain more than 30 separate parts, which reflects either over-engineering or pig-headed perfectionism.SAFETYPremium active safety technology is optional. To a land where the overtaking lane is for cruising below the limit and car makers might as well save themselves the cost of including indicator stalks, comes Audi's side assist.At 30km/h and above, two radar sensors in the rear monitor the area to the side of and behind to some 70 metres. If it detects activity in the blind spot or approaching it at pace to imperil a lane change, it flashes a warning in the relevant side mirror. If you are among the rare breed to activate the indicator, it blinks brightly and rapidly.DRIVINGPreviously Audi was apt to so stiffen its less able cars that they both rode and handled poorly. New platforms, lighter engines and the realisation that alert dynamics needn't mean busting your fillings have come to prevail.Even with its sporty embellishment the ride/handling character of our 1.8 TFSI is more in keeping with that of a compact grand tourer than a hellfire hatch.The steering still isn't sufficiently well-weighted for full-on apex hunting and after nearly 400km I still found myself readjusting through longer corners. It never conveys enough information as to what the front end is doing. There's a sense that more than a little is being kept in reserve for the overt variants, which arrive in coming months.Not that it lacks for straight-line pull. All of the 1.8's grunt arrives at 1200rpm and hangs in there until 5800rpm. It's difficult not to be in the fat of the range, the auto kicking down smartly for overtaking. The GT motif is emphasised by refinement not always or even often found in a small hatchback, especially not in the back.VERDICTIf you want $80K Audi refinement and luxury in a $50K five-door, here it is.Audi A3 Sportback 1.8 TFSIPrice: from $42,500 ($49,940 as tested)Warranty: 3 years/unlimitedCapped servicing: NoService Interval: 12 months/15,000kmResale: 58 per centSafety: 5 starsEngine: 1.8-litre 4-cyl turbo petrol; 132kW/250NmTransmission: 7-speed twin clutch auto; FWDThirst: 5.6L/100kmDimensions: 4.3m (L); 1.78m (w); 1.4 (H)Weight: 1280kg (unladen)Spare: space saver

Audi A3 has been a winner since its introduction when it changed the way people thought about small cars. Prior to the A3 the prestigious German marques were only selling cars built on medium to large bodies with high prices to match.Audi showed it didn’t have to be like that and the company’s arch rivals Mercedes-Benz and BMW have since joined the (relatively) affordable small-car brigade.Audi A3 Sportback will begin its life in Australia in April or May 2013. Only five-door models are being imported as Audi Australia believes buyers looking for three-door will opt for the smaller A1 instead.VALUEPrice is yet to be confirmed though they are expected to remain about the same. Adding to the desirability of this small-medium car is a full range of information and audio systems. The topline versions of the Audi A3 will come close to the big Audi A8 in sophistication.The most expensive A3 variants will have radar cruise control, automatic correction if the car wanders out of its lane and crash anticipation and passenger injury reduction.TECHNOLOGYPetrol and diesel engines are available with capacities ranging from 1.2 to 1.8 litres for the former, and 1.6 to 2.0 litres for the diesels. An LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) engine and a plug-in hybrid will be offered in years to come.Australian specs for engines have yet to be announced, but it’s likely we will get the larger petrol and diesel units, with the hybrid being an outside possibility. Manual and automatic transmissions will be fitted, with a strong emphasis being on the the autos in Australia.The latest engine design from Audi sees its engines using as little as 3.8 litres per hundred kilometres, with even the sportiest powerplants only consuming about 5.6 litres per hundred when measured on the combined European driving cycle.DESIGNThe latest five-door A3 takes a new direction in styling to previous models; while those leant in the direction of practicality and common sense the new model takes a strong sporting stance in the styling field. It has a lean and low look, with a wheelbase longer than in the three-door A3 in order to minimise front and rear overhangs.The lines from the now-traditional ‘single-frame’ grille back through the dual sweeping highlights on the doors give it a low appearance, and the shape of the rear hatch is aimed at visually emphasising the horizontal shape.In an interesting move, there’s an adornment package that adds chromed strips around the side windows. It will be interesting to see if this blast from the automotive styling past is picked up by other makers. As someone who grew up with chromed cars in the 1960s and ‘70s we must admit to being suckers for this brightwork.Cleverly, though the third generation Audi A3 is larger, more spacious and much better equipped than the original 1999 model it weighs virtually the same as that car. The engineers have managed to trim about 90 kilograms out of the body on the gen-two A3 by clever design that minimises the use of materials, without the need for expensive metals.Despite the relatively steep slope of the hatchback the Audi A3 Sportback has decent headroom in the rear seat. The A3 is typical of this class of car in being aimed at the family unit of two adults and three children, but it’s possible to fit three adults in the rear provided they aren’t of the hulking variety. Indeed cars such as the Audi A3 are often used to carry four adults in their home markets in Europe.SAFETYThe A3 will have a full range of crash avoidance features and if a crash becomes inevitable the car will attempt to have it occur at the lowest possible speed.DRIVINGWe have driven both petrol and diesel engines and manual and automatic A3s during the event in Monaco and found them to be tractable at low engine revs with the petrol powerplants happy to rev high into the scale. The turbo-diesels aren’t particularly willing to rev much over 4000 rpm, but that’s not their lot in life so that’s no big deal.Ride comfort is very good and the nimble handling is so well balanced that it’s hard to realise this car is driven by the front wheels with all that means in the way of forward weight bias. Quattro models will be introduced shortly and be powered by big grunt turbo-petrol engines.Noise levels are very low and more like those you would expect in the larger A4 and A6 Audi models. This will further enhance the willingness of Australian buyers to trade down from large cars into prestigious Audis and the like.VERDICTOur preview of the latest generation Audi A3 five-door Sportback at its global launch in Monaco leaves little doubt that the success story will continue in Australia and globally.Audi A3 SportbackAvailable: April, 2013Price: est. from $42,000Warranty: 3 years/unlimited kmService interval: 12 months/15,000kmSafety: 6 airbags, ABS, EBD, EBA, TC CRASHEngine: 1.4 and 1.8 4-cyl turbo-petrol or 2-litre turbo-diesel; 103kW/250Nm and 132kW/250Nm or 100kW/320NmTransmission: 6 or 7-spd dual-clutch auto or 6-spd manual; front drive or AWDThirst: 4.7L/100km/5.6L/100km or 4.2L/100km; 95RON; 110/130 or 108g/km CO2Dimensions: 4.3m (L), 1.8m (W), 1.4m (H)Weight: from 1205kgSpare: Space-saver  

Expect the unexpected as Audi unrolls its budget A3 that gets more technological sophistication than its $250,000-plus siblings. But it’s not only the breadth of in-cabin equipment that puts the A3 Sportback - here in April in a single, five-door body style - a step ahead of its A6 and A8 siblings, but a healthy stride away from its German rivals. The A3 will be the first of the Volkswagen Group’s models to have the single-design platform dubbed MQB or, in normal speak, transverse-engine platform. The Volkswagen Golf will be the second MQB model before others - the Audi Q3 and Volkswagen Tiguan among them - join it.The single-design platform potentially saves billions of dollars in design and production over the expected life of numerous models. That equates to cheaper cars. But though it costs less to make, the unexpected by-product is a car that drives with the confidence, safety and roadholding grip far beyond its price tag.Even without a three-door variant - blinkered buyers will be ushered to the A1 range - the next A3 will become an extremely important sales cog in Audi Australia’s sales growth. Spokesman Shaun Cleary says there will be “substantial’‘ improvements on the current 100-odd monthly A3 sales. “We’re not talking numbers.The A4 is still our most important model in terms of sales, but the A3 will become a very popular car and we expect it to quickly narrow the gap,’’ he says. Australia’s final specification isn’t confirmed though the A3 will be a three-engine lineup. Mr Cleary says Audi Australia is looking at either the 90kW/200Nm or 103kW/250Nm versions of the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine.There will also be a sportier 132kW/250Nm 1.8-litre turbo-petrol and a 110kW/320Nm 2-litre turbo-diesel. “But the 103kW version of the 1.4 is more sophisticated and so will likely be a bit more expensive,’’ he says. “We’re still making a decision on which one of these engines we will get.’’ But the 103kW engine is the one that Audi Australia wants - and for good reason.This is the latest development in petrol-fuelled four-cylinders with a cylinder deactivation system that stops the movement of two pistons and turns off their fuel supply when coasting. It will also be available in the Volkswagen range. Like the other engines, the 1.4-litre, in either power output, is a new design for Audi. It weighs 21kg less than the outgoing engine of the same capacity - the aluminium crankcase alone shaves 15kg - and gets 5.3 litres/100km in its 90kW guise.But the more powerful version with the ability to switch off fuel to the two middle cylinders, gets consumption down to 4.7 L/100km. Transmissions will be a six and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and a six-speed manual. Mr Cleary says the manual gearbox will be offered though admitted take-up on this box in the previous A3 was “low’’.“The manual may become a special order for those buyers who really want it,’’ he says. “But we’ll make a judgement on that after the car has been in the market.’’  Audi buyers will also be in for a treat with the car’s infotainment and telephone links.But not as pampered as European A3 owners who get an enviable list of internet-based systems that introduce Facebook and Twitter as a verbal accompaniment to SMS dictation; a three-map overlay of Google Earth, Google streetview and traffic maps; voice command access to petrol stations and fuel prices, concerts, plane and train timetables, travel information and online news from your favourite feeder services.Mr Cleary says it will eventually come and that it’s not Audi’s fault. “We don’t yet have a provider in Australia that can give us what Europe gets,’ he says.VALUEPrice is yet to be confirmed though history says it will remain about the same. Even trim levels - Europe offers three - hasn’t been confirmed. If the model is successful, Australia could get the three trim levels and could even expand the drivetrain lineup. Value for money is a moot point.Audi’s spokesmen say the company is aggressively winning a war on European soil with Mercedes and believes the A3 is superior to BMW’s 1-Series. Audi’s intuitive MMI driver information system becomes standard on all A3s and the level of features is good even on the entry-level Attraction. But Ambition and the top-line Ambiente win in the looks and equipment stakes.The fact that Audi Australia won’t take the three-door A3 - preferring to send such buyers to the A1 line - indicates it could also neglect the base Attraction. The cars are front drive with the exception being the 1.8TFSI that is a quattro all-wheel drive.DESIGNGlance across a shopping centre carpark and it’s an Audi. A closer look and trainspotters will tell you it’s an A3. So though this is a third generation and Audiphiles will talk at length about a lower waist created by a new body crease, it’s externally an evolution of the previous model. But thanks to a 58mm longer wheelbase, it has more room on the inside and therefore a longer boot that ranges in capacity from 380 to 1220 litres.There’s a new dashboard which is actually quite pretty - and the MMI knurled rotary dial now is less obtrusive. The knob actually does more work than before - the top is a write-on surface - so there’s less ancillary buttons cluttering up the console. The park brake is electric so there’s also additional room created by deleting the manual handbrake lever. The A3 will also be optional with LED headlights.TECHNOLOGYDespite sharing the style with the old A3, the new A3 is completely new. It sits on the Volkswagen Group MQB platform - same as the next Golf - which is considerably lighter, stronger and ultimately cheaper to make than the outgoing platform. Then there’s the engines.The capacities are similar but there’s no common component. The 1.4-litre comes with cylinder deactivation - it stops the two centre pistons when the car is coasting on on light accelerator load - and is entirely made of aluminum.Audi even shaved kilos off the turbocharger. All up, the new and longer A3 1.4 is 90kg lighter than the outgoing version. Then there’s the MMI system with a range of infotainment and internet-related features. Many won’t be available in Australia at launch until a network supplier can be found.SAFETYThe car will be rated as a five-star and Audi says it’s now close to finalising complying with 2015 safety standards that include roll-over protection. There are seven airbags and the high level of chassis and brake-assist technology, but there is also an exhaustive list of safety-related options including pre-collision with autonomous braking, blind spot monitoring, lane assist, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control and automatic parking.DRIVINGThe concept of the MQB platform is to have one basic chassis design and then modify it only by length and width to suit a myriad of models. Because so many millions of cars and SUVs will be based on this one platform, production costs dwindle. I don’t have a problem with that. Unexpectedly, this budget-driven concept has given rise to a brilliant driver-related chassis.The A3, even in its 1.6-litre turbo-diesel version, is snug, so poised, very nimble and so precise through the corners - yes, even with the excellent electric steering box - that you’d think you’re in a very expensive sports car. Even that engine - not coming to Australia - is a gem, Better is the 103kW 1.4-litre with its cylinder deactivation.No, you can’t feel the pistons stop then restart. It’s a very powerful little engine that is fitted to a seven-speed dual-clutch auto. Like the other cars, there’s a ‘’driver select’’ button on the dash that changes steering feel, transmission shift points and some engine management functions. It just sharpens up the car.I also drove the 132kW 1.8 which has all the ability of a GT car let down only by a dual-clutch auto that never felt happy in the marriage. It wasn’t as smooth as, for example, the 1.4 with the six-speed auto.The 2-litre turbo-diesel feels more perky than the current equivalent engine, probably because it was driven only attached to a six-speed manual. Ride comfort is very good, Audi balancing the need for a firm, sporty ride - its major point of difference with the Golf - and occupant comfort.VERDICTTop-notch small car with a broad appeal. Wonderful quality and low fuel use are to be expected but chassis control and ride comfort are bonuses.Audi A3 SportbackAvailable: April, 2013Price: est. from $42,000Warranty: 3 years/unlimited kmService interval: 12 months/15,000kmSafety: 6 airbags, ABS, EBD, EBA, TC CRASHEngine: 1.4 and 1.8 4-cyl turbo-petrol or 2-litre turbo-diesel; 103kW/250Nm and 132kW/250Nm or 100kW/320NmTransmission: 6 or 7-spd dual-clutch auto or 6-spd manual; front drive or AWDThirst: 4.7L/100km/5.6L/100km or 4.2L/100km; 95RON; 110/130 or 108g/km CO2Dimensions: 4.3m (L), 1.8m (W), 1.4m (H)Weight: from 1205kgSpare: Space-saver  

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

This small — but growing — band of eco-warriors has an armoury not of high-tech gadgets and expensive systems but rather a collection of small ideas and commitments, the sum of which make a powerful argument.Among this common sense army is a small number of Audi faithful who proudly sport a small letter ‘e’ on the exterior badging of their otherwise unremarkable A3 Sportback rides.The ethos of the ‘e’ car philosophy — started with the A3 1.9 TDIe — is largely common sense and involves use of design strategies available to any manufacturer. There is no breakthrough technology in the engine, no super-efficient gearbox.Drivetrain and fuel economy What allows the A3 1.9 TDIe to post genuine hybrid-challenging fuel efficiency — 4.5 litres per 100 kilometres on the official government cycle and, quite remarkably, achievable in real-world driving — is a series of rather small tweaks that together result in an 8 per cent improvement in economy and the consequent improvement in emissions.The road to Audi's greener vision is paved with a couple of in-house adjustments: specific tuning of the electronic control of the ageing 77kW 1.9-litre turbodiesel engine and lengthening of the ratios for third and fifth gear in the five-speed manual box.The changes mean better fuel efficiency under most circumstances — and considerably better fuel efficiency if the driver has any real commitment to the cause.And you don't have to have the ear of a piano tuner to pick an optimum change point for the gears — that is all done for you by the engine management system and indicated on a digital dash-mounted display.The only other changes from a standard A3 are that the "e" car has been lowered to improve efficiency through the air, lightened, fitted with aerodynamic plastic covers for the 16-inch wheels and shod with low-friction Michelin rubber to reduce rolling resistance.Driving If you really want to concentrate, give up the little luxuries in life such as air-conditioning and spend as much time as possible on neutral throttle you can get returns of around 4-litres per 100km even in city traffic.It is not fun and anyone who is not a fully paid-up member of the green movement is going to tire of it pretty quickly.Still, even the average punter will see benefits from this car. The sum total of the little improvements in aerodynamics and engine mapping are enough to compensate for the occasional heavy right foot.In many ways it is the 1.9 TDI e's lack of obvious change that makes it more acceptable to the average buyer.The car boasts most of the nice things you will find in any other Audi. Billet-like build quality, a nice touch of plushness, quality fittings and fitment, the all-round nice drive quality and the growing prestige of the four rings badge.There are some trade-offs: you can't get an automatic and you don't get cruise control. There is also a slightly harsher ride on the lower suspension and low rolling resistance rubber and the engine — at least from outside — is unmistakeably diesel.Then there is the little matter of paying to feel good about yourself — the 1.9 TDI e starts at $38,900 before statutory fess and delivery charges. That is not cheap for a manual compact hatch.The Bottom line A sensible way to feel good about your fossil fuel use.

Of course, that’s part of the reason Audi has so many options available in the range – the aim is to provide something for everybody.DrivetrainsBoth engines are DOHC in line fours with gasoline direct injection, and have an exhaust turbocharger with intercooler.The 1.4 puts out 92kW at 5000rpm and 200Nm at 1500-4000rpm, while the 2.0 gets 147kW at 5100-6000rpm and 280Nm at 1700-5000rpm. Audi’s S-tronic dual clutch system is fitted to both units but the 2.0litre is a six-speed – not a seven – and has paddle shifters.With a top speed of 236km/h and a 0-100km/h time of 6.7 seconds, the 2.0litre quattro is significantly quicker than the front wheel drive which tops out at 203km/h via a 9.5 second 0-100km/h.Fuel consumption is impressive for the smaller-engined car at 5.8l/100km(combined). CO2 emissions are equally frugal at 137g/km. The 2.0litre car burns a combined 7.6l/100km and releases 180gm/km of CO2.ExteriorThe high shoulder line and striking front and distinctive rear of the five-door A3 Sportback combines the sportiness of a coupe with the practicality of a roomy hatchback.On the outside the major differences between the 1.4litre and the 2.0litre A3’s are the inch bigger dark wheels and the sport suspension on the quattro.Electric mirrors, remote central locking and an engine immobiliser are standard on both cars, and features like Audi’s park assist system, xenon adaptive headlights and the sunroof are available for extra dough.InteriorOn the inside, the A3 Sportback is what we have come to expect from Audi – simple, intuitive controls with comfortable attractive seats and trim - put together with quality materials and workmanship that reflects the attention to detail the German marque is famous for.As standard for both cars you get dual climate control, a driver information system and electric windows but in the 2.0litre version you also get a multi function leather sports steering wheel, with paddle shifters, sports front seats and a six-disc symphony stereo. The rear seats are split-fold and there is plenty of handy storage space.SafetyAlong with the comprehensive airbag package, both cars have electronic stability program, ABS, hill hold assist and anti-slip regulation, as standard.PricingAudi A3 1.4 TFSI starts at $39,950. Audi A3 2.0 TFSI quattro starts at $53,200.DrivingIn this day of multiple variations per model type, we are used to considerable performance difference per variation. The standard six cylinder Falcon versus the six cylinder Typhoon is a prime example. However never before have we driven two cars so similar on paper with such a vastly different driving experience. The 1.4-litre seven-speed A3 up against the 2.0-litre six-speed are chalk and cheese. Actually it is more like dross and bullion.One Carsguide staffer gave the 1.4 the unfortunate mantle of “the worst car I have driven”. On the other hand the 2.0-litre A3 is a car we would put near the top of its sector. The cars feel like they were built by two different manufacturers, one a start-up Indian company, the other Audi.The smaller car is borderline dangerous, with poor feel and response in both braking and acceleration. It just does not inspire any confidence to overtake.On the other hand the bigger one feels dependable and trustworthy. Touch the accelerator and you know you will get a good response, hit the brake and you can trust it won’t grab.One of the main faults with the 1.4-litre seems to lie with the transmission. The seven-speed auto just seems to get confused but that’s not the only issue. There seems to also be an inordinate amount of turbo-lag. You don’t find any of these issues with the 2.0-litre car.Verdict 2.0T – buy one – 8.3/101.8T – don’t touch it with a barge pole – 3.3/10

And, given the push-button convenience of the latter these days, the car's upper garb often comes off quicker.Spring is also, of course, the time when Carsguide preaches to the convertible.It's a task made easier by the ever-expanding range of topless four-seaters _ cars that combine a decent degree of utility with a goodly serving of desirability _ so that now ever more are converting.The facility to have it off and on at will (most such lids fold up or down in around 20 seconds and some can do it at 30km/h) is worth a lot more as a selling point than all the kilowatts and cornering force figures in the world combined. Otherwise, just buy a coupe.Not that BMW's 125i (priced from$63,755) lacks a means of propulsion or is in any way reluctant to address bends.Even detuned to 160kW/270Nm, this three-litre jobbie is a classic example of the Bavarian's trademark in-line six _ which, combined with rear-wheel-drive dynamics, is unique among current compact convertibles.Contrary to the hairdryer image of this genre, the only thing soft about the 125i is its roof which, in a world increasingly given to folding metal numbers, is of fabric construction.For a car that, even by the compromised norm of this type, is knee-crushingly cramped in the back, it's starting to get bloody dear _ though even that's relative, given it's $30K easier on the wallet than the identically engined 325i.Equally, the Volkswagen Eos TFSI (from $49,990) offers value _ indeed, allure _ that would necessitate spending maybe $40K extra on a more prestigious badge.The VeeWee also boasts the best top of all these sometimes-roofless Germans: one with a number of variations, all of which enable it to be completely convincing as either a convertible or as a coupe. In either guise, it looks great.The TFSI shares the Golf GTI's platform and drivetrains: a slick, six-speed manual or a twin-clutch auto driving that sublime two-litre, direct-injection turbo four-potter.If you tick the optional sports suspension with 18-inch tyres box, it can do a fair dynamic imitation of this now-ubiquitous warmish hatch.So can Audi's A3 2.0 TFSI Cabrio (from $54,900) _ as it should, given that it has the same underpinnings and go bits as the allegedly humbler Eos.But although perceived prestige badges can have a disorienting effect on some punters' sense of proportion, the Eos's trick roof is enough to see it shroud out its soft-topped cousin.It used to be that to go topless in traffic, you had to be Swedish; time was, indeed, that Saab's 9-3 was synonymous with this sort of behaviour.But that was 10 years ago. Today, a 9-3 Convertible is an unreliable and outclassed alternative to simply wearing a T-shirt that reads: “Clueless”.Fortunately for Scando enthusiasts, there's Volvo's C70 T5 (from $79,950). No, it doesn't get up and go anything like those mentioned above (despite a worthy 2.5-litre, five-cylinder turbo), much less handle.But it does have visual presence, GT composure, a smart folding metal roof and _ perhaps more to the Swede-lover's point _ a perceptible quality of having been hewn from something extremely solid and ever-so safe.Just as Lexus's IS sedan chucked a spanner into the compact prestige segment by doing a rear-drive/six-pots-up-front package that undercut the Germans for value, so too will the Lexus IS250C coupe/convertible.Seen at the Sydney motor show, this folding-aluminium-roof number is due in these parts in the second half of 2009 _ no doubt priced at a point to cause the Europeans maximum discomfort.The IS250C has a rear overhang some 50mm longer than the sedan, and Lexus claims class-leading boot space even with the lightweight, three-piece lid folded.Roof up, it looks better still, with a coupe sleekness that becomes the IS more than the four-door shape.The IS250C shares the sedan's 153kW/252Nm 2.5-litre V6 and six-speed, paddle-shift automatic.At $1.19 million, the ultimate convertible costs 20 times more than the least expensive car here, but the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe is quite possibly the world's best car _so this seems only right and proper.We mention it mainly to have an excuse to run its exquisite likeness, because next to none of us is ever going to get into one.But it somehow helps to know that those who do have the wherewithal aren't wasting their dough on rubbish.Besides, as the stock market goes at the moment, a Rolls is probably a better investment than shares.