2018 Audi A3 vs BMW 2 Series

What's the difference?

The Audi A3 is now five years into this current generation and it’s beginning to show its age in terms of tech and styling in the cabin, despite updates adding new equipment. It’s expensive compared to most small cars but is spot-on for a prestige vehicle. 

The Sedan is, in my view, the best looking small sedan on the planet and offers the biggest boot space in the A3 range. The Sportback, however, is arguably more practical, with better legroom, headroom and cargo carrying ability (with the rear seats down). The Cabriolet has the same perfect proportions as the sedan, but like all good convertibles doesn’t make practicality a priority. 

The sweet spot of the range would have to be the Sportback 2.0 TFSI quattro S Line with its $50,000 list price making it the most affordable but most 'specced up' A3 in the entire range.

With a six-cylinder sweetheart of an engine and a thrilling drive experience on offer, there are some seriously good reasons to consider the BMW M240i. But there are a couple of question marks over some of the finer details - none of them are deal-breakers, however.

So, back to the preposition I plotted at the beginning - does it make sense as a more affordable alternative to the M2? The answer is yes... but it's also, no.

I'd spend the extra money and get the M2, but power and presence matters more to me than it might to most. And then again, I'd probably buy a manual M2 Pure, which is not as far a stretch.

The A3 comes in three body styles: a five-door hatch, which Audi calls the Sportback; the four-door Sedan, and a two-door convertible which it refers to as the Cabriolet. It may not surprise you to learn they're all different sizes, too.

The Sportback doesn’t look like the shortest of the three but at 4313mm end-to-end it’s 145mm shy of the Sedan and 110mm shorter than the Cabriolet. But those exterior dimensions don’t tell the whole story on interior space. So, which one is more practical? We’ll get to that.

But first, the looks. The Sportback has a wagon-like appearance with its large (for a hatch) rear quarter windows. If you think it looks longer than a regular hatchback, you’re right: a Volkswagen Golf is 50mm shorter even though it shares the same platform as the A3.

However, unlike the Golf, there’s something about the Sportback’s proportions which doesn’t seem balanced.

Then there’s the A3 sedan. Now this is a perfectly proportioned car. Looking like a miniature version of the A8 limo, the A3 is one of the only tiny sedans on the planet that looks fantastic.

The Cabriolet is based on the Sedan, and it too looks beautifully proportioned. Soft tops, when they’re up, never do much for a car’s profile. Be it a Bentley or an A3, they always look better down. When the roof is down the A3 appears lower, sleeker, and tougher.

While all A3’s have the same grille and headlight design the rear treatment of the Sedan and Cabriolet is more refined with their blade-like tail-lights and boot lid lip, than the Sportback, even if it does have a roof-top spoiler.

Interiors are identical across each A3 grade, the cabin benefiting from excellent fit and finish and the use of high-quality materials. But if you like bling-tastic cockpits, maybe you should be looking at a Benz A-Class because even the fanciest A3 money can buy, the RS3, comes with a small display screen and a rather low-key interior design. 

As for rivals, the new A-Class (which I’ve just reviewed) is a glitzy competitor in hatch form, with a soon-to-arrive sedan going head-to-head with the little Audi as well.

Or there’s BMW’s 1 Series hatch and 2 Series Coupe. The 1 Series hatch is seriously ugly, the 2 Series is stunning and looks fast standing still.

From most angles the M240i looks fairly sporty, which is precisely the requirements for a driver-oriented two-door car. The styling of the body lends itself to the rear-drive underpinnings, with short overhangs at the front and the rear - but to my eye, it still looks a bit funny side-on, where the bubble top gives away its hatchback heritage (it's based on the 1 Series hatch).

New for the 2018 model are adaptive LED headlights, new L-shaped LED tail-lights, re-sculpted bumpers front and rear, and a new set of 18-inch wheels. On the whole, I think the appeal and appearance of the 2 Series coupe is getting better with age - a bit like a scrawny teen, it's slowly growing into its clothes. I guess that's what happens when you have a muscle man like the M2 for a big brother.

The Sportback and Sedan have five seats, while the Cabriolet has four. Leg and headroom in the back row for all body styles is limited. The Sportback will give you the most rear legroom, while the sedan has a few millimetres more space for your knees than the Cabriolet. 

At 191cm tall I can sit behind my driving position in the Sportback with a pinkie finger’s space, while my knees brush the seatback in the Sedan, and the Cabriolet won’t accommodate my long legs back there at all.
  
Rear headroom in the Sportback isn’t bad with enough room for my big head to clear the ceiling thanks to that tall(-ish) flat roofline while the sedan is a tighter fit but I just make it under. The Cabriolet’s low fabric roof means only small adults or kids will be able to sit up straight back there – unless the top is down and then you have literally unlimited headroom.

Boot space varies obviously depending on the body style. The Sedan has biggest cargo capacity with 425 litres, the Sportback offers up 340 litres, but fold those rear seats down and you have 1180 litres at your disposal, plus a bigger aperture to fit stuff in. The Cabriolet’s folding roof eats into the boot space, but you’re still left with 320 litres even when it’s down.

The folding roof is automatic and can be raised or lowered at up to 50km/h, but it’s slow - I’ve timed it and it takes about 20 seconds to open or shut.

Storage throughout the cabin is limited, too. There are two cupholders up front in all cars, while the Cabriolet is the only A3 to have two cupholders in the back (they’re between the rear seats). If you want cupholders in the rear of the Sedan and Sportback you’ll have to option the $450 fold-down armrest which houses them.

All grades above the 1.0 TFSI come with storage nets in the seatback and front passenger footwell, 12-volt sockets in the rear centre console and boot, plus cargo nets back there, too. There’s a USB jack in the centre console of all A3s.

What is perhaps the most peculiar thing about the 2 Series Coupe range is that from the back seat it feels almost more spacious than in the 1 Series hatch. Odd, right? And the access to the second row - by way of a pair of folding-and-electronic-sliding seats - is reasonably easy unless you're a plus-size adult.

If you do find yourself in that category, there's a good chance you won't want to be finding yourself in the back seats very often, as there isn't a whole lot of space - anyone pushing 183cm (six-foot) will find their hair brushing the head-lining and their knees bumping the seat ahead. There are only two seats, but they would be well suited to children or occasional adult use.

Up front is BMW’s 'Navigation System Professional' is standard in the M240i, with its large 8.8-inch screen offering touch capability as well as the clever dial controller between the front seats. The system has the new 'iDrive 6' software, just like you'll find in the new 5 series, and there is Apple CarPlay, which is cable-free in this iteration, but BMW asks buyers to pay $623 for the privilege.

The multimedia system also includes BMW ConnectedDrive capability, with emergency calling if you happen to have an accident, and real-time traffic information. When I was driving in to the office, I was alerted of a particularly bad snarl caused by a break-down, which I wouldn't have known otherwise. Clever! And the M240i has a 12-speaker harman/kardon surround sound system, which is good - but not great.

The red leather trim of our test car mightn't be to all tastes, but it certainly is eye-catching, and the quality of the 'Dakota' trim (I always wonder, was that the name of the cow(s)?) is excellent quality. There are front seat heaters, too. Height-adjustable seat belts would be nice, as would seat belt presenters - it's a bit of a reach back to retrieve your clicker, particularly for shorter drivers.

There is good storage on offer, with large enough door pockets for a bottle, though they aren't sculpted as such. There are cupholders in the front, but not in the back - between the two seats is a small storage tray, and there's no flip-down centre armrest between those rear positions, either.

The boot is a sizeable 390 litres, 30 litres larger than the 1 Series hatch, and because there isn't a spare wheel (the 2 Series, like all BMWs, uses run-flat tyres, and tyre pressure monitoring is fitted) there is no penalty to pay for boot depth. The rear seats fold down by way of triggers mounted in the cargo area, but if the headrests have been up on the back seats, they may snag when you drop them down.

The 2018 update for the BMW M240i didn't see it mirror the hatchback version's (M140i) big price cut. Instead, the M240i is up $2190 compared with the model that preceded it, but it has some new features that set it apart from its forebear, such as new lighting and a new multimedia system.

Plus it still has a glorious six-cylinder drivetrain, which pairs to a standard-fit eight-speed automatic transmission with paddleshifters, but you can option a six-speed manual if you so choose - danke schön, Bayerische Motoren-Werke!

At this price point - $76,800 plus on-road costs - there is no doubting that this is car has the potential to be considered the thinking person's M2 - it is nearly $20,000 more affordable than the only automatic M2 you can buy, and while it doesn't have the stripped-out sportster vibe of that car - nor the punch, if I'm honest - if you consider the M240i as a more liveable alternative to the flagship, you won't be disappointed.

When it comes to competitors, there aren't many rear-drive luxury coupes at this price point. You could stretch the budget and consider a Porsche 718 Cayman, but that'll hit your hip pocket hard. An Audi TT with AWD could be one to think about, but it's only a two-seater, and it's expensive.

You could take a look at a Mercedes-Benz SLC, but it's a two-seat convertible. Maybe a Ford Mustang, then? Or perhaps an Infiniti Q60 Red Sport, which I reckon looks a heck of a lot better than it drives...? Um, yeah - the 2 Series Coupe plays in rarefied air.

Now on to the engines. Yes, I’m doing this in what may seem a strange order, but trust me, it’s to guide you safely through the A3 range without anybody getting lost. We don’t leave anybody behind here, not on my watch.

The grades indicate the engines in the A3 line-up – the higher the grade, the more powerful the engine. So, the range starts with the 1.0 TFSI which has a 85kW/200Nm 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine, and steps up to the 1.4 TFSI which has a 110kW/250Nm 1.4-litre four-cylinder with cylinder on demand (COD) letting it run on two cylinders when not under load). Both are front-wheel drive (FWD) cars.

Next rung up is the 2.0 TFSI Sport and that has a 2.0-litre four making 140kW/320Nm with drive going to the front wheels. The top of the range is the 2.0 TFSI quattro S line which has the same engine but is all-wheel drive (AWD).

Those are all turbo-petrol engines – yes, no diesels and no manual gearbox option either. All have a seven-speed dual-clutch automatics shifting the gears. 

If you’re after something more hardcore in the same package, there are two halo ‘models’ that sit above the A3 range: the S3 with a 213kW/380Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four and the RS3 with its 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo-petrol making 294kW/480Nm. 

Given they are almost stand-alone models, the S3 and RS3 aren't included in this review, but you can read about them separately by clicking those links.

The 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder engine is good for a stonking 250kW of power and 500Nm of torque, which is well good for a car of this size. So good, in fact, that BMW claims a 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.6 seconds - just 0.3sec slower than the M2. Sounds like money well saved - you'd have to spend quite a bit more on other German coupes to get this sort of performance.

Shifting gears is an eight-speed automatic with a sport mode, manual mode and paddles, with drive being sent to the rear wheels.

Fuel usage depends on the engine and body style, with weights varying across the range. The most fuel-efficient engine is the 1.0-litre which is only offered on the Sportback, and Audi says over a combination of urban and open roads you should see it use 4.8L/100km.
 
The 1.4 TFSI Sportback uses 5.0L/100km, while the Sedan uses 4.9L/100km, but the heavier Cabriolet drinks more at 5.1L/100km.

My most recent A3 test car was a 1.4 TFSI Sportback and the trip computer reported 7.6L/100km over a mix of city and country kays - not bad.

The 2.0 TFSI Sport Sportback uses 5.9L/100km, the Sedan needs 5.8L/100km, the Cabriolet a bit more at 6.0L/100km.

The 2.0 TFSI quattro S Line Sportback uses 6.2L/100km, while the Sedan will go through 6.1L/100km and the Cabriolet again is highest with 6.4L/100km.

That raises the question of how much more does the Cabriolet weigh? About 170kg more than the Sedan and  Sportback thanks to the extra reinforcement needed to strengthen the body to compensate for the rigidity it loses by not having a fixed metal roof.

BMW claims fuel use of 7.1 litres per 100km, with emissions rated at 163g/km. I didn't quite get that, with my mix of highway, stop-start and spirited steering returning a consumption number of 8.1L/100km. I'm going to call that better than fair, considering the grunt on offer.

You'll need 52 litres of 95 RON premium unleaded to fill the tank.

I’ve driven all A3 variants from the 1.0 TFSI to the 2.0 TFSI quattro S Line, plus the S3 and RS3, but most recently I tested the 1.4 TFSI Sportback, which I’ll focus on here.

Our car was fitted with two optional packages – the 'Style Package' which adds LED headlights, 18-inch alloys and sports suspension, and the 'Technik Package' which brings a virtual instrument cluster, an 8.3-inch display and sports steering wheel.

Those larger 18-inch alloys wearing low profile 225/40 Hankook Ventus S1 Evo2 tyres look great, but like thin-soled shoes you’ll feel every imperfection on the road giving a harsher texture to the ride, plus they can be noisy on course-chip bitumen. 

I’d stick to the standard 16-inch wheels. Sure, they don’t look as racy, but the ride from those, on 55 profile tyres, is a lot more cushioned.

Despite that grittier feel from the tyres the sports suspension is excellent and manages to soften bigger bumps well. Handling is good too, thanks to that suspension keeping the body well controlled.

Good visibility, steering that’s light but offers decent feel, and a comfortable seating position make the A4 pleasant to pilot,  but not hugely engaging. If you're after more of a driver’s car, the S3 and RS3 will deliver – trust me.

Acceleration isn’t bad from the 1.4-litre, with 0-100km/h claimed to be 8.2 seconds. That dual-clutch transmission is a quick shifter and smooth even in bumper-to-bumper traffic, but only if you turn off the stop-start engine system (jerky and hard to tolerate). 

I’m also not a fan of the way the stop-start system switches the engine off as you coast to a stop at traffic lights and intersections. For me, that borders on a safety issue, particularly when needing to turn on an amber only to find you momentarily lack steering or power.

As mentioned in the engine/transmission section, the 1.4 TFSI Sportback is a FWD car. Put it on a steep hill, as I did on our test incline, and even in dry conditions it’ll lose traction under hard acceleration. Traction control reins the slippage in, but AWD 'quattro' cars won’t struggle for traction in the same circumstances. 

If you want to feel on edge, you really ought to take a no-holds-barred spin in the BMW M240i. I mean, ideally, you'd want a closed road or a race track - but a quiet twisty road could be enough to entice your inner enthusiast.

The 3.0-litre turbo six is superb, with plenty of push - you've got to keep an eye on the instruments to make sure you're not moving too quickly: it's that fast. What a shame that those outside of the car get to hear more of it than those in the cabin, though: there is a nice chortle and some crackle on the overrun, but you only get to really hear that if you have the windows down, or you're standing to the side as the car drives past you.

The automatic transmission can be a little tentative in its most sedate mode, but the paddles can fix that, allowing you to bounce off the rev limiter without overriding your choices, bad as they may be.

No doubt this is a brilliant driver's car.

It has staggered width Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres - 225/40 up front and 245/35 at the rear - around the 18-inch wheels (7.5-inch at the front, 8.0-inch at the rear), but to be honest it could do with even more at the back, because when the engine's 500Nm of torque comes on from 1520rpm all the way up to 4500rpm, you'll be asking a lot of those rear rubbers to keep a grip on the road.

The traction control system does a decent job of keeping things under control - if that's what you want - but the Sport+ setting allows a bit more slip at the back, making for a pretty fun experience in corners. The brake pedal is a little soft under foot, but pulls the car up pretty well.

The adaptive M suspension is changeable based on the drive mode chosen, with Sport and Sport+ setting the chassis up for corner carving over comfort, while Comfort is, er, more comfortable. That isn't to say it is plush, with the rear-end in particular still offering some abrupt reactions to sharp-edged bumps.

No doubt this is a brilliant driver's car - one you won't find the limits of, nor appreciate the abilities of, unless you find yourself on a race track or a closed road. But it also doubles as an amenable commuter, dealing with the droll days of driving to and from work without much hassle at all.

The M240i has driver-assistance technology including AEB, forward-collision warning, pedestrian-detection and lane-departure warning as standard. Other safety aids include dynamic braking lights, DSC, ABS, 'Braking Assistant', 'Cornering Brake Control' (CBC), 'Dynamic Traction Control' (DTC), cruise control with braking function (not adaptive cruise control - but it will hold a speed down a hill), a reversing camera, 'Park Distance Control' (PDC) front and rear sensors. No blind-spot, lane-keeping assistance or rear cross-traffic alert systems are on offer.

There are two top-tether restraints across the back seat, with ISOFIX anchor points in each position.

The BMW 2 Series Coupe, and therefore the M240i, has never been tested by ANCAP. Only the 2 Series Active Tourer - the odd-bod MPV that shares very little with the 2 Series Coupe - has been, and it managed a four-star score. The 1 Series hatch managed a five-star score back in 2011.

The A3 is covered by Audi’s three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. Servicing is recommended at 15,000km/12-month intervals. A three-year/45,000km service plan is available and costs $1680.

BMW's standard warranty program spans three years/unlimited kilometres, with the same period of cover for roadside assistance. There's a basic five-year/80,000km service plan available for $1340, which covers annual vehicle checks, oil changes, filters and plugs, and labour costs. The car's condition-based service system will tell you when it thinks it needs maintenance.