2019 Audi A3 vs Ford Focus

What's the difference?

Great looking and good to drive, if only the A3 35TFSI Sedan was better value for money, had more advanced safety tech and a little extra room.

Well, you might want to hold onto your money and wait. A new generation A3 is coming within the next 18 months and it should tick a couple more of those boxes – can you wait that long?

While It might be hard to explain exactly what micro-niche the Active falls into, it's less difficult to understand it's appeal.

Let's face it, the vast majority of us will never have need for the complex four-wheel-drive systems that appear in some SUVs.

And so a car like the Active makes obvious sense. Whatever the hell it is.

In my view, the second-most-beautiful small, four-door saloon on Earth is the Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan. But the top award has to go to the Audi A3 Sedan. And that's saying something, because while the A-Class Sedan has only just arrived, the A3 Sedan has been around since 2013 - and it still looks stunning.

Yes, there has been some cosmetic surgery – the grille has grown and the headlights have been redesigned, but mostly everything has been left as it was when it first appeared six years ago.

That's a good thing, because it's beautiful; from that sharp character line which leads down the side to the little boot lip, to the perfect proportions which make it look like a mini Audi A8 limousine.

And it is small. The dimensions show it to be less than 4.5m long, two metres across (counting the side mirrors), and only 1.4m tall. How does that affect practicality? Hold your horses, we're getting there.

The A3 35 TFSI Sedan's cockpit has a modern design with clean styling, but that seven-inch media screen is beginning to look small compared to the latest, larger ones now that have now become common. The 12.3-inch virtual instrument cluster you can see in my images (sorry about the dirty windscreen) looks amazing, but it's an option.

A3s, no matter what the grade, have almost identical cabins as standard – so you're not missing out on much in the way of luxurious touches by choosing the entry car. They all have the same aluminium inlays and metallic treatment on the air vents. The seats are leather, but they aren't the same sports buckets you'll get on the higher grades.

Like the look of the Focus hatchback? Then have we got some news for you. Because the Active looks a lot like one, just a little higher off the ground.

The 17-inch alloys are fitted with higher-profile tyres, and there is some black wheel-arch cladding and side skirts that are designed to convey an adventurous spirit, but outside of that, it's Focus through and through.

That's not a bad thing, mind. The new Focus is a handsome small car. More that you can see where the marketing department might struggle to call this anything but a hatchback.

Climb into the cabin and you're met with an equally Focused experience, though there are some exclusive Active niceties on display. That Nordic Blue piping on the seats, for example, or the 'A'-stamped seat patterns and the Active-stamped scuff plates at the doors.

The A3 35 TFSI Sedan has five seats, but I'd only want to sit in two of them – yep, the front ones. Rear headroom is limited by that roofline to the point that I can't sit comfortably in the back (but I'm 191cm), but even if it was good, I've got almost zero leg room behind my driving position.

Boot space is good at 425 litres (85 litres more than the Sportback's cargo capacity), but cabin storage isn't terrific with two cupholders in the front but none in the back (you'll need to option them), a small centre console bin and tiny door pockets in the rear, but decent-sized ones in the front.

As for power outlets – there are two 12V points (one in the front and another in the rear) and one USB port which is for charging only.

The Active stretches some 4.4m in length, 1.8m in width and 1.5m in height. In other words, it's very much the Focus hatch you're familiar with, no matter how much the ride height has been lifted.

And that means your key figures are largely unchanged, too; you'll get 375 litres of boot space with the rear seats in place (about on-par for the segment), and 1354 litres with the seats folded flat, though that's measured all the way to the roof line.

Up front, you'll find two cupholders, and a storage pocket in each of the front doors. On the tech front, there's a USB point in front of the wireless charging pad, and another hidden in a  deep, covered central storage bin.

Ford says there is more shoulder room in the backseat, and they've tried to design an airy-feeling space, thanks to larger rear windows. And if you've ever spent time in a car like the Toyota C-HR, for example, then you'll know how important a little lightness and brightness can be for backseat riders.

That's about where the good news ends for backseat riders, though. There's no cupholders (nor a pull-down divider to house them in) and no USB points either. Also missing are rear air vents.

There are two ISOFIX attachment points, though, one in each window seat in the back.

You're not exactly spoiled for choice when it comes to the Active; the high-riding Focus is available in just the one trim level, and with a single engine/gearbox combination.

And for it, you'll pay $29,900. But for that spend you'll get plenty of high-end niceties.

There's a rotary dial instead of a T-bar gear-shift, for example, and the Active adds some extra exclusive touches, too, like Nordic Blue stitching on the seats (which also wear a new pattern) and branded scuff plates at the doors.

There's also dual-zone climate control up front, as well as a wireless charge pad for your mobile. And while the Active arrives with an 8.0-inch touchscreen that runs Ford's Sync 3 with standard navigation, it also runs both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Those alloys are 17 inches, and there's remote unlocking and  push-button start, as well as LED DRLs up front.

But it's not all great news. While the technology is great, some of the cabin materials are less so, and while it's certainly very comfortable, it's doesn't always feel like a $30k car probably should.

Ford has done a commendable job of wrapping most of the cabin surfaces in soft-touch materials, for example, but some hard plastics creep in, and the cloth seats don't do much for Active's premium aspirations.

The 35 TFSI Sedan has a 1.4-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine making 110kW and 250Nm. You may have noticed that officially it is called the A3 35 TFSI CoD. The 'CoD' stands for 'Cylinder on Demand' and refers to this engine's cylinder deactivation ability to run on just two when cruising. The fuel saving advantages to this are obvious, but what if you don't do a lot of cruising? See the fuel section below.

It's pretty astounding that an engine this small can make 110kW, but still that's not a huge amount of grunt, and the 40 TFSI above it in the range, with its 140kW, would be my pick.

Now, what the heck does the 35 in 35 TFSI mean? And for that matter, the 40 in 40 TFSI? Well, in 2018 Audi began changing those numerals after the model name, swapping the 1.4 TFSI for 35 TFSI.

Previously the 1.4 indicated the size of the engine, but now the numerals hint at how much power it makes. So, 35 is the designation for an output of between 110 and 120kW; 40 is for 125-150kW; 45 is for those that make between 169 and 230kW and so on all the way up to 70, which is for an output greater than 400kW.

The lowest power an A3 Sedan comes in is the 35, but the Sportback has an even lower output entry grade – the 30, which is for Audis that makes between 81kW and 96kW. In the case of the A3 30 TFSI Sportback, if you're playing at home, it's 85kW.

Clear as dirt mixed with water? Thought so. Back to the story.

The 35 TFSI has a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, which isn't as smooth as a regular auto, but it shifts faster than one for a sporty driving feel.

There's just the one engine and gearbox combo on offer here, but it's a peach. A woeful sounding on paper, but utterly charming in real life, 1.5-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine good for 134kW and 240Nm, which is fed through an eight-speed automatic to produce an 8.7 second sprint to 100km/h.

You also get improved independent rear suspension that's missing from most Focus models. Plus the key difference that makes this Active more, well, active, is the increased ride height, but we're really only talking a handful of centimetres at each end.

The 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine has cylinder deactivation and when not under load it can run on two cylinders alone. Audi says that after a combination of open and urban roads the A3 35 TFSI should use 4.9L/100km.

At the end of my week with the A3 35 TFSI I used 10.2L/100km, but I have to say that higher figure is down to driving it almost the entire time in the city (and also with a bit of enthusiasm). Having driven the entire A3 range I know that balancing this with motorway miles will bring that figure down dramatically.

It might be a tiny three-cylinder engine, but Ford has still thought hard about the fuel use equation, including a cylinder deactivation function that, when cruising, shuts down one of the cylinders to save petrol.

As a result, the claimed/combine fuel use figure is 6.4 litres per hundred kilometres - and it's a believable quote, as we scored 6.5 litres after a day of pretty enthusiastic driving.

The Co2 emissions are pegged at a claimed 148g/km, and the fuel tank will hold 52 litres.

If your only two criteria for a new car are that it be good looking and great to drive, then stop reading and buy the A3 Sedan now. Seriously, even though the engine in the 35 TFSI isn't that powerful, the balance and feel of the car when it was in my hands was excellent.

I've driven the entire A3 line-up from the 1.0-litre 30 TFSI to the RS3 monster at the top of the range, and it only gets better as you step up through the grades and models, with each adding more power and agility. But even at the very entry level that DNA is there for a great driving experience.

Our car was fitted with sports suspension that oddly comes with the Style Package, and even with the low profile 225/40 R18 Bridgestone Turanzas the ride was still comfortable and compliant.

The low centre of mass helps keep life composed, too. After having tested so many SUVs lately which often have a bouncy, rolly ride, it was refreshing to steer something low and composed; one that handled flat around corners and didn't become unsettled with a sudden change of direction.

"Would you take a regular hatchback on sand?" Asks one of the Blue Oval's reps, as we point the noise of our Active at a stretch of commendably soft sand.

And if we're honest, the answer to that question would be a resounding "no". Not least of which because we've just watched the Active in front of us getting pulled out of this very sand pit, the front tyres dug into the soft stuff like they were burrowing their way to China.

But no sooner was it pulled out than the Active was tackling that very obstacle again, this time with a bit more speed, and sure enough, the high-riding Focus was through the sand and out the other side, the front tyres somehow finding a way to keep the Focus moving.

And then we followed, and with the same successful result. As did the car after us. And so on. 

Now, a true off-roader it ain't. The Active is a front-wheel-drive only proposition, but it's two new drive modes (Trail and Slippery) are intended to give you just a little more confidence as you pull into a campsite or turn onto an unsealed road.

But for mine, the real charm of the Active isn't how it performs off-road, but rather on it. It's not a particularly sporty-feeling drive, and to be fair, there are other cars in the Ford range that can tackle those duties, but the steering is engaging, and it's a composed, comfortable and quiet drive experience.

Part of the reason for that is the new independent rear suspension setup (also found in the ST Line wagon). We piloted the Active over some pretty harsh and broken country roads on our drive program, and it proved plenty comfortable, disposing of most road imperfections with little bother.

A final word? I bloody love the engine. A tiny little three-cylinder unit, sure, but it never feels underdone, even when overtaking uphills. And for bonus points, it makes a delightful little burble when you plant your right foot.

The Focus Active lacks for little in the safety department, with AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keep assist, speed-sign recognition and a 180-degree rear-vision camera all arriving as standard.

They're joined by six airbags (twin front, side and curtain) and the usual suite of traction and braking aids - enough to earn the Active a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

Opting for the $1250 Driver Assistance Package adds active cruise control with evasive steering and stop and go, and rear cross-traffic alert with rear AEB.

The A3 35 TFSI is covered by Audi's three-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Servicing is recommended every 15,000km or 12 months. That type of coverage used to be the norm five years ago, but now as more car makers move to five-year warranties, we would expect Audi to do likewise.

A service plan is available – it's a three-year/45,000km program which cost $1680.

This low score is down to the short warranty and a lack of service-by-service capped-price plan that spans a longer time period.

The Ford Focus Active is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, with servicing required every 15,000kms or 12 months.

Service pricing is capped for the first four years, too, with each service costing a maximum $299 for the first four years or 60,000km.