2017 Audi A3 vs Volkswagen Golf

What's the difference?

Audi says each model is not only more fuel efficient and, despite modest price rises, is better value with up to seven grand more stuff depending on the model. The surprise packet in the range is the 1.0-litre entry level. While it feels slow off the mark, it’s quite jolly once on the move and the low starting price means you can load it up with stuff if you don’t mind the pedestrian performance.

The sweet spot is a line-ball decision between the 1.4 COD and the 2.0 TFSI Quattro. Both are great to drive, basically the same to look at and have good bang for buck compared to the front-drive 2.0 TFSI. 

The update has been subtle on the cosmetic front, but the new A3 is quieter, better value and a bit more fun into the bargain. Whether it can maintain its lead with such a quiet visual change remains to be seen, but a good car is now better. 

If you have a family and want to hang on to some driving enjoyment, think twice about that compact SUV. The Golf R wagon, while not exactly cheap, is a brilliant blend for the practical head and fun-loving heart.

The third-generation A3 is a familiar sight on our roads and you’ll need your specs on to spot the differences. There’s new bumpers front and rear, new headlights and taillights and the usual detail changes to the front grille - it’s now wider and a bit more aggressive (though not very much).

The Cabriolet and sedan are both handsome designs while the hatch is fairly demure, although the new front and rear bumpers add the tiniest of edges. Some may feel the sedan looks “too much like an A4” as though that’s an insult. You won’t miss the new Vegas Yellow, one of four new colours.

New wheel options are available too, but that’s about the speed of it. Get used to this A3, too, because word on the street is that the A3 will be with us for a while longer than usual due to the sins of parent company Volkswagen.

Inside is largely the same, although you can now specify the fully digital 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit that is shoe-horned into the existing pod on the dash. There wasn’t a lot wrong with the A3’s interior, so it’s been left almost completely unchanged. The 7.0-inch screen still slides silently out of the dash and runs an updated MMI system familiar from the new Q7 and A4.

The devil is in the detail in terms of the Golf R’s design, with our test example resplendent in a bold shade of ‘Tornado Red’. 

Menacingly black 19-inch ‘Pretoria’ alloy rims are shod with high-performance 235/35 Michelin Pilot SportCup2 rubber, and full LED headlights give the car a focused, professional-grade appearance.

Where the Golf GTI has a red keyline running along the grille and lower part of the headlights, the R is all business with gloss black inserts in the same position.

Strangely, the R wagon misses out on the hatch’s LED tail-light cluster (with scrolling indicators), but its distinctive twin chrome exhaust tips on both sides of the rear apron are firmly in place.

Standard spec sees the R’s exterior mirror caps finished in ‘Chrome Matt’, while ‘our’ car featured racy carbon fibre covers.

Inside, leather-trimmed R-branded sports seats set the tone, with the new 9.2-inch ‘Discover Pro’ multimedia screen paired with VW’s configurable ‘Active Info’ digital instrument display.

Faux carbon trim panels and slick ‘piano black’ surfaces contribute to an overall look and feel that’s cool, contemporary and focused.

Virtually nothing has changed on the practicality front. There’s the same four cupholders, the same four bottle holders and the volumes and passenger comfort all remain identical. Naturally, the Cabriolet's lack of rear doors means it loses two bottle holders.

The Sportback’s boot will swallow 380 litres with the seats up and 1220 seats down, the sedan’s 425 (just 55 off the A4’s) and the Cabrio will take a still-okay 320 litres, although the shape is a bit weird.

Front and rear space for passengers is adequate for most. Rear passengers will find headroom fine and kneeroom less fine but every car in this segment has the same problem. It’s probably the least compromised in that respect.

Cabriolet passengers are rather less well looked-after. Roof up it's claustrophobic and dark while dropping the lid will only reinforce just how little space there is between the front and rear seats. Makes a Jetstar seat look positively luxurious.

Despite its performance potential there’s no change in terms of practicality in the Golf R wagon.

Front passengers are provided with plenty of room and numerous storage options, including two cupholders, door pockets with bottle holders, and oddments space including a useful glovebox and lidded bin between the seats.

There’s another pair of cupholders in the rear, with a big tick going to adjustable air conditioning vents with flow control for back seaters.

And there’s tonnes of room back there. Sitting behind the driver’s seat, set for my 183cm position, there’s ample head and legroom.

With its 60/40 split folding rear seat up the wagon offers a generous 605 litres of load capacity, which expands to no less than 1620 litres with the second-row folded. A temporary (80km/h limit) space-saver sits under the floor.

Add in cargo tie-down points, bag hooks, plus decent lighting and you’re looking at a compelling combination of speed and utility.

Cost-of-entry for the Golf R wagon is a not insignificant $57,490, before on-road costs, and specification aligns with its ($2000-cheaper) hatch sibling.

Standard features include the 9.2-inch 'Discover Pro' multimedia system with voice and gesture control, Apple CarPlay, MirrorLink and Android Auto support, satellite navigation, the 12.3-inch 'Active Info Display' digital instrument cluster, keyless entry and start, 'Vienna' leather-appointed upholstery, heated front seats, electric driver's seat with memory function, ‘Air Care’ dual-zone climate control (uses an active biogenic filter to keep pollen, fungal spores and particulates out), auto headlights, rain-sensing wipers, LED interior ambient lighting and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

Add the LED headlights, alloy rims, ‘Adaptive chassis control and Driving profile selection’, front and rear parking sensors, and reversing camera (with static guidelines), and the equipment level is looking healthy.

The Golf R wagon doesn’t have direct competition in the Australian market, although Renault’s $15k cheaper Megane GT wagon pushes towards its territory. With the above basket of fruit on board, plus a healthy dose of performance and safety tech, the dollars are sure to add up for enthusiasts with a family.

The model refresh brings Audi’s 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo (only for the Sportback), lifted from underneath the A1’s bonnet. Generating 85kW and 200Nm, you're not losing much to the 1.4 TFSI it replaces. In the case of torque, you’re not losing a single Newton millimetre. The triple is lighter and just four tenths slower to 100km/h, coming in at 9.9 seconds for 1200kg hatch. Power reaches the road via a seven-speed S-tronic auto (DSG to you and me).

The 1.4 COD (cylinder-on-demand) soldiers on unchanged, developing 110kW and 250Nm and fitted with the seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox.

The new 2.0 TFSI supplies more power and torque than the outgoing 1.8. Power is up 8kW to 140kW while torque is up an extremely handy 70Nm to 320Nm. Audi says much attention has been lavished on the combustion cycle, reducing consumption and emissions while increasing power.

You can have the 2.0 with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive Quattro along with the newly-developed wet clutch version of the seven-speed S-tronic transmission. The new gearbox has been designed for higher torque values, which explains why past diesels and quicker petrol Audis used the six-speed. The new one has shorter first and second gears for quicker off-the-line performance.

All engines feature stop-start and cut out as you slow or coast to a halt once you drop below 6km/h.

Powered by a third-generation version of Volkswagen’s direct-injection (EA888) 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, the latest version of the Golf R grocery-getter will be offered exclusively with a seven-speed ‘DSG’ dual clutch auto transmission, supplying power to all four wheels via VW’s ‘4Motion’ all-wheel drive system.

The Golf R uses a Haldex-type system to distribute up to 50 per cent of drive to the rear, with VW’s ‘Extended Electronic Differential Lock’ (XDL) helping to direct power to where it’s best applied.

While the engine delivers 228kW/400Nm in European trim, Australia’s status as a ‘hot climate market’ means, for us, VW tunes it to produce 213kW between 5400 and 6500rpm, with maximum torque of 380Nm delivered across a gloriously flat plateau from 1850-5300rpm.

The 1.0 TFSI delivers a 0.1L/100km improvement over the 1.4-litre it replaces on the combined cycle while producing the same amount of torque. The 1.4 COD is the same and so the figures are unchanged while the new 2.0-litre TFSI uses 0.3L/100km more on the front-drive but 0.4L/100km less on the Quattro models. Part of the reason the Quattro is relatively frugal is the updated all-wheel drive system that disconnects the rear wheels when not needed to reduce mechanical drag and therefore consumption.

1.0 TFSI: 4.8L/100km Sportback
1.4 COD: 5.0L/100km Sportback / 4.9L/100km sedan / 5.1L/100km Cabriolet
2.0 TFSI:  5.9L/100km / 5.8L/100km sedan / 6.0L/100km Cabriolet
2.0 TFSI Quattro: 6.2L/100km Sportback / 6.1L/100km Sedan / 6.4L/100km Cabriolet

Claimed economy for the EU combined (urban, extra-urban) cycle is 7.3L/100km, with the engine emitting 166g/km of C02 in the process. And you’ll need 55 litres of (minimum) 95RON premium unleaded to fill the tank. 

Across the board, the new A3 is a very quiet, composed and relaxed car. While it may not look a lot different, there’s clearly been a fair bit of work going on underneath the car to improve the driving experience.

Starting with the 1.0 litre, it’s got a little bit of character although some of that comes out in mildly undesirable ways. It’s a very refined unit and is almost as easy on the fuel as the official figures suggest, even in the hands of hooligan motoring journalists (who fought tooth and nail over the car on the launch program). In traffic you’ll barely notice it’s not particularly powerful as the seven-speed is well-matched to the engine and keeps you rolling along nicely on the impressive-for-its-size torque figure.

You know it’s a little engine when it wakes up at the traffic lights, though - start-up elicits a cough and a shudder that you’ll feel through the wheel. The low rolling resistance tyres are also a bit iffy, moaning as you change direction at even moderate speeds. Clearly this car isn’t aimed at the enthusiast, but a bit more grip would be welcome. When driving inside the tyres’ modest limits, it’s a very pleasant place to be, though. This car will tempt a few higher-end Japanese or Korean hatch buyers if they can stretch to a couple of options to make it all a bit more comfortable and on gadget parity. You'll really want to add the Comfort Package and smartphone interface to bring yourself up to speed, nudging you ever closer to $40,000.

The 1.4 COD is, as ever, an impressive machine. The torque figure ensures swift, relaxed progress as long as you’re not expecting fireworks and is unobtrusive in operation. There’s little wind or road noise and as a total package, it’s difficult to pick between it and the next model up, the 2.0 TFSI, except you'll have several thousand dollars to spend on options.

There is a big jump in performance between the two, however, and the addition of the sports suspension is now less of a drama. Over the years Audi has ironed out the bone-shaking ride of its sportier suspension tunes. The latest evolution is quiet, composed and a very useful increase in handling ability without surrendering much of the ride quality.

The Quattro is barely quicker or different to drive in most conditions and it’s only when the surface is loose or slippery where you’re going to notice any real difference between the front-wheel drive machines. In the dry it will dole out the torque more efficiently and get you to 100km/h a bit quicker, but it isn’t starkly different to drive unless you’re absolutely caning it. The Quattro is also slightly noisier with fatter tyres and extra moving parts underneath. But, with such a comparatively small distance between the pricing, you’d be mad (or on already the edge with your budget) not to go to the Quattro.

The Cabriolet is still very much a cruiser. In 2.0 TFSI form it's quick and capable but with the roof down, its body feels a little more flexible than a 2 Series drop-top. It is, however, quieter but it's irritating that seat heating and blow-in-your-ear neck heating is an $1170 option (similarly with the BMW).

Our preview drive ran from Berlin in Germany’s east, to Frankfurt, roughly 550km to the south-west.

We had the opportunity to blast down unlimited speed sections of the autobahn network, and take in the twists and turns of high quality B-roads between smaller towns.

Happily, our test car was optioned with a ‘Performance Pack’ which includes removal of the standard 250km/h speed limiter, and inclusion of an upgraded brake system. As it transpired, we used both to full effect.

Thanks in part to standard launch control, Volkswagen claims the Euro-spec Golf R wagon will sprint from 0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds, and despite the slight drop in outputs for the Aussie version, it’s a safe bet the car will still hit triple figures in under five seconds.

That’s properly quick, and the Golf R loses none of its urgency in the transition from hatch to wagon.

With maximum torque available from just 1850rpm, all the way to 5300, forward thrust is strong and unrelenting. In Australia, speeds above 110km/h are irrelevant, unless you’re keen on track days (the multimedia system includes a lap timer) or prison time, but for the record the R wagon is a missile from 110-160km/h.

Beyond that speed power becomes the most important measure, and as the peak comes on stream at 5400rpm the howl from the 2.0-litre turbo (despite synthetic ‘Soundaktor’ enhancement) is exhilarating all the way to the 6800rpm rev ceiling.

We saw an indicated 269km/h, just one km/h shy of VW’s claim, which is big speed for such a small, four-cylinder car, and the wagon remained stable and balanced at all times.

A wayward SUV meandering into the fast lane at just the wrong moment put the performance brake package to the test, and a firm shove on the left pedal at 200km/h-plus did nothing to upset the R’s composure.

Once off the autobahn we played with the adaptive damping and chassis control system, and the shift from ‘Comfort’ to ‘Sport’ mode immediately firmed up the suspension, without obvious benefit in terms of steering response (already good) or body control (well buttoned down).

Step it up to ‘Race’, and throttle response is instantly sharper, the turbo lag that occasionally makes its presence felt in Comfort mode is banished, and already slick shifts from the DSG transmission become eye-blink fast.

Factor in rorty exhaust burps on the way up the ratios, and rude pops and bangs, with more aggressive changes on the way back down, and you have a recipe for backroad blasting fun.

Turn everything back to standard settings, however, and this powerhouse is just as civilised and tractable as its less sports-focused siblings further down the range.

The sports seats remained comfortable and supportive over long stints behind the wheel, the Golf 7.5’s new multimedia set-up is excellent, and the Active Info Display digital instrument set-up is as good as it gets.

While we know the Golf R’s ride is firmer than even its sporty GTI stablemate, it’s hard to make a judgement on overall refinement for this mark 7.5 version, given we’re driving on Germany’s billiard table smooth A-roads.

But in this environment, the drivetrain, steering, and brakes feel brilliant.

On the active safety front, high and low speed AEB is standard, as is the expected array of braking, traction and stability aids including AEB, ABS, EBD, BA, EDL, multi-collision brake, ASR, a tyre pressure indicator, and a rear-view camera. 

For more elaborate systems like blind spot warning and radar cruise control, you’ll need to stump up for an optional safety package ($1300 on the hatch).

Passive safety support includes seven airbags (driver and front passenger head and side, driver’s knee and front and rear curtain). 

There are three top tether points across the back seat, with ISOFIX anchors on the two outer rear positions.

Although the 7.5 upgrade hasn’t been specifically tested by ANCAP, the current Golf scored a maximum five-star rating when it was assessed at launch in early 2013.

The A3 comes with Audi’s three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and three years roadside assist.

Three years/45,000km of servicing can be pre-purchased for around $1700. Covered items are laid out on the website but buyer beware when it comes to “scheduled servicing.” Audi expects to see you once a year or every 15,000km, whichever comes first.

Volkswagen Australia’s new vehicle warranty covers three years/unlimited km, with paint covered for the same period, and the main steel body structure under warranty for no less than 12 years (unlimited km).

Recommended service interval is 12 months/15,000km, with capped price servicing available for six years.