2019 Audi A3 vs Volkswagen Golf

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?

Small, fast, agile, good value and iconic, the 2019 Golf GTI has stayed true to its roots. A fun car to drive which anybody can pilot easily.

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.

The Golf GTI's styling has always been low key and this updated version is no different. But to those that know there are obvious indicators such as the tough body kit, the red pinstripe running through the headlights and grille, and of course, the badges.

As much as I love the Hyundai i30N and Honda Civic Type R for their performance, with their wings and fins they do look a bit silly and immature next to the grown-up Golf GTI.

The GTI’s interior may not be as prestigious as you’d think, but it is outstanding for tech and the cabin design. Leather seats aren’t standard, but as is Golf GTI tradition the Clark tartan cloth upholstery is another indicator to those with their faces pressed up against the glass that this is not a normal Golf.

You can see our test car’s leather seats in the images, along with the 9.2-inch touchscreen with gesture control and the Dynaudio sound system with its speakers in the A-pillars.

The Golf’s dimensions haven’t changed in this update, it’s still just under 4.3m long, 1.8m wide and 1.4m tall. That makes it great for the city where parking spaces can be tight, but does it also mean room inside is limited? Read on to find out.

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.

Concerned the Golf GTI might be too small for you? It depends on how you’re planning to use it. First, in terms of people moving, legroom in the back isn’t huge. I’m 191cm tall and can’t fit behind my driving position, although headroom is excellent. 

So, as long as the people in the back are under six-foot tall, I reckon you’ll have nothing to worry about, unless you plan to carry loads of stuff frequently.

That brings me to the cargo capacity of the boot which at 380 litres is smaller than the Honda Civic Type R’s 414 litres and a litre less than the i30N’s boot space. If you have kids and use a pram, then see if it fits in the boot before you buy. And even if it does, is there room for anything else?
 
If you’re looking for a little family truckster, don’t want an SUV, but do want a Volkswagen, there’s the Golf R wagon which is fast and can carry way more with its 605-litre boot.

Cabin storage in the Golf GTI is good with giant bottle holders in all doors, the centre console bin under the armrest is narrow but deep and the small hidey hole in front of the shifter has one USB port which if you have hands larger than a child is hard to plug into. 

There are two cupholders up front and two in the fold-down armrest in the second row along with air vents back there, too. In the cargo area you’ll find a 12-volt power outlet and another up front next to the driver.

The updated Golf GTI lists for $45,490 (which is a $500 price jump over the previous GTI). I’m guessing you now want to know what’s new on the updated version of the Golf GTI? First the 12.3-inch 'Active Driving Display' (that’s the digital instrument cluster) now comes standard and it not only looks amazing but it’s clear, full of information… and did I say that it looks amazing? 

Next, the 'Driver Assistance Package' (that includes the advanced safety tech) is also now standard. I’ll take you though what’s included in the Safety section below.

Then there’s the rest of the standard features such as the 8.0-inch touchscreen with sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, CD player, there’s auto parking, proximity key, push button start, 18-inch alloys, eight-speaker stereo system, dual-zone climate control, Clark tartan cloth upholstery, LED headlights, adaptive chassis control, front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera and rain sensing wipers.

Our test car had the optional leather seats, which you can see in the images, it also had the optional 9.2-inch touchscreen with gesture control and the Dynaudio sound system (you can see the speakers in the A-pillars).
 
Is it good value? Yes. Rivals such as the Honda Civic Type R is $50,990, the Peugeot 308 GTI matches it with $45,990, while the Hyundai i30N costs up to $42,990.

The price increase on the Golf GTI is only $500 and you’re getting more features – plus you’re getting more grunt and other new go-fast bits. Want to know more? Read on.

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.

The updated Golf GTI doesn’t just get more safety equipment and the virtual instrument cluster, nope, you get more grunt and gears than the previous GTI.
 
The new Golf GTI’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine now makes 11kW more power and 20Nm more torque for a total of 180kW/370Nm.

That output is getting close to the performance king of Golfs – the R (with 213kW/380Nm), and it’s enough to get the GTI from 0-100km/h in 6.2 seconds.

The six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission has also been swapped for a seven-speed version which is in the Golf R. It’s a wet-clutch DSG, not the dry-clutch unit which was the focus of a recall a few years back.

It’s with a heavy heart that I also write that a manual transmission is no longer available in Australia on the Golf GTI, but fortunately the DSG is excellent.

The updated Golf GTI has been given more Golf R hand-me downs in the form of a front and rear ventilated disc brake package.

The Golf GTI has also been gifted a mechanical front differential lock in this update. And while the Golf R is an all-wheel drive, the GTI remains front-wheel drive. 

That’s a darn good upgrade, and you’d be a bit miffed if you’d bought the previous Golf GTI not long before this one arrived.

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.

After driving the Golf GTI away from the race circuit I refuelled and drove it for a week as many would -   doing the daily commute to and from the city in peak hour traffic, picking the boy up from daycare, a decent amount of motorway running, and the occasional blast along my favourite roads. 

So, 283km later I measured the fuel usage at the petrol pump and found the Golf GTI drank 12.1L/100km, which is lower than the 12.3L/100km the trip computer was reporting.

The claimed (combined cycle) fuel economy figure over a combination of open and urban roads is 6.5L/100km. To get fuel economy that low, you’d have to drive conservatively.

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.

Sure, the Golf GTI isn’t as hardcore as its Golf R brother, but that’s also part of its appeal: fast but not furious. This is a hot hatch you can take to a track, put down an impressive performance and then drive to work every day in, do the shopping and pick the kids up in – which is what I did.

I tested the Golf GTI in torrential rain at Luddenham raceway in Sydney and then took it home to spend the week commuting in going nowhere morning and afternoon traffic, with plenty of motorway kays thrown in.

First, the track time. I drove the Golf GTI back-to-back with the Golf R Special Edition and the difference between them in the wet weather was big. The R’s all-wheel drive meant it rarely lost traction and resisted understeer well even on downhill turns with water streaming across the track.
 
The front-wheel drive GTI struggled with the combination of slippery conditions along with me asking a lot of it. The same corners which the R threaded through beautifully, saw the GTI at the same speed get a little out of shape an instant before the traction control light flickered and order was restored.

This just meant having to drive the GTI a bit differently, I couldn’t hold the same speed through corners as the R and when it came to the main straight the power difference between the two was stark. The R can throw itself from 0-100km/h almost 1.5 seconds faster than the GTI at 4.8 seconds. 

Still, the GTI felt quick, and so did the seven-speed dual clutch, which in Sport mode climbs hard and fast up through the gears and instinctively knows when to shift down.

The lowered sports suspension is excellent with the body kept flat and controlled. Under brakes the GTI remained composed, pulling up straight and up fast – even on that greasy wet track.

I then drove the Golf GTI home and as the roads dried out, was reminded why the hatch is so popular – it’s a car which quickly felt as though it’d become an extension of my own body. From the seats which hugged me (but not too tight) and the steering which feels just right, to the pedals perfectly placed under my feet and the response from the turbo four which was strong and always there. 

Like wearing a suit, you could turn, move, change lanes and steam ahead quickly without any effort, all with great visibility thanks to the big windows and well-designed pillars.

The Golf GTI sounds great. In Sport mode the exhaust note is low and tough. Blip the throttle and it barks beautifully, but not as viciously as the Golf R Special Edition.

The GTI we tested rolled on 19-inch wheels shod with 225/35 Pirelli P Zero rubber, and despite those super-low profile tyres the ride was comfortable, even on Sydney’s poor excuse for roads.

A special note about the auto parking. I know it’s been around a while, but in my street where everybody seems angry it’s brilliant. The system finds you a space and then parks itself quicker and more perfectly than I reckon most people ever could.

The Golf GTI scored the maximum five-star ANCAP rating when it was tested in 2013, but as part of the 2019 update the Driver Assistance Package was made part of the standard equipment list on the Golf GTI.
 
The advanced safety tech onboard is impressive and includes blind spot warning and rear cross traffic alert, city AEB with pedestrian detection, lane keeping assistance, plus front and rear manoeuvre braking.

That’s along with a reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors.

For child seats there are two ISOFIX mounts in the second row and three top tether anchor points. We had one car seat in the back for my four-year-old which was simple to install and he found it easy to climb in and out, thanks to those tall doors and low ride height.

Looking for the spare wheel? It’s under the boot floor and it’s a skinny space saver. 

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 Golf GTI is covered by Volkswagen’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. Servicing is recommended every 15,000km or 12 months. You can expect to pay $377 for the first service, $572 for the second, $464 for the third, $1160 for the next and then $377 for the fifth.