Ingolstadt’s Bootylicious Hit

2014 Audi A3 Sedan 1.8 TFSI Review

You’ve got to hand it to the Germans, they know how to make cars. In fact, in many ways it seems that’s the only thing the Germans are good at. Their European neighbours such as France and Italy have well known film and cultural influences on the rest of the world. Hell, even Belgium contributed to the better good of the world with its waffles. But for Germany, its the cars. And lately I’ve been driving what I think best represents why German cars are loved by pretty much everyone in the world.

I’ll be honest, I’ve never really lusted after small Audis. They’re cars I like, cars I respect. Like many people I just thought of them as posh VWs, much in the same way as Lexuses were just fancy Toyotas. But after the company introduced the likes of the S1 and new A3 my interest in small Audis grew. Then after driving the likes of the A6 Allroad, R8 and most recently the new A3 Sedan, suddenly I understood why Audis are so desirable. They’re far more than what they appear to be.

First a background to the A3. First launched in 1996 this was the first true ‘premium hatch’. Mercedes came along in 1998 with the A-Class but that looked more like a squashed van than a hatch. BMW offered the 1-Series in 2005 but it was too late. By then Audi had launched the second generation A3 and built up a loyal following. The third generation was launched in 2012 and for the first time ever in A3 history, the sedan followed in 2013.

You might be wondering why do a sedan version of the A3? Surely the traditional Sportback body shape is good enough and if people want a four door Audi they could opt for the A4. Well the A4 actually played a key role in the decision for the A3 Sedan. It seems the as modern cars grew some people found the A4 too big for them. At 4456mm long the A3 Sedan is roughly the same length as the A4 a decade or so ago. So as the rest of Audi’s range gets bigger, more models in the lower end of the Audi family can be introduced.

I think Audi have done a great job adding a boot to the A3. When I first saw photos online I was adamant about the styling, I thought it looked a bit like adding a backpack. But in the metal it really works. I’m not the only one who thinks so. People would give it a second look as I drove by and you can see them slowly turning green with envy. It’s a desirable car and to my eyes more attractive than the bigger A4. While no longer a Sportback, the sedan has quite a sexy back. Compared to its closed rival, the Mercedes-Benz CLA, its more of a conventional sedan. It’s slightly shorter than the CLA too.

Customer tastes had a lot to do with as well. North America and Asia still have a preference to sedan body shapes, and we know how important Asia is to Audi. China in particular, which is now Audi’s biggest market. The A3 Sedan will sell well over there. But that doesn’t mean it won’t be a success in the rest of the world.

It’s a great car. It uses Volkswagen-Audi Group’s new MQB platform. The VAG invested hundreds of millions developing this new platform which will underpin everything from small hatches to mid-sized SUVs. More importantly it’ll be the same platform used in the new TT so in my mind I was driving the prequel to the TT. And I’m happy to report it’s a great bit of engineering. If the A3 is anything to go by then the future of VAG products are in good hands and the upcoming TT will be brilliant.

The test car I had was the 1.8 TFSI. Powering it was a very eager turbocharged 1800cc direct-injection four cylinder petrol with a potent 180bhp and 250NM of torque send it all to the front wheels. The power delivery is good, these small capacity turbos never fail to impress me. At first, under heavy acceleration, you do get the smallest amount of lag but once you get to its stride there’s no stoping it. It’s the torque figure that really stands out though. Max torque is available from 1250-5000rpm and its a very linear torque curve. As you go up the rev range you’re rewarded with a nice noise from the twin-exhausts as well which had more than a whiff of rally car to it.

Leave the 7-speed S-Tronic dual clutch gearbox to its own devices and it’ll get you through the torque and power range smoothly. However, stick into manual and ‘Dynamic’ in the Drive Select function and within seconds I guarantee you’ll understand why DCTs are the future. The gear changes were instant. I tried to predict when the gear changes happened but it was always too late, they’d already happened. Its lightning quick and imagine what the consequences would’ve been like if the Messerschmitts had then!

You see people in online forums claiming DCTs, particularly VAG’s ones, to be jerky in town and whatnot. Nonsense. The S-Tronic system in the A3 was so smooth you could perform laser eye surgery with it. It really shines off the line. 0-100 kph is a claimed 7.3 seconds which is impressive for a 1.8. That’s partly due to the DCT. Then there’s the fuel consumption benefits. Audi claims a combined 5.6L/100km and from my test drive around urban environments I’d believe that. I averaged 10L/100km which is respectable for the conditions it was in. It’s a mighty impressive gearbox this. I’d forgotten just how good a decent DCT can be. The last one I drove was in the new Renault Clio and it’s no match for the Audi. That felt like a learner driver was changing gears whereas Walter Rohl was doing it in the Audi.

To drive, it’s much like the rest of the car; solid, composed and grown up. It wasn’t designed to be a sports car. But with the S-Line package equipped its certainly felt like a car that didn’t mind getting chucked around. This is where the MQB platform really impressed me. Audis of old tended to suffer from understeer when pushed hard through corners. I didn’t get any of that in the new A3. What I did feel was in control. It didn’t do anything I didn’t want it to or anything unexpected. The electric-assisted power steering didn’t quite offer the same feedback as a traditional hydraulic system but as far as these electric steering systems go it was fairly good. It gave decent feedback and has a nice weighty feel in Dynamic mode. The relatively low weight (1250kgs) and compact dimensions meant it was easy to place the car where you wanted on the road.

I took it around the same roads I took the Mazda3 and while they’re in very different classes I could help but compare the two as they had similar numbers. But on the exact same roads and exact same conditions I felt that the Audi was the more composed vehicle. You could feel the depth of engineering that went into the Audi. There were some less than autobahn-smooth surfaces on the roads but the A3 didn’t move around as much as the Mazda. It just took it in its stride and kept on doing its job. This was only the front-wheel drive version remember, the quattro versions would be more surefooted.

Then there’s the ride. Depending on which Drive Select mode you’ve got it in it can be smooth and cosseting or firm and sporty. Efficiency and Comfort makes everything soft and laid back, the steering becomes lighter and a best friend around town. Auto lets the car’s computer brain sort itself out adjusting to driving and road styles. Dynamic makes everything more meaty and angry, like a Pamplona beef stew. Individual is as the name suggests, Individual so you can personalise anything from the throttle response, gear changes and steering feel. I found myself keeping it in Auto mode most of the time.

An optional extra that was fitted was the S-Line package ($5k) which brings sportier 18″ wheels, sports bodykit and sports suspension. The trade off for the sports suspension is sports ride. It was a bit firm but I never found it uncomfortable. Those of a slightly older age might think otherwise. Personally, I’d go for this option. It gives the A3 an extra styling edge and adds to the driving experience.

While the driving experience is all well and fine most buyers won’t really put that as a priority. The fact that it can be chucked around without crashing is a bonus. No, for me the best thing about the A3 is the interior. It’s a class act from Audi. Their interiors are always so beautiful, not just in terms of design but also the materials used. You’ve got soft touch plastics everywhere and I do mean everywhere. There’s no inconsistent use of materials here. It just feels as premium as it looks.

There are great little styling touches as well. The flat bottomed steering wheel made me feel like I was in something a bit special and its a fantastic thing to hold. The air conditioning vents are very cool and the rotary dial for the MMI system is big, chunky and feels expensive. Then there’s the MMI screen which rises from the dash in a way that’d get fans of sci-fi all giddy. But that’s after they press the button to raise which is located along the centre console in a similar fashion to the toggle switches in Lamborghinis. To use, Audi’s MMI interface is one of the best systems out there. The quick jump menu buttons around the control dial makes it convenient to go directly to the important stuff such as media and satnav. The display is nice and clear and isn’t distracting while the 3D sat nav is absolutely gorgeous.

Everything you touch just feels right. I cannot stress enough how great it was fingering all the buttons. The indicator and wiper stalks were quite possibly had the best damping I’ve felt. You really do feel like you’ve gotten what you paid for. The interior is top notch and felt similar to its bigger brothers. I’d go as far to say its the best in class. The only let down were the seats. They were in a nice leather/cloth mix and looked good. It’s just a bit weird being in a $62,000 car that didn’t have full leather seats though. And no electric adjustment either. You had to move the seats manually. But they were comfortable. Space inside is good but I did find myself wanting a bit more headroom in the back. Legroom was fine though and at least the middle seat is usable. The boot is a nice size too, at 425L its bigger than the A3 Sportback by 45L.

There were a couple of things I wasn’t so keen on. First the lack of an actual USB jack was a bit of a surprise. You’ve got the CD changer and SD card slots in the glovebox and a little socket for the Audi Music Interface but no actual USB port. Yes, the stereo was Bluetooth-enabled but its just something I found odd. Visibility out the back windscreen is a bit small but that’s what the reversing camera is for and actually parking it was very easy. The headroom in the back was a bit disappointing and I’m not that tall. Then there’s the options list. This is an issue for most German cars so its unfair to single out the A3 for this. Just be careful as if you get carried away you’ll soon find yourself edging close to the segment above. I mean come on Audi, make LED daytime running light standard on all your cars. Its one of the most distinctive and best things you do and transforms the look of the car.

That said, standard equipment is quite generous (for a German car) so there really isn’t much need to dive into the options list anyway. The $62,000 starting price for the 1.8TFSI is identical to the 2.0TDI variant which shows Audi’s commitment to diesel power. NZ buyers are quickly adopting to diesels and the likes of Audi’s TDI engines are part of the reason for this shift. Price wise the A3 Sedan fits in between the equivalent A3 Sportback ($7,000 more) and 1.8TFSI A4 ($7,000 less). The A3 Sedan does come with more standard equipment than the Sportback and for $7,000 you could have a very well specced A3 for the same price as a base A4. As standard, the A3 Sedan gets 17″ alloys; Audi Drive Select; MMI with a 5.8″ screen complete with sat nav and reversing camera; Bluetooth and Audi Music Interface capable 6-speaker audio; parking sensors, stop/start and a smorgasbord of safety acronyms such as ESC, EBA, EBD, EDL and 5-star EuroNCAP rating.

As capable as the A3, and it is very capable, it never really put a Cheshire Cat smile on my face. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a brilliant car. It does everything it was designed to without flaw. But perhaps its too brilliant, too grown up. There’s something intangible missing. I was hoping it was more of a more youthful driving experience but it just felt like an A6. Or maybe I was asking too much from it. It’s not like the A3 Sedan was made to be thrashed around the Nuburgring. No, that’s the job of the S3 Sedan and I’m sure in that I’d be grinning non stop.

In many ways the A3 Sedan is like a suit. 99% of the time it’s stylish and ready for business. But like a suit, despite it not being designed for bare bones fun, its still possible to enjoy yourself in it. Its a mature sort of car. At this price range if you’re after a hooligan-mobile there are many choices, so if you’re looking at the A3 Sedan you’re probably not expecting a heartbeat raiser. What you’re probably looking for is a baby A8 and at that the A3 is second to none. I think it looks great and to my eyes better than the A4. The interior is class leading and justifies the asking price. The fact that its not too shabby to drive is an added bonus. It offers buyers the same sort of experience you’d get in bigger Audis for a lot less. How can you argue with that?

There’s no escaping the CLA as well as it is the closest rival to the A3. While the CLA is a bit pricier and a bit bigger, the equivalent CLA200 isn’t as powerful or as quick as the 1.8TFSI. The DCT in the Merc isn’t as impressive as the S-Tronic in the Audi either and the interior isn’t as beautifully made. Then there’s the A4. I still maintain that if you want a small engined Audi four door for around $70,000 then a well optioned A3 would be a better bet than a base A4. The MQB platform is a standout and the interior of the A3 looks and feels more contemporary than the 6 year old design in the A4.

For most people though the A3 Sedan covers all the bases. Before driving the A3 I would’ve dismissed it as merely a tarted up Golf. But its far, far more than that. This the typical example of German engineering bringing together all their know how to create an annoyingly near faultless product. The interior is a world away from the VW Golf and indeed all its competitors, the styling is sharp and there’s no denying the desirability of the four rings. Right now Audi’s cars are as desirable as an organic app on a smartphone that also twerks. As a starting point to the Audi brand, and many buyers of the A3 will be first time Audi buyers, it doesn’t get better. And for those downsizing from farther up the Audi family won’t feel shortchanged.

Verdict: 8/10
Pros: Styling, S-Tronic gearbox, range of abilities, lively engine, safe and composed dynamics, practical, just the right size, Audi kudos, desirability
Cons: Not as engaging as other in this price range, pricey options
A high recommendable car, Audi’s baby sedan is as desirable as it is capable. If you like you should put four rings on it.