Audi has redesigned the Audi A3 for the 2015 model year, focusing on a sedan variant for this generation. From the outside, the recast A3 is almost indistinguishable from its more expensive A4 sibling. It’s a handsome car with traditional Audi styling cues, just rendered a little smaller. The A3 competes with other entry-level luxury cars, such as the Mercedes-Benz CLA. But unlike the disappointing CLA, the A3 is fairly representative of the brand experience.
There are three four-cylinder engines available: the base 1.8T, 2.0 TDI (diesel), and 2.0T. Front-wheel drive is standard, with optional Quattro all-wheel drive. Starting at $29,900, bi-xenon headlights, leather, and panoramic sunroof are standard equipment on all trims. The hatchback will return with a choice of diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains. The rented press car we sampled has a sticker price of $37,195, and it is equipped with the 220 horsepower, 2.0-liter turbo engine, Quattro, navigation, upgraded voice control, heated seats, aluminum style pack, and iPod interface cable.
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If you’ve driven any recent Audis, the A3 delivers a familiar experience, with a firm-yet-compliant ride, agile handling, and ample oomph from the turbo engine. In the A3, it’s coupled to a well-behaved automated manual. My only wish is that the A3 was available in a true stick shift. The engine is similar to the one in the Volkswagen Jetta GLI we tested a couple of years ago. In mixed driving, the trip computer shows us getting about 28 mpg.
A compact car, the A3 shares a platform with the coming new Volkswagen Golf. The cabin is roomy enough for four passengers and the front seats are very comfortable, but the back seat is rather tight.
Interior quality is good, but some materials are hard plastic, like those more typically found in VWs. Reminiscent of the Audi TT, the vents are now surrounded by large circular metal bezels that can be twisted to open and close them—a nice touch.
Audi’s multimedia interface is about the same as it has been for years. It’s nice that the screen stores in the dash and is completely hidden from view when the car is off or if you choose to turn the system off. Some switches have replaced buttons; I like that change but it’s mostly superficial. The one thing that hasn’t changed and should is that the dial scrolls backward when you're trying to select a radio station or a phone contact on screen. You would assume that turning the wheel clockwise would move the selector down and counter-clockwise would move it up, but that’s not the case. The operation is just the opposite, making the selector counterintuitive. Too bad Audi still doesn’t provide USB ports and insists on using a proprietary music interface plug, which requires having a different dongle for each plug type.
The A3 is a genuine Audi, in a small package. It is meant to attract younger buyers whom the Audi brand has passed by due to an escalating entry price.
The A3 is just hitting dealerships now. Stay tuned as we test our own car in the weeks ahead.
—Mike Leung
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