Ok so this week I have been presented with a "12" plate A3 1.6 tdi. I was relatively happy when I got the keys as i've not driven an A3 for what is literally years - was hoping it would be the new shape though (are they even officially released yet?) and not a 1.6 tdi but it's a hire car at the end of the day.
I've always had a bit of a soft spot for the A3. Yes it's an old design and I would therefore never, ever spend the kind of cash Audi would want for one this age but there's a lot to like as a used prospect.
The car is a 5 door (sportback) so has quite a decent boot, rear space looks ok and it appears to be an SE so has climate, bluetooth, voice command but no DAB radio and oddly no cruise. The A3 still looks nice inside despite being released what, 9/10 years ago? Everything is nicely weighted and from decent materials - more importantly it's clean and tidy looking overall, no mish mash of many buttons and wildly inappropriate trim colour / materials that everyone else seems to have jumped on.
The seats are perfectly supportive and adjustable enough, it also rides well imo - better than the usual focus econetic that I seem to get. Steering is rubbish, far too light at low speed and just feels like you're using a console wheel on the move. This used to be an area that the likes of the focus (which used to be far better for weight, whilst still feeling artificial) stood out when compared to a supposed premium competitor (of sorts) like the audi. The ford has let itself down with the latest iteration, it's just as overly light and useless. The 1 series is far better in this respect.
Handling is as it always has been - tidy enough without being noticeably good.
The engine......I hate the vag 1.6 tdi, always have and always will. I will concede this one is far better than the last I drove (mk6 golf), that car bogged down very easily when pulling away, which apart from being frustrating was also borderline dangerous. None of those issues here but it's just such a weedy, pathetic little thing even compared to the old 1.9. Ok it's far more refined but it's just rubbish to punt along the road. It's also returning a claimed 47mpg at the moment - I achieve that in a 180bhp 2.2 diseasel with the same driving. The 1.4tsi is a vastly better engine and one that i'd bet can achieve low 40's mpg too. I really can't see why anyone (who isn't forced into it by co car choices etc) would choose this engine.
It's interesting to see how the "old" A3 compares to the relatively new cars like the focus / astra - they've all come (down in the case of the focus) into line with the way the A3 has driven for years which is interesting, if a bit disappointing. It makes even this iteration fo A3 feel quite fresh, which is something I didn't expect to be saying.
Compared to the "old" 116d (not driven the new one, nor do I ever want to given the way it looks) I could never live with this engine over the BMW, which I've found perfectly adequate in the past - but the audi is a far more usable car for anyone who needs to stick things / people in the rear. It's also nicer inside, though the facelifted 1 series is hardly horrible. I don't suppose there are many direct comparisons between the two when looking at decent engines - the 2 litre tfsi has what, 200bhp give or take whilst the 120 is down at around 170 - you're then jumping up to the 130i at 260ish bhp which is in another performance league again really before you even start to consider the fwd/rwd factor.
I could definitely live with a 5 door 2.0 tfsi (with some roof rails please) if it was cheaper than the equivalent GTI - a good balance between power and economy imo whilst being reasonably reliable.
(No real reason for the ramblings above other than killing the time it's taken for my files to copy across network drives....result!)
I've always had a bit of a soft spot for the A3. Yes it's an old design and I would therefore never, ever spend the kind of cash Audi would want for one this age but there's a lot to like as a used prospect.
The car is a 5 door (sportback) so has quite a decent boot, rear space looks ok and it appears to be an SE so has climate, bluetooth, voice command but no DAB radio and oddly no cruise. The A3 still looks nice inside despite being released what, 9/10 years ago? Everything is nicely weighted and from decent materials - more importantly it's clean and tidy looking overall, no mish mash of many buttons and wildly inappropriate trim colour / materials that everyone else seems to have jumped on.
The seats are perfectly supportive and adjustable enough, it also rides well imo - better than the usual focus econetic that I seem to get. Steering is rubbish, far too light at low speed and just feels like you're using a console wheel on the move. This used to be an area that the likes of the focus (which used to be far better for weight, whilst still feeling artificial) stood out when compared to a supposed premium competitor (of sorts) like the audi. The ford has let itself down with the latest iteration, it's just as overly light and useless. The 1 series is far better in this respect.
Handling is as it always has been - tidy enough without being noticeably good.
The engine......I hate the vag 1.6 tdi, always have and always will. I will concede this one is far better than the last I drove (mk6 golf), that car bogged down very easily when pulling away, which apart from being frustrating was also borderline dangerous. None of those issues here but it's just such a weedy, pathetic little thing even compared to the old 1.9. Ok it's far more refined but it's just rubbish to punt along the road. It's also returning a claimed 47mpg at the moment - I achieve that in a 180bhp 2.2 diseasel with the same driving. The 1.4tsi is a vastly better engine and one that i'd bet can achieve low 40's mpg too. I really can't see why anyone (who isn't forced into it by co car choices etc) would choose this engine.
It's interesting to see how the "old" A3 compares to the relatively new cars like the focus / astra - they've all come (down in the case of the focus) into line with the way the A3 has driven for years which is interesting, if a bit disappointing. It makes even this iteration fo A3 feel quite fresh, which is something I didn't expect to be saying.
Compared to the "old" 116d (not driven the new one, nor do I ever want to given the way it looks) I could never live with this engine over the BMW, which I've found perfectly adequate in the past - but the audi is a far more usable car for anyone who needs to stick things / people in the rear. It's also nicer inside, though the facelifted 1 series is hardly horrible. I don't suppose there are many direct comparisons between the two when looking at decent engines - the 2 litre tfsi has what, 200bhp give or take whilst the 120 is down at around 170 - you're then jumping up to the 130i at 260ish bhp which is in another performance league again really before you even start to consider the fwd/rwd factor.
I could definitely live with a 5 door 2.0 tfsi (with some roof rails please) if it was cheaper than the equivalent GTI - a good balance between power and economy imo whilst being reasonably reliable.
(No real reason for the ramblings above other than killing the time it's taken for my files to copy across network drives....result!)
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