Overview The sensible compact luxury sedan from Germany
Pros Excellent interior, decent price, Quattro all-wheel-drive
Cons In this model, not much. The TDI version, though, should come with Quattro. Major faux pas
Value for money Excellent for this segment, but it’s still a lot of money for what remains a small car
What would I change? I suppose I could want a more expressive exterior or a little more communication from the steering wheel, but that would be me working hard at finding gripes
How would I spec it? Exactly like this one unless Audi Canada is going to start bringing in an all-wheel-drive version of the TDI
If you want an object lesson in why Audi, once the odd man out in the Teutonic luxury car triumvirate, is quickly moving up the sales charts — outpacing Mercedes-Benz already and within spitting distance of BMW — look no further than the new baby-faced A3 sedan. Indeed, it is a measure of the efficiencies of the Volkswagen Group’s reliance on high-volume platforms — the A3 is built on the same MQB underpinnings as Volkswagen’s new Golf, amongst others — that the least expensive car in Audi’s lineup shares many of the same attributes that make its topline sedans so popular. In fact, one would have to say that, while both BMW’s 2 Series and Mercedes-Benz’s CLA are more established than the A3 — up until this latest generation, the A3 was a lowly hatchback — it is the Audi that is the best car in the small luxury segment.
2015 Audi A3 Quattro Technik
Chris Balcerak, Driving
Compared with the CLA, for instance, the A3’s interior feels positively Rolls-Royce-like. Where the Merc’s interior looks like it was liberated from a B-Class taxi (in Germany, Mercedes, all the way up to the S-Class, are the favoured ride of cabbies), the A3 is built with rich materials and enough luxury items that it doesn’t have to apologize for being the cheapest thing in its lineup. The way the navigation system dips into the dashboard and hides out of sight is impressive. The way the vent controls are industrial-designed for easier use is ingenious. And the new MMA controller and its surrounding switchgear is pure elegance. There are less toys in and A3 than in an A6 or A8, but those that are included are magnificently executed. The 2 Series and the CLA simply can’t match the Audi’s interior, the décor and materials alone being reason enough to shop Audi rather than BMW or Benz.
Room and comfort, not a strong suit for any of the competitors in this segment, is adequate, the front seat passengers hardly noticing the car’s diminutive size, while those in the rear seats are always aware. If there is a downside to Audi’s conversion of the A3 from a quirky hatch to a mainstream sedan, it is that the sedan needs a few more millimetres of rear seat headroom. A five-door hatch, as efficient as it may be, was never going to gain traction in North America and the A3 is no worse than its competitors. If you’re shopping for spaciousness at this price point, you’re not shopping Audi, BMW or Mercedes or anything in the compact luxury segment, for that matter.
2015 Audi A3 Quattro Technik
Chris Balcerak, Driving
The A3’s mechanicals back up the interior’s initial good impression. Audi’s 2.0-litre TFSI is the best turbocharged four-cylinder in the land, its 220 horsepower more than enough to scoot the A3 along with elan. The 2.0L, the best engine VW Group produces, is also a model of sophistication, smooth, quiet and nary a harsh vibration that is so common to lesser four-cylinder engines. Mated to a six-speed S tronic transmission, it is the best of the four-cylinder luxury set until you plop the $50,000+ required for the Mercedes’ AMG CLA45. Expect acceleration to 100 kilometres an hour in the six-second range and passing semis is a doddle thanks to its 258 pound-feet of torque and that quick-shifting dual-clutch manumatic. Of course, the BMW 235’s turbocharged six is the sweetest engine this side of a V12, but the 228’s four is a tractor in comparison. Ditto for the CLA 250. As far as entry-level small four-cylinder engines go, Audi’s 2.0T is the best.
It’s worth noting, however, that there’s also a new 170-hp, 1.8L version available for the A3 and, though it lacks a bit of the confidence the 2.0L projects, it’s not half bad. Audi Canada also has a new 2.0L turbodiesel in the A3’s portfolio, but it is only offered in front-wheel-drive guise; the TDI’s lack of Quattro AWD is definitely the biggest fault in the A3’s lineup.
Indeed, Quattro remains one of the A3’s calling cards, Audi’s all-wheel-drive system offering a slight rearward torque bias for more traditional handling (note, however, that the 1.8L is a front-driver, Audi forcing you to move up to the 2.0L if you want Quattro). The base A3 doesn’t steer with quite the same precision as the 2 Series (few cars do) or the AMG, but it’s a tad ahead of the base CLA 250. Quattro, one of the more sophisticated AWD systems available, is a huge boon here in the Great White Frozen North, especially in a winter like the one that (hasn’t quite) just passed. The A3’s combination of 2.0L turbocharged engine, six-speed transmission and Quattro might not be the sportiest combination on wheels, but it is the most cost-effective way into all-wheel-drive if you’re shopping German luxury.
The A3 is probably the cheapest way to get a taste of the hedonism that is supposed to be the German luxury car’s calling card. Not as sweet handling as the BMW nor as rapid — even in the 290-hp S3 version — as the CLA 45 AMG, the A3 2.0 TFSI is still the most attractive of the AWD entry-level luxury sedans Germany has to offer.
2015 Audi A3 Quattro Technik
Chris Balcerak, Driving
The Specs
Type of vehicle All-wheel-drive compact luxury sedan
Engine 2.0L DOHC turbocharged four-cylinder
Power 220 hp @ 4,500 to 6,200 rpm; 258 lb.-ft. of torque @ 1,600 to 4,400 rpm
Transmission Six-speed dual-clutch S tronic
Brakes Four-wheel disc with ABS
Tires 225/40R18
Price (base/as tested) $43,300/$45,100
Destination charge $2,095
Natural Resources Canada fuel economy (L/100 km) 9.8 city, 7.2 highway
Standard features Power door locks, windows and power mirrors, dual-zone electronically-controlled air conditioning with micron air filter, Bang & Olufsen AM/FM/CD player with 14 speakers, SIRIUS satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity, Audi MMI with navigation system and Touch hand-writing recognition, Multifunction steering wheel controls, adaptive cruise control, information display, rearview camera, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, 8-way adjustable leather front seats, heated front seats, auto headlights, dual front air bags, dual front side air bags, dual rear side air bags, side curtain air bags
