Premium car in a compact size.

Introduction

The Audi A3 is a practical, compact hatchback, but it feels upscale, like a scaled down A4. Sales of the A3 sales are modest here in the U.S., but Audi has sold 1.5 million A3s worldwide. It's earned accolades for its high levels of technology and sporty driving dynamics. 

The A3 2.0T is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder driving the front wheels, while the A3 3.2 Quattro carries a 3.2-liter six-cylinder engine that drives all four wheels. 

The A3 is an example of the exquisite sensibilities in design and use of materials that distinguishes the contemporary Audi. It will take more than just high fuel prices for U.S. buyers to look for their sporty utility in smaller vehicles, but we like the A3 for its combination of open-road dynamism, long-haul friendliness, around-town usefulness and fuel economy. 

We found the front-drive A3 2.0 T offers superb balance and excellent throttle response that make for a convincing sports car when the road is right. Inside, the A3 Sportback is roomy and versatile, blending pleasing materials with logical controls and highly legible readouts. 

There are few changes to the five-door hatchback for 2007. For now at least, all A3 models come to the U.S. in the Sportback five-door hatchback body style, though other body styles are available in Europe. 

Lineup

The Audi A3 2.0T is front-wheel drive and powered by the heralded 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, rated at 200 horsepower. Two transmissions are available: a standard six-speed manual or optional Direct Shift Gearbox (DGS) automatic. The A3 3.2 Quattro has all-wheel drive and a 250-hp 3.2-liter V6. 

The A3 2.0T is available in three trim levels, 2.0T, 2.0T S line, and 2.0T Premium. In line with the A3's near-luxury market placement, there's no dearth of appropriate amenities. The base A3 2.0 T ($24,620) comes standard with automatic climate control with pollen filter and sun sensor; cloth upholstery; tilt and telescoping adjustable steering column; 10-speaker 140-watt stereo with satellite prep; central locking with remote keyless entry; power windows; electronic cruise control; anti-theft vehicle alarm; two cup holders in the center console; and vanity mirrors in the sunvisors. 

Designed to be as much sporty driver's car as well-tailored transportation module, the A3 comes standard with upmarket technologies. These include a sophisticated multi-link rear suspension; an electronic stability program (ESP); standard full-time traction control (ASR); ABS with an electronic differential lock (EDL); Servotronic electro-mechanical steering; and 17-inch alloys with all-season radials. Low-profile 225/45 performance radials are a no-cost option. These elements all contribute to a persona that begs for tight, winding mountain roads, thrives in the slice-and-dice of urban traffic and quietly relieves the tedium of commuter slogs. 

Safety features that come standard include front and side-impact airbags for the front-seat passengers. All five seating positions get three-point belts with automatic pre-tensioners and an adjustable headrest; the front seat belts feature height adjustment, automatic pre-tensioners and belt-force limiters. 

The new for '07 A3 S line package ($2,200) features a more aggressive treatment to the nose and tail as well as 16-spoke bi-color alloy wheels wrapped with 17-inch all-season radials, sport-tuned shocks and stiffer springs to tighten up the handling. Distinctive exterior touches includes a roof spoiler, front fog lamps, front grille and side moldings with S line badge, brushed aluminum beltline trim and S line front and rear bumpers. Leather seating surfaces, aluminum door sills with S line logo, a trip computer, and sport seats with manual height adjustment upgrade the interior along with illuminated vanity mirrors; alloy inlays and trim; aluminum door sill trim with the Audi logo; a three-spoke multi-function sport steering wheel; and alloy shift paddles on cars with the DSG transmission. 

The revised 2.0T Premium package ($1,650) gets leather seating surfaces; specific 16-spoke silver alloy wheels with 17-inch all-season radials; a storage package; trip computer; illumination package; power front driver's seat with four-way power lumbar adjustment; multifunction three-spoke sport steering wheel; alloy shift paddles on cars with DSG; aluminum beltline trim; and front fog lights. 

Option packages include an Audio Package ($1,350) with Bose electronics, an in-dash six-disc CD changer and Sirius satellite radio; a Cold Weather group ($700) with heated front seats, ski sack, heated windshield washer nozzles and heated exterior mirrors. A new Technology Package ($1,500) offers a light/rain sensor; auto-dimming interior mirror; Bluetooth phone prep; and bi-xenon headlights with an Adaptive Front Lighting system. The Audi Navigation Plus package ($3,300) includes the content of the Audio Package in addition to the navigation system. Stand-alone options include an Open Sky sunroof ($1,100); rear side airbags ($350); and a stereo upgrade ($350). Separate pearl effect or metallic finishes are available ($450) as well as sold-order only paint finishes ($750). 

The A3 3.2 Quattro ($33,260) comes in just one configuration: a 3.2-liter 250-horsepower six-cylinder engine. 

Walkaround

A compact five-door hatchback can't be a car designer's favorite project. There's only so much that can be done to fit all those doors on a short wheelbase, but Audi stylists have done a good job of it. In profile, the downward, coupe-esque sweep of the roofline is supported by a strong shoulder line that joins front, side and rear of the car and leads the eye to the strong haunches, all of which makes it appear as though the car is launching forward, springing into action. 

The front end is particularly distinctive, again projecting a sense of forward motion. Audi's current family-look single-frame grille is flanked by canted headlamp clusters (forming a determined frown) and prominent lower intake grilles. It's an aggressive nose but doesn't overly dominate the design, as the eye gets drawn along the distinct shoulder line, which also forms a visual tension with the sloping roof, while bodyside molding and deeply creased lower side panels break up the large door areas into pieces of a well-crafted puzzle. 

Wraparound taillamp clusters accentuate the broad sweep of the car's butt. They also give the shoulder line a 'take-off' point that makes it look like a small spoiler has been integrated into the hatch just below the window line. Very sporty, as is the pair of bright exhaust tips not so bashfully protruding from below the bumper. 

Reflecting recent Audi styling, the A3 is understated and elegant. Its masterly crafted panels fit just right, the paint is exquisite, and there's an overall expensive look to it that contradicts the usual expectations from a small, affordable car. 

Interior

The Audi A3 offers a fine combination of utility and comfort, and our first impression inside is its upscale feel. Even the base package, with cloth seats, exudes a high quality of workmanship. Most materials are pleasing, though the dash material is not the best. The cockpit is a paragon of applied ergonomic science, with logical placement of controls and highly legible read-outs. 

To evoke the feel of driving a sports car, the seating position is placed low in relation to the high and wide console. The standard seats are okay but are too short in the thigh, and we like more lateral support, too. The leather seats are very nice front and rear. Legroom is adequate front and rear. The back seats are quite comfortable, more supportive than the front seats on many compacts, but the slope of the roof means tall passengers may find rear headroom compromised. 

The point of a five-door hatchback, of course, is the versatility of the interior. For starters, the luggage area can be increased by folding flat the split rear seatbacks. Indeed, the rear seats flip down easy. This does not result in a perfectly flat cargo area, but this isn't usually an issue. Several package options are available to augment the trunk's utility, including a ski sack that can hold six pairs of slats. An optional roof rack is available in a choice of several different configurations depending on the intended use. 

The wide doors make it easy to climb in and out. We found it a bit too easy to hit the panic button on the remote key fob. Audi's use of flush-fitting door hands means they aren't as easy to grab as the handles on BMWs and other cars and can snap away from your fingers when in a hurry. The seatbelt alarm goes off whenever the car is running, annoying when sitting in a parking lot. 

The Open Sky dual sunroof option is very cool. Only the front of the two glass panels opens. Both have retractable sunshades, but the mesh covers let too much light in for our taste. We believe in letting the sun shine in, but not on glaring days when it distracts from driving. 

Driving Impression

Driving the Audi A3 models over hill and dale is where the story gets exciting. The intercooled 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder is everything a small displacement performance engine should be, while the six-cylinder 3.2-liter engine is smoothly powerful and yields little in the way of go power to the turbocharged engine. The A3 suspensions are refined beyond the car's price or class and provide both sporty handling and refined ride quality. And the Quattro all-wheel-drive system is ideal both for owners who must brave the ice and snow of winter and also for those who like to get the most out of their machines when the roads are twisty and dry. 

Officially called the 2.0T FSI, the turbo's 200 horsepower is underscored by a sidewall-rippling 210 pound-feet of torque, the latter delivered across a wide sweep of the tach needle from 1800 to 5000 rpm, making the two-liter feel as though it had a bunch more cubic inches grafted onto it somewhere. Yet, it's remarkably easy on fuel. Preliminary estimates of the A3's fuel economy were about 24 miles per gallon city and 30 highway. 

There's little turbo lag, and the engine revs smoothly yet quickly through its powerband. Just push your right foot down and let the 2.0T deliver. Audi says the A3 2.0T Sportback sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 7.0 seconds, a modest figure by some standards, but the raw number doesn't begin to do justice to the engine's throttle response and the chassis' willingness to get from here to there. Torque is ever ready, and the engine is quite happy to reach 6000 rpm over and over again. 

The transmission choices illustrate Audi's industry-leading technology in transferring engine torque into rolling power. You can't go wrong with either the standard six-speed manual or the paddle/lever-shifted DSG automatic. With the 3.2-liter engine you have no choice but to go with the DSG. However, that's not a bad thing. The swiftness of choosing the correct gear with the DSG feels like magic and makes every driver feel like an accomplished race car driver. 

Surefooted agility, even with only the two front wheels driving the car, comes easily to the A3, thanks in large measure to its four-link rear suspension. Compactness, low weight and superior handling are all expected benefits of such a complex and expensive suspension. The multiple links result in better lateral rigidity for crisper handling (and a safer car) and a comfortable ride. It's simply exceptional and is one hallmark of an engineering department at full strength. Think BMW when imagining the A3's road manners. 

Braking is excellent. The four-wheel discs are big enough to handle repeated pedal stabs without overheating, and high-tech electronics ensure optimum braking in all conditions. The latest-generation ABS features a dual-rate servo, which amplifies brake force when it senses the driver's right-footed demand for emergency stopping power. The newest available Electronic Stabilization Program guides the car's dynamics with astonishing computer power, incorporating the ABS, EBD (electronic brake-force distribution), ASR (traction control system), MSR (engine drag torque control system), EDL (electronic differential lock), hydraulic brake assist and the ESBS (extended stability braking system). 

What that all means is that you'll not find a better-balanced front-drive car anywhere. Nor will you find many compacts that make such a convincing sports car when the road is right. The more expensive 3.2 adds some very delectable ingredients to the basic goodness of the A3, and its drivetrain is a tad smoother than the turbocharged car's, but either A3 supplies a genuine upscale driving experience. 

Summary

The Audi A3 is a great choice of young, active, and well-heeled consumers looking for distinctive vehicles to fit their lifestyles. The A3 is a high-quality car that offers premium handling and safety, roominess and practicality, yet is still easy to park and, with the 2.0-liter turbo engine, is easy on fuel. Five-door hatchbacks are very popular in Europe, but Americans are still warming to their styling. Those who are comfortable with its styling should find happiness in the Audi A3 Sportback. 

NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent Greg Brown reports from Los Angeles, California. 

Model Lineup

Audi A3 Sportback 2.0 T 6-speed manual ($24,620); Audi A3 Sportback 2.0 T DSG ($26,100); A3 3.2 Quattro ($33,260). 

Assembled In

Ingolstadt, Germany. 

Options As Tested

S line Package ($2,200); Open Sky System sunroof ($1,100); rear side airbags ($350).