The A3 has been a real groundbreaker for Audi. Discounting for a moment Audi coupés of yore, introducing the hatchback Audi A3 represented a new playing fi eld for Audi, and acted as an entry point to a brand that at the time (1996) started its dramatic rise to the top of the premium pile. In fact, A3 has been instrumental in changing the persona of the Audi brand in the eyes of many. It is a model with the traditional hallmarks of an Audi – a interior of class-leading perceived quality, solid build integrity and technologicallyadvanced drivetrains, all wrapped up in a smart design that appeals to the younger set. In this regard the A3 has been a worldwide success. It is seen as a stylish alternative to more middle-of-the-road options, with the added benefi t of the cachet (read “snob appeal”) that the Audi badge brings with it. After a visit to the spa for some exfoliation, a chemical peel and a few carefully placed Botox injections, the Audi A3 has been discharged with a fresh new look. The car you see on these pages is not all new, rather a mildly facelifted version of the A3 we already know so well.
Head on, there are several understated visual changes. Bonnet, fenders and grille are all-new, helping to create a wider, more aggressive-looking front. Other revisions extend to the door handles, which are new, and the rump, which features new tail-lamps and a restyled bumper.
Our test unit came equipped with optional bi-xenon headlamps with integrated LED daytime running lights (DRL), which lend a menacing air to the car’s face. Side mirror housings now contain indicator repeaters. Other non-standard items fi tted include, an S line body kit and 18-inch alloy wheels, which help to create a sporty appearance. As Audi interiors are pretty well conceived the fi rst time around, changes inside have been kept to a minimum. There are metal highlights for the air vents, light switch and climate controls. Standard on the Ambition specification level is a trip computer, whose display is centrally mounted between the main dials and displays a new gearchange indicator. This indicator shows gear selection recommendations for fuel effi cient motoring. Optional interior accessories included a multi-function steering wheel, dual-zone climate control and a full-colour navigation system. There is also the innovative Park Assist system, which measures a parking space and can then take control of the steering wheel to perfectly parallel-park your A3 – a handy feature if you’re prone to scuffing your alloys.
Under the skin the car remains unchanged, and the 2,0 TDI uses the same turbodiesel as before, though there are newer engine options lower down the range. As the TDI is an oil-burner with a variable geometry turbocharger, torque delivery is very healthy – 320 N.m is available from as low as 1 750 r/min. Maximum power is rated at 103 kW. Once on the torque plateau, power builds strongly and forcefully. The red zone may start at 5 000 r/min, but this engine revs to a very un-diesel-like 5 500 before the limiter cuts in. However, as power tails off noticeably after the 4 200 r/min peak, it just isn’t sensible to rev it that hard.
Mated with a six-speed manual gearbox, the 2,0 TDI engine propelled the test car to 100 km/h from standstill in 9,37 seconds. We recorded an average top speed of 203 km/h in fifth gear; sixth being very much an overdrive ratio registering a long 52 km/h per 1 000 r/min. Incidentally, these benchmark fi gures are near identical to the manufacturer’s claims. In the braking stakes the A3 performed well. Braking times for all ten stops in our rigorous 100-to-zero km/h emergency stopping procedure hovered around the three-second mark. The average was 2,98 seconds, which earns it a “good” rating on our scale.
The new A3 rides and handles very much like Audi A3s we have experienced before. Shod with 225 section tyres, there is more grip than you might imagine. Handling is safe and benign, even as the limits of adhesion are approached. The electro-hydraulically assisted power steering is not the best when it comes to feedback, but many cars are using similar systems: more feel is usually reserved for sporting variants.
TEST SUMMARY
Thankfully, the mild facelift has not detracted from the otherwise handsome A3 package. Disregarding for now some of the items on the long list of optional extras, Audi’s A3 2,0 TDI is an accomplished car. It has a powerful engine, good handling, and class-leading perceived interior quality. The 18-inch alloys, S line kit and LED DRLs are not musthaves, and if you’re not too impulsive with the extras list you could stick close to the base price of R290 000. If you can manage that, then the A3 diesel stands as a very good car, reasonably premium priced, with just the right level of snob appeal.
