Audi A3 vs BMW 116i vs Mercedes A170

Whether it’s a bank account, an airline ticket, a supermarket range or even pet food, it seems that, whatever the product, there’s a ‘premium’ version available.

And it’s just as true in the car industry. Take a look at the three biggest German luxury makers: Mercedes, Audi and BMW. The depth of their line-ups is huge, with a model on offer in nearly every niche. And yet all three still sell cars which retail for less than £20,000...

The big question is whether these ‘affordable’ premium cars make good buys. Audi is debuting an all-new 1.4-litre turbocharged FSI engine in its entry-level model, the A3. It replaces the outgoing normally aspirated 1.6-litre, with bosses claiming the car is now better than ever. So, to put this to the test, we pitted the three-door Sport model against two class competitors which are very closely priced.

First up is the cheapest BMW you can buy. The 116i is fresh from an engine upgrade that includes the firm’s clever stop-start and brake regeneration technology – collectively known as Efficient Dynamics. And in this company, the base 1-Series’ rear-wheel-drive chassis is unique.

Mercedes offers more choice for those on a budget. A-Class prices start at £13,892, but to form a level playing field, we test the higher-spec A170 Elegance SE. The baby Benz promises neat packaging – but does that make it the most convincing product?