Audi A3

For years, ice cream cones came as a simple vanilla-flavoured affair. Before long, though, someone added a chocolate flake, then raspberry sauce was drizzled on top and finally a sprinkling of chopped nuts.

Audi's A3 has been around for quite some time, too, and it has been given a variety of flavours ranging from the entry-level 1.6-litre petrol to a high-performance turbodiesel. While a sports hatch with an oil-burning unit under the bonnet may seem unappealing, Audi is at the forefront of the technology in this burgeoning sector. And now the addition of the marque's famed quattro 4WD system has opened up a whole new ballgame for performance diesels.

The latest engine is the range-topping 130bhp 1.9-litre direct-injection TDI, shared with VW and SEAT. This offers a massive 310Nm of torque from as low as 1,900rpm. Performance is commendable, being fed through a six-speed manual gearbox which is swift and direct to use. However, the overall combination here produces a harsher tone and feels less responsive from low revs than its front-wheel-drive twin, mainly because of the added weight of the quattro system. Against the clock, however, the extra traction helps propel the TDI from 0-60mph in a marginally quicker 9.1 seconds, although the top speed takes a slight dip to 126mph.

The quattro diesel is most effective on slippy or icy roads, though, where it proves even more useful than in the petrol A3 4x4. With the oil-burner's peaky power delivery, using all of the engine's torque can make front-driven cars scrabble for grip - but this model finds traction instantly and without drama.

The A3 has always been involving to drive, and the stiffened suspension and chunkier alloys of the Sport trim firm up the ride without spoiling comfort. While the steering is not pin-sharp, it is nicely weighted and offers enough feedback to match the quattro-enhanced grip.

Traditionally, high-performance hatches have been blighted by excessive fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. But the advent of sportier, more refined diesels means drivers can have performance without paying at the pumps. The figures aren't as impressive as for the two-wheel-drive version, but the quattro's economy still ranks at a wallet-friendly 47.1mpg, with a CO2 emission read-out of 162g/km, well below the minimum tax bracket for company cars.

While this will endear the quattro to the sporty but frugal driver, its pricing may be less appealing. With the Sport pack the asking price is �19,395, which includes leather trim. However, our test car's optional sat-nav, xenon headlights, six-CD changer and BOSE sound system raised the cost to �25,432. That's more than the full-blown, 225bhp S3 quattro - but, as with ice cream, it's a matter of taste.

Diesel performance has improved to the point where sporty oil-burners are no longer a laughing matter. Although the A3 hatchback is hardly in the first flush of youth, the latest version combines the sure-footedness of Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system with a strong 130bhp TDI motor and the tweaked handling of the Sport suspension. Fun, frugal but perhaps a little too fancy for some.

At a glance

* New quattro version of 130bhp A3 TDI is on sale in UK now, priced from �19,395

* First Audi A3 turbodiesel to boast four-wheel drive

* 1.9-litre unit delivers 310Nm of torque; 126mph top speed

* Offers 47.1mpg fuel economy and CO2 emissions of 162g/km