Car group tests

Audi A3 TDI

Oil-burning flagship scores on image. We see if it’s a winner.

By:Auto Express team

17 Jul 2009

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Audi knows how to build high-performance diesel engines. In recent years, the company’s R10 TDI racers have dominated the gruelling Le Mans 24 Hours, winning the French endurance race every year between 2006 and 2008.

Now, bosses at the brand are hoping to sprinkle some of the glamour of this track success on to the A3 hatchback, with the addition of a new Sport model. However, you’d struggle to call the newcomer extrovert.

Video: watch CarBuyer's video review of the Audi A3

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Externally, the only clue to this performance potential is a set of stylish 17-inch alloy wheels, while stiffer sports suspension means the car rides 15mm lower than entry-level versions.

Elsewhere, the Sport shares the same restrained good looks of the standard five-door Sportback. As with the rest of the A3 range, it benefited from a mild facelift last year – this brought sleeker headlamps and larger tail-lights. It can’t match the impact of the Golf, but the design leaves you in no doubt that the A3 is a premium product.

Inside, this feeling continues, with a cabin that oozes quality. The dashboard is attractively laid out and beautifully finished, and includes neat alloy-trimmed air vents borrowed from the TT. Sport spec adds a pair of heavily bolstered front seats, as well as a chunky leather-rimmed steering wheel. There’s a decent amount of standard kit, too, with dual-zone climate control, a trip computer and a useful sun blind incorporated into the parcel shelf.

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But don’t think the Audi’s interior is all style and no substance. Passengers in the rear will find the A3 serves up similar space to the Golf, although the lower roofline means there’s less headroom. Open the tailgate and you’ll find the boot has a healthy 370-litre carrying capacity – that’s 20 litres more than in the VW.

At the test track, there was much less between our contenders. Because the cars are equipped with exactly the same 168bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine, it was no surprise they posted virtually identical times during our acceleration assessments. However, the A3 can’t match the

smooth power delivery of the Golf. The Sportback sounds gruff when worked hard, and feels lethargic below 2,000rpm, when its torque is delivered suddenly in a turbocharged rush. Keep the engine revs up, though, and it has plenty of real world pace.

Turn into a series of corners and the Audi displays impressive composure. Its controls don’t provide the weight or feedback of the Golf’s, but it’s still capable.

Direct steering aids the car’s agility, while the sports suspension improves body control. It’s just a shame the stiffer set-up also hampers low-speed ride comfort, causing the Sportback to crash over rough city centre streets – a trait that’s at odds with the car’s otherwise strong refinement.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the A3 is its price. At £22,120, it undercuts the Golf by £315. The question is whether this saving is enough to give the Audi victory?