Audi A3: Driven and Reviewed
The A3 has always been a popular salary sacrifice car so we were yearning to test the new Sportback model. Early reviews have been very positive, but could it live up to the hype? We eagerly started to find out. Here’s our Audi A3 review…
Audi has an enviable position in our portfolio, a premium manufacturer that avoids being ‘niche’. Due to their low co2 product, they dominate our order book, with the Audi A1 being our most popular car for the last 2 years. However, larger cars have not always represented the best value. The A3 Sportback with lower co2 has been introduced to try and address this shortfall, but has it succeeded?
Initially, reactions on delivery were very positive.
The whole team loved the quality finish, the feel of the cab and the external styling. The A3 has only changed slightly over the last few years, yet still manages to look modern and refined. It lacks some of the stunning looks of cars, such as the Giulietta, but delivers a more refined look and indeed, as we will, see the drive.
On the road the Audi behaves impeccably. It is eager to move you to your destination and returns a ‘real’ world economy of 45mpg, even driven in sports mode. The pick of the range is the 1.6 SE, which has all the performance and equipment most would want. We trialled the top of the range 2.0 with the Audi suspension management system, an option on other models, and what a revelation this proved to be…
We’ve tried similar systems many times
So imagine our surprise during this Audi A3 review, switching to sport mode on country lanes. Instantly the car felt tight, agile and fast. The exhaust note changed and power was delivered exactly where needed. During the course of our demo, we tried the comfort modes, Eco modes and even played with the personal settings. Each delivered.
So the verdict? Well, it’s not the roomiest Sportback we’ve ever had. But, if you want a slightly bigger hatchback that changes its driving style to suit you, then go for the one with Audi suspension management system. You effectively have 2 cars in one! Otherwise, the 1.6 SE is very hard to beat. Especially from £270 per month all in on our typical salary sacrifice scheme. To organise your demo or check stock speak with your driver line account manager today!
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