Audi A3 Sportback 2013 Review

Audi A3 Sportback

Not so much:
>> Cool tech is optional
>> USB port not standard
>> No capped price servicing

OVERVIEW
>> Good on paper
It may not look it, but the 2013 Audi A3 Sportback is all-new. Every panel, every stitch in the leather-appointed seats, and especially the pop-up colour LCD screen are brand spankers.

Four models are offered in the brand-new 2013 Audi A3 Sportback range, all of them turbocharged to improve power and reduce fuel consumption. It's lighter too and more agile, plus all models come equipped as standard with S tronic dual clutch transmissions with steering wheel paddle shifters, loads of convenience and safety features  and an impeccably finished interior.

It's a sporty little number and with sharper pricing lopping more than $5000 from the former asking price, the German carmaker is gunning for the number one spot. However Audi will only sell the five-door hatch body style, or Sportback, in Australia as slow sales of the previous three-door model sounded its death knell.

Sporty S3 and Cabrio A3s will arrive later in the year, with the A3 sedan due in early 2014.

That Audi is spending millions of dollars to get trendy young professionals in Australia's major cities to notice the new A3 Sportback shows how important the prestige small car market is to the company.

Audi even proclaims it invented the segment in 1996 with the original A3, but BMW, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz have all joined the party, making life a lot harder for the Ingolstadt innovator. Can the new A3 return the carmaker back to prominence? Let's have a closer look...

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
>> New price, new features
Cutting a whopping $5600 from the price of the entry-level Audi A3 Sportback, the new model is priced at $35,600. The dollars buy you an Audi A3 Sport 1.4 TFSI in 'Attraction' trim, powered by a surprisingly capable 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine hooked up to a seven-speed S Tronic automatic gearbox.

It's packaged as standard with leather-appointed seats, rear parking sensors, dual-zone climate control, Bluetooth everything, auto headlights and wipers, Audi Music Interface with CD and SD card input, and a fancy new MMI, or multi-media interface.

That last item controls everything from audio to headlight settings via a large rotary control dial aft of the gear shifter, which is surrounded but a handful of switches and buttons that look and function elegantly. MMI info is displayed on a natty pop-up colour 5.8-inch screen that rises out of the dashboard. It must be said the input system improves on the previous MMI's ease of use, which is no mean feat.

Other features standard across the range include 16-inch alloy wheels, electric windows, mirrors and park brake, cruise control, front and rear floor mats, and a multifunction leather steering wheel with gear shift paddles.

The same features come with the entry-level turbo-diesel model, the Audi A3 1.6 TDI Attraction, which costs $900 more at $36,500 (see MECHANICAL for more details).

Step up to the 'Ambition' models and you'll get bigger, more powerful engines and more kit, with the 1.8 TFSI and 2.0 TDI models both priced at $42,500. This buys sports seats and steering wheel, a primo trip computer, aluminium cabin accents, Audi Drive Select which changes the cars steering and engine response, plus there's lots of exterior bling. That means larger 17-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, plus aluminium door sills and window garnish.

As one of the pioneers of the LED driving lights, most Audi's look naked without them but customers will have to fork out $2000 to get them to their A3 Sportback for both Attraction and Ambition grades, as part of the Style package. This also bundles xenon headlights, larger alloy wheels and sports suspension on Ambition models.

The Technik package is also likely to be a popular option, despite being priced at $2990, because it's the only way to get sat nav installed in the car.

That said, the new generation sat nav system is very good and the Technik package also bundles front parking sensors, a rear view camera and self-parking system,  plus a larger 7-inch screen, DVD player, twin SDXC memory card readers, voice recognition, a 20Gb hard drive and a surprisingly effective touch-pad system that recognises even the worst handwriting.

Audi will also offer Comfort ($2200), S Line ($1800) and sensor-based Assistance ($1800) packages while a panoramic sunroof ($1950), metallic paint ($1050) and a tub-thumped 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo ($1750) are singular options.

MECHANICAL
>> Not just a Golf with a tiara
Based on the Volkswagen Group's new MQB platform there will be some shoppers who may be thinking "Is this just a Volkswagen Golf with a different badge?"

It's not. And while there are similarities under the skin, the Audi has a sportier, more refined feel to the way it drives thanks to a unique suspension and steering tune.

Independent suspension at all four corners (MacPherson struts at the front with aluminium pivot bearings, four-link steel setup at the rear) combines with a recalibrated, speed-sensitive electromechanical power steering to deliver an involving drive.

Audi moved the front axle forward by 40mm which reduces the front overhang, and the car has an impressively neutral feel when tipping into corners. Indeed, it's a confident hatchback with sporty dynamics yet doesn't forgo ride comfort in its pursuit of performance either.

The Audi A3's brakes proved to be more than adequate, even in high speed situations, with vented front discs of 288mm (Attraction) or 312mm (Ambition) diameters, and rear discs measuring 272mm. The car also eschews a tradition cable-operated park brake in favour of an electromechanical push-button system.

Audi offers four engines in the new A3 range, two diesel and two petrol, and there's no real surprises here, though the entry-level 1.4-litre engine is arguably the pick of the bunch. It produces 90kW at 5000rpm and 200Nm of torque between 1400-4000rpm and acceleration is surprisingly brisk. After dropping the hammer front standstill, a claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time of 9.4 seconds seems conservative.

For an entry-level engine the 1.4-litre unit was diligent companion, responsive and quiet and with more than enough mumbo for most situations. Paired with the seven-speed S tronic dual clutch auto transmission as are all model (except the 2.0 TDI which gets a six-speed S tronic) the car snicks through gears smoothly and rapidly.

Audi says the 1.8 TFSI will be the top-selling model, powered by a 1.8-litre turbocharged producing 132kW at 5100rpm and 250Nm from 1250-5000rpm. It is the fastest accelerating model in the new A3 range (until the S3 arrives later in 2013) with a 7.3 second 0-100km/h sprint time. It also has the highest top speed, 232km/h, but it is the thirstiest of the lot, using 5.6L/100km.

The 1.4 TFSI uses 5.0L/100km while the two turbo-diesel models are real fuel misers, the 1.6 and 2.0 TDI models drinking just 3.9L/100km and 4.5L/100km respectively. The 1.6 TDI develops 77kW at 3000rpm and 250Nm at 1500-2750, the 2.0 TDI produces 110kW at 3500rpm and 320Nm at 1750-3000rpm.

PACKAGING
>> Substance and style
One of the standout elements of the new A3 is its interior. The parts-sharing and visual connections with Volkswagen models are now less obvious, making it less "Golf Premium" and more of an Audi tiddler in its own right.

The clean, concise and minimalist layout of the instrument panel and major controls are a highlight, providing the car with a far more upmarket feel than its predecessor, while condensing the amount of buttons and dials.

The new MMI controls work brilliantly both in an operational and aesthetic sense and the integration of technology is intuitive, particularly the scribble pad. The sat nav system is also one of the best we've used to date, with excellent visual clarity and a simple but effective interface.

Soft touch dash plastics and the pop-up LCD screen are nice touches and the steering wheel is comfortable and just a little bit sporty, with easy-to-use audio controls. Perhaps the only throw-back to the VW Golf is the cruise control stalk.

Smaller touches are appreciated too, such as the way the four circular air-vents can be toggled to blow a diffused or focussed air stream, the simplified HVAC controls, the addition of rear air vents and LED cruise control lights on the speedometer.

It's a comfortable place to sit too, for front and rear seat occupants. The leather-appointed seats (a mixture of bovine and man-made ‘leather’) are supple, underpinned by supportive cushions, and ergonomics are generally very good. There's loads of room for front occupants and rear seat passengers get slightly more leg room than before, and heaps of head room.

Boot space is 380 litres which is a big step above the Mercedes-Benz A-Class's 341 litre cargo space, and the Audi's 60:40 split-folding rear seats open up a total of 1220 litres of loading space.

Audi claims the new A3 has the best-build quality in its class and though we only spent a couple of days in the thing, it certainly feels like a quality car, with flush fitting interior and exterior fixtures throughout.

One example of manufacturing attention to detail is the way the roof is plasma-welded to the car's body, which creates a seamless, smooth (and more robust) body structure. Granted, not many people will notice (or care) but the fact that this step was taken shows how serious Audi is about maintaining its prestige reputation.

The only downsides to the car's packaging was that it struggled to initially detect my iPhone 4S phone via Bluetooth (it got there after a few goes) and incidental storage space is limited. There's also no native USB port, you have to buy a special adaptor cable from the dealer for around $50.

SAFETY
>> High-five
The Audi A3 has been awarded a five-star safety rating by Euro NCAP with excellent results for adult, child and pedestrian protection, thanks to a high-strength steel passenger cell and above average safety systems.

All models come with seven airbags - including a driver's knee airbag - electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes.

The Assistance package ($1800) adds a suite of advanced features that have trickled down from Audi's flagship models. For example radar-based active cruise control with stop-go functionality that can bring the car to a complete stop in traffic, then resume travel, plus lane departure warning which will even steer the car back into its lane if necessary.

COMPETITORS
>> Ahead of the A-Class?
The marketing catch-cry 'ahead of its class' could be seen as a cunning dig at the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, one of the Audi A3's chief rivals. And while the new A3 is a very good car, the new A-Class is a better vehicle in some respects. We'll have to wait for a back-to-back test before we officially crown the class-leader, but it will be bloody battle, make no mistake.

The A3 also has rivals from BMW and Lexus, 1 Series hatch and Lexus CT200h, both of which have been racking up decent sales in recent times and Audi will no doubt be hoping to snare a few tech-loving Lexus owners along the way.

ON THE ROAD
>> Pitch perfect ride and handling
The new Audi A3 may not look as flash as some of its rivals, but it's a dynamo through a corner thanks to improvements in its suspension and steering. Driven through some seriously twisty blacktop in the hills not far from Port Douglas, the A3 showed a very clean pair of heels, tipping into corners with such keenness I had to check it was in fact a front-wheel drive vehicle.

The new Audi is a balanced and stable car across a wide spectrum of driving, from gentle cruising to white-knuckled apex combat, and best of all it's satisfying to drive, even the smaller engine types.

That some models are up to 85kg lighter than its predecessor also ensures the A3 feels lighter on its feet, able to change direction without any hesitation. Even when pushed close to its limit the car feels confident and controlled.

The new A3 is much sportier proposition than the car that preceded it, yet without any compromise in ride quality. Indeed, the car seems to glide lithely over all but the most acute pot holes and with a big improvement in the steering system the car is more satisfying to drive too.

The ambiance in the cabin is also a big draw card for the car - it's a very pleasant experience even in menial driving scenarios, thanks to more luxurious interior feel than previously.

Propulsion is probably the only part of the car's dynamic character that doesn't make a big leap, and while the volume-selling 1.8-litre TFSI turbo-petrol engine is a sweetie, with good throttle response and impressive levels of refinement, it feels like a Volkswagen engine. Probably because it is...

It comes as no surprise that only 25 per cent of sales will be for the diesel models, as the engines are only slightly above average. They deliver decent mid-range pulling power but are loud and clattery from outside (but quiet inside) and don't have the refinement of the petrol engines.

Audi has put its best foot forward with the new A3 Sportback and in many respects it could be a class leader, with improvements in almost every area. But Benz's A-Class continues to be sell-out success and that's because it's also a very good vehicle.

And while the A3's price drop will improve its appeal it remains to be seen if buyers will overlook the car's subtle styling and embrace the (optional) technology on offer.

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