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our test drives or view them all

Audi A3 1.4 TFSI three-door

I WAS left scratching my head after a few days with Audi’s entry-level 1.4 litre three-door petrol hatch.

Where, I wondered, did the extra £1650 go on the Audi compared to its new Golf 6 1.4 three-door hatch equivalent?

Simple. I was driving an Audi.

It’s true. If you want top drive behind the premium Volkswagen/Audi Group badge there’s a price to pay.

The latest Golf 6 1.4 TSI three-door in S trim with the same power output as its Audi A3 1.4 TFSI three-door sister costs £15,230. Buy the Audi and you’ll need to find £16,880.

But that’s the name of the game. There’s no hidden agenda – if you like Audi you’ll just need to spend more to enjoy the privilege.

So, is it worth it?

Frankly, if you’re cost conscious the brutal truth is no. But if you appreciate the significant differences in body style, ambience and interior trim, the extra cash for the Audi might just be the car for you.

They are both fine cars – the Golf perhaps has the engineering edge simply because it’s only a few months old, but the venerable A3 with the same astonishing new turbocharged, 1.4 litre high-economy petrol engine is a sweet little quality performer.

However, where I noticed its relative age compared to the Golf 6 was in road noise. While the re-shelled new Volkswagen is subdued and impressively well insulated from road rush, the base A3 generates a fair amount of tyre noise, especially in the back. And that’s with 55 section covers.

However the engine is a gem. Volkswagen/Audi’s new-found "micro-turbo" technology has taken performance muscle and economy to small capacity engines.

Little wonder this cracking little unit has just won the International Engine of the Year award outright in addition to the Best Green Engine title.

The 123bhp delivery of this sweet little blown 1.4 16-valve petrol is incredible – smooth and instant. It is also remarkably quiet and manages an impressive 148lb/ft or torque that’s available at trawling speeds from 1500rpm right through to 4000rpm.

It’s engines like this with near 50mpg average economy that threaten to render the turbodiesel redundant.

At a steady 70mph in sixth gear the little petrol unit is spinning at only 2400rpm – remarkably smooth at those revs and more quiet and comfortable than engines almost twice its size.

Even in this laid back cruise the 1.4 is right in the middle of its torque curve so there’s sufficient pulling power for it to pick up easily if you need to clear a slower motorway vehicle.

There was a time when a 1.4 petrol engine under the bonnet meant economy with dull performance – no more. This TFSI unit is a little cracker and it’s hardly any wonder the Volkswagen/Audi Group is wheeling it out into much larger vehicles such as the new Volkswagen Tiguan compact off-roader and more surprisingly still, the huge new Skoda Superb.

The A3 1.4T is Audi’s cheapest car. Since the demise of the all-aluminium A2 five-door some years ago and while we wait for the new A1 sometime next year, the A3 is the range baby.

Thankfully the test car came in a fairly standard trim – cheapest model and with only a handful of options that included £490 ice silver metallic paint, a Concert radio at £215 and electronic climate control at an expensive £360. Personally I’d be happy with the A3’s standard air conditioning and forego the climate control that adds very little on the comfort front.

Add on-the-road charges for delivery, fuel, plates and Road Tax at £740 and the full drive-away price, before you negotiate any discount, is a hefty £18,585. But you do get a compact hatch with an undeniable quality feel and excellent build.

Handling is predictably front-wheel-drive. The A3 steers well and its brakes are powerful and sure with a safety backup provided by Audi’s excellent standard electronic stability programme.

I took the A3 north to the Caithness and Sutherland Vintage Vehicle Club’s 40th anniversary rally in mid-June. It was a long haul up the A9 and ended up tackling torrential rain near John O’Groats. But the car took it all in its stride. A touch of understeer on harder corners was easily controlled and despite the unfortunate turn of the weather both the baby Audi, and the CSVVC rally, were enjoyable experiences.

If it had not been for the constant drumming on the varying surfaces of the A9 through Ross-shire and Caithness, the A3 1.4 TFSI would have been a total delight. Shame that once again road and tyre noise intervened to blunt the drive.

But this is a car I’d still recommend for the buyer who appreciates the build quality, design and general peace of mind a lot of people get from driving a Volkswagen Golf – but want a little more exclusivity.

Sure there’s a premium to be paid, but equally the A3 should hold on to a little more of its value when it comes to resale and in the meantime you’d be driving behind one of the most respected prestige badges on the market.

The A3 is almost the perfect solution to the search for a quality hatchback. It comes from fine Volkswagen stock. This particular model is powered by one of the finest small-capacity petrol engines available and transfers its power to the front wheels through a sweet-changing, standard six-speed manual gearbox.

Performance is brisk. Rest to 62mph is an impressive 9.4 seconds, but better still is the engine’s torque delivery that is so good and consistent that overtaking times through the gears are quick and effortless. The TFSI unit revs freely and eagerly and despite having to fight my way past a variety of articulated lorries and the obligatory stream of motor caravans heading north on the A9, the little A3 never once left me feeling I was lacking response or power.

For a compact three-door it’s quite a chunky beast. It weighs nearly 1.3 tonnes and is 4.23 metres long. That gives it a reasonably spacious cabin and capacity for five people with a boot area under the large hatch that will swallow 350 litres of luggage. That’s the same as a three-door Golf. The A3 shares the same basic platform as the Golf but because the Volkswagen is built with new body architecture it has a more spacious body. It leaves the older A3 shell in the shade for capacity when the rear seats are folded down. Where the new Golf will manage a maximum 1305 litres, the A3 struggles with space for just 1080 litres.

The new A3 is some time away – it could be two years before it is superseded. That means this shape, possibly with some interim styling updates, is with us until 2011 so its disappointing road noise refinement and lower cargo capacity will have to wait a little longer for improvement.

Having said that, the A3 1.4 TFSI is a perfect premium hatchback buy. It’s a delight to drive and has a superb dashboard design and quality finish that will give an appreciative owner a glow of satisfaction.

Trim is meticulously applied and while the plastics below waist height are the usual motor industry fare of hard surfaces, everything above that level displays a quality feel and appearance with some impressive alloy-look detailing.

Rating: 8/10

FINAL THOUGHT: The Audi A3 three-door is a pricey alternative to the Volkswagen Golf, but the premium is justified. This is a car that feels good, performs well on its frugal high-technology turbocharged 1.4 and delivers excellent comfort with reasonable luggage capacity.

Audi A3 1.4 TFSI three-door

• Price: £16,880 (£18,585 as tested)
• Capacity: 1390cc
• Power: 123bhp
• 0-62mph: 9.4 seconds
• Maximum speed: 126mph
• Economy: Combined 49.6mpg; Urban 38.7mpg
• CO2 emissions: 132g/km
• ESP: Standard
• Insurance: Group 11