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From YourSITE.com Reviews & Road Tests Editor's Note: Earlier this week, we took a look at the North American version of the A3 3.2. European Editor David Corfield, also of Total Audi Magazine fame, also recently had a spin in the A3 3.2. Corfield's sampling was a 6-speed manual UK-market spec car, a slight variance on the S-line and DSG only cars sold in the USA.
Like all Audis, the build quality of the Sportback is nothing short of tremendous. There is a satisfying clunk when the doors shut and sitting at the wheel all the controls fall neatly to hand. Coming straight from the drivers seat of our Project quattro it’s like moving from the dark ages to the 21st century in one giant leap... Gear selection is careful and precise with the close-ratio 6-speed box designed for cruising rather than fast bursts of acceleration. Quick off the mark this car is, but it’s the torque from those 250 horses that really impresses. You can pull away in 3rd quite easily. The power is prodigious, and addictive. The normally-aspirated engine is smoother than silk, and while lacking the drama of a turbo nevertheless impresses with a very capable performance both on highways and byways. The Sportback is touted as a lifestyle car, with Audi making a big fuss about the improved legroom at the rear thanks to 63mm of additional length. While there’s no doubt that the extra room for leggy passengers is welcome the cabin is still family hatch sized, and as such back seat passengers are likely to be children and young adults. Or the mother in law. Though impressive the specification is, I can’t help wonder, as I blat the car through the Lake District lanes, who would actually spend £28,000 on this car? Clearly Audi believes there is a market for it, though, and having just announced record sales it’s clear that the company is on a bit of a roll.
The Sportback was the first A3 to wear Audi’s new corporate nose, with a grille reminiscent of Auto Unions of old. That long sloping snout, gilded in chrome, suits the car well and is echoed in the steering wheel boss. There’s no doubt that Audi have got the quality game sussed now, and while not quite stealing the march on the BMW 3-series, this A3 is certainly a well-qualified contender. At a brisk pace the quattro four-wheel-drive system makes every attempt to keep me on the straight and narrow. Though not as well-configured as the Torsen quattro systems of old with a variable 50/50 powersplit, this Haldex-derived drivetrain still gives the driver plenty of confidence. The car tends to understeer and roll rather a lot, but keep the power down in a corner and you can feel the rear wheels digging for grip. Our test car came with the optional 5-spoke 17in rims and skinny rubber which, although noisier at speed over the standard 16in wheels, made for even better grip. In a car like this, in a location like the Lake District, it’s difficult to resist the temptation to divert from the black stuff and head up Helvellyn. I doubt the press office would be too chuffed, however…
Unfortunately for me, the car spent more time at the petrol pump than it did on the hills. The big engine has a love for Super Unleaded and delivered a frankly upsetting 18mpg average round the lanes, rising to a slightly more wallet-friendly 30 on the faster stretches. It’s 60-litre fuel tank costs around £60 a fill, enough for a range of around 380miles. After a four hour drive to the Lakes, occupants emerged as fresh as daisies thanks to excellent seats and the superb climatronic airconditioning, adjustable left and right to suit passenger and driver alike. The seats on our car were swathed in a pleasing mix of leather and alcantara and gripped well without causing any aches and pains. This really is a car made for high-speed motoring across country. The ideal combination for this locale, however, would almost certainly be the 2.0-litre TDI matched to a quattro drivetrain. Maybe I should have had a word with Jens Nothelle to see if he could have spared his Sportback for a few days…
In summary, then, what am I left thinking? Well, on a quality level you would have to look really hard to fault the A3 Sportback. Stowage space for the driver is a bit on the small side but there are clever touches such as a redesigned handbrake that doesn’t intrude into the centre tunnel, allowing for extra storage on the driver’s left. Luggage nets in the boot are useful for keeping bits and pieces from flying around although the capacity is only 302 litres which is still a bit on the small side bearing in mind the premium you’re paying for that extra length. It’s in the back that you realise where the extra money has gone. Passengers will thank you for choosing the Sportback. Unless that passenger happens to be your bank manager…
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