2007 Audi A3 Review

Specifications

It’s an unseasonably warm November Friday and my wife and I are on our wayup to Bancroft, Ontario to volunteer at the 36th running of the Rally of the Tall Pines. Considering Audi’s storied rally heritage involving the development of their Quattro all-wheel drive system in the 1970s, and their long time participation in the World Rally Championship, it seems fitting to show up in an Audi. But there are no Audis competing at the sixth and final round of the 2006 Canadian Rally Championship this weekend, another series Audi competed in as recently as 1999. Audi left all levels of rallying for top-level sports car racing (and are doing very well thank you) and to top things off the A3 we’re driving isn’t even equipped with Quattro; it’s front-wheel drive only. Audi calls the A3 a sportback, but that’s just a fancy name for hatchback, and to be totally honest it looks more like a wagon. I’m a big fan of both, and a hatchback owner to boot, although my ride isn’t quite as premium as the A3. All front-wheel drive A3s come with the 2.0T, VW/Audi’s corporate 4-cylinder. The engine is direct injected and turbocharged, producing 200 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque, plus it’s smooth and quick with dreaded turbo lag kept to a minimum. The engine does an absolutely fantastic job of powering the A3, both around town and on the highway, so getting up to speed is not an issue. If you’re loafing along in sixth gear and require immediate power for passing a downshift or two may be required, but this really isn’t an issue since the six-speed is slick and clutch take up is pretty good. The A3 will hit 60 mph in well under 7 seconds, while fuel economy is pretty good if not always testing its acceleration out. One minor irritation, however, is that you will have to pay the extra few cents or so per gallon needed for premium.

High priced fuel aside, the A3 looks very attractive. It’s sporty, for sure, and even more upscale when equipped theS-line sport package, which was the case for my A3 tester. The S-line package, not to be confused with the “S” that designates some of Audi’s sportiest models, such as S4, S6 and S8, is mostly cosmetic. In the case of the A3 it includes leather sport seats, aluminum interior trim, monochrome trip computer, different front and rear fascias with S-line badging, a roof spoiler, front fog lights, 17-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels and a sport-tuned suspension. A lot of features to be sure, but they don’t come cheap at $2,200. Thanks to the sport suspension, comprised of struts in the front and a revised four-link setup in the rear, the ride is quite taut, but well dampened so it’s not uncomfortable. Pavement variations are met with a muted thump, since minimal road noise is transmitted into the cabin. The steering feels good, especially on the highway, but I would like more feedback in tighter turns. When the road gets especially twisty, handling is very good and predictable, but the car is not quite as nimble as a small hatchback should be. This could be due to the A3’s slightly portly weight, and less than grippy all season tires. The brakes are strong and stop the car quickly with great pedal feel. Naturally they’re four-wheel discs that also feature ABS and electronic brake force distribution. An Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP), which can be switched off if need be, is also on hand to assist in keeping the A3 in line. For traction assistance the car includes Anti Slip Regulation (ASR) with a slick electronic differential lock to try and aid in getting underway on slippery surfaces. But I still found the car would torque steer and spin the wheels on wet or frosty pavement. If all those acronyms can’t supplement your driving skill (or someone else’s lack thereof), Audi also saw fit to equip the A3 with front and side airbags as standard equipment. Rear side airbags are optional.

My test A3 was finished just the way I would have ordered it if I were to buy one, which includes a brightIbis white paint job with a contrasting black leather interior. As has become expected from Audi, everything in the interior fits together in a way that belies the car’s $25,340 starting price; a feat that some manufacturers can’t achieve in a car at twice the price. Also thanks to the S-line package, my test car featured a few up-level niceties not found on the base A3, such as those black leather sport seats, as well as the sleek aluminum trim around the vents, dash, door panels and sill plates. The sport seats are very comfortable, firm and supportive even for the entire two hours we spent in them on the way to Bancroft. The gauges are bright and easy to read too, although I think the 170 mph speedometer might be a bit optimistic. My test car was also equipped with a trip computer that offered a wealth of information at the touch of my fingertips. Everything else was well laid out and easy to use. I did find the ratcheting temperature control dials a bit bizarre, but nevertheless they looked and felt good. One feature I would have my dealer disable are the automatic door locks. They’re just plain annoying as they lock every time the car reaches a certain speed. Stopping to pick anyone up means trying to remember to unlock the doors so they can hop in the car, but of course I never do remember and which has them trying to open the door while still locked.

I’m glad the sun decided to show itself during my week with the car, as it wasa good opportunity to test out the optional Open Sky sunroof system, which consists of two giant glass openings that let both front and rear seat occupants bask in light. Only the front roof opens, and although it is about the size of a standard sunroof it feels rather small. When I first heard about the system I thought it would be a two-tiered sunroof, such as Porsche’s 911 Targa, where one glass panel slides over the other to create a massive opening. Since I have a sunroof on my own car and it is used to let light in far more often that it is actually opened, $1,100 is a reasonable price for the Open Sky system (being that a regular sunroof option usually costs $800 or so and even though the Open Sky’s opening is small, I loved the amount of light it let in to brighten up the black interior). The optional Bose premium sound system, which includes an in-dash 6-disc CD changer, sounds excellent. I did find the audio pilot speed compensating volume a bit annoying, however, so I disabled it. Oddly enough the A3 is not offered with Audi’s iPod interface, which is optional on the A6, A8 and Q7, plus Audi claims to offer “a market-leading, unique and intelligent integration with the iPod”, which sounds great, yet even though the A3 is aimed at those in their 30s who are shopping for a premium small car, and surely most in this demographic own iPods (my wife and I each have one), it is not currently available on the A3 or A4, Audi’s least expensive models. A navigation system is optional at a cost of $3,300… ugh! Rear seat room is very good for car of the A3’s size. Putting my son’s booster seat in back necessitated lifting up the rear headrest and fitting the top of the booster underneath it. It’s not a big deal and it could just be the model of booster seat we have, but I seem to have to do this in any Audi/VW product. With the rear seats up or down, as with most hatchbacks there is a ton of room to haul stuff.

As mentioned, the A3 starts at a very reasonable $25,340, which on the surface sounds aboutright; just slightly above it’s platform mate the Volkswagen GTI. Not only do you get the upscale Audi styling and badge, but the A3 stands on it’s own without feeling like a gussied up VW. Then you start adding options, mind you, and things quickly get out of hand. My test A3 had just about every option you can get on a front-wheel drive model with the 2.0T engine. In addition to the S-line package, Bose audio system and open sky system, my A3 had the $700 Cold Weather Package with heated front seats, windshield washer nozzles and exterior mirrors, as well as a ski sack, plus the Technology Package for $1,500, which includes bi-xenon headlights, Bluetooth, auto dimming interior mirrors and light/rain sensors. All of these options brought the price to a jaw dropping $36K. A lot for a four-cylinder Audi without Quattro? Possibly so. Then again, Audi’s 3.2-liter V6 with the S tronic (previously DSG) transmission, Quattro and the S-line package as standard equipment starts at $33,980, which includes all of the features on my test car save for the Open Sky system and Technology Package… something to think about. On the negative, Audi has decided not to continue offering no-charge scheduled maintenance on all Audi models.

In Europe last year, more than 200,000 A3’s found new homes, but as usual on the Continent you can get a wide choice of engines that range from a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder to a couple of TDI diesels, plus the 2.0T and 3.2 V6 we get on this side of the Atlantic. In North America the A3 isn’t nearly as common at sight, since a lot of buyers tend to not only shy away from premium small cars, but hatchbacks in general, so a premium hatchback is a hard sell indeed. This is a shame, since the A3 certainly has a lot going for it. It’s very attractive, powerful, functional, and fit and finish are first rate. I have no problem paying for a premium small car, since I don’t possess a bigger is better philosophy, but when I can get the same features as larger cars, including the S-line package, 18-inch wheels instead of 17s, and my preferred powertrain combo of the 2.0T engine, 6 speed manual transmission and, most importantly, Quattro all-wheel drive in an A4 Avant for $31,340… then things become complicated. The problem is that I really, really like the A3, even more than the A4. This said, even if I were to leave off some of the pricier options, such as the S-line package, the Bose audio system, the Open Sky dual sunroof setup and the Technology package (even though I liked the bi-xenon headlights) to bring the price down into the high $20K range, I still wouldn’t have an Audi with all-wheel drive. Either way, the A3 is an extremely well executed car, and despite being an entry-level Audi it isn’t entry level in the usual ways. It would just be nice if Audi could offer an A3 with the 2.0T, 6-speed and Quattro. I’d buy one.