Hatchbacks have always made so much sense, at least to me. They are as structurally sound as their sedan siblings yet deliver considerably more utility. Why it has taken these common sense cars so long to catch on remains a mystery. The Audi A3 is a prime example of everything that’s right with the breed < it¹s sporty, classy and loaded with utility.
Start under the hood: The 3.2-litre V6 found in the A3 S line churns out an effortless 250 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque at 2,800 rpm. It also sounds the part. While the exhaust note is rather thin at idle, it builds to a guttural roar that begs the driver to keep the revs up. Unfortunately, this strategy does not help fuel consumption. Driven conservatively, I managed an average of 10.9 litres per 100 kilometres. Driven with gusto, though, the average rose to more than 17 L/100 km, which hurts given the A3¹s thirst for premium fuel.
The six-speed Dynamic Shift Gearbox (DSG) helps performance enormously.Rather than being an automatic transmission with a manual mode (Tiptronic in Audi-speak), it is a manual gearbox with an automatic mode. There is no clutch pedal < the gearbox and its sophisticated overseer takes care of everything. The beauty of DSG is that it marries the efficiency of a manual with the easy drive of a full-on automatic.
The DSG features sport, manual and auto modes. In sport, all the gears are held a little longer to promote performance. The neat part, however, is what happens in auto mode. After I used the paddle shifters to initiate a snappy downshift, the system was smart enough to return to the auto mode without driver intervention. Finally, it does a very credible impersonation of a heel/toe downshift. It blips the gas (rev matching) as the box downshifts, which brings needed engine braking heading into a fast sweeper.
The lone oddity surfaces on a grade. When the brake is released after selecting Park, the car rolls back (or forward) further than expected. So leave a safe margin when parking!
To ensure the power reaches the road effectively, the S line uses Audi¹s quattro all-wheel drive. Sadly, it’s not the Torsen variety. That said, the Haldex-based system is fast enough to catch wheelspin before it becomes a real problem. If a wheel begins to spin, the electronics redistribute the power in an instant as the traction control system does its thing.
The combined effects of the drivetrain mean the A3 runs to 100 kilometres an hour in six seconds and completes the 80-to-120-km/h dash in a very quick 6.3 seconds.
Thankfully, the A3’s handling is a match for the drivetrain. The sport-tuned struts and rear multi-links, large P225/45R17 tires and perfectly weighted steering deliver a delightfully dynamic package. There’s very little body roll, plenty of lateral grip and a crisp turn-in. The quattro system and the car¹s excellent balance also keep understeer at arm’s length. Given the mass of the V6 sitting over the front wheels, I expected more push than actually surfaced. If things do get out of hand, the electronic stability control system gathers things up. The anti-lock brakes follow this lead, delivering short 37.9-metre stops from 100 km/h.
The interior design and its functionality underscore the A3¹s dynamic personality. The steering wheel has a nice chunky rim and the buckets offer body-hugging support without pinching. Even Audi’s MMI (multi-mediainterface) follows the logical theme. While it controls just about everything in the car, it is intuitive and easier to use than most. There are stand-alone climate and audio controls, including redundant steering wheel-mounted switches for station/band selection and volume. There’s also a return button, which allows a wrong channel change to be righted in a single move.
Equipment abounds in the car. However, much of it comes at a price. Along with all the usual power items and a great audio system, the tester arrived with a full navigation system ($4,000), active xenon headlights and rain-sensing wipers (part of an $1,800 tech package) and Audi’s $1,500 Open Sky sunroof (a double sunroof where the front section opens and the rear is fixed). These goodies bump the sticker price to $53,640 from $45,690 if you include the $650 charge for the Lava Gray Pearl Effect paint.
As for interior accommodations, the rear seat will hold two adults in reasonable comfort, although legroom is tight if the front-seat occcupants are taller. The 70/30-split/folding seatback includes a ski pass-through and supports a hard privacy cover. With the seats upright, the A3 makes light work of 19.5 cubic feet of stuff. Dropping the seats reveals a reasonably flat floor, which more or less doubles the capacity (Audi does not list an official number for the seat-down volume). There are also additional cubbies, cargo nets and a 12-volt outlet in the trunk.
The A3 redefines the traditional wagon. It offers all the versatility and space (it actually rivals the A4 Avant) without looking as hearse-like.Throw in a great drivetrain and decent road manners and you have a very compelling set of wheels.CanWest News Service
THE SPECSType of vehicle: All-wheel-drive hatchbackEngine: 3.2L DOHC V6Power: 250 hp @ 6,300 rpm; 236 lb-ft of torque @ 2,800 rpmTransmission: Six-speed Direct Shift Gearbox Brakes Four-wheel disc with ABSTires: P225/45R17Price: base/as tested: $45,650/$53,640Destination charge: $800Fuel economy: L/100 km 11.3 city, 8.0 hwy.Standard features: Dual-zone climate control, power locks, windows and mirrors, cruise control, eight-way-power driver¹s seat, heated front leather seats, tilt/telescopic steering wheel, AM/FM/CD Bose premium audio system with two SD-card slots and redundant steering wheel-mounted controls, multi-media interface, driver information centreOptions: Navigation system ($4,000), active xenon headlights and rain-sensing wipers (part of the $1,800 tech package), Open Sky two-piece sunroof ($1,500)