Our first impressions of Audi's new A3 compact luxury saloon.
On paper, it’s got the same specs as the VW Vento, but it’s a new motor that is supposed to be particularly frugal. Mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, it has a punchy mid-range that’s strong enough to generate a fair bit of torque steer in this front-wheel-drive saloon. The 1.6 TDI A3 doesn’t feel underpowered and is a happy cruiser too. The best bit is the refinement – it’s truly impressive. In fact, the best part about this new Audi is how refined and polished it is. Road, wind and engine noise are kept to a minimum and when coupled to mature and fail-safe handling behaviour, you really feel like you are piloting something much bigger.
This leads us to the dynamics of the A3, which are a bit sanitised in the way they filter out any feeling of engagement the driver has with the road. The benign steering, like in most Audis, does what you ask of it but not with the greatest of enthusiasm, and is lacking in feel. However, a torrential downpour during our test drive in Hungary emphasised the fantastic sense of control on flooded roads. Straight-line stability is simply brilliant. Ride comfort is less so. There’s a firm edge to the A3 saloon’s suspension which is highlighted on Hungary’s patchy roads. The damping is quite good and there’s no harshness felt even over sharp edges and ruts; but a little more compliance in the ride would be welcome.
Audi has formally announced that it will launch the A3 saloon in 2014. The time frame is not clear, but we expect it to be the second half of the year. For the Indian market, this compact saloon makes a strong case for itself with its Rs 40 lakh look at a Rs 22 lakh estimated price. It’s all about status in the Indian market, which is what this Audi A3 saloon assures.