Mom's view: Loved it looks, but wasn't attracted to its handling or off the line performance. The car is undeniably attractive for a hatchback, making
most of its competitors appear almost ancient with its smooth lines and low silhouette. However, the car does nose plow when being pushed and there is also enough torque steer to make you wary when setting a line through a corner. I never like small turbocharged engines when attached to an automatic transmission for that reason as the power can come online when you least expect it. Order the V6 option with the A3 when it becomes available if you want the automatic. You can probably get to 60 in 7 seconds with the 2.0 and look for 6.5 times with the V6 with very little, if any, gas mileage penalty.
The brakes were excellent and the feel was sweet, with only a touch of softness as you begin to demand stopping power from the four-wheel discs with ASB. The large tires do impart a fair amount of noise inside the cabin and the engine is not as silent as the A4.
Seating was comfortable for four, but five would be a real test of a friendship. The seats are not easy to adjust with the manual knobs. I found the center armrest in the way. It is adjustable, but in the upper position I hit my arm when shifting and in the lower position the parking brake was nearly impossible to reach. Audi needs to rethink the position of their parking brakes on all their vehicles. The cupholders are not particularly handy, bordering on unacceptable. The switchgear has a nice feel, and the gauges are fairly easy to read, but the controls for the air-conditioning and radio could easily be simplified. Night lighting was superior, although the interior could have used a more powerful unit. The xenon headlights truly turned night into day. Order them and don't forget the side airbags. Safety testing results have not yet been reported for this car, but it does have a fairly full array of air bags either standard or as options.
Getting in and of such a low car is not easy when wearing a dress. The doors also have a quirk. They hold open in three positions with the final one being nearly perpendicular to the car. This makes it very easy to load objects and is an advantage when you are exiting with a large purse. Overall, I was impressed with the Audi A3. If you watch your options you could have yourself a useful and solid vehicle for about $26,000.
Family conference: An attractive vehicle with quality construction, but the handling does not match its looks and power plant. There is enough passenger room, comfortable seats, and lots of utility here, but Audi has produced a vehicle priced awkwardly as it comes too close to the A4. Thus, our recommendation is too wait for the Quattro version or just buy one of our favorites, the Audi A4. Competitors include the Mazda 3 and Subaru Legacy both of which have either a price of performance advantage, but not nearly the luxurious feel of the A3.
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The brakes were excellent and the feel was sweet, with only a touch of softness as you begin to demand stopping power from the four-wheel discs with ASB. The large tires do impart a fair amount of noise inside the cabin and the engine is not as silent as the A4.
Seating was comfortable for four, but five would be a real test of a friendship. The seats are not easy to adjust with the manual knobs. I found the center armrest in the way. It is adjustable, but in the upper position I hit my arm when shifting and in the lower position the parking brake was nearly impossible to reach. Audi needs to rethink the position of their parking brakes on all their vehicles. The cupholders are not particularly handy, bordering on unacceptable. The switchgear has a nice feel, and the gauges are fairly easy to read, but the controls for the air-conditioning and radio could easily be simplified. Night lighting was superior, although the interior could have used a more powerful unit. The xenon headlights truly turned night into day. Order them and don't forget the side airbags. Safety testing results have not yet been reported for this car, but it does have a fairly full array of air bags either standard or as options.
Getting in and of such a low car is not easy when wearing a dress. The doors also have a quirk. They hold open in three positions with the final one being nearly perpendicular to the car. This makes it very easy to load objects and is an advantage when you are exiting with a large purse. Overall, I was impressed with the Audi A3. If you watch your options you could have yourself a useful and solid vehicle for about $26,000.
Family conference: An attractive vehicle with quality construction, but the handling does not match its looks and power plant. There is enough passenger room, comfortable seats, and lots of utility here, but Audi has produced a vehicle priced awkwardly as it comes too close to the A4. Thus, our recommendation is too wait for the Quattro version or just buy one of our favorites, the Audi A4. Competitors include the Mazda 3 and Subaru Legacy both of which have either a price of performance advantage, but not nearly the luxurious feel of the A3.
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