Audi A3 Limousine — sedan by the end?
The compact Audi won the World Car of the Year title. Following this example, can the A3 Limousine be named Sedan of the Year? Checking out a limousine with a 140-horsepower 1.4 TFSI engine and a 7-speed S tronic transmission.
In 1996, Audi gained an edge over the competition. Production of the A3, a high-end compact hatchback, commenced. Yes, BMW has already offered the E36 Compact, but the hatchback based on the 3 Series was not well received. Many stuck BMW because of the bad label on it. The Series 1, which hit showrooms in 2004, has a much better image. Mercedes A-class in the form in which he could fight an equal fight with the A3, debuted only in 2012.
Mercedes was the first to introduce a compact sedan - in January 2013, production of the CLA model began. Interest in the new product has surpassed the wildest expectations of the Stuttgart concern. The response from Audi came very quickly. The A2013 limousine was introduced in March 3, and the production lines were launched in June. It is worth adding that both models are produced in ... Hungary. The Audi A3 limousine is produced in Győr, the Mercedes CLA in Kecskemét.
The main and, in fact, the only competitor of the presented Audi is the Mercedes CLA. Everything is written about the appearance of a limousine under the sign of a three-pointed star. Against this background, the Audi A3 looks more modest. Smaller doesn't mean worse. The designers of the A3 body ideally approached the proportions of individual elements. The Mercedes CLA is much more noticeable, but there are some reservations about the appearance of the rear wheels, which disappear into the heavy rear.
It makes no sense to dwell on the design of the A3 sedan. Anyone who has seen the new generation of three-volume Audi cars can imagine what the brand's smallest sedan looks like. From a distance, even people with a keen interest in the automotive industry can have trouble distinguishing the A3 limousine from the larger, more expensive A4. The proportions of the body, the line of windows, the shape of the trunk, moldings on the doors - there are definitely more similarities than differences. The A3 has a shorter and sloping trunk lid and more pronounced side stamping. The A3 limousine is 24 centimeters shorter than the A4. Is it worth paying extra for such a small amount of metal ... 18 zł?
The A3's wheelbase is 171mm shorter than the A4's, which is obviously reflected in the amount of space in the second row. It is medium, and the relatively small width of the body and the high central tunnel exclude long trips for five. The sloping roofline, on the other hand, puts you in a bit of a workout by taking up a second-row seat.
Those who are ahead will have no such worries. There is no lack of space. The sporty aspirations of the Audi A3 are emphasized by the low driver's seat cushion. There was no compartment under it for a reflective vest, which Volkswagen stubbornly installs even in hot hatches. Of course, there is a vest compartment on board - a small compartment is located under the center rear seat.
Excellent materials have been used for interior trim of the Audi A3. The materials are soft, pleasant to the touch and fit perfectly. Long hours were spent fine-tuning the details, including the sounds made by the individual knobs. Instead of dry, "plastic" noises, we hear sharp clicks, which some compare to the sounds that accompany the opening of a combination lock.
On first contact, the A3 impresses with the minimalism of the cockpit. In the upper part of the dashboard, only ventilation nozzles and a retractable screen of the multimedia system are installed. Decorative embossing or stitching was considered redundant. Not much "happens" in the lower part of the cabin either. The gap between the decorative strips is filled with buttons, and under them there is an elegant panel for ventilation. The multimedia system and radio are controlled in the same way as in other Audi models - with buttons and a knob on the central tunnel.
Limousine A3 also surprises with driving performance. For several reasons. In a hatchback, most of the car's weight is on the front axle. The extended trunk of the sedan changes the weight distribution and improves the balance of the car. Add a centimeter lower bodywork and a few millimeters more track width, and we have a car that feels really good on corners. The electromechanical power steering is accurate, but doesn't give much information about grip reserves.
The suspension has hard settings. The driver knows perfectly well what kind of surface he will be driving on. Even on heavily broken roads, the comfort is decent - the shocks do not become sharp, the suspension does not knock and does not knock. Although the Audi responds effectively to all driver commands and remains neutral even in very fast corners, it is not exceptionally fun to drive. We rather appreciate the comfort on long trips. Those who like to push the gas harder should seriously consider 19-inch wheels and sport suspension.
The 1.4 TFSI engine is also not very fond of overly aggressive driving, as it feels best at low and medium speeds. From 4000 rpm it becomes audible. The closer to the red field, the less pleasant the sound becomes. Noise is not annoying - more annoying is the sound of the engine, which lacks low tones. Another thing is that the 140-horsepower TFSI 1.4 is the golden mean in the range of engines, which opens with a 105-horsepower 1.6 TDI and closes the sports S3 Limousine with 2.0 TFSI with 300 hp.
Is it possible to speak of "superiority through technology", since the A3 engine is well known from other models of the Volkswagen concern? Yes. The 1.4 TFSI engine fitted to Audi comes standard with a cylinder actuation system (crackle) that dampens the middle two cylinders at low power requirements. In the Golf, you have to pay extra for such a solution, and in the Seat you will not even find it in the list of options. The process of turning off the cylinder is imperceptible and takes no more than 0,036 seconds; the electronics not only turn off the fuel supply. Fuel doses and throttle opening degree change. To keep the engine running smoothly, the valve lobes also move across the middle cylinders to keep the valves closed.
Does the cod system really save money? Only calm drivers will notice them. The cylinders are switched off when the required power does not exceed 75 Nm. In practice, this corresponds to maintaining a constant pace on a not too sloping road and speeds up to 100-120 km/h. Audi says the A3 should consume 4,7 l/100 km. During the tests, fuel consumption in the city fluctuated within 7-8 l/100 km, and outside the settlements it decreased to 6-7 l/100 km.
The engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox as standard. The A3 tested received an optional S tronic dual-clutch gearbox with seven gears. It's not enough to reach for your wallet once. Who would like to enjoy a multifunctional steering wheel with paddles for manual gear shifting should add PLN 530. In the presented car they were absent. Is this a minor loss as the S tronic changes gears very quickly? The gearbox controller is tuned to the latest trends - the highest gears are driven in as quickly as possible to reduce fuel consumption. The box lowers reluctantly, counting on 250 Nm in the range of 1500-4000 rpm. We force the decline with a heavy emphasis on gas, but in some situations this does not happen immediately. The transmission computer can go haywire if we accelerate significantly in heavy traffic, equalize for a moment and try to accelerate the car again.
For the cheapest A3 limousine - the Attraction version with a 1.4 TFSI engine with 125 hp. – you will have to pay PLN 100. For a car with a 700 TFSI 140 hp engine. and the S tronic gearbox you need to prepare 1.4 PLN. Audi also took care of more advanced versions (Ambition and Ambiente) and an extensive catalog of expensive options. Suffice it to say that the metallic paint cost PLN 114. Even in the most expensive version of Ambiente, you will have to pay extra for fog lights (PLN 800), heated electric folding mirrors (PLN 3150), heated seats (PLN 810) or a Bluetooth connection (PLN 970). You must be vigilant when filling out additions. The standard equipment is not, among other things, the Auto Hold System, for which you have to pay PLN 1600 extra. Particularly useful in vehicles with S tronic transmission, as it eliminates "crawling" after taking your foot off the brake pedal.
Customers of premium brands are ready for the need to install add-ons. It’s a pity that they cost significantly more than similar solutions for technically twin models. For example, Skoda priced a double-sided trunk mat for the Octavia at 200 zlotys. At Audi it costs 310 zlotys. The Czech brand expects 400 zlotys for the switch for selecting driving modes, the Audi Drive Select system reduces the account balance by 970 zlotys. The final price of an A3 limousine depends almost exclusively on the whims of the customer. Those interested can choose a special paint from the exclusive Audi palette for... PLN 10. It was not present in the test car, which still reached the obscenely high ceiling of PLN 950. Let us remind you that we are talking about a compact sedan with a hp engine.
Limousine A3 filled the market niche. There will be many who want to buy. Audi is betting on fleet sales so employees can choose a prestigious limousine that won't be salty in the eyes of management or the finance department. The three-volume body will also appeal to buyers from China and the United States, who are still approaching hatchbacks from a fair distance. And in Europe… Well, four rings on the hood are tempting, but when it comes to spending money, common sense usually has the final say, which in this case is the Golf's gen twin.
