AUDI A3 SPORTBACK: FITS AS A GLOVE

Malicious design, dynamic control

When you get into a car and you feel that it is adapted to your needs and that you are already used to it, then someone has done a good job. And when every next turn makes you attack it even more boldly to enjoy the ease of driving, that means that the car is really cool.

I experienced the described emotions driving the new Audi A3 Sportback, one of the “most driving” representatives of the C-segment (for a test of the previous generation, see HERE). During Audi's testing of the new A3, we had the opportunity to try out a huge part of the brand's luxury fleet.

Brother Golf was the most humble of all the representatives available, but in terms of driving feel and driving pleasure, he was definitely my favorite.

Acute

Despite being built on the same platform as its predecessor (MQB), the new Audi A3 looks a lot meaner. The dimensions are almost identical - the length has increased by only 3 cm to 4,34 m, but the shapes have become much sharper and sportier, which makes the presence of the car on the road more noticeable. The front end is dominated by a huge grille, complemented on the sides by spacious air vents in a sporty style. As a rule, for Audi, headlights are one of the main design elements and complement the "evil" look. The digital daytime running lights are integrated into the matrix LED headlights, which adapt to nighttime traffic.

They consist of three components with five LEDs in each segment, creating a distinctive graphic. An interesting design accent is the wider line of doors under the windows, emphasizing the width of the fenders and the stable angle of the road.

Digitally

The interior is heavily digitized but doesn't look too much like the new Golf. The Ingolstadt-based engineers, however, were prudent and left physical buttons for the car's most basic functions, as opposed to Volkswagen's all-touchscreen.

So working with multimedia content that is otherwise a little confusing is straightforward. At the very least, you do not need to go to several menus, for example, to change the temperature in the cabin. The interior space is good for the segment, the Germans say it has grown despite the identical outer dimensions. The trunk remained unchanged, its 380 liters.

The test car was equipped with a 1,5 liter petrol engine with a capacity of 150 hp. and 250 Nm in combination with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic with front-wheel drive.

The legendary quattro will be available at a later stage for the A3. This bike provides quite tolerable dynamics for a small hatchback, but I was very impressed with the fuel consumption - 6,4 liters per 100 km on the on-board computer of a brand new and undeveloped car. A direct diesel achievement that differed by only a tenth from Audi's promised 6,3 liters in the combined cycle (WLTP detection standard).

The engine does a good job of accelerating (8,2 seconds to 100 km / h), but as I said at the start, the car's real agility comes from its excellent lighting and direct handling. Versions from 150 hp The A3 comes standard with multi-link rear suspension, and the test model also came with optional adaptive dampers. In dynamic mode, they lower the body by 10 mm to the asphalt for even better steering response and high speeds. If you order the S-line sports suspension, you get 15mm lower suspension. Combined with a straight steering wheel, compact design and a decent weight (1345 kg), the A3 is a real pleasure in dynamic cornering.

Under the hood

Дvigatel	Gas engine
drive unit	Front wheels
Number of cylinders	4
Working volume	1498 cc
Power in hp	150 h.p. (from 5000 rev.)
Torque	250 Nm (from 1500 rpm)
Acceleration time	(0 – 100 km / h) 8,2 sec.
full speed	220 km / h
Fuel consumption Tank	50 l
Mixed cycle	6,3 l / 100 km
CO2 emissions	143 g / km
The weight	1345 kg
Price	282 699 BGN VAT INCLUDED