• Strong 150hp petrol and diesel
• Manual gearbox good to use
• Mild hybrid suffers from poor brake pedal feel

Petrol engines

The regular Audi A3 is currently available with two petrol engines, three if you count the plug-in hybrid A3 TFSIe. The least powerful is badged 30 TFSI and is a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged engine that produces 116hp. That translates to a 0-62mph time of 9.7 seconds with the standard six-speed manual gearbox, or 9.9 seconds with the optional seven-speed dual-clutch automatic – which Audi calls S Tronic. Performance is mosdtly adequate, but we did find ourselves wishing for more urge at times.

Next up is the 35TFSI, which has a more powerful version of the 1.5-litre turbo engine, with 150hp. Again, it’s available with a manual or automatic gearbox; the former does 0-62mph in 8.4 seconds, the latter takes 8.1 seconds.

In combination with the auto ‘box, this engine is actually a mild-hybrid with extra electrical gubbins that improves efficiency and boosts performance – a bit. It also has Audi’s ‘cylinder on demand’ tech which shuts down half the cylinders under certain conditions, again boosting efficiency. For most buyers, this will be the best engine.

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Other petrol engines have previously been available in this generation of A3. The 30 TFSI was a 110hp, 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, turbocharged unit that sounded quite characterful but was a bit gutless. The 40 TFSI had a 190hp, 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo engine and quattro four-wheel-drive. It was pretty quick but got through fuel at a discomfiting rate.

Diesel engines

Right now, there’s just one diesel engine available in the A3 – the 35 TDI. It has a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine that serves up 150hp and a lot more low-end muscle than the petrols. It comes with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and gets from 0-62mph in 8.1 seconds.

Diesel may have fallen from favour, but it’s still a sound choice if you have a lot of miles to do. It’s rare in premium hatchbacks, as well. Of the A3’s rivals, only Mercedes-Benz A-Class still offers a diesel option.

The 35 TDI has been tweaked a bit to make it smoother and more responsive. We think it’s plenty quick enough, as well. Selecting Sport mode sharpens the throttle further, but you could quickly tire of its hair-trigger response. Eco mode goes the other way, turning the A3 into a much more relaxing car to drive. The gearbox isn’t as slick as the eight-speed unit fitted to the BMW 1 Series, but only by a small margin.

Previously, a less powerful 30 TDI engine was available. With only 116hp on tap, you have to work it pretty hard on motorways and long uphill drags. It’s not especially quiet and no more efficient, either. One to avoid, we reckon. The 200hp 40 TDI quattro diesel, on the other hand, was an effective all-weather, long-distance cruiser.

What’s it like to drive?

• Handles tidily
• Comfortable ride
• At its best with at least 150hp

This may be a shock for those who think Audis are only good on motorways, but the A3 is a thoroughly enjoyable driver’s car. It’s up there with the BMW 1 Series, and better than the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. But that’s with the caveat that we’ve only tested models fitted with independent rear suspension and Drive Select driving modes.

With the exception of the Sport model, all A3s come equipped with Drive Select, which allows you to choose between four or five pre-set modes, depending on the engine fitted. The modes subtly alter throttle response, the power steering and the automatic’s gear changes – when fitted. They’re surprisingly effective, noticeably altering the car’s behaviour. You’ll soon find your favourite.

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The suspension setup of the A3 differs in line with which engine is fitted. The 30 TFSI has a simple torsion beam rear axle; all the others have more advanced multi-link rear suspension. The effect of that is to produce more poised, balanced cornering and a smoother ride. Handling and ride are perfectly acceptable with the torsion beam, but we think multi-link-equipped cars are ultimately more comfortable and handle better.

You don’t really feel anything through the steering – true of many cars, these days – but the A3 actually feels quite involving to drive. Add in the accomplished handling and you make rapid cross-country progress and enjoy yourself in the process.