Audi A3 engines, drive and performance
- Diesel engine hits the sweet spot
- Manual gearbox good to use
- Mild hybrid suffers from poor brake pedal feel
Petrol engines
The Audi A3 is currently available with two petrol engines. The least powerful is badged 30 TFSI and it’s powered by a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged engine that produces 116hp and 220Nm of torque. 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.
Next up is the 35TFSI, which has a more powerful version of the 1.5 turbo engine, with 150hp and 250Nm. 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.
We’ve driven the 35 TFSI engine extensively, both in the A3 and the many other VW Group cars it’s fitted to – we have less experience of the only recently launched 1.5 30 TFSI. It’s a great engine that’s smooth and provides pretty punchy performance – we reckon it suits most buyers’ needs really well. Both the manual and automatic gearboxes are lovely to use, as well.
Other petrol engines have previously been available in the fourth-generation A3. The previous 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 muscular 360Nm of torque. 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.
Plug-in hybrid
On paper, the plug-in hybrid 40 TFSI e car is the most economical, cleanest – and quickest – A3 currently available. It combines a 1.4-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine and an electric motor to make 204hp, with 350Nm of torque. An automatic gearbox is fitted as standard.
Efficiency is king, of course, but stick it in the Dynamic mode and it feels pretty quick – 0-62mph takes 7.6 seconds. There’s a gut punch of torque at low revs as the electric motor kicks in, really propelling the car down the road.
Among the driving modes is a dedicated EV mode which the car defaults to, just using battery power. There’s also a hybrid mode that mixes and matches the engine and electric motor to maximise efficiency. The hold function allows you to onto some juice in the battery for EV running when you want to cruise silently down your street or through a low emission zone – it works really well.
What’s it like to drive?
- Multi-link suspension improves capability
- Less powerful version gets torsion beam rear axle
- Electromechanical steering has plenty of feel
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 fiited 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.
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 it 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 capable and sophisticated.
You don’t really feel anything through the steering – true of many cars, these days – but the A3 actually feels quite involving to drive. Certainly more so than any previous A3 and many other Audis for that matter. Add in the accomplished handling and you make rapid cross-country progress and enjoy yourself in the process.