Audi A3 1.6 Range Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Audi A3 1.6 range
Prices: £14,995-£18,895– on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 9
Emissions: 162g/km
Performance: [1.6] 0-60mph 11.7s / Max Speed 115mph
Fuel Consumption: [1.6] (urban) 29.8 (extra urban) 53.3 (combined) 41.5mpg
Safety: Twin front, side and window airbags, electronic stability control, ABS.
Dimensions: Length/Width/Height 4203/1765/1421mm

The Respectable Audi

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This beautiful Audi A3 1.6 is a gem.

Prices range about £14,995 for the base 3-door model, with the SE and Sport variants tacking a hefty £2,000 onto that asking price. The entry-level 1.6-litre version comes with a respectable complement of kit.

The entry-level 1.6-litre A3 comes with electric front windows, electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors, 16-inch alloy wheels and a Thatcham category 1 alarm and immobiliser operated by a remote key fob.

The Audi ‘s highlight is its safety gear, and the entry-level car getting the same ESP stability control, anti lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, ASR traction control, EDL electronic differential lock and twin front and side airbags as its more expensive SE and Sport siblings.

The car has some really stylish features. The front wings and the grille are a little shapelier, the headlights are sharper-looking and the side repeaters are now incorporated into the door mirrors. For the first time, the 1.6 model is also available as a sportsback for the more practically-minded customer.

The SE model has climate controlled air conditioning, a CD stereo, cruise control, Vavona wood decorative inlays, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and seven-spoke alloy wheels. The identically priced Sport version runs on 17-inch five-spoke alloy wheels and sports suspension, ditches the lumber on the fascia in favour of gloss finished inlays and adds aluminium sill strips, front sports seats, front fog lamps and a three rather than four-spoke leather trimmed steering wheel.

Performance from the 1.6-litre engine is respectable, notching the sprint to 60mph off in 11.8 seconds and running on to 115mph. Although it’s only packing a mere 102bhp, blip the throttle and the throaty induction tones will lead you to believe there’s at least fifty more horsepower up front. The emissions figure of 162g/km on the standard car is significantly superior to the 2-litre TFSI’s 171g/km.

The styling is largely evolutionary, remaining obviously an A3 with the Audi trademark ‘single frame’ grille, only looking a little stretched. The additional 65mm in wheelbase has rectified one of the old A3’s faults, namely that rear seat accommodation was a bit pinched. The extra 30mm of width also helps a little with shoulder room.

The three-door versions were offered first, with these five-door Sportback cars following on. That mirrors the evolution of the old A3 range and, like the old A3, this version rides on Golf underpinnings. Not just any old Golf though. The A3 was the first car to use the 2004 model Golf chassis, a vehicle platform that allows for far more customisation than before.

The cabin has been restyled to offer a little more design flair, Audi realising that high quality alone isn’t enough to lure buyers into showrooms. The fascia struts ape the interior design of the TT, as do the round air vents and chrome-rimmed dials.

Although the entry-level version exists to give Audi a presence in the market at a £14,995 price point, most buyers won’t countenance equipment levels below what the SE and Sport trims boast. Therefore, the effective opening price of the car for most buyers will be in excess of £16,000.