Audi A3 SPORTBACK 2.0T FSI
Audis A3 Sportback 2.0T FSI Offers Turbocharged Punch In A Practical Bodyshell. Andy Enright Reports
Billing your car as a premium compact is all well and good up until that moment when a 1.6-litre family hatch shows you a clean pair of heels. Then its time to take a long, hard look at your set of priorities. If youre going to buy a premium compact car, at least make sure that its a properly sorted one with all the technology and a decent dose of power.
A car like the
Audi A3 Sportback 2.0T FSI may appear expensive at first glance but it offers a good deal more than any of the mainstream hatches can muster.
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Yes, you did read that right. Its a turbocharged version of the 150bhp 2.0-litre FSI engine, fettled to produce a hefty 200bhp. Slotting in between the normally aspirated Sportback 2.
0 FSI and the range-topping 3.2-litre V6, the 2.0T FSI engine offers a decent compromise between economy and performance and looks the most sensible choice of all of the petrol engines in the Sportback line up. Two versions are offered, each attractive in its own right.
The front-wheel drive model features Audis ridiculously ingenious DSG twin-clutch transmission while the other option is a manual gearbox mated to a quattro all-wheel drive chassis. Both are priced identically at £22,970 on the road although they are quite different propositions. The front wheel drive car will, by dint of its much lower carbon dioxide emissions (187g/km versus 216g/km), appeal to business users whereas the all-wheel drive model offers better all weather versatility for those with active lifestyles. Performance figures for the two models are virtually identical although the front wheel drive car gets markedly better fuel economy.
The DSG front wheel drive car will notch off the sprint to 60mph in 6.8 seconds and run on to a terminal velocity of 146mph. Its combined fuel economy figure of 35.7mpg compares favourably with the rather thirsty 31.
3mpg of the quattro model. The quattro offers some recompense with a bigger fuel tank but for most of the people most of the time, the front wheel drive model is the one to plump for.
"For most of the people most of the time the front wheel drive model is the one to plump for"
Part of the reason lies in that gearchange. The revolutionary Dynamic Shift Gearbox (DSG) was first seen in the TT 3.2 V6 coupe and is based around a sequential manual transmission but utilises an ingenious twin clutch system to ensure creamy smoothness. Engage first gear and the gearbox will pre-engage second gear in advance, the second clutch engaging as soon as you flick up to slot instantly into second gear.
This means a seamless flow of power. The electronics predict what gear youre about to engage, depending on whether youre accelerating or braking and the result is astonishing, making every other gearbox look distinctly clunky. The other option is to slip it into D and drive it like a normal automatic. Even in this mode its butter smooth and makes other attempts at sequential manual systems such as Ferraris F1, BMWs SMG and Alfa Romeos Selespeed appear distinctly clunky and yester-tech.
One of the reasons
Audi didnt give the old five-door A3 the big fanfare was, when all was said and done, it was just a three door A3 with an extra pair of doors wedged in. The A3 chassis was always very tightly packaged and with five doors, the styling lost something and the back
seat was only ever any good for kids or rather squashed adults. This time round, Audi have approached the problem in a more expansive manner, leaving the regular A3 as a sleek three door and offering this longer bodied five-door model that really does the job for those looking for added versatility. Although it lacks the nuggety compactness of the three-door car, the five-door Sportback isnt a bad looker at all, certainly a good deal easier on the eye than the rather challenging
BMW 1 Series.
An 83mm increase in body length and extra wide opening rear doors adds up to easy accessibility and far better rear knee and head room than its three-door counterpart. Space up front is equally good, the transverse engine minimising intrusion into the passenger cell. Given that the current generation A3 is 65mm longer in the wheelbase than its predecessor, its obvious that rear seat passengers will be a whole lot happier in the Sportback than the old A3 five-door. The luggage compartment also grows by 20 litres giving a total of 1,120 litres of space with the rear seat folded flat.
Standard safety equipment includes window airbags, electronic stability control, ABS, brake assist, a part-electric power steering system and anti-whiplash head restraints. The cabin has been restyled to offer a little more design flair, Audi realising that high quality alone isnt enough to lure buyers into showrooms. There has to be some style on display too. The fascia struts ape the interior design of the TT, as do the round air vents and chrome-rimmed dials.
Its still not what youd call revolutionary, but its beautifully executed. Theres a lot to be said for the Audi A3 Sportback 2.0T FSI. Although its turbocharged engine may have slipped under the radar of many buyers, it nevertheless offers an excellent blend of power and economy at prices which, when long term running costs are totted up, are distinctly reasonable.
The Sportback is a car with very few vices and this is probably the best of the petrol models, especially when twinned with the DSG gearbox. As an exemplar of how far the premium compact hatchback has come, its hard to think of better.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Audi A3 Sportback 2.0T FSI
PRICE: £22,970 on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 16
CO2 EMISSIONS: 187-216g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 6.8s / Max Speed 146mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [DSG] (combined) 35.7mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and window airbags, electronic stability control, ABS, BAS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4271/1765/1421mm
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