Lukewarm review for new A3 in this weeks Autocar

It will be intering to see what the say when they test the new Golf VII with the same engine.

I think the golf's super low emissions are going to be hard to beat, it ticks so many boxes. Shame Audi didn't considering this instead of using the engine already in the 61 plate A3.

I've just read the article and, tbh, I'd hardly call it a "lukewarm" review of the car. It seemed generally very positive to me. Yes it has the usual Audi dynamic "failings" but it's still better than the outgoing car and you don't buy an A3 to hoon around in all the time. As for the "clattery" engine, they said it sounded this way from the outside only and some of this harshness filtered through to the cabin when pushed. Frankly I can't see it being significantly worse than the outgoing engines, if at all, and I'm not concerned.

Here's their summary verdict:

"The Audi A3 is a very good car and richly deserves its four-star rating. In the most broadly meaningful terms, it's better than almost any upmarket hatchback. As a car to find against your name on any fleet list and in which to cover 20000 miles a year, it's second to none. So rich, pleasant and comfortable is the cabin, and so flexible and efficient its powertrain, that it deserves to become Britain's most popular company car. And it probably will. The car's handling, like everything else about it, is exact and resolute. The almost total absence of warmth and involvement that we've grown used to from the A3 over the past 16 years is as much a part of the new one as its single-frame grille. Exciting, this car ain't. But there's no denying its overall class - something that, to the majority, will matter more than how rewarding it is to drive. In fact, the A3 now looks as strong as any of Audi's current crop."

Well we'll see how "bad" the engine is when it arrives but frankly I can't see it being any noisier than the outgoing models - Audi just wouldn't allow it.

As for the ratings and the Golf - sorry but the A3 and Golf aren't direct competitors. They may be the same size of car but the A3 is perceived and marketed as a "step above" the Golf. The ratings reflect this and are relative to the market the vehicle is aimed at and its direct competitors, such as the 1 series for the A3, not the Golf. Yes the Golf is very "close" to the A3 in the market it targets but it still comes in just "under" it, in the same way that Seat models come under the VW ones and the Skoda ones under that. They're all VAG brands and they're not about to start competing with themselves.

Personally I love the car and can't wait for mine to arrive

Vertigo1 said:

Well we'll see how "bad" the engine is when it arrives but frankly I can't see it being any noisier than the outgoing models - Audi just wouldn't allow it.

As for the ratings and the Golf - sorry but the A3 and Golf aren't direct competitors. They may be the same size of car but the A3 is perceived and marketed as a "step above" the Golf. The ratings reflect this and are relative to the market the vehicle is aimed at and its direct competitors, such as the 1 series for the A3, not the Golf. Yes the Golf is very "close" to the A3 in the market it targets but it still comes in just "under" it, in the same way that Seat models come under the VW ones and the Skoda ones under that. They're all VAG brands and they're not about to start competing with themselves.

Personally I love the car and can't wait for mine to arrive

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But I wouldn't pay the thousands extra for the "higher qualities" over the Golf, which I dont think it has? :/

Must say something when a Focus has beat it :/

MattyW19 said:

But I wouldn't pay the thousands extra for the "higher qualities" over the Golf, which I dont think it has? :/

Must say something when a Focus has beat it :/

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I must say I'm beginning to agree. My current A3 is my 8th say you could say I like the A3, but I don't like the new A3. To me, the interior in particular, of the new Golf is much more to my liking than the interior of the A3. So my current A3 will almost certainly be my last. Whether my next car will be a new Golf, a new 2013 Skoda Octavia or the new 2013 Seat Leon remains to be seen. May be even an Estate version as one is due for each of the models. Initial reports of all of them say their interiors are a major leap forward in quality from the existing models. All are available with a DSG gearbox so I will be looking at all three as they become available. At least I have a few years before I have to make a decision and of course I will be spending my own money.

I never pay much attention to magazine reports. If I did I would be driving a Skoda!! I look at, research and drive the cars and make up my own mind.

Having owned my first Audi since April 2010 which was an A3 Sportback 1.4 TFSI Sport which I ordered with a few extras, I personally felt it was a notch up from other cars I'd owned in recent times in fit and finish.

Previously I had a mk5 Golf which was a really excellent car, maybe the interior was kind of bland and some plastics were not the best but nevertheless it was a great car to drive, I then had a Honda Civic (57 plate) and again a damn fine car with a very different interior but again I felt the trim and plastics let it down. Too many silver bits that soon worn away the silver to reveal yellowy plastic which put me off buying another Civic!

So I ended up going for the A3.

I drove a mk6 golf in 'match' trim recently as a hire car and in my opinion the A3 interior was much plusher. I was really quite surprised how underwhelmed I felt sitting in the Golf when I'd read so many good reviews.


I've watched with interest the release of the new A3 and Golf, Volvo V40 and having initially thought the new A3 interior looked a bit crap from the pictures released, having sat in it a few times and test driven it twice I really have come round to it, so much so I've ordered the new Sportback.

I did think about waiting on the new Golf as I would have considered buying another if the new A3 wasn't to my liking, but having seen pics of the Golf it looks the exact same especially the dashboard layout, you could lay the same charge at the new A3 in that externally it's so like the outgoing model but Audi have at least thrown away the old dash design and tried something new which I admire.

Will be interesting reading the various opinions as folk start driving the new models and as soon as I get my new Sportback (probably March 2013) I'll be sure to post pics and my own review

When I bought my first A3 back in 1998 the interior was a definite set up from my Golf VR6. Over the years I have sat-in and tried each version of the Golf and have always thought the A3 was better. But with the new Golf VII I prefer the dash and console in particular to the A3 and by all accounts the interior quality is a set up from previous versions. I have not yet sat-in a Golf VII but as I'm off on Sunday for a two week holiday to Germany which will include a visit to AutoStadt at Wolfsburg I may get the chance. I shall be interested to see what I think compared with the new A3. Price wise there is very little difference these days between a Golf and an A3 of similar spec. I will also be interested to compare the quality with the new Skoda Octavia when in comes out in 2013.

h5djr said:

When I bought my first A3 back in 1998 the interior was a definite set up from my Golf VR6. Over the years I have sat-in and tried each version of the Golf and have always thought the A3 was better. But with the new Golf VII I prefer the dash and console in particular to the A3 and by all accounts the interior quality is a set up from previous versions. I have not yet sat-in a Golf VII but as I'm off on Sunday for a two week holiday to Germany which will include a visit to AutoStadt at Wolfsburg I may get the chance. I shall be interested to see what I think compared with the new A3. Price wise there is very little difference these days between a Golf and an A3 of similar spec. I will also be interested to compare the quality with the new Skoda Octavia when in comes out in 2013.

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Will be interested to hear how you feel the new golf compares having known and liked Audi and VW cars.

I reckon in buying an A3 or a Golf or Octavia I reckon you'd be getting a solid and reliable car and each of these should probably be on every car buyers short list if looking for a small family car \ hatchback and each will invariably have their own quirks and foibles.

It makes forums like this all the more interesting reading when a number of new models all hitting showrooms within a few months of each other.

We're all entitled to our own opinions of course, but mine is that Audi is still marketed and perceived as a "superior" brand to VW. The Golf may be much closer in price and quality to the A3 nowadays but the distinction is still there.

Speaking generally, no-one does interiors like Audi in my opinion. They're just "nice" places to be, far more so than any VW, BMW or Merc if you ask me

Vertigo1 said:

We're all entitled to our own opinions of course, but mine is that Audi is still marketed and perceived as a "superior" brand to VW. The Golf may be much closer in price and quality to the A3 nowadays but the distinction is still there.

Speaking generally, no-one does interiors like Audi in my opinion. They're just "nice" places to be, far more so than any VW, BMW or Merc if you ask me

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That may be still "perceived" by some to be true, but I think you have said in the past, if you were spending your own money you would probably not buy an Audi.

Not a doubt in my mind that the car will be solid, I personally didn't get much of the wow factor from it. I've got to say I saw a White BMW 1 Series M Sport today, i'll probably get some stick for this but it looked brilliant!! (And the white is a no cost option.. unlike the white/beige!!). But hey weve all got our opinions, would be a boring world if we didn't!!

Do you think it will be as popular as the 8P though - As it has been on the market for 8-9 years and still seemed to be selling strong? As myself I can just imagine them being company cars not private owned?

Vertigo1 said:

just "nice" places to be, far more so than any VW, BMW or Merc if you ask me

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Have you seen the new A-Class? What a car, lovely interior too!