A3 Saloon

[h5djr]

I know the A3 Saloon has not been released in the UK yet but has anyone seen any pictures which show how big the luggage area is. The luggage area on the new Skoda Octavia I drove yesterday was huge and I was just wondering how the A3 Saloon compares with the Octavia, my current 2012 Sportback and the new A3 Sportback.

 

[SJW]

Hello H5djr,

Not sure if this helps:

Dimensions for both cars:

A3 Saloon

4460 mm long
1796mm wide
1416 high
2400mm wheelbase

Skoda Octavia

4569mm long
1769 wide
1462 high
2578 Wheelbase

 

[SJW]

Forgot to say the boot capacity for the A3 Saloon is 425 litres. 45 litres more than the A3 Sportback. Not sure what the boot capacity is for the Skoda Octavia.

 

[SJW]

I do know it now - 585 litres

 

[SJW]

I thought theA3 Saloon shared the same wheelbase as the sportback. I must be mistaken. Could have sworn the wheelbase was longer on the sportback. Not sure you will be able to get any photos.

 

[h5djr]

Thanks for all the info. I feel another test drive coming on as soon as the Saloon is available. I already have an arrangement with normal dealer to have an A3 Sportback 2.0TDI s-tronic for a day as well as a Golf 2.0TDI DSG with a VW branch of the same dealers. Both will be the 150 hp versions which will be less than my current 170 but hopefully the fuel consumption will be less. If they feel too under powered then I will have to try the 184 hp version of the A3 when that is available. The biggest problem there is, like the GTD Golf, it will probably only come with sports suspension and sports seats which I don't want.

 

[h5djr]

According to an article I have just found about the A3 Saloon using Bing...

We spoke to Heiko Pabst von Ohain, head of product marketing for the A3: “The car is 4,456mm long, making it 25cm shorter than an A4, but 15cm longer but same wheelbase than an A3 Sportback. It also has 425-litres of boot space, which is 55 less than an A4. All of this is to make sure it is distanced from the new A4.”

​

 

[SJW]

Looks like my initial thoughts about the A3 saloon using the same wheelbase is correct and the wheelbase info I posted previously was incorrect. Thanks for clarifying that.

I trust the 184ps version of the 2TDI can also be specced in SE/Sport or S-line trim? If this is the case, I would have thought you could deselect sport suspension and will have alternative options regarding the seating (fabric/cloth/leather)....apologies if I have misunderstood you.

I have not seen the stats on the 184ps v 150ps in terms of torque/top end/ 0-62 etc... I would have thought the 150 would seem relatively underpowered to what you are already use to.

 

[SJW]

2TDI 170 2TDI 150
Emissions CO2 (g/km) 149 108
Fuel Consumption EC Combined (mpg) 49.6 67.3
EC Extra Urban (mpg) 60.1 76.3
EC Urban (mpg) 38.2 56.5
General Performance 0 to 62 mph 7.7 8.7/8.3 (s-tronic)
BHP 170 147.9
Engine Power - RPM 4200 3500-4000
Engine Torque - NM 350 320
Engine Torque - RPM 1750 1750-3000
Top Speed 139 134

 

[h5djr]

Looks like my initial thoughts about the A3 saloon using the same wheelbase is correct and the wheelbase info I posted previously was incorrect. Thanks for clarifying that.

I trust the 184ps version of the 2TDI can also be specced in SE/Sport or S-line trim? If this is the case, I would have thought you could deselect sport suspension and will have alternative options regarding the seating (fabric/cloth/leather)....apologies if I have misunderstood you.

I have not seen the stats on the 184ps v 150ps in terms of torque/top end/ 0-62 etc... I would have thought the 150 would seem relatively underpowered to what you are already use to.

So far I've owned four 2.0 TDI A3s. The first was a 140, the second was a 170, the third a 140 remapped to 175 and now my current 170. I have enjoyed all of them and I would not be that bothered about going down to 150. I will have to see when I test drive them. I would also be interested to try a 1.4 TFSI-140 but that model is currently only available as an SE in manual, which rues it out as far as I am concerned. It is available with an s-tronic in the German price list so perhaps it will come to the UK eventually.

 

[SJW]

You are well versed and familiar with the models and variants in engine performance. From my test drive of the 2TDI 150 I was happy with how it run. The sport suspension seemed okay for me given the state of the roads around Suffolk/Essex. I see you are from Cambs. Hopefully the roads are in a better state there.

I cannot make a comparison to the previous models like yourself as this will be my first Audi. My wife is well into her pregnancy and I have had to embrace my first ever 5dr car. My research led me down the route of the A3 Sportback. it ticked the most boxes over the alternatives. My brother put the boot in that I should have chosen the 1.4TFSI 140 but I am convinced I will get more out of the 2TDI. I'm still a manual man but sitting in traffic I have noticed how my mind has wandered to wishing I have an automatic/s-tronic set up which would be a godsend. Perhaps the next car will go down that transmission route and I might even choose the SE suspension setting.

Judging from other threads in here - I think it could be some time before the 184 and the 140 s-tronic become available for ordering. Unfortunately I was not in a position to wait for them to come available or get the opportunity to have a test run in one.