New-generation Audi A3 2.0L TDI Sport Quattro - my thoughts.

[murkins]

Well I took delivery of a new A3 on Friday.
It's a 2.0L TDI Sport Quattro (170ps) with the new common-rail diesel engine.

General thoughts.

The cabin
I like the car, it looks great. The dual-zone climate control is a treat and works very well and the chrome around the vents gives a nice, modern look to the cabin. I would have liked to have the option of LED DRL's but that's only an option on the S-line trim. The cabin is great, the Audi Concert audio system is adequate for my needs and the armrest is comfortable.

There are some small but significant problems however.

• Sun blinds - they aren't long enough and don't reach across far enough, allowing a lot of light gets into the sides of the eyes. I've not had this problem on other cars I've owned
• The handbrake - when you lift it to the top notch it hits the bottom of the armrest and causes it to lift slightly, that's poor design in my opinion!
• Steering wheel audio controls - it's not possible to jump radio pre-sets with these controls!! When you scroll the thumb-wheel you simply move up the waveband rather than jump to your next pre-set radio station.
• The glove-box - it is absolutely tiny, titchy, teeny-weeny...you get the idea. Not good!

The engine/transmission/grunt

It's a lovely engine. The noise is well damped when you are inside the cabin but you'll still know it's a diesel. There's plenty of poke and power. There's still some power even in sixth gear, not a lot but enough so that you don't always have to shift down a gear when overtaking.

The power itself still comes in a rush but not a short sharp rush, there's still plenty of power in the mid-range of each gear and some left in the top range too (but it has petered out a bit at this stage).

There are some slight problems.

• Fuelling - I was fuelling the car yesterday and found the pump handle difficult to get into and out of the diesel port. This may just be because I'm unfamiliar with the car.
• Noise - The engine is a bit noisier at 90 mph than I would like (not that I've done 90 mph, just from what I've heard...you understand )
• TDI - It's only a small thing but I would have liked to see Audi get rid of the standard TDI and add a C to indicate the common-rail engine has been installed.

The steering is a bit light but it's not completely without feel. I'm only getting about 43-45 mpg at the moment, I'd like to get a lot more than that to be honest...even if my right-foot is a little heavy.
I'm sure I'll think of more but that's enough to get the ball rolling

 

[Matt]

Handbrake is a well known design fault.

I have got used to it now, always have the arm rest down and can still use the handbrake. Took a bit of getting used to though!

 

[murkins]

Handbrake is a well known design fault.

...and yet they didn't fix it for the new-generation???

Don't get me wrong I love the car but I was let down by these few things in the cabin considering the famous 'design and build quality' rep that Audi are supposed to have.

I've already gotten used to it and use it fine but it still smacks of amateurishness on Audi's part.

 

[jamiekip]

Do you guys leave your arm rest down all the time?
I only ever use it when I'm on the motorway, in town it's tucked up out of the way, so doesn't bother me.
Also, the armrest does have a design in it, so that when you left it up from it's lowest point and put it back down, it's not ALL the way down and I thik you can lift the handbrake without rubbing when you do this.

I do think the way it goes over the drink holder is cr@p though - again, for me anyway, the armrest is down when I'm on a long run, and I can't put my bottle of water in the cup holder as the armrest then won't go down... now that is rubbish!

I do like the chromed switched on the facelift car though - nice little touch that IMO makes a big difference.

I'd be interested to hear how you get on with economy as my dad is considering this engine.

J

 

[Matt]

Do you guys leave your arm rest down all the time?
I only ever use it when I'm on the motorway, in town it's tucked up out of the way, so doesn't bother me.
Also, the armrest does have a design in it, so that when you left it up from it's lowest point and put it back down, it's not ALL the way down and I thik you can lift the handbrake without rubbing when you do this.

Yeah thats exactly how I have the arm rest set up so its locked in position but not all the way down. Like you say can still operate the handbrake with it like that.

I have my arm rest down all the time.

 

[GeoffT]

• Steering wheel audio controls - it's not possible to jump radio pre-sets with these controls!! When you scroll the thumb-wheel you simply move up the waveband rather than jump to your next pre-set radio station.

I can't believe they haven't sorted this yet. I complained to Audi about this (and other shortcomings with the MFSW) when mine was new 12 months ago. They took it up with the technicians in Germany and eventually gave me a credit to the value of the MFSW for servicing. I was fully expecting the facelift to have this sorted. Not very impressive from Audi, especially when it should only be a change in firmware to fix it.

 

[AlexRS3]

TDI

- It's only a small thing but I would have liked to see Audi get rid of the standard TDI and add a C to indicate the common-rail engine has been installed.

Thats a bit 'Ford' isnt it!

Also i am sure my steering wheel controls move to the next pre-set station when i scroll it!

 

[GeoffT]

Also i am sure my steering wheel controls move to the next pre-set station when i scroll it!

What model year is yours? I think pre 2008 model year the MFSW did scroll through presets. New and improved for 2008 on they stopped this working!

 

[biggiep]

People still listen to the radio?

How can you have the armrest down all the time? I have never used it cause it gets in the way of my arm, that being said I am kinda big framed so most things are like that in all cars.

You dont need TDi-C on your engine just be safe in the knowledge that you have it, I think debadged is the way to go!

 

[L60N]

I always have it down, it keeps me from flooring it for some reason LoL

 

[GeoffT]

People still listen to the radio?

Erm, yes. What a strange comment. Not a sports fan then? Or interested in the news? Or any music that you haven't already got on MP3?

 

[Kontraband]

I have it down too... and I also think that my scroll goes thru the stored stations.

 

[Andy_S]

On my FBMFSW you have to 'press' the left scroll wheel to jump to the next radio pre-set.

 

[biggiep]

Haha i don't do pop music, sport i do on mobile internet and same with news the radio is too much chat about nothing or adverts. Cd and MP3 all the way

 

[Teejay]

• TDI - It's only a small thing but I would have liked to see Audi get rid of the standard TDI and add a C to indicate the common-rail engine has been installed.

80% of A3 buyers won't know what this means.
15% will know and not give a t##s.
The 5% who do (like yourself and other enthusiasts that frequent online forums) will still buy the car regardless.

So because the VAG TDI has such a strong brand image and reputation, they won't change it for the foreseeable future, regardless what incarnation/technology is added!

 

[GeoffT]

Haha i don't do pop music, sport i do on mobile internet and same with news the radio is too much chat about nothing or adverts. Cd and MP3 all the way

Mobile internet while driving?

 

[bacardi]

drove an A4 with the new CR170 engine in it yesterday, god it was quiet
quieter than a mates 320d in fact

am considering it in an A4 for my next car

 

[biggiep]

Haha no not while driving but the news wont change that quickly and you can't do anything about it anyway. Traffic comes on sat nav. Just like sport you can't change the result and I can't stand commentators. I have never been in any of my friends cars and them had the radio on, infact i dont know anyone who has bought an adaptor so the radio still works with a new headunit. Perhaps its an age thing!

 

[emzino]

My handbrake rubs against the plastic groove behind it if you know what I mean... quite annoying =/

 

[muskoka]

Have the same car and love it my only real criticism is the amount of space taken around the rear wheel, blocks and blocks of foam doing very little but taking up space.

 

[murkins]

They took it up with the technicians in Germany and eventually gave me a credit to the value of the MFSW for servicing. I was fully expecting the facelift to have this sorted. Not very impressive from Audi, especially when it should only be a change in firmware to fix it.

So did Audi fix it for you?

Thats a bit 'Ford' isnt it!

Also i am sure my steering wheel controls move to the next pre-set station when i scroll it!

I've just sat into my car and checked. If I hit the scroll button, the radio scans until it finds a station, if I press the scroll button, I get the same result. If I hold down the scroll button and scroll it at the same time, I get the same result. If I press the volume button, that doesn't do anything...

Have the same car and love it my only real criticism is the amount of space taken around the rear wheel, blocks and blocks of foam doing very little but taking up space.

True, I forgot about that.

So should I go back to the dealer and ask him to get this sorted for me?

EDIT: Also, yep, I would like to see a 'C' added into the TDI, probably because I'm a bit of a stickler for these things. I don't like debadged cars either I'm sure I'll get over it

 

[GeoffT]

So did Audi fix it for you?

No. They said that if an update was produced, it would not be possible to retro-fit it to existing cars. This is why I am surprised that they have still not sorted this. The MFSW (Mostly For Show Wheel as I now call it) is a huge let-down. Apart from not being able to flick through radio presets, you can't use it to scroll through the MP3 directory list either. But the most glaring omission IMO is the lack of a mute button - even my Fiat van has a mute button on the steering wheel! There is already a thread somewhere on this.

 

[murkins]

Okay, I first posted on this thread on September 16th 2008, it's now May 28th.

My thoughts haven't changed all that much as it turns out, in fact if anything while I love the car, the MFSW is really, really bugging me. I have complained to Audi and in the car survey that I got I commented that this will prevent me buying another A3 in the future and also that I wouldn't recommend the car to anyone based on this.

I'm not joking either, I've mentioned this to people who have asked me how I like the car and told them that the car drives really well, is quiet, comfortable and has a great feel to it but that the radio pre-sets can't be changed on the wheel. Most people don't believe me and I have to show them, that's when they laugh

I can't stress how strongly I feel about it. I feel conned by Audi, even my Dad's crappy old Clio allows him to change the radio pre-sets on the steering wheel *** while Audi the 'prestige' arm of VAG won't let you do this.

For that reason, when I'm replacing this car I won't be buying another A3 and probably won't buy an Audi (who knows what other 'features' don't actually work properly in other Audi cars. Appearances can be deceiving It's a pity because other than that I love the car.