My A3 Sportback 2.0tdi 140 Sportback S-Tronic - 1500 miles in 2 weeks - mini review

[mrash]

Well, had my car just over 2 weeks and now covered 1500 miles. I have to say, this is one very capable cruising car, very comfortable, and very economical. It also handles well in the twisties, and can be fun too. Loving the seats, never any backache now after a long drive, and the gearbox is excellent. The s-tronic is quiet, quick, and very smooth when changing the gears and perfectly suited to the 2.0tdi. The engine is a peach, makes my x-type seem so agricultural. My wife even questioned whether it was a diesel or not, so I will have to be careful and remind her if she borrows it!!!!
The black paint is a bitch to keep clean, wish I had the white, but realistically couldnt have waited 8 months. The boot is an excellent shape, and very practical, better than my X-Type estate, and my 1 series before that. My only complaint is the cup holder, who decided it was a good place to put it under the armrest!?!?! They should be sacked!!! I can live with it though, considering how good it is at everything else!

I've been averaging 54-60mpg on motorway runs, and around 45mpg around town.

A few pics

I will take it on a proper photo shoot this evening, but have to say

 

[akbarirfan]

Very nice..glad to see you are enjoying it!

How often do you use the paddles?

 

[mrash]

Very nice..glad to see you are enjoying it!

How often do you use the paddles?

Honestly? I've used them once so far. Haven't really been on any country roads to push the chassis/engine...although that will change by the weekend!

 

[audicruiser]

We have thd S- Tronic on our 2010 170 TDi and we hardly ever use the paddles. Sport mode is good for overtaking and sometimes use the paddles to knock it down a gear when going down hill to save the brakes...

 

[eagle_s3]

Mrash,

How are you finding the car now?

I'm looking to order a new A3 and the S-tronic gear box is tempting, but i'm concerned about the MPG figures.
Is the S-Tronic box like other auto cars i've driven which are very thirsty?

Thanks.

 

[jsh]

Mrash,

How are you finding the car now?

I'm looking to order a new A3 and the S-tronic gear box is tempting, but i'm concerned about the MPG figures.
Is the S-Tronic box like other auto cars i've driven which are very thirsty?

Thanks.

The S-tronic is not like a convetional auto with torque convertor, the dual cluctch is a semi auto and no more thirsty than a manual car (the S3 figures for a DSG car show it being more frugal)

 

[Ads]

DSG is even better than a kwik fit fitter.

 

[eagle_s3]

Thanks for the replies guys.

The car will be a company motor and the CO2 figures are improtant for tax and the MPG is important to me.

Audi configurator shows:

6 speed manual combined MPG - 64.2 with co2 at 115kg/m
S Tronic combined MPG - 57.6 with co2 at 129kg/m

The kg/m increase affects the discount given on the comapny cars and reduces my ability to add extras such as the Technology pack, Comfort pack, Metallic paint etc.

I'm in a right tissy trying to decide which is the better option.

I'm siding with the arguement that I'll get the greatest benefit out of the S Tronic gearbox, but still have this niggling feeling that if i had the manual car I could add a few nice options.