Although it doesn’t look as arresting as its Mercedes-Benz A-Class rival, the all-new Audi A3 is still a seriously impressive car. The entry-level A3 1.4 that I drove a few weeks ago has a well-equipped cabin with quality oozing from every surface. The dashboard materials are soft, and all the various buttons have a nice tactility to them. Best of all, this variant’s sprightly character belies its 1.4-litre engine’s modest output of 122bhp.
The thought of driving the more powerful A3 1.8 then was an exciting one… until I saw that it looks exactly like the A3 1.4. Both cars have 17-inch alloys as standard and apart from featuring a different wheel design, there’s nothing that distinguishes the A3 1.8 from its sibling. Both hatchbacks even wear similar “TFSI” badges.
The A3 1.8, however, does have a slightly nicer interior with shinier bits. Compared to the A3 1.4, the buttons on the MMI infotainment system panel have an aluminium finish, and the interior lights are comprised of “cool” LEDs instead of “warm” yellow bulbs. Strangely, however, the more muscular A3 1.8 gets a four-spoke steering wheel while the less potent A3 1.4 is equipped with a sportier three-spoke number.
Unlike the 1.4-litre motor, this 1.8-litre unit doesn’t sound strained when revved.
What the A3 1.8 lacks in visual drama, though, is made up for in performance. Its turbocharged 1.8-litre powerplant churns out 180bhp and 250Nm (a significant 58bhp and 50Nm more than the A3 1.4), and enables it to attain the century sprint two seconds quicker, too.
To really get the most out of this engine, however, you’ve got to utilise the dual-clutch gearbox’s manual override function, for the default “D” mode is simply too conservative. By default, the transmission shifts up too early for you to exploit the powerplant’s wider band, which has a redline 1200rpm higher than the 1.4-litre unit’s. Put those paddle-shifters to use, and driving pleasure grows accordingly.
Less pleasing, on the other hand, is the car’s start-stop function, for the engine shudders very palpably every time it’s restarted. Given how the rest of the A3 is so refined, it seems like the Audi engineers overlooked this area.
But this oversight is actually a boon for us, because said engineers obviously spent more time honing the chassis. Because the A3 is built on the new, stiffer MQB platform, the suspension can be more pliant without adversely affecting the car’s handling.
It would’ve been nicer, however, if the Sport suspension option was fitted to the A3 1.8 instead of the A3 1.4. This decision was supposedly taken because the former is marketed to older drivers who prefer comfort, whereas the latter is aimed at younger motorists who want more dynamism.
But given its discreet performance, the A3 1.8 will also attract fans of Q-cars – vehicles that look ordinary while packing a wallop big enough to startle (and possibly embarrass) unsuspecting boyracers.
This article was first published in the October 2013 issue of Torque.
2013 Audi A3 Sportback 1.8 (A)
ENGINE 1798cc, 16-valves, inline-4, turbocharged
MAX POWER 180hp at 5100-6200rpm
MAX TORQUE 250Nm at 1250-5000rpm
GEARBOX 7-speed dual-clutch with manual select
0-100KM/H 7.3 seconds
TOP SPEED 232km/h
CONSUMPTION 17.9km/L (combined)
CO2 EMISSION 130g/km
Read our Audi S3 Sedan review here
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