Audi A3 - a few questions

r3nu4l

I've been looking at the Audi A3 as a possible contender for my next car but I'm a bit confused over a few issues.

I'm only considering the 1.9 or 2.0 TDI models and I see that the standard models come as a 5-speed (1.9) or 6 speed (2.0). Will the 2.0 L give better fuel consumption than the 1.9 because it has a cruising gear (I drive on MWay and HQDC mostly)?

Also, what is a "Sportsback"? Is this a fancy way of saying "Hatchback"? What's the difference?

When is the A3 due a facelift? Will we see a new model soon? Should I wait?

Finally, I know that new engines have been released in Germany, when are they likely to get to UK forecourts? Are these engines a lot better?

TIA.

Lex Luthor

go for the 6sp gearbox with the 2.0TDi if you do a lot of motorway driving. I notice a big difference in my 6sp over my wifes 5sp at 120km/h in revs and consumption.

Mine would be getting about 6l/100km at 120km/h, where the 5sp gets 6.8l/100km at the same speed.

The 2.0TDi engine is also the newer one and a lot quieter than the 1.9

The sportsback as far as I know is the 5 door version. They call the 3dr the hatchback.

I think the A3 has only recently been facelifted so it should be ok for about 2yrs

colm_mcm

The Sportback is the 5 door model, penned by the guy who brought you the Alfa 156 and 147 (must've run out of ideas!)
Visit a showrooom and see what spec they can offer, they're quite basic as standard and you really have to spec them up to get an acceptable level of kit (over here anyway!)

Lex Luthor

As Colm says, the spec here is fairly basic. I know someone looking to get the 3dr hatch 2.0TDi in a 07 plate and is going across to the UK as the spec is much better.

He's noticed here on the 1.6 petrol the spec can be good but on the 2.0TDi the spec is poor....obviously the owners blew all their budget on the engine

zzzzzzzz

colm_mcm wrote: »

The Sportback is the 5 door model, penned by the guy who brought you the Alfa 156 and 147 (must've run out of ideas!)
Visit a showrooom and see what spec they can offer, they're quite basic as standard and you really have to spec them up to get an acceptable level of kit (over here anyway!)

Sportsback has different rear lights. Much nicer looking IMO. The sportsback lights spread across on to the boot:

r3nu4l

Thanks lads The UK spec may be better than in Ireland but is still pants compared with the likes of the spec you get on a similar engined Focus over here

I guess you pay for the badge...

Fuel consumption on the 6 speed looks good at 47 mpg (6L/100km) compared with 41.5 mpg. Someone I know driving a 1.9 A3 (07 reg) is getting 45 mpg from her (company car) A3, so with any luck I could get close to 50 mpg (5.6L/100km).

bazz26

Facelifted A3 is just around the corner. Air con will apparently be standard across the range afaik which is about time considering most cars have had it for a couple of years now.

Sportback is the 5 dorr version and with the optional roof rails it kind of looks like a small estate.

1.9 TDi has a 5 speed manual gearbox and has been around in various VAG cars for almost a decade now. 2.0 TDi has a 6 speed manual box and is much newer but rarer over here, it also commands a hefty premium.

To be honest you'd probably get a much higher spec Golf for similar money as a basic spec A3, both are the same car underneth the exterior styling.

odie2020

I bought an Sports back after have 2 of the 3 door models, and i cant wait to get rid of my sports back, its just not as much fun to drive,, they are all 1.6 models.... the new A4 look good at 36300, for 1.8 petrol 120 bhp...

r3nu4l

bazz26 wrote: »

To be honest you'd probably get a much higher spec Golf for similar money as a basic spec A3, both are the same car underneth the exterior styling.

Yeah I realise that bazz but A3 is pretty much decided unless our test drives indicate otherwise. We won't be buying for about 3 months (I think) so we've plenty of time to make a decision without rushing it.

E92

Full details of the facelifted A3 here!

The facelifted A3 will retain the 1.9 TDI engine, which first made it's debut billions of years ago in the Audi 80, but the 2.0 TDI gets the brand new common rail engine recently put into the A4 and soon to appear in the new Skoda Superb(though only the most powerful 2.0 TDI 170 will have the new engine, the 2.0 TDI 140 has the PD engine and they still offer the ancient 1.9 TDI for this too) and Audi TT.

groupb

r3nu4l wrote: »

Thanks lads The UK spec may be better than in Ireland but is still pants compared with the likes of the spec you get on a similar engined Focus over here

I guess you pay for the badge...

Fuel consumption on the 6 speed looks good at 47 mpg (6L/100km) compared with 41.5 mpg. Someone I know driving a 1.9 A3 (07 reg) is getting 45 mpg from her (company car) A3, so with any luck I could get close to 50 mpg (5.6L/100km).

You're only paying for the badge. The A3 is inferior to the focus in just about every way but image.

cyborg

not quite true, the A3 rides better and has less road noise than the focus.
Although that doesn't justify the ridiculous price difference. I'd still have the focus.

r3nu4l

groupb wrote: »

You're only paying for the badge. The A3 is inferior to the focus in just about every way but image.

...and 3 yr residual values for when I re-sell Focus residuals in the UK are very poor compared to the Audi.

Other than that I agree that the badge means a huge amount in terms of pricing but I can't comment on ride and handling until I do my test drives.

Phaetonman

The facelifted A3 will retain the 1.9 TDI engine, which first made it's debut billions of years ago in the Audi 80,

Stop banging on about this. It is not the exact same engine as that developed in the early 90s. The 130BHP version was winning awards and plaudits from 2000-2001 and its a good engine. Not cutting edge technology but not as bad as you make it.

E92

Apart from the injection technology and the fact that it has been remapped for more power and lower emissions(which isn't exaclty sending a rocket to the moon as you can do that with any engine be it petrol or diesel with electronically controlled fuel injection), it is exacty the same engine that first appeared back in 1993 in the Audi 80 1.9 TDI(and every time you're near one it shows).

I suppose Phaetonman you believe that Audi were first with a TDI engine too?

Phaetonman

I suppose Phaetonman you believe that Audi were first with a TDI engine too?

Why would you suppose that?

Nice to see you finally admit that its a different engine.

r3nu4l

Ah lads, I just asked a few questions. Is the A3 sportsback a nice drive? Does the engine have enough power to give me some overtaking 'oomph' on the motorway before returning to the driving lane? I don't really care if the engine was first designed in 1900 or 2000 so long as it's not the worst possible engine out there.

What about engine noise in the cabin for the 1.9 v the 2.0L TDI?

R.O.R

r3nu4l wrote: »

Ah lads, I just asked a few questions. Is the A3 sportsback a nice drive? Does the engine have enough power to give me some overtaking 'oomph' on the motorway before returning to the driving lane? I don't really care if the engine was first designed in 1900 or 2000 so long as it's not the worst possible engine out there.

What about engine noise in the cabin for the 1.9 v the 2.0L TDI?

The A3 Sportback is nice to drive. Haven't driven one for that long but have driven in stop start traffic and Motorway traffic. 1.9Tdi has more than enough poke on Irish Motorways for overtaking all the 1.2 Micra's and 1.4 Focus's - can't comment about it against the bigger engined machines on the UK motorways. It is a very noisy engine at slow speeds so make sure the stereo works well enough to drown it out

2.0Tdi version is quieter and more powerful. If there isn't a huge price difference go for the 2.0Tdi. I wouldn't pay a massive premium for the 2.0Tdi over the 1.9 though.

E92

r3nu4l wrote: »

What about engine noise in the cabin for the 1.9 v the 2.0L TDI?

The 1.9 TDI can be heard miles away, as benefits a diesel that first saw life back in 1993 in the Audi 80(which for the pedantic around here was updated back in 2000 to get a different injection system but is otherwise identical to the engine in the Audi 80 back in 1993). That engine was very quiet for a diesel back in 1993, but time waits for no-one and diesels have improved enormously since then for diesel clatter and noise(including VAG's newer diesels, even the 1.4 TDI in the Polo is miles quieter and that has only 3 cylinders).

They haven't released the prices for the new A3 but in the old one they sold the 2.0 TDI 140 for £1,590 more than the 1.9 TDI e.

The 2.0 TDI in the new A3 is a brand new engine and is more efficient than the old 2.0 TDI and I would imagine is considerably quieter than the old 2.0 TDI(which in turn is a lot quieter than the 1.9) though not having heard this engine yet I obviously can't confirm my suspicion, but certainly if the motoring press is to be believed, it is an improvement on the old 2.0 for both quietness and smoothness, which in turn is said to be a lot better than the 1.9 TDI.

r3nu4l

Hee hee, thanks for the reply E92, even if you couldn't help yourself

Some great information in this thread. Thanks folks.

-Chris-

r3nu4l wrote: »

Ah lads, I just asked a few questions. Is the A3 sportsback a nice drive? Does the engine have enough power to give me some overtaking 'oomph' on the motorway before returning to the driving lane? I don't really care if the engine was first designed in 1900 or 2000 so long as it's not the worst possible engine out there.

What about engine noise in the cabin for the 1.9 v the 2.0L TDI?

I'm the king of suggesting the obvious but.... go and test-drive them both and make your mind up.

E92 doesn't like the 1.9TDI, others will stick up for it blindly.
I like the 1.9TDi (it was in a Golf I had and I loved it - surprisingly quick!), although it is less refined than the 2.0TDi.

If you went to a random Audi garage I'd be surprised if you couldn't be offered a test-drive in a 1.9TDi and 2.0TDi so you could compare (probably not in A3s - diesel A3s are a rare enough beast, but if you drove them back to back in A4s, you'd still get the idea).

In Sportback in Attraction spec the 1.9TDi will be €29,500ish post-July while the 2.0TDi will be €32,250ish. Only you can answer whether the difference in refinement & performance is worth the additional cost.

E92

The OP is a UK resident and is buying the car over there AudiChris;)! I would imagine that the OP would have no problem finding a diesel A3 over there.

OP what about the 1.4 TFSI? That engine is getting great reviws by all accounts and is surprisingly frugal too(average fuel consumption of 47 mpg), and of course there is petrol smoothness and refinement thrown in as well not to mention the lower purchase price too(lower than even the 1.9 TDI). It has far more power and loads more torque than one might expect from a 1.4(125 bhp and 155 lb ft at only 1500 rpm which is diesel like in that it gives so much shove that early but unlike a diesel it keeps going all the way up to 4,000 rpm IIRC without all the clatter of course:D).

Average fuel consumption for the 2.0 TDI is around 55.5 mpg and for the 1.9 it is around 58 mpg(and 62.8 for the e version).

-Chris-

E92 wrote: »

The OP is a UK resident and is buying the car over there AudiChris;)! I would imagine that the OP would have no problem finding a diesel A3 over there.

The heat is getting to me - OP, ignore my VRT advice etc. but do go test-drive!

+1 on the 1.4T as well, we have one on and everyone is very impressed with it.

r3nu4l

AudiChris wrote: »

I'm the king of suggesting the obvious but.... go and test-drive them both and make your mind up.

Ah but forewarned is forearmed. I've already stated I'll be test driving Audi A3's and other cars too

E92 doesn't like the 1.9TDI, others will stick up for it blindly.
I like the 1.9TDi (it was in a Golf I had and I loved it - surprisingly quick!), although it is less refined than the 2.0TDi.

Thank you.

(probably not in A3s - diesel A3s are a rare enough beast,).

YEah, As E92 said, I'm UK based, we fall over diesel A3's over here, if anything, the petroll ones are rare! Diesel A3 are very popular here

In Sportback in Attraction spec the 1.9TDi will be €29,500ish post-July while the 2.0TDi will be €32,250ish. Only you can answer whether the difference in refinement & performance is worth the additional cost.

Thanks I'll bear this in mind when I'm buying. I'm already seriously thinking the 2.0L will be the best bet.

E92 wrote: »

The OP is a UK resident and is buying the car over there AudiChris;)! I would imagine that the OP would have no problem finding a diesel A3 over there.

Quoted for truth! Honestly, they're everywhere!!

OP what about the 1.4 TFSI? That engine is getting great reviws by all accounts and is surprisingly frugal too(average fuel consumption of 47 mpg), and of course there is petrol smoothness and refinement thrown in as well not to mention the lower purchase price too(lower than even the 1.9 TDI). It has far more power and loads more torque than one might expect from a 1.4(125 bhp and 155 lb ft at only 1500 rpm which is diesel like in that it gives so much shove that early but unlike a diesel it keeps going all the way up to 4,000 rpm IIRC without all the clatter of course:D).

Hmmm, I might consider it if diesel keeps going the way it is (currently£1.20/litre...mind you, petrol is currently £1.12/litre ) but I'm still mostly thinking diesel

Average fuel consumption for the 2.0 TDI is around 55.5 mpg and for the 1.9 it is around 58 mpg(and 62.8 for the e version).[/QUOTE]

I could live with the 2.0L consumption if it's a nicer drive

r3nu4l

Update:

Last Saturday I finally purchased, having test-driven a few cars. I ordered the Audi A3 sportsback 2.0L TDI Sports Quattro.

So it's the new common-rail diesel engine (but will retain the TDI badge) at 170 bhp with all wheel drive. The 0-60 mph and the CO2 emissions are yet to be determined on the 170 bhp model.

A word of warning to anyone hoping to get the 'cool' new LED DRL's. They are only available as an option on the S-line (top of the range) model or standard on the Audi S3 (hot hatch). They are not available as an option on the Standard, SE or Sports models.

I'll be getting delivery in September so will be getting the new UK '58' reg plate.