I was just five bills and some change short of a $100,000 review, when, much to my delight, along came the all-new 2015 Audi A3.
The A3, dismantled as a hatchback a year ago, made a return to Audi showrooms several weeks ago in its new form as a small luxury four-door sedan.
And, yes, its newness and its $36,645 sticker price take precedence over the elegant 2014 Audi A8L TDI and its pricetag – $99,445.
For the A3 is a car of the future. It pits Audi against the Mercedes-Benz CLA, BMW 2 series, Acura ILX and others on the drawing board in a field of small premium models that is expected to grow rapidly over the next few years.
Though somewhat smaller, the restyled A3′s exterior looks very similar to the A4 midsize model. At an overall length of 175.4 inches, the A3 is 10 inches shorter than the A4; it is 7 inches shorter in wheelbase and, at 3,362 pounds, is almost 200 lighter in curb weight.
The A3 quattro all-wheel-drive sedan is a nimble performer, with its 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine of 220 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque. It is mated to an Audi S-tronic, 6-speed double-clutch gearbox that shifts smoothly and quickly, particularly when moved into manual mode.
It’s a crisp handler with strong low-end acceleration and cruises economically, earning EPA estimate of 24/33 miles per gallon. I attained the 33-mpg mark in a 100-mile highway drive; several days of in-town maneuvering lowered overall average to 29.6.
Relatively wide, bolstered, supportive front seats are an interior highlight, along with a panorama sunroof and an MMI navigation screen which pops neatly into view from inside the dash above the HVAC vents and controls. There was no rearview camera in the review model, though one is available as part of an optional $1,400 driver assistance package.
The A3′s reduced size takes a toll – somewhat tight rear-seat legroom and a small trunk of only 10 cubic feet. Cutting into all-around vision are extra-thick B pillars and wide headrests.
The A3 with quattro power and turbocharging carries a base price of $32,900. Adding navigation, CD/DVD player, HD radio, heated front seats and mirrors, heated windshield-washer nozzles and aluminum inlays and surrounds boosted sticker price to $36,645.
Dual-zone automatic climate control and a driver-information system head a list of standard items, which also includes antilock disc brakes, Sirius satellite radio and curtain airbags and knee protection.
Suspension for the quattro setup are MacPherson-designed A arms in front and four-link independent rear. The A3 rides on 17-inch wheels with Continental 225/45R17 all-season tires.
An A3 convertible is expected to be added to the lineup this fall.
Adding interest a week ago to my time in the flagship ’14 Audi A8L quattro sedan was its power source, the 3.0-liter, TDI clean-diesel engine, which was added as an option in the past year, and is matched up with the maker’s smooth 8-speed Tiptronic transmission.
The diesel raised the 4,500-pound A8L’s EPA rating to 36 miles per gallon on the highway. With 240 horsepower and 408 lb.-ft. of torque, the TDI carries the big, long four-door about with decent acceleration.
There is no better legroom than that in the rear-seating area of the A8L; other amenities include double sunroofs, the two little audio tweeters which rise up from the ends of the dashboard, the massaging front seatbacks and LED strips along the headliner.
Other options in the $99,445 price included Bang & Olufsen advanced sound, adaptive cruise control, lane-assist detection and 20-inch wheels.Adaptive air suspension and speed-sensitive power steering are standard items on the A8L, along with music interface with iPod cable, navigation, power-folding and heated exterior mirrors, four-zone automatic climate control, power rear sunshades, power trunk opener/closer and front/side/side-curtain/front-knee/pelvis-torso side airbags. Supplementing the rearview camera is one of top-view angles.
Only distraction I could find was with the 7-inch-high, block-letter TDI identifier on the outside of the front doors. That’s a bit much.
The Audi A8, competing with the BMW 750Lxi and the Mercedes-Benz S550 4Matic, is built at Neckarsulm, Germany.
Notes from e-mail:
Bud, you described the Volkswagen Jetta TDI well as a great combination of high-mileage and good hill-climbing power. I have a TDI Sportwagen and can get 20-22 miles per gallon (instantaneous read) climbing Mt. Vernon Canyon at 65 miles per hour. On a flat, pure freeway driving at 65 mph, I can easily get 50-60 mpg. I can also put two bicycles and luggage for two in the back without breaking down the bikes. – R.W.
I understand, Rob. Few automotive power sources will attain and exceed tbeir EPA estimates as easily, on a straight highway run, as will the Volkswagen and Audi TDI models.
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