The second-generation Audi A3 Sportback has soldiered on for eight years to date. Given that German automakers currently produce an all-new model every five or six years, said vehicle is now a little long in the tooth. But despite its age, the compact Sportback doesn’t look dated, thanks to its sound design and timely facelifts.
Interior is solidly built, but it still lacks storage points for knick-knacks.
The cabin, however, shows the Audi A3 Sportback’s age. It is still well put together, but it is old news beside the latest BMW 1 Series that has just arrived in Singapore.
Having said that, the Audi A3 Sportback’s amenities remain competitive, with goodies such as supportive seats, leather-with-Alcantara upholstery, dual-zone climate control and auto dimming mirrors. But in line with its economy class status, the Audi A3 Sportback 1.4 does without cruise control, reverse parking sensors and Audi’s MMI (multi media interface) system.
The 125bhp from this Audi A3 Sportback’s 1.4-litre engine might not sound like much versus the 160bhp of the 1.8 version, but the power is smooth and there is a substantial 200Nm of torque. The mileage is also better, with the car travelling 2km further on every litre of fuel. The well-sorted ride soaks up all but the worst road imperfections, although the comfort-biased suspension means there will be a fair amount of body roll if you throw the car quickly through corners.
Helped along by the S tronic dual-clutch gearbox, this “basic” hatchback has a punchy mid-range and picks up speed easily, even when cruising in 6th or 7th gear.
The rapid gearchanges, particularly “downwards”, afford a touch of sportiness to the dynamics, so much so that it’s hard to believe there is just 125bhp under the bonnet. The transmission is not perfect, though – it engages slowly when “creeping” ahead or reversing, and it can be rather jerky when prompted by a heavy right foot on the throttle.
Costing around $30k less than its 1.8-litre sibling, the Audi A3 Sportback 1.4 is a perfectly decent Audi runabout for value-driven motorists seeking a small Sportback for A1 supermini money.
Audi A3 Sportback 1.4 (A)
ENGINE 1390cc, 16-valves, inline-4, turbocharged
MAX POWER 125bhp at 5000rpm
MAX TORQUE 200Nm at 1500-4000rpm
GEARBOX 7-speed dual-clutch with manual select
0-100km/h 9.5 seconds
TOP SPEED 203km/h
CONSUMPTION 16.9km/L (combined)
PRICE INCL. COE $156,900
Check out the Audi A3 Sportback
