2015 Audi A3 2.0T Quattro
The first A3 tested, a 1.8-liter, front drive model (reviewed here) enticed yet ultimately underwhelmed as an entry-level prestige vehicle. So expectations were contained when this quattro AWD model arrived. Thankfully it proved more compelling and complete than the first car, which bodes well for the numerous other vehicles parent company VW will spin off its MQB architecture, including the Golf Mk VII, GTI and Audi’s forthcoming new TT.
Interestingly, this latest Audi, despite the bigger, more powerful engine and all wheel drive, had exactly the same MSRP as the prior, FWD A3 tested. Missing was metallic paint a a couple of minor items, yet the overall package was much more enjoyable. Even the smaller, 17-inch wheels didn't look too bad, though the excessive tire clearance seems out of place compared to other Audi models. And the higher-profile tires accompanying those smaller rims made a major difference to the A3’s ride quality—this car really dealt well with most of the urban road acne that had so undermined the 1.8T’s composure. It also seemed to handle curves with more composure. While steering weight is on the lighter side, accuracy is first rate, and the body’s composure commendable.
The bigger engine, rated at 220hp and 258lb-ft of torque, means the A3 quattro can hit 60mph in the mid-five second range with a hard launch, though normal roll-on acceleration from a stop light takes about a second longer. This is due to some oddities in the twinclutch six-speed gearbox’s calibration. When you first step on the accelerator, there is lag, lasting some three to five tenths of a second, before anything happens, after which the A3 surges ahead. Placing the transmission into its more emphatic Sport mode reduces this somewhat but means the Audi never goes into top gear and holds onto ratios too long for anything other than the most aggressive driving. So one ends up using Sport to leave every stop and then immediately shifting it back into its lethargic, normal mode. What would seem to be proper programming for the shift timing and gear selection is between normal and Sport modes, which frustrates.
Like all other car companies, Audi lives and dies by its European CO2 and Federal EPA ratings, and many manufacturers design their transmissions to do the best they can for these artificial test regimens, not in the real world. Said EPA numbers for the A3 quattro are very impressive—better in fact than the smaller engined model with FWD. Real results also match up to or exceed those produced by the 1.8T, meaning it is hard to recommend the slower, less useful (for snowy ares, at least) vehicle.
Even with the transmission’s foibles, the A3 2.0T quattro is a very compelling choice; in size, quality, driving acumen and performance, it comes across as inherently enticing and the one of the best blend of attributes for the price.
EPA ratings: 24/33mpg; 27mpg combined
Price as tested: $36,645
Here is what Audi has to say about the A3.
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