The Audi A3 2.0 TDI Sportback, in this version with 184hp and S Line kit, brings together several qualities. It's fast, comfortable and has tons of style for those who don't do without a good image.
“Look at me, I'm between 28 and 38 years old, I'm single, active, successful and I'm happy with my life. But I'm thinking about starting a family”. After several hours of chatting about this Audi A3 2.0 TDI Sportback, this was the conclusion of the CAPA (Audi A3 «Pint» Evaluation Committee). A committee formed for one purpose only: to decide what message this model conveys.
“As for the engine, the impetus of 184hp is there. But the power delivery is so linear that we only notice it when we look at the speed hand.”
In the opinion of CAPA – which deliberated under the high auspices of an imperial, while dividing its eyes between the Atlantic ocean and a few snacks – this is the profile of the driver of the 184hp Audi A3 2.0 TDI Sportback. That's not to say that there aren't other types of people interested in this car, because there are many qualities. But for those who see the car pass, this is the message that passes.
There is no going back. The aura of the four rings makes all the difference in achieving the "wow" effect. Example? The Volkswagen Golf GTD, with the same chassis and the same engine, attracted attention differently. While the GTD mainly attracted the attention of people who understand cars and know the power of the acronym GTD, in the Audi A3, the attention came mainly from the opposite sex – opposite, if whoever is reading the text is male.
SEE ALSO: We went to test the new Volkswagen Golf GTD through the Alentejo plains
It's unavoidable, women love the Audi A3. So even though CAPA has drawn a male profile for the average user of this particular model, it won't be surprising to see a woman at the controls of the A3 2.0 TDI Sportback. This conclusion may not even be peaceful (it certainly won't be) and it may even be controversial (of course…), but they were the conclusions of CAPA, and therefore it deserves all the respectability that is due to an institution with 4 hours of life, which makes an outdoor terrace the workplace – Audi's marketing and product management in Ingolstadt must be on their toes at these words.
Views from the terrace aside, there are concrete qualities in this Audi proposal that are a common ground and do not deserve discussion: the quality of the materials; the rigor of construction; dynamic competence; and the liveliness of the engine.
Inside we are treated to the typical construction quality of the brand. The presentation is impeccable and the assembly above suspicion. The dashboard is dominated by a retractable screen, controlled by Audi's well-known MMI command, which brings together almost every function on board.
In addition to being acoustically well insulated and benefiting from more space in the rear seat – the space on board is enough for a small family – the suitcase, not being large, is enough for less extreme orders (380 liters). Also note the excellent seats this unit was equipped with: comfortable and with excellent support for the whole body.
"In the field of consumption, between more dynamic driving and more measured driving, the values varied between a modest 4.5 liters (at 90km/h on a national road), to a less pleasant 7.0 liters per 100 km."
As for dynamic skills, this Audi A3 is not and does not intend to be a sports car with the same intensity, for example, as the Golf GTD (they share the same chassis and engine). But it is far from being badly behaved (very far…). By comparison, the cornering insertion isn't quite as sharp as the GTD's – due to the smoother suspension tuning – but as a bargaining chip we get a higher level of comfort.
It is a very rigorous model in all its movements, capable of snaking quickly through the mountain range, or facing a section of the highway with it at ease, loaded with luggage and family.
The Audi Drive Select system contributes greatly to this versatility, which allows you to choose between five different settings: o auto mode , where it is the system that chooses the car's settings; The dynamic mode for sporty handling (the suspension is firmer, the chassis more responsive and the steering heavier); The comfort mode to take the family comfortably (all commands are lighter); The Individual mode , for those who want to uniquely define each parameter; and finally the efficiency mode which makes the accelerator less sensitive, slows down the engine's momentum and reduces the operation of the air conditioning, all in favor of consumption.
TO REMEMBER: The more modest version of the Audi A3, in the 1.6 TDI variant also passed by Ledger Automobile
As for the engine, the 184hp is there, but they took a lesson in good manners. Power delivery is so linear that we only notice it when we look at the speed hand. For example, while in the GTD the tuning of the engine was made to show the whole character of the unit, in this A3 the linearity of the response was mainly worked.
The result is a very low-key engine, so low-key that when we find ourselves we drive way above the speed limit. Is the 3500 euros difference for the 150hp 2.0 TDI version worth? I am convinced that it is. Whichever speed is engaged, the answer is always ready and decided. The kilometers on the highway are followed by a cadence that makes this Audi a true "sprinter".
In the field of consumption. Between more dynamic driving and more measured driving, the values ranged from a modest 4.0 liters (at 90km/h on a national road), to a less pleasant 7.0 liters combined between fast driving, urban traffic and a few games by the middle.
A car that, contrary to what is usual in such informal conversations by the Razão Automóvel team, deserved a certain unanimity. There are no objective weaknesses pointing to the 184hp Audi A3 2.0 TDI Sportback. However, at the end of the CAPA work, some elements insisted that some notes remain in the minutes: the stylistic similarity between the various models of the brand and the asking price for this unit.
The unit that you can admire in the photos costs an impressive 50,660 euros (after adding 11,320 euros of options to the 41,554 euros of the base version with S Line kit). The MMI Plus navigation package alone costs 2350 euros, and for the xenon headlights Audi asks for 1140 euros.
At this figure, other higher-end options may loom on the horizon – Audi A4 for example. Despite everything, it should be noted that in competition, values are no longer friendly. And they range from 38,344 euros for the BMW 120d (184hp) to 41,644 euros for the Mercedes Class A 220 CDI (170hp).
Photography: Thom v. esveld
| MOTOR | 4 cylinders |
| CYLINDRAGE | 1968 cc |
| STREAMING | Manual 6 Speed |
| TRACTION | Forward |
| WEIGHT | 1596 kg. |
| POWER | 184 HP (between 3500 and 4000 rpm) |
| BINARY | 380 NM (between 1750 and 3250 rpm) |
| 0-100 KM/H | 7.4 sec |
| SPEED MAXIMUM | 234 km/h |
| CONSUMPTION (announced) | 4.2 / 3.7 / 5.2 liters (average; road; urban) |
| PRICE | From 41,554 euros (S Line) |