A3

The Audi A3 was produced in several series from 1996. All models share a platform and technology with the Volkswagen Golf from the same period. The A3 clearly shows Audi's identity as a premium brand based on Volkswagen technology.

Happy to drive Audi A3 30 TDI

Posted 16/09/2021 by Terje Bjørnstad

When you rent a car, it happens that you get to know a model that surprises positively - one that you would otherwise never look twice at. The new Audi A3 8Y is such a car.

Declining popularity?

Audi's model 8Y replaced the 8V in 2020 and shares a platform with the new Golf 8. The previous A3 model was popular in Norway as a tax-favorable plug-in hybrid, but the latest model has not been very popular. In the first half of the year, only 55 cars were sold - almost all of them as plug-in hybrids.

Anonym

The fact that the A3 is perceived as an uninteresting car in Norway is due to the competition - primarily from pure electric cars - but also from new, larger plug-in hybrids. One can probably also add that the A3 is experienced as an anonymous thought, even though it has received Audi's new front and even sharper profiles in the bodywork. If you buy a new standard A3, you are unlikely to get many envious glances.

Sportiness and comfort

Rental cars offer the opportunity to try out new cars in a thorough way - not just half an hour's time around a car dealer. It also provides an opportunity to compare driving experiences between several models. This is where the new A3 impresses. There is a fine balance between sportiness and comfort. The Audi A3 has an absolutely perfect balance. Although many cars offer the option of choosing between comfort and sport, it is rarely perfect. Many of the cars I've driven lately have, in my opinion, been dominated by comfort. So much so that I sometimes wonder how capable they will be in demanding situations.

Safe driving characteristics

In the new Audi A3, I immediately feel in full control. I have spent a lot of time in the previous A3 model – 8V – with different powertrains. Part of the good feeling is probably due to the fact that I know these cars better than many other cars. But, still, via the Ronda de Dalt road system around Barcelona, then north on the Autopista 7 towards Francia, everything felt absolutely perfect. The speed limit on AP7 is 120 km/h. It may seem that the road was built for exactly this speed limit. If you drive faster, you can feel that the car will pull out in poorly dosed turns. I have driven the stretch countless times - with different cars. The new Audi A3 is exemplary on the road.

Great entry-level engine

Our A3 is a 2,0 TDI 116 HP – in Audi's language called 30 TDI. It is a detuned version of the 35 TDI 150 HP. I find Audi's new engine designations can be quite confusing. There are two models with "30" in the engine designation - "30 TFSI" and "30 TDI" - so that one could think that they are similar engines. That is not the case. 30 TFSI provides only a mediocre driving experience. 30 TDI, however, provides a surprising god driving experience. It is responsive, quiet and powerful. It is the torque that creates driving pleasure. 300 Nm between 1600 and 2500 revs. The 6-speed gearbox is well adapted to make use of the good rev range.

Favorable consumption

In Norway, diesel cars are now sold almost exclusively as used cars. It's about Audis, BMWs and Mercedes that today's Tesla owners used to drive around in. The tax policy here at home means that the Audi A3 is only offered as a rechargeable hybrid - also to customers who never charge. It's a shame, because the TDI variant has neither higher consumption nor pollution compared to the more than 200 kg heavier plug-in hybrid 40 TFSI e. After 15 miles on the Spanish highway, the consumption meter stabilized at 0,40 liters per mile. A lot has happened with diesel engines in the last 5 years. Today's 30 TDI is in every way a far better engine for the A3 than the 1,6 TDI 110 engine we drove 5 years ago in the previous A3 model.

The Audi feeling

Our Audi is in basic trim. It has additional equipment such as a flat-bottom sports steering wheel, navigation, adaptive cruise control, digital instruments and a black headliner. The flat standard seats are perfectly fine, but do not contribute to creating any Audi feeling. Upgraded seats are highly recommended. On the road, I recognize the same good driving characteristics of the predecessor. The Audi A3 is one of the cars on the market that improves a little with each generation, without making big headlines. My impression is that the 8V and 8Y are the same size both externally and internally, but according to the numbers, the new model is 2 cm wider and has a slightly wider track width at the front and rear.

Loser to a technological shift

Down-tuned, high-torque turbodiesel engines are no longer tax winners. The Volkswagen group's 2-litre TDI is therefore only sold as 150 HP in Norway. Among other things, it can be delivered to the Audi Q2, Q3 and A4 - but not the Audi A3. It is now only taken in with plug-in hybrid drives. Battery capacity and range have been extended and, according to Audi, is due to improved cell chemistry. But the tax system makes the A3 compete in price with the new Audi Q4 e-tron. Whatever one may think of electric cars, the Audi Q4 e-tron offers more car for the money than the A3 models.

If you like driving and happen to come across the new Audi A3 (8Y) with TDI, you will hardly be disappointed.

Facts Audi A3 30 TDI

Weights and Measures
Length, width, height: 434 x 182 x 145 cm
Wheelbase: 264 cm
Net weight: 1345 kg (without driver)
Total weight: 1905 kg
Number of seats: 5
Max trailer weight w/brakes: 1500 kg
- without brakes: 710 kg
Luggage compartment: 380 litres
- w/ folded seats: 1200 litres
Petrol tank: 45 litres
Roof load: 75 kg

Drivetrain
2,0 TDI Common rail
Power: 116 HP at 2750 – 4250 revs
Torque: 300 Nm at 1600 – 2500 revolutions
Engine: Front mounted
Gearbox: 6-speed manual
Front wheel drive

Performances
Top speed: 206 km/h
0-100: 10,1 seconds

Consumption:
WLTP mixed driving: 0,48 – 0,44 litres/mile
Measured consumption 1: 0,40 litres/mile (15 miles on motorway)
– consumption 2: 0,43 litres/mile (7 miles motorway/suburbs)
– consumption 3: 0,51 litres/mile (all tenants last 700 miles)

Tires
Dimension: 225/45R17
Type: Summer
Brand: Pirelli Cintaurato P7

Price
Not sold in Norway with TDI

About the car
Place of manufacture: Ingolstadt, Germany
Owner: Sixt Spain
Model: 2021
Mileage: 25303
Km driven: 275 km (so far)
Source: audi.de

Pictures of the Audi A3 30 TDI

audi a3 8y — The trunk takes 380 liters of goods from the super'n

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Audi TFSI A3 30

Posted 28/09/2019 by Terje Bjørnstad

After being in production for over 7 years, it is offered with the group's new 1-litre engine. Does the A3 still hang in the corners?

Nano gray metallic, 18-inch rims, black roof rails, S line roof edge spoiler and striking S line bumpers make a very good first impression. In fact, it looks so good that one expects to find to tail pipe through the rear diffuser. But there is only one - and the engine is the group's new 1-litre engine with 116 horses. In Audi language, it is about the 30 TFSI, - an engine that is also delivered to new A1 and Q2.

Running on the torque

The new drivetrain replaces the 1,2-liter 110 HP engine. It provides higher torque, more horsepower, lower consumption, lower CO2 and lower taxes than its predecessor. A win-win situation, had it not been for the fact that the engine characteristics have changed. You drive even more "on the torque" than before. The engine provides good bottom pull from 1500 revs all the way up to 4000. During normal driving, you can keep the revs as low as 1500-2000 revs and save noise and fuel. The manual six-speed gearbox makes it possible to keep the revs down even on the motorway. The engine's biggest disadvantage is that it is a three-cylinder, that it vibrates at idle, that the soundscape when gas is applied sounds cheap and the engine seems slow when you want to pick up revs quickly.

The Audi feeling is present

Comfortable sports seats, torquey engine, low noise level, good radio and black roof cover give the feeling of driving a premium car. Behind the wheel, the Audi feeling is present. It also helps that the car looks good from the outside. But the idyll can crack. Our house in the south of France is on a rather steep hill. When we arrived on Saturday evening, we had to stop for some cool young people on their way to a party. I actually felt pretty cool myself, sitting in a cool Audi with cool music on the radio and an open side window. But the steep hill start made the 3-cylinder engine rush up the hill like a Fiat 500. Then the Audi feeling suddenly disappeared - at least for me.

On the road

The tire size 225/40R18 suits the car very well. Perfectly firm and stable on the road. In addition, they made little noise and provided good comfort. The tires felt more right for this car than the 16- and 17-inch tires I've previously had on "my" A3s. It's fun to steer the A3 around on small French roads that meander through the terrain between the vineyards. The road surface is rough and reminiscent of oil gravel. When I checked which tires were on the car, I saw that there were Pirelli P Zeros at the front (original Audi tires) while it had been changed to Hankook tires with a similar pattern at the rear. That's the tire brand my car rental company uses when retrofitting. I have previously stated that Hankook tires are quite quiet - probably quieter than the stock tires.

Prices and equipment

"Our" A3 had the S line exterior package and 18-inch wheels. It's expensive, but makes the car look younger and stay attractive even after the new A3 arrives next year. In addition, it gives you the good Audi feeling despite the small engine. The list price of "our" A3 then ends up at just over NOK 398.

The problem with premium cars like Audi is that everything that is premium costs extra. You can easily reach a six-figure sum on the options list. It is necessary to prioritize. What you really need is the 35 TFSI. Then you get the group's 1,5 liter engine with 150 horses and ACT (Active Cylinder Technology). It provides significantly more power and driving pleasure, with the same low fuel consumption as the 30 TFSI. The price difference between the two engine choices is NOK 52. It corresponds to optional equipment such as navigation and leather seats - equipment I would happily have sacrificed for increased driving pleasure.

consumption

During the 808 kilometers we drove the car, the average fuel consumption was between 0,55 and 0,60 on country roads and motorways in Spain and France. The country roads are peppered with small roundabouts which make it impossible to maintain a steady speed and drive economically. On one occasion we had 4 adults in the car and the consumption was around 0,60. With two people in the car, we measured 0,56 on the car's dashboard over a stretch of 200 km on Spanish motorways at a steady 120 km/h.

Conclusion

Audi's engine series 30 TFSI delivers good torque in the rpm range used in daily traffic, but is not ideal for "keen drivers". The advantage of the smallest engine choice is the price, more specifically NOK 52. If you splurge on the S line exterior package with 000-inch rims, fabric sports seats, sports steering wheel and black headliner, you'll still get plenty of good feeling - a real Audi feeling - but it comes at a cost.

Facts

Weights and Measures
Length, width, height: 431 / 179 / 143 cm
Wheelbase: 264 cm
Own weight: 1265 kg
Max trailer weight with brakes: 1500 kg
– without brakes: 750 kg
Luggage compartment: 380 litres
Petrol tank: 50 litres

Drivetrain
Displacement: 999 ccm
Power: 116 at 5000-5500 revs
Torque: Max 200 Nm between 2000-3500 revs (175 Nm from 1500 revs).
Gearbox: 6-speed manual

Performances
Top speed: 206 km/h
0-100: 9,9 seconds

Tires
Dimension: 225/40R18 Y92
Type: Pirelli P Zero Nero GT (front - standard)
Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 2 (rear - retrofitted)

Price and equipment
Base price A3 Sport 30 TFSI: NOK 330
Paint supplement Nano gray metallic: NOK 9
S line exterior package: NOK 19
Business package: NOK 13
18-inch alloy wheels: NOK 19
Roof rails (black): NOK 3
Black interior roof covering: NOK 3

About the car
Owner: Europcar.es
Model: 2019
Mileage: 23
Km driven: 808
Source: Audi.no
Check Audi's campaign page

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Driving pleasure sacrificed on the altar of downsizing?

Audi A3 e-tron facelift

Posted 26/09/2016 by Terje Bjørnstad

When the lunch menu in Hvervenbukta was not to our liking, we drove to Mortens Kro in Gjelleråsen.

A3 Facelift — Cosmos Blue is a new color for the 2017 models.

Not many of them have hit the road yet. In fact, I have the benefit of seeing someone other than the one I'm driving. I'm told that Ingolstadt has put its production machinery into high gear to get out as many facelifted A3s as possible.

From what I have been able to map, the new A3 e-tron differs from its predecessor in the following areas: New grill, new headlights, new LED running lights, new rear lights, new diffuser, assistant systems, such as automatic warning and emergency braking in case of obstacles within city speeds , adaptive cruise control and lane assist that steers the car automatically at speeds above 60 km/h and warns with vibration in the steering wheel when you change lanes without blinking.

"My" car is in Cosmos Blue, a brand new color of the year. It appears alternately as black and blue, depending on the sunlight. I think the facelift is very successful. The most eye-catching are the new headlights and taillights - proper light circles replace the sad taillights of the predecessor. With sports seats in leather and alcantara, black lining in the roof, panoramic roof, Bang Olufsen and keyless start button, the A3 certainly appears in the premium class.

New grill, new headlights and running lights.

Same drivetrain

The hybrid drive is the same as before with the Volkswagen group's 1,4 liter TFSI engine with 150 horsepower and a 54 horsepower electric motor. I set up the drive so that I primarily drive on the electric motor as long as there is battery capacity. Theoretical mileage is 45 km, but I find that Audi's mileage is shorter than mine. Realistic mileage is in excess of 30 kilometers. For many, it is still enough to get to and from work without using petrol. But then you have to charge every day. For those who depend on external charging stations, it is not appropriate to rely on electricity as the main source of income. Of course, the car works well without charging. Because it charges while driving so that the electric motor can help when needed. The electric motor provides propulsion when starting and driving in parking areas, as well as providing an extra boost during acceleration.

Charging time with normal contact is otherwise 4 hours, and 2 hours on fast charging.

When we started, there were 25 kilometers left on pure electric power. We were on our way to have lunch in Hvervenbukta in Oslo. According to Google Maps, the distance there is exactly 19,3 kilometers. Even though I was extra light on the accelerator, the car had to switch to petrol about 1 km before we reached the destination. The temperature outside showed a pleasant 20 degrees, and several people were swimming, even though October is just around the corner.

When driving in electric mode, the car feels like a pure electric car. It seems more noise-insulated towards the road than the e-Golf, and thus more comfortable. Should you need a quick acceleration, the 150 horsepower is fired up. In urban areas, I get the feeling of driving an extremely large engine. Partly because of the solid bottom line, but also because of the sound level. When the petrol engine starts, it makes a low-frequency hum.

I had hoped to see Anne På Landet's great Food Truck - an extended Citroën Type H, but unfortunately it was not to be seen. The cafe, on the other hand, was open, but there was nothing on the menu that tempted my better half, so we chose to drive on. I myself wanted to taste the lamb sausages that are praised by so many.

We drove around Tyrigrava, but it was closed there. It's a shame that no one can get the service there back on its feet. We instead went out on the motorway to visit Mortens Kro at Gjelleråsen.

At highway speeds, the e-tron reminded me more and more of a regular A3. It is not exactly engine weak, but it seems as if it is mainly the petrol engine that is working. The soundscape has also been changed. Gone is the low-frequency hum.

Modern assistant systems

The biggest changes can be found in the car's assistant systems. The first thing I notice is how the car steers automatically at speeds above 60 km/h. Immediately, there is no good feeling when the wheels start to take on a life of their own. The steering is only a guide for the driver. If he lets go of the steering wheel, a warning will appear on the screen and then the car will brake quickly. If you end up with a wheel outside the road markings, the steering wheel vibrates. The function can be switched off. I chose to wear it, even though it often seemed that I was too far to the right in the road.

Automatic emergency braking comes into effect if, for example, a pedestrian is walking in front of the car. The function only applies at city speeds. This is a type of safety equipment that I believe will become standard on all cars in a few years. It is standard on the new e-tron.

You also get adaptive cruise control, but it was not installed on the tested car. With such equipment, the car can actually drive, steer and brake itself.

Like its predecessor, the new A3 is a good car to drive. It has 3 driving modes. I found the default setting "Auto" worked best. I would consider switching to "Dynamic" during fast highway driving. Then the steering becomes firmer and the throttle application comes more directly. I found no advantages in the Comfort setting. You can also set up an individual setup. As I said, "Auto" works perfectly.

More data on the dashboard

The most visible change inside is the digital dashboard. This can be configured to your own liking, if you take the time. I really liked getting the entire navigation map up on the instrument panel, and the "clocks" in reduced size (virtual cockpit). If you insert a SIM card into the computer unit inside the glove compartment, you can integrate the infotainment system with Google Maps. There should probably also be integration solutions for Apple equipment.

What I find out about the setting options while driving is limited. I started to get hungry, and thought it was important to stay focused on the traffic. Morten's Kro at Gjelleråsen is a timepiece. It has been around for as long as I can remember. A nice destination for a Sunday trip by car. I recognize the logo from the old days and look at pictures on the wall that show how the place looked then, - with an Opel Olympia outside with a panoramic window. The food tasted homemade and good.

You need additional equipment

If you choose the A3 e-tron Sport, you get a fairly well-equipped car, for an Audi. But several of the functions I have described are optional extras. It is difficult to get below 100 in extra equipment. That makes the new A000 e-tron a fantastic car, but the price is perhaps also the car's biggest disadvantage. In the Sport equipment variant, the base price is 3. When you add metallic paint, winter wheels and extras, the price quickly creeps up to 357. That's a lot of money for an A200.

If I were to put my finger on something, it would have to be the range of the batteries. A few extra miles would have made the car even more attractive to many. And by the way…

- why isn't this fine drive unit also available in the A4?

A3 Facelift. - Alcantara on the inside of the doors. — Feel good. – Alcantara on the inside of the doors.

A slightly nostalgic touch over the climate control panel. Lots of important buttons above.

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This A3 has an appealing appearance. — Audi A3 TDI 110 HP.

Audi.no

Audi A3 TDI on economy flash

Posted 03/04/2016 by Terje Bjørnstad

The last time I tested the Volkswagen group's TDI 110 HP engine, I was impressed by the low consumption.

All car manufacturers have their "potato engines", - engines which are repeated in several models and which become big sellers. VAG's TDI 110 HP can become such an engine. I tested it two years ago in a Seat Leon. Then I was impressed by the fuel consumption and predicted that the engine could become the Volkswagen group's new "potato engine". I think it took a long time before it entered Audi's model range. In Norway, it has appeared in the price lists and in stores, but not yet on Audi's Norwegian website.

Look-and-feel

It's been a long time since I got into a basic Audi - like this one. The seats could be characterized as mediocre at best. They were dressed in a greyish fabric that made the hairs on the back of their necks stand up - in a negative sense. The same fabric was used again in the inner lining of the doors and on the center armrest. Few options were made here that could give the good feeling you usually get in a new Audi. A lot of gray plastic without elegant decorative elements.

The gear lever with the S-tronic badge, the operating wheel on the center console, the operating levers on the steering wheel, and the infotainment screen that appears when I switch on the ignition still gave me enough signals that this is a premium class – albeit in the basic version.

From the outside I got a better impression. Glossy roof rails, 16 inch light alloy wheels, Xenon Plus and separate running lights. I think the Audi A3 is a beautiful car.

Driving pleasure

We set out from the airport in Barcelona, further on Ronda del Dalt. It wasn't rush hour, but dense traffic moving around the speed limit of 80 km/h. As it was, we had some hard braking followed by rapid accelerations. I don't like driving this way, but noticed that impatient fellow road users expected me to follow the traffic. Then I noticed that the Audi was not able to pick up speed quickly enough. The panda behind us, drove past. A little annoyed, I had to flip the gear lever over to the right to downshift manually. It seemed as if the S-tronic went into some kind of eco mode and hesitated to follow the driver's uneconomical driving style.

I'm sure the Spanish city traffic must be a nightmare for thinking gearboxes programmed for economy. S-tronic has no eco setting. There is "D" (normal) and "S" (sport). I think "S" was too fussy. Eventually, I found the situations occurred less frequently. Maybe the engine needed a bit of break-in? - Or maybe the fine motor skills in my right foot improved?

Let me add that I am well used to S-tronic as I regularly drive another Audi with this transmission system.

With the gas at the bottom, however, everything happened as it should. I went from a standstill up to 100km/h a few times and it happened effortlessly. There is no reason to doubt the factory figures which state that 0-100 goes away in 10,7 seconds. It is actually very good.

The nice bottom pull in the engine was available from low revs, but unfortunately much of the excess power disappeared at high southern European motorway speeds. I couldn't get rid of the thought that the nice 110 horsepower might have been better in a smaller car, - or maybe I was expecting too much because I was driving an Audi?

The A3 was otherwise very stable on the road, even at motorway speeds with strong winds. On the road, the A3 felt like a cross between the Golf and the A4.

Sportsback is Audi's term for a hatchback.

Comfort

A prominent motoring journalist once stated that Audi's standard seats were only intended as a temporary solution, because all customers still opted for upgraded seats. If you want to sit comfortably in an Audi, you must order proper seats from the list of additional items. Everyone knows the.

The standard seats are quite soft, while the armrests are hard, so they provide better lateral support than you would think from the looks. I like to sit low, so the center armrest provides comfortable support. The only thing I really missed was a little better thigh support.

Otherwise, the Audi A3 scores well for sound comfort, at least to my ears. I liked the soundscape of some raw diesel engine noise, especially when I was accelerating at low speeds. No clatter, just good diesel engine sound. In the Seat, which I tested earlier, I could barely hear the engine. I know that Audi has its own engineers who work on sound experiences, and assume that the nice sound image is not accidental.

At high motorway speeds, the shelter image became more and more characterized by the fact that you were driving a moderately motorized car. There is a limit to everything.

As much space as in a standard Golf, but no station wagon.

Place

The term Sportsback signals a station wagon - at least in a light version. I got a good sense of space inside the compartment, but the trunk certainly did not resemble a station wagon. It is 380 liters and has a sloping rear window that robs cargo space in the height. But the good interior space can be converted into 1220 liters of cargo space when the rear seats are folded down. These are more or less identical numbers to the Volkswagen Golf, with which the A3 shares a platform.

Security

The kinship of the Golf also shines through in NCAP's crash tests. The A3 has almost identical results to the Golf, and was in the top ten the year it was tested.

The Audi A3 has a high level of active safety due to its safe driving characteristics. It is very directionally stable. Like the Golf, it is engineered to handle the mistakes drivers often make. I would particularly like to emphasize the good braking properties.

Nicely designed climate panel. But could just as easily have sat in a Fiat. — Nicely designed climate panel with a hint of retro.

Economy

I measured the average consumption of between 0,55 - 0,60 liters per mile based on kilometers versus the number of liters of diesel. Consumption was higher than I experienced previously with the same engine in a Seat Leon. According to factory figures, consumption should have been 0,35 l/mile on country roads and 0,45 in city driving. The consumption has been taken into account that much of the driving took place at motorway speed.

The list price of an A3 with TDI 110 HP S-tronic is 323. Nobody buys a new Audi without adding additional equipment. What I missed most about "my" A600 were upgraded seats, rear parking sensors and navigation. I would also pay for adaptive cruise control (€3) and B&O system (€340). Once you've got it in your car, you won't want anything else. Then we are talking about expensive equipment packages for 930-40, but think it is wise to add that much in view of the trade-in value.

The A3 enjoyed itself best on French country roads.

Conclusion

The TDI engine with 110 horses and a torque of 250 Nm gives the feeling of driving a bigger engine than the horsepower would indicate, provided that you are within the correct rev ranges. S-tronic, which is based on Volkswagen's DSG, remains the world's best series-produced dual-clutch system. I think it did a good job of delivering the power to the road, although on a couple of occasions it got bogged down in one eco program or another.

No matter how you twist and turn it, it's a moderate motorized drive set on economy mode. Perhaps the most reasonable A3 you can order. In the 11 days I had the car, I spent most of my time on French country roads, although most millennium was covered on motorways. I think the A3 enjoyed itself best on the country road...