by Dan Lyons

As practical as backpacks, hatchbacks have been perennially popular in Europe. Yet, Americans have never warmed to their form the way you might expect. Volkswagen sells its Golf hatchback here, but in nowhere near the volume of the Jetta, which is essentially a Golf with trunk added. Now, VW’s corporate cousin Audi steps in with a new hatchback for the US market. The A3 five door slides into the entry level slot of their lineup. It’s offered in front wheel drive models powered by a 2.0 litre, turbocharged four cylinder engine (as tested), and an All Wheel Drive version with Audi’s 3.2 litre V-6.

Style-wise, the sharply sliced back end of the A3 looks like a cross between a hatchback and a station wagon. The front features the now famous nose that is propagating across the Audi lineup as new models are introduced. I liked the shield shaped grille when I first saw it and I still do. It’s an in-your-face face that’s distinctive, and it gives the cars an immediate identity.

The A3 shares its chassis with its cousin the VW GTI. As with that perennially famous hot hatchback, the results here are entertaining for the driver. The suspension is fully independent – MacPherson strut front and four link rear. It’s tuned on the sporty side of the sport-comfort continuum, with an agile feel yet a trip-comfortable road ride. The car’s compact dimensions and lively platform combine for point and shoot handling. You can slip into a fast closing spot in traffic with confidence. Part of that assurance comes from the drivetrain. The A3’s 2.0 litre four was first seen in the 2005 Audi A4. It’s the successor to the well regarded 1.8 litre turbo and shares the same, long legged feel as that engine. In this application, the 2.0T makes 200 horsepower @ 5,100 rpm and 207 lb. ft. of torque @ 1,800 rpm. The turbo’s power boost is a shade more abrupt than I’ve experienced in other VW/Audi products (don’t tweak the throttle while sipping coffee), and the results are similarly impressive. Expect mid to high six second range times for the run from 0-60, and balance that with comfortable gas economy: 25 city/31 highway. That’s for an A3 equipped with the optional six speed DSG automatic, as was my test car. The Direct Shift Gearbox will operate as a straight forward automatic, or if you prefer, you can shift via steering wheel mounted paddles. The lag between your request and the transmission’s shift in most ‘manumatics’ leads you to believe that the car is humoring you. In those cases, the appeal quickly fades, and you soon resort to leaving the shifter in “D”. Not so here. While not quite as immediate as the last DSG I sampled (in an Audi TT), the automatic responds quickly enough to keep the driving lively.

The A3’s front cabin is simple in form, with black plastic surfaces interrupted only by brightwork trim ringing vents and switches. The layout of controls is quick and intuitive. If you dip into the option sheet for the navigation system, I retract the last statement. As with most such systems, if you have nav, you access it and the music source through a central set of controls, and it takes a couple of pushes to get to most anything. The A3 is a compact car and so too is the back seat. Leg room is suitable for kids through average size adults, but six footers will be short on space if front seat passengers have a similar inseam.

The hatch back swings up to reveal 12.4 cubic feet of cargo capacity. Liftover height is low, the hatch swings high, and the back seats split and flop forward to increase your hold to a healthy, 55.6 cubic feet. That’s big enough to swallow a lawn mower, mountain bike or just a general carload of stuff that you’d never even consider stuffing in a conventional body style compact.

At a base price of $25,460, the A3 is refined, sporty and versatile, and acts as a worthy, entry-level ambassador for the brand. The biggest threat to its success is packing on the options. It’s hard to resist. Audi is a premium car maker, and the option sheet is pretty appetizing. But, an extra bite here and there and pretty soon, you’re pushing into the low $30,000’s. $30,000 is basically the black hole of auto prices. Car shoppers get pulled in, but, with so many choices available at that price point, where they come out is anybody’s guess.

Number and Dollars

2006 Audi A3

MSRP: $25,460

As Tested: $34,610

Drivetrain

Engine: 2.0 litre inline four cylinder, turbocharged, intercooled

Horsepower: 200 hp @ 5,100 rpm

Torque: 207 lb. ft. @ 1,800 rpm

Transmission: 6 speed Direct Shift Gearbox

Weights and Measures

Wheelbase: 101.5" Height: 56.0”

Length: 168.7” Weight: 3,329 lb.

Width: 69.5”

Interior

Head Room: 38.1” f, 36.9” r Leg Room: 41.2” f, 34.8” r

Trunk: 12.4 – 55.6 cubic feet

Chassis

Suspension: MacPherson strut front, Independent link rear

Brakes: Four wheel disc, ABS

Mileage

EPA city/highway mpg - 25/31

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