Elegance on wheels

Audi’s new sedan, A3, brims with elegance and style, but will it catch the fancy of the desi buyers?

THE GOOD

True elegance is what defines the Audi A3, which bears a neat and simple design thanks, to its sleek headlamps. A pair of black spoilers in the front further contribute to a sporty look. Sharp shoulder lines rising from the headlamp cluster all the way to back, help in giving it a rich look. On the whole, the overall design is pretty similar to that of Audi A4.

On the inside, the two-tone cabin feels very airy and ­spacious. The air vents, shaped like a turbine, will instantly catch your eye. There is plenty of room in the front while the cabin comes loaded with a bunch of ­goodies such as a 7 inch ­resolution screen, sun-roof, among many other features. 

Under the hood is a 2-litre diesel engine, which is mated with a 6-speed automatic ­transmission — ideal for Indian conditions. This sedan is well-suited to city as well as highway driving conditions. Therefore, overtaking vehicles is a swift affair in both the conditions. The ride and ­handling of the A3 is top notch, as the car can adapt itself to ­corners and small bumps with utter ease.

THE BAD

There is a bit of a turbo lag in this car, especially at lower speeds (below 2000 RPM). But the moment you reach within the mid-range (2000 – 3500 RPM), this sedan glides smoothly on the road. Another flaw that we can pinpoint is that the space at the rear is just about adequate, not great. Other cars such as the Mercedes A Class and the BMW 1 Series would be competitive within the Audi A3’s price segment. 

THE UGLY

The sloping roof line of the Audi A3 does pose to be a problem, as there is ­minimum amount of head room in the rear. The raised transmission tunnel in the rear of the sedan means that only two ­people can be ­accommodated at the back.