In 1996, Volkswagen used the Golf's PQ34 platform to create this three-door version of the Audi sports car, which became the forerunner of the BMW 1 Series, Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Lexus CT.
The Audi A3 can be regarded as a sister model of the Golf, and the reason why Volkswagen developed the Audi A3 was originally to distinguish it from the Golf's pragmatism and cheapness. Compared to the Volkswagen Golf in its class, the A3 tended to advertise "sportiness", and it was not until 1999 that the Audi A3 added a five-door version. The current Audi A3 is the third generation launched in 2012, while the hatchback and sedan versions on sale were produced by FAW-Audi in 2014.
The initial domestic Audi A3 had a 1.8T version, and now it is a 1.4T and 2.0T version. The 1.4T is the same EA211 as the Golf High-Power Edition, with 150 hp and 250 Nm. The 2.0T is the EA888, 190 hp, 320 Nm. The sales of the A3 is a 1.4T model, with 150 horsepower and 8.4 seconds in 000 acceleration, and the power tuning of this 2.0T engine is relatively mild in the EA888, with a 000 acceleration time of 7.4 seconds, but there is a lot of potential for modification, and the S3 is adjusted to 290 horsepower.
Overall, both engines perform well at abrupt acceleration at low and medium speeds, with no significant turbo lag and a fairly linear power delivery. In terms of transmission, the two engines are paired with different dual-clutch transmissions, the 1.4T model is paired with a seven-speed dry dual-clutch transmission and the model is DQ200, and the 2.0T is a seven-speed wet dual-clutch transmission with a model number DQ380. After years of tuning, the Volkswagen Group's DQ200 has matured in terms of shift logic, but it adopts a different style from the one above the Volkswagen Golf. The Golf's DQ200 will be a little soothing in terms of shift speed and more suitable for home use, while the A3's DQ200 is tuned to be sporty, with fast gear shifts, more pronounced gear shifts, and faster ramp climbs, creating a sporty feel.
The DQ380 used in the 2.0T model, although the innate reliability is better than the dry dual-clutch, but the matching with this engine is actually not perfect, because the horsepower of this engine is large, the weight is also small, and it does not need too much power demand for driving in urban areas, but this gearbox is biased towards low gear and high speed, and the accelerator pedal is not easy to grasp the power output, and only after the speed is lifted on the smooth road can this symptom be alleviated.
The tuning of the chassis is also very different from the Golf, the chassis shock filtration of the Golf is more like a family car, and the resolution of the size of the vibration is very reasonable, but the A3 has a sports orientation, so the suspension is adjusted to be stiff, of course, it shows good support when cornering, but in daily driving, it will retain a very clear sense of the road, the action of passing the speed bump is more stiff, and the impact of tire noise on the car is more obvious.
Although the Audi A3 is the entry-level model of the luxury brand, it is more inclined to the entry level between luxury and entry. In terms of interior, it is mainly simple, and it is difficult to find any sense of luxury, which is not as good as the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Lexus CT, but in terms of appearance, it is much better than the BMW Brilliance 1 Series. A3's 7-inch high-definition screen is already standard,The logic of the multimedia system is clear,It's convenient enough to use,You only need to glance at the screen after getting used to it,You don't need to look down at the buttons。
Compared to Japanese compact cars, the A3 has quite little storage space, and the design of the front drain cup holder is not only difficult to use, but also blocks the USB port as long as you place a drink, and the driver and front passenger will not even find a place to put their own mobile phones.
The Audi A3 is decent in terms of ride comfort, the sitting position of the front seats is very reasonable, but the seats are hard, the wrapping is average, the head and legroom in the rear row are relatively compact, the seat cushion is short, the thighs lack support, and the backrest is very straight, which is not very suitable for long-distance rides.
In terms of quality, the EA211 and the third generation EA888 at this stage have rarely burned oil, the main concern appears in the reliability of the gearbox, low-speed occasional setbacks are more common, and there will also be some DQ200 failures, which is also a common weakness of Volkswagen cars at this stage. In addition, like Honda and Toyota, Audi is also a victim of Takata airbags.
Volkswagen Group's high-end models have always done a good job in terms of safety, and the A3 received the highest safety rating TSP from the IIHS from 2015 to 2017, and in 2018, it won the TSP because of the Acceptable score of the headlights, missing the top safety evaluation, but the safety is still excellent in its class.