2017 Audi A3 facelift review, test drive

An update gets the A3 a sharper face and a new 1.4-litre petrol engine; claimed efficiency is up from 16.6kpl to 19.2kpl.

Published on Feb 18, 2017 08:00:00 AM

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2017 Audi A3 facelift review, test drive

What is it like to drive?

The new petrol engine is a 1.4-litre, turbocharged, four-cylinder unit. It is the same as the one in the new A4, but with one crucial difference here – it gets cylinder-on-demand technology. When pulling low- to mid-range loads, this engine operates on just two cylinders, putting all four to work only under heavier loads. You would think that the switch from two to four cylinders would be noticeable, but remarkably, it isn’t. The engine runs smooth at all times, quiet for the most part and only sounds busy when you extend it.

This unit produces 150hp at 5,000-6,000rpm and 250Nm at 1,500-3,500rpm. While these numbers are lower than those put forth by the erstwhile 1.8-litre engine, the A3 35 TFSI still manages a respectable claimed 0-100kph time of 8.2sec and top speed of 224kph. Those familiar with the old 1.8 will miss the explosive mid-range here but performance from the small engine is quite good too. What helps is the dual-clutch gearbox that is really quick in shifts and delightfully responsive to manual inputs at the gear lever.

While this new engine is down on power to the older 1.8, claimed efficiency is up from 16.6kpl to 19.2kpl. Real-world economy will still be down to how you drive and what you make of the performance.

Undoubtedly, greater fuel economy will be the prime reason buyers might be more interested in the other engine on offer – the 143hp 2.0-litre diesel engine that’s been carried over unchanged. It’s a torquey engine that pulls eagerly across the rev range. Refinement levels are good by class standards, but the engine has started to feel (and sound) a bit last-gen compared to Audi’s latest diesel unit that we experienced recently on the new A4.

On other fronts, the A3 doesn’t feel different. Ride quality is nice and absorbent as before and largely free from the thuds and thumps we’ve come to expect from European cars. What’s also good is that the A3 remains a fun car to pilot. It feels tight and compact from behind the wheel, the steering though on the lighter side is precise and there’s lots of grip on offer. It really is one of Audi’s better handling cars.