Audi A3 diesel India review, test drive

The diesel Audi A3 sedan is a fantastic all-rounder and could just be the perfect step-on point to the luxury car ladder.

Published on Jul 10, 2014 06:38:00 PM

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Audi A3 diesel.

Engine and Gearbox

However, what I am most interested in is the 141bhp 2.0-litre diesel motor in this test car. If you look at the badge, it says 35TDI instead of the expected 2.0 TDI. This is Audi’s new ‘dynamic factor’ nomenclature which is a system they use to calculate the performance of a given model and variant. Simply put, the bigger the number, the quicker it is to 100kph. The diesel engine is mated to a six-speed S-tronic automatic gearbox but, like the petrol version, doesn’t feature paddle shifts. Compared to its rivals, the diesel Audi A3 produces almost as much power as the 143bhp BMW 1-series diesel and a lot more than the 108bhp diesel Mercedes A-class. So, what is it like from behind the wheel?

I’m glad to say that just like its petrol sibling, this diesel delivers a fair share of thrills from behind the wheel. However, its power delivery differs significantly from the petrol Audi A3. While the petrol motor loves to spin fast and eggs you around the red-line, the diesel Audi A3 works best if you exploit its mid-range. Useable power starts from as low as 1,600rpm and peaks between 2,000 and 3,500rpm, where it pulls with a fair bit of zest. Sure, there’s a bit of turbo-lag but it isn’t bothersome as even off-boost, the engine doesn’t feel bogged down. On the open roads between Udaipur and Mount Abu, the diesel A3 could effortlessly cruise at around 130kph, and the tall sixth gear meant the engine was ticking over at a relaxed 2,500rpm at these speeds. More impressive though is how easy it is to overtake even on single-carriageways; the punchy mid-range catapulting you ahead of slow-moving trucks. However, the diesel Audi A3 lacks the ‘shove-in-the-seat’ surge of torque found on some rivals like the Volvo V40.

And within city limits, engaging sport mode kept the engine in the meat of the power band, making darting into gaps is much easier. As for noise, the engine gets a bit gruff when you rev it and there is a bit of clatter at idle too, but while cruising at about 80kph, the motor isn’t too intrusive and road noise is well-contained.