When I picked up my phone 24 months ago, it had a class-leading camera and rocking processor;
now it’s about as cutting-edge as a light-up gnome.
The march of technology certainly hasn’t slowed down, and that’s a problem for car
designers, whose models need to last at least five years.
And it’s the reason that while this A3 Sportback might look pretty similar to the top-selling
Audi that went before it, most of the changes to it are made up of ones and zeroes, not
cogs and pistons.
Nice in here isn’t it?
In fact, it’s amazing how different it feels to a Golf or Leon, considering they all share
the same underpinnings.
You feel lower down, and while the windows feel smaller, this rather bizarrely does give
the impression of a more expensive, sporty car, especially with this jet black roof liner.
Of course, this feeling is reinforced by all the other nice touches too; like the illuminated
door sills of this S line version, the floating dashboard, which is based on an aircraft’s
wing, and the infotainment screen which rises up out of the dashboard and reminds you which
car you chose.
And really there are three big bits of news tech wise.
So, number one, you can now get Audi’s 12.3-inch virtual cockpit for the first time in a family
hatchback.
It’s exactly the same as the one found in in the R8 V10 Plus supercar, and offers all
sorts of information, without being too distracting.
Number two: you can now get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which I think will be the future
of how most people play music, make calls and navigate in their car.
It’s quick to connect and works well with the updated MMI controller and there’s Audi’s
amusingly named Phone Box, which offers wireless charging if you have a compatible phone.
Mine isn’t….
And third: there’s some new safety tech, so Traffic Assist is now available, which
can take care of basic low speed driving duties in stop start traffic, along with rear cross-traffic
assist to help avoid bumps when backing out of parking spaces.
There’s plenty of space in here too, and unlike many cars in this class, the front
seats can go nice and low.
Hop in the back and you can see why the Sportback outsells the three-door, this feels like a
really grown-up car, with plenty of space to take your friends or work colleagues out
without them moaning.
Legroom is fine, and if anything, headroom could be the biggest issue for taller passengers.
It used to be much more spacious than a 1 Series back here, but watch our review of
that car to see how it has caught up.
In the boot department, the Sportback still has a small advantage over the 1 Series, with
380 litres vs 360.
Here at Car Keys, we like to represent the voice of the people, which is why we’re
testing the best-selling 2.0-litre diesel with 148bhp.
And straight away, you can see why it’s so popular, it’s a marriage as successful
as if some genius could put Pokemon in a smartphone app.
There’s plenty of power, in fact this A3 is surprisingly quick and happy to rev in
third and fourth gear, but take it out of Dynamic mode into Efficiency and you can easily
get the economy into the 50s or even over 60mpg, without trying too hard.
But, if you don’t like the sound of a diesel – literally – the facelifted A3 gets two
new petrol engines, the brilliant 1.0-litre turbo we just tried in the Golf BlueMotion,
and a 2.0-litre turbo with 187bhp and optional four-wheel drive.
And if you’re considering a 1.6 diesel, we’d say that 1.0-litre is a real alternative.
So that’s the engines, but how does it feel?
Well, there’s no doubting it’s a very good car, with hardly any body roll and lots
of grip.
Downsides?
The steering is really precise, but it doesn’t have much feel, and it’s very light in most
of the driving modes, so the 1 Series feels more involving to drive if you want to enjoy
the way the car feels.
Also, if like most people you love the looks of the S line, tick the box for the free comfort
suspension.
That way you still get the style, but without the firm ride.
The A3 Sportback starts from just under £20k, undercutting the BMW by around £1,500.
The 2.0-litre diesel S line costs upwards of £27k, with this test car coming in at
£32k with options including Audi’s advanced Technology Pack, Parking system plus and electric
front seats, to name but a few.
There’s no doubting there are more fun cars to drive than the A3, just take a look at
our Mazda 3 or 1 Series videos, but the A3 scores very highly in every other department.
It’s a really classy car, which blends practicality with desirability to great effect.
This facelift might not be transformative, but in a world increasingly dominated by the
smartphone, it has impressive tech to keep you better connected and shouldn’t look
out of date in a year’s time.
Could you see yourself staying classy in an A3?
Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to hit the subscribe button.