2015 Audi A3 TDI

2015 Audi A3 TDI

Smooth and miserly, a long way from brisk

The primary A3 TDI hit the avenues for 2010 as Audi's second diesel-fueled offering for the U.S. advertise, the 2009 Q7 SUV being the first. Those models cleared a wide street for resulting diesel Audis: The four-ring brand as of now offers Americans six diesel models, more than some other carmaker. Following a diesel barrage for the 2014 model year, Audi included its A6, A7, and A8 vehicles and in addition its Q5 hybrid to the diesel lineup.

Each of the marque's A-badged models at present has a diesel take rate of approximately 10 percent, and the pressure start hybrids offer in considerably more noteworthy rates. The A3 was as of late overhauled, in any case, and it's presently Audi's freshest diesel demonstrate.

Family Matters

We were inspired with the gas controlled, all-wheel-drive A3 in a 2014 examination test, where it beat a BMW 228i and a Mercedes-Benz CLA250. That A3 was agreeable, stunning, and brisk. The front-wheel-drive diesel A3 tried here was agreeable, stunning, and . . . fuel-productive.

"Fast" certainly does not have a place among the essential descriptors of the A3 TDI—at any rate with respect to its stablemates. Requiring 7.9 seconds to achieve 60 mph and 16.2 to finish the quarter-mile at 86 mph, the diesel trails the correlation test-winning fuel A3 2.0T by 2.5 seconds to 60 mph and by 2.2 ticks and 14 mph in the quarter-mile. (The 292-hp, 4.4-second S3 that offers a similar stage and fundamental body is on an entire other level.) Despite a fast moving transmission, the TDI's powertrain comes up short on substantial push as you move over 3500 rpm or something like that (redline is 5000), yet the auto feels spritely off the line, which is convenient around town.

The A3 TDI's execution details are decimated by those of the gas display, as well as by BMW's entrance level diesel, the 328d, which is the most practically identical diesel in our market, regardless of whether it has a base cost $6455 more extreme than that of the $33,495 A3 TDI. In our testing, the 328d—likewise two-wheel drive (the backs versus this current Audi's front-drive setup), and furthermore moved by a 2.0-liter turbo-diesel four—handed over better circumstances of 6.8 seconds than 60 and 15.3 in the quarter-mile.

At any rate the 211-pound-lighter A3 TDI nips the BMW in our braking and cornering tests, enrolling a blur free preventing separation of 160 feet from 70 mph and pulling 0.92 g on the skidpad, in spite of direct understeer. You're not going to put on a Fast and Furious– style stunt appear in this auto, yet three-arrange strength control (on, don, off) is an appreciated element. Besides, the A3 TDI is very great to drive, with firmly controlled body movements and great directing exactness and feel.

Keep on Drivin'

However, individuals by and large purchase diesel autos not for accomplishments measured on the test track but rather for calculations influenced following visits to the filling to station. In that regard, the A3 TDI fared amazingly well, averaging 38 mpg more than 965 miles in our care (barring, similar to our strategy, the halfway tank expended amid execution testing). That is 2 mpg superior to the EPA's consolidated rating however 1 mpg short of our watched mileage in the previously mentioned 328d. All things considered, 500 miles between fill-ups ought to be no inconvenience at all.
At speeds past what any hypermiler would do, the A3 lets a frustrating measure of clamor into the lodge. We quantified 72 decibels at 70 mph, two louder than the 328d and five noisier than the A3 2.0T. Out of gear, the diesel A3 was four decibels louder than the A3 2.0T and slightly calmer than the 328d. Indeed, even the $25K Volkswagen Golf SportWagen TDI is calmer than the A3 TDI, which isn't something planned Audi clients will be glad to learn. All that stated, diesels are altogether calmer than they were 10 years or two back.

Luckily for Audi, there's no Volkswagen or sub-$50K BMW that can compare to the A3's stunning inside and its sharp-looking suit of sheetmetal. As we noted in presenting the most reasonable Audi its crown in that 2014 correlation test: "The A3 says: You're not in the modest Audi, simply the little Audi." A tremendous sunroof lights up the lodge, whose back quarters are to some degree limited in headroom however are regardless superior to normal in this section. The route framework, some portion of a $2600 alternative bundle, is anything but difficult to utilize and is shown by means of a huge screen that looks trap as it climbs from a thin space in the dashboard. (In spite of the fact that we ponder what the screen engine's working status will be, say, 10 years down the line.) Premium Plus, the main other alternative bundle on our auto, brought things, for example, 10-talked wheels, warmed front seats, and aloof section for $2550. Attach $550 for the profound Mythos Black paint, and our A3 came in at $39,195.