First drive of new A3

[sub39h]

looks like it might be quite good - which only bodes well for the Mk7 Golf 

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/First-drive-the-new-Audi-A3-2012-05-16

[tony_danza]

"it hardly understeers"... Praise indeed for an Audi.

Certainly looks nice, could be on the consideration list for when we no longer need the A6 wardrobe, which incidentally understeers like a ship.

[rich83]

Sounds promising...

"There's even some feedback from the steering."

Heavens above... is it really and audi? 

[sub39h]

Heavens above... is it really and audi? 

i find all the Audi comments on here amusing - especially as it's a forum dedicated to a car whose chassis debuted on an Audi and from a marque that isn't the last word in driving dynamics and involvement

[tony_danza]

Who said Golfs don't understeer too? The whole VAG range will have you nose first in a bus stop - it's what they do. There is a lot more feel and playfulness in a GTI than its A3 brother though, the trade off is the garbage plastics

[rich83]

On the road mine doesn't understeer to badly, in fact, you have to be driving like a total knobhead to get it to do so. 

[andrewparker]

http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/283417/2012_audi_a3_18_tfsi_review.html

[sub39h]

There is a lot more feel and playfulness in a GTI than its A3 brother though...

really? i couldn't convince myself of any difference between the GTI and my A3 2.0T

... the trade off is the garbage plastics

i'd have the Mk5's infotainment systems over the Audis any day of the week tho. RNS-E = poo compared with RNS-510. Audi DIS = poo compared with VW FIS (and it doesn't support Polar FIS either )

[andrewparker]

There is a lot more feel and playfulness in a GTI than its A3 brother though...

really? i couldn't convince myself of any difference between the GTI and my A3 2.0T

To be fair I've driven a few A3s and have never encountered any understeer that was notably worse than you'd get in a Golf, but the GTI steering is very different. You get a lot more feedback which consequently makes it feel very direct. It's no secret that Audis are set up to dial out feedback, which is no bad thing if you're their demographic. With the suggested softer set up it might even have a decent ride to match.

[tony_danza]

I've had both and the A3's stupid sport suspension and poor steering feedback lead to a skittish front end devoid of meaningful communication back to the driver, they're also much harder to oversteer. But then it's not fair to compare the A3 to the GTI, a GT is more appropriate.

Both excellent cars with slightly different set ups for their intended market.

[tony_danza]

It's also worth noting that the ride on my BMW was like being punched in the ass by a thousand tiny fists, nothing is perfect.

[sub39h]

100% agreed about the Sport suspension. The 1.6 8P I had before was a sport and it was just terrible!

Suppose now mine has coilovers, uprated rear ARB and a WALK it is a very different beast 

[wigit]

I've had both and the A3's stupid sport suspension and poor steering feedback lead to a skittish front end devoid of meaningful communication back to the driver, they're also much harder to oversteer. But then it's not fair to compare the A3 to the GTI, a GT is more appropriate.

Both excellent cars with slightly different set ups for their intended market.

i can say my A3 2.0T s-line sportback is truly the worst car i have ever owned for that reason and it also deprciated like a stone, sometimes you did wonder whether the front wheels were attached to the ground

[sub39h]

I've had both and the A3's stupid sport suspension and poor steering feedback lead to a skittish front end devoid of meaningful communication back to the driver, they're also much harder to oversteer. But then it's not fair to compare the A3 to the GTI, a GT is more appropriate.

Both excellent cars with slightly different set ups for their intended market.

i can say my A3 2.0T s-line sportback is truly the worst car i have ever owned for that reason and it also deprciated like a stone, sometimes you did wonder whether the front wheels were attached to the ground

really? at one point the A3 had the best residual value (as a percentage) over any other car in the class. it still ranks pretty highly and my car is still worth more than an equivalent GTI (if Autotrader prices are anything to go by)

[wigit]

i would never by a petrol A3 unless it had a S or RS badge, the tdi sport i had before had superb residuals and was a cracking car, the S-line lost the same money in 2.5 years than my rocco did in 3.5 years (and cost about the same)