Audi A3: a welcome surprise

The Northwest Indiana Times is writing about the Audi A3 as a gift, a very welcome suprise.

Design-wise, the look of the A3 is subtle, even understated. Audi's new single-frame grille is smaller and less distracting. The side view is very plain, but the car's rear profile is nicely proportioned.

The cabin is typical Audi: stylish without overdoing it. There's enough shiny metal to accent the trendy black background here. Gauges are easy to read, and controls are within reach and properly placed.

Despite a price point that starts below $25,000, the look and feel of the A3's interior is excellent.

The joy here is in the driving.
Our test A3, with the optional Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG), an automatic transmission that provides crisp shifts with steering-wheel shifters, was ready to run. Acceleration was very, very quick. In fact, I started stopping for yellow lights just so I could be the first away when the traffic signal turned green. It's the kind of performance that rewards an enthusiast.

The A3 enters the showroom as the cheapest Audi, but it remains a member of a luxury family -- so things like dual-zone automatic air conditioning, 17-inch alloy wheels and a 10-speaker, 140-watt stereo are standard. So are safety items like dual front, side and side-curtain air bags, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake distribution, and electronic stability control.

Source: The Northwest Indiana Times

Labels: Audi