AudiA3Sportback2005-2009

Used Car  Audi A3 Sportback 2005-2009: Review

This small hatch is much more than just a luxury Volkswagen.
Up

* Distinctive looking thanks to new front treatment. Looks like a member of the Audi family.
* Turbocharged petrol models are great driver’s cars.
* Turbo-diesel version ultra-frugal.
* Well made with quality interior materials.
* Handles and steers well.
* Great safety package.

Down

* Base-model 1.6 lacks the urge to be a proper enthusiast’s car.
* Tends to be expensive and you’re definitely paying for the Audi badge.
* Rear seat space not great.

Audi’s A3 has always been one of those cars whose merits have been very dependant on how you view it. If, for instance, you believe the A3 is really just a Volkswagen Golf in fancy clothes, the Audi starts to look like a pretty expensive way to travel.

But looked at as a compact luxury car (and the Audi badge must surely count for something) it starts to make more economic and emotional sense.

Early versions of the A3 were a bit plain-looking, so the market reacted fairly positively when, in 2005, Audi gave the A3 the corporate deep-grille frontal treatment. The small hatch looked like it fitted in with the rest of the Audi clan and buyers started to relate to it in those terms.

But if post-2004 models at least look the part, do they measure up as compact luxury cars, and how do they fare as second-hand propositions?

Bold grille aside, there still is a fair bit of Golf under the A3’s skin. But at least it’s the clever bits; the platform that gave the Golf Mk V such a good ride and handling package does the same thing for the A3.

There’s different damper tuning and detail changes but the basic competent package remains.

Audi adopted the Sportback tag for the five-door hatchback version of the A3 (which sold alongside the existing three-door range) but the rest of the model

line-up takes some real sorting out.

As well as equipment and trim differences, Audi offered five different engines, two drivelines and three transmissions in the Sportback line-up.

The range kicked off with the 1.6-litre Attraction model, which got a 75kW engine and a six-speed automatic gearbox.

It was a bit underdone, to be honest, especially if you were a keener driver.

Much better news was found on the next rung up the ladder with the 2.0-litre FSI Ambition model. With 110kW of power and a choice of six-speed automatic or six-speed manual, it was a popular choice.

If fuel economy was an issue, the Ambition TDI featured the excellent 103kW turbo-diesel engine from the Golf and tied it to a six-speed dual-clutch auto. Performance was strong and the gearbox a real treat.

The 2.0-litre Ambition TFSI with the 147kW turbocharged petrol engine was a real performer and, with the same gearbox as the turbo-diesel, a great drive.

From there, you started to get into some really Audi-specific territory, with the company’s all-wheel-drive system making it on to the 147kW FSI model as an option.

And finally, if money was no object, you could choose the 3.2-litre, 184kW V6 version of the Sportback with all-wheel-drive and all the bells and whistles.

With all that going on, it really pays to know what you’re looking at and what it should cost.

The base-model 1.6 really was an entry-level car but you still got gear such as dual-zone air-conditioning, 17-inch alloy wheels and full electrics.

The safety angle was covered, too, with dual front, side and head airbags, anti-lock brakes and stability control.

With that in mind, it doesn’t really matter which version you buy. Generally speaking, the more money you spend, the more performance you’ll buy.

Probably the sweetest version is the front-wheel-drive, 2.0-litre version with the 147kW engine.

Similar to the Golf GTI from which it borrowed so heavily, that variant of the A3 is a truly entertaining drive.

And because you’re not paying for all-wheel-drive, it probably represents the best value, too.

Despite the fact you’re spending some of your money on a perception of German quality, the A3 has not been entirely without its problems.

A couple of recalls affected these models, starting with 2006-built cars, which were potentially fitted with a batch of dud gas-generator units for the curtain airbags.

In affected cars, there was the chance that gas could slowly leak out of the generator unit, meaning if the airbag was needed in a crash, there may not be enough gas to inflate it properly.

Cars with a 2009 build-date and the dual-clutch auto gearbox could also experience problems.

Faulty temperature signals sometimes gave the on-board computer the false message that the clutch in the gearbox had overheated. When that happened, the car went into limp-home mode with reduced engine torque and potentially jerky progress as the clutch attempted to protect itself from further damage.

Some owners have reported faults with the hatchback on the five-door Audi, which manifests as a “boot open” warning signal on the dashboard.

Sometimes closing the hatch firmly a second time is enough, other times the whole latch has needed to be replaced. It’s definitely worth checking, as the latch mechanism isn’t cheap.

On hard-driven examples, you might find a slightly shuddering clutch as you take off from the traffic lights.

That’s not good news, as it possibly means the clutch is on the way out and the flywheel might have to be refurbished at the same time.

Either way, it’s pretty major surgery and you definitely need to factor the possibility into your price negotiations.

A slipping clutch is also a major concern, as it’s another pretty sure sign the unit needs replacement.

The other clutch phenomenon is a slight clicking noise at idle. You’ll only hear it with the windows up and the stereo off but it has worried some owners.

In most cases, though, it’s a normal noise for this type of clutch and seems to be nothing to be concerned about. Which is lucky, because no one yet has a fix for it.

Need to know

* Clutches can sound noisy but usually aren’t a problem. A shuddering clutch is a different story.
* Timing belts need replacing at four-year intervals or at a specific mileage for each particular engine.
* A couple of recalls are worth having checked out at a dealership.
* Servicing can be more expensive than on other five-door hatches.

What to pay

Source: Glass’s Guide

Nuts & Bolts

Engine Size/Type
1.6/2.0-litre petrol (110kW)/2.0-litre petrol (147kW)/2.0-litre turbo-diesel/3.2-litre petrol V6

Transmission/Driven Wheels
6-man/6-auto/6-dual-clutch auto

Fuel Consumption
6.7L/100km (1.6); 7.6L/100km (2.0); 9.4L/100km (3.2); 5.7L/100km (turbo-diesel) (combined)

Safety Rating
Not listed (howsafeisyourcar.com.au)