It is a strange notion that Britain, a place that will never even glimpse the top of the ‘most sunshine hours-per-year’ list, has a fondness for the convertible car, so much so, that it is Audi’s strongest convertible market.
The A3 Cabriolet is Audi’s latest attempt at a compact convertible, bringing superior quality, design and prestige to a car sector that has previously not been intruded upon by any of Germany’s ‘big 3’.
This particular A3’s designation is ‘35TFSI’, which places it in the middle of the A3 hierarchy. It is equipped with the S-Line package, which adds sports seats, 18-inch wheels, and more aggressive body panels that help the A3 Cabriolet cut a sharp figure. At around £33,000, there is the appearance of a premium car, but there is surprisingly little standard equipment.
Overall, the A3 is easy to drive and well-proportioned for UK roads. There is a real feeling of control in everything that it does. The steering is light, tight and predictable, but drivers wanting more exuberance in the corners will be disappointed. The ride is well controlled, but can be pronouncedly stiff over rougher roads.
Mechanically, the A3 has a 150bhp, 1.5 Litre, 4-cylinder, turbocharged engine, which will be enough for most drivers and Audi’s 7-speed, S-Tronic automatic transmission is also seamless during everyday driving. The engine is keen, but feels breathless as you near the rev-limit, and overly-aggressive throttle inputs can occasionally leave the transmission scrabbling to find the correct gear. Once in the correct gear though, you will receive a satisfying turbo whoosh as your reward.
As with most cars now, the A3 includes multiple driving modes to control the gearbox and the throttle; these are comfort, efficiency, auto, dynamic and individual. Truthfully, these exist merely to offer the illusion of choice, yet the lack of these options would leave the A3 feeling antiquated.
The interior, in keeping with Audi’s reputation, is fastidiously built and a comfortable place to be. Despite being a cabriolet, the soundproofing of the A3 is excellent, with even badly surfaced roads failing to elicit any squeaks or rattles, and at higher speeds the A3 remains steadfast in preventing noise from ruining the experience, and holding a conversation requires no more than a measured inside voice.
The rear seats of the A3 are an obvious afterthought. Even with an average-sized driver, rear passengers will not want to spend more than a short journey crammed into the back. Additionally, nasty hard plastics in the rear replace the pleasant soft-touch plastics of the front of the cabin. The rear passengers seats are also at an uncomfortable angle because the hinges for the roof mechanism are strangely located above the rear wheel arches.
The upholstery consists of a mix of cloth and leather and extends to the steering wheel, which takes centre stage in the A3’s interior. The steering wheel itself is flat-bottomed, thin-rimmed and feels pleasant to hold. Its small diameter helps contribute to the feeling of accuracy in the A3’s steering. This, in combination with the short control columns for the indicators, lights, and windscreen wipers really make the A3 feel delicate enough to control with just your fingertips.
Storage space in the A3’s cabin is decent and the glovebox is a reasonable size, although there is a distinct lack of cubbyholes. The boot is a modest size, but due to the A3’s roof mechanism, boot space is compromised when the roof is down.
There are some great detailing touches in the cabin of the A3, particularly the milled metal controls of the climate system and air vents, and the aluminium foot pedals look particularly suave. However, spending time in the A3 also reveals some shortcomings. Audi’s infotainment system is a more traditional screen-and-rotary-control setup, which may not be as intimidating as a touchscreen, but at the same time can be finnicky for inexperienced owners. The automatic gear selector also poorly attempts to masquerade as a more handsome manual gear-lever and is genuinely crass, and the fuel and temperature gauges are difficult to get accurate readings from.
The A3 is not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, although the build quality remains in line with Audi’s stellar reputation and the driving experience is solid and refined. Basic equipment is quite sparse, which is clear since it only has rear parking sensors and no standard wind diffuser so expect prices to rise as you add more specifications.
Expect to visit a petrol station approximately every 350 miles, with everyday driving yielding an MPG figure that surprisingly matches Audi’s quoted figure, at 41.6mpg.
Our summers may be unreliable, but Audi has again delivered a solid, stylish, if predictable junior convertible that is head and shoulders above the rest of its class in terms of quality.
Kerbside 