First Drive: Audi A3 Saloon

by Joanne Ahern • September 18, 2013 • Car Reviews, First Drives

2013 Audi A3 Saloon exterior front right static

The Audi A3 Saloon is the German car maker’s first foray into the compact saloon market

The wait for the Audi A3 Saloon is finally over.

Audi teased us with a sneak peek at the brand new model in May and finally we got to take it on the road at its Irish launch this week.

Our quick spin around Dublin city in the 1.4-litre TFSI petrol model leads us to believe it was worth the wait.

The Audi A3 Saloon is a strong and stylish looking car, with the driver-focused cockpit offering space and luxury typical of the Audi brand, with some notable features being a pop up Sat Nav/infotainment unit and flick button controls.

Legroom both back and front is spacious, with seating for three in the back.

Of course, what sets the Audi A3 Saloon apart from its Audi A3 Sportback sibling is the boot – and at 425 litres it’s big enough to comfortably fit golf clubs, buggies and suitcases.

It’s 45 litres bigger than the Sportback but it’s no match for the 490-litre luggage space in the Audi A4. It also comes with a spare wheel.

The cockpit in the Audi A3 Saloon is luxurious and totally driver focused

On the road, the S tronic automatic test model was very smooth, with no noticeable gear changes.

It also handled well during our quick drive and steering was light, making it easy to manoeuver. It was also fitted with an electric parking brake.

Two petrol and one diesel model will be available in Ireland, with three trim levels – Entry level, SE and S-line.

Audi reckons the 1.6TDI 105bhp diesel will be the most popular here. It puts out 99g/km of CO2, which the car company says is the lowest of any saloon in Ireland.

Audi envisages that the A3 Saloon will attract buyers who are looking to downsize from a larger saloon to a compact model and those who like the Sportback model but need ‘increased practicality and space’.

Audi Ireland MD Christian Gussen believes the new saloon will ‘make a significant impact’ in the Irish market next year, and predicts that ‘every second A3 customer will opt for the A3 saloon’.

Prices for the new Audi A3 Saloon start from €29,950 for the 1.4TFSI 125bhp model.

Visit the Audi Ireland website or its Facebook page for further details.

We’ll have a full review in the coming weeks.