Test drive Audi A3 hatchback 3 doors since 2012 hatchback

One platform, two directions

Platforms are railway: people are waiting for an electric train. There are hardware platforms, due to which disputes arise on the topic, which is better - Mac or PC. We have to approach this term on the part of the car, for both of our guest today is the manifestation of two degrees of the same platform of the Volkswagen Audi Group.
Actually, the main idea of \u200b\u200bthis consumer test was a deeply subjective comparison of the weakest representatives of the VAG PQ35 platform. Moreover, the weak are not in the sense of the ideological component and not in terms of the thickness of the body metal. Weakness in this case involves the use of the minimum possible of the engines installed on these cars. In both cases under consideration, this is only 1390 cm3 of a working volume. You must admit that it is quite interesting to experience in real operating conditions the most innovative trend of today's day: highly composed small -blood -cubature turbo engines, standing under the hoods of rather sporting cars. But first a little story.
 
The design and design of the VW Karmann Ghia (left) did not intersect with the new sports hatchback Volkswagen. The new Scirocco (right) was extremely advanced and angular fashionable.
 
Konstantin Komkov
Deputy editor -in -chief of autopilot magazine
Driving experience 37 years
Personal transport Nissan X-Trail
VW Scirocco 1.4 TSI ( * * * * * * *)
This unusual Volkswagen, even if not everyone likes its muscular exterior, unnoticed in the stream. And the rest of it is distinguished by all the advantages of a modern sports compartment: the interior is strict in S-Partan; It sins at the back, but bucket -type seats have a set of adjustments quite acceptable for civilian use. By the way, two chairs of the second row will provide a comfortable landing by two adult passengers of medium height. The modest working volume of the engine 1.4 is able to mislead the one who does not know that the power of the compact TwinCharger 1.4 TSI is more than add a compressor and a turbocharger. The sensation of a reliable reserve is not created so much 160 hp, how much a flat thrust is at relatively low speeds. And the temperament guarantees a quick seven -speed DSG automatic machine (Direct Shift Gearbox) with two clutches. In a word, there is no discomfort even when moving in the torn rhythm of the city stream, in addition, if you carefully handle the gas and brake pedal, you can move relatively economically. The fact that this is a sports compartment is reminiscent of a harsh adjustment of the suspension. However, it is very practical, because, if necessary, the already rather big trunk can be increased by folding the rear seats. However, when choosing such a car, you are least thinking about the transportation of oversized ones.
Audi A3 TFSI ( * * * * *)
It took less time to adapt to A3 than to comprehend the philosophy of this vehicle (it is good for a wide range of people, regardless of gender and age). The three -door car by definition is intended for active driving. And in this case, the main highlight is a compact and light 1.4 -liter TSI motor, renamed Audi in TFSI, which will have to replace 1.6 FSI over time. But the point is not only the name - at Audi he broke up with Twincharger technology, limiting himself to turbocharged. However, developing 125 hp. At 5000 rpm (despite the fact that confident traction is present from the bottom), and even with a six -speed manual box, it makes it possible to move around the city smoothly and quite sporty. I will not say whether this machine accelerates to a hundred 9.6 s, but according to subjective sensations in dynamics, you can’t refuse it. True, in such modes, even despite the direct injection technology, it was not possible to fit into the declared average consumption in the mixed cycle - 6.5 liters per 100 km. But with calm driving, according to the on -board computer, the engine becomes very economical. In terms of convenience of landing, some discomfort at first created a pedal node - the floor gas pedal contrasted with too long adhesion pedal. However, this did not affect the smoothness of switching. Everything else is done in the best traditions of the company from Ingolstadt.
 
Windy cars
What is Scirocco? Encyclopedias say: South European wind, the smell of sugar and rains. This set of moving masses of air has another, Arabic, name - Ghibli. In the late 60s of the last century, they called one of the most popular GT classes of that time. No, that you, of course, are not Volkswagen. Maserati had a difficult -pronounced name for a Russian person. But it just so happened that among the large admirers of the Italian’s automobile creativity was one very creative German named Wilhelm Karmann, the owner and permanent head of Karmann GmbH. So, at that moment it was he who was responsible for the production of Volkswagen sports cars. And it was then that he actively communicated with the owner of Maserati Alejandro de Thomaso. And it was Wilhelm Karmann in cooperation with the Italian studio GHIA who created an unit - flesh from the flesh of a folk beetle, an example of the most compact sports car of that time Volkswagen Karmann Ghia.
The idea of \u200b\u200ban inexpensive, stylish and fast car captured him so much that it would not be stupid to embody it in metal. And in 1974, two very similar cars were introduced to the public: Maserati Ghibli II and Volkswagen Scirocco. The same wind, the same idea and the same designer ... that is, the maestro Jujaro! Sales of a German car from the first minute grew like yeast. After all, Freshly and famously looking three -door hatchback Volkswagen was fast (if you do not take into account the modification with a 1.1 liter engine), it was roomy and favorably differed from competitors with a relatively low price. And if at the same moment Golf had not been born, who knows, maybe the journalists would operate with the concept of a sircko class instead of a golf class. And then it rushed. New engines up to 1.7 liters, restyling 1982, again innovation in the form of the famous 16-valve 140-horsepower DOHC 1.8, another round of faceies of 1988. All these changes only added to the car of popularity and practically erected it into the status of cult. But everything comes to an end, and in 1992 the name of the wind disappeared into the marketing shadow of the contrast Golf. As a result, a much less successful Corrado, who lasted only four years, was replaced by the obsolete Scirocco. But then he and the wind to return. And returning noisy. 2008. May month. Nyurgurging highway, and Carlos Synts driving the new Scirocco III ...
 
 
The appearance of tested cars is truly speaking. If Volkswagen Scirocco literally shouts about its belonging to sports, then the Audi A3 does not look more modest and more practical. Nevertheless, the highlight is also present in it. The style of the rear of the cars also fully corresponds to their image. If the A3 has the design of the loading height of the luggage compartment, then SCIROCCO demonstrates a complete neglect of the use of itself sports for boring trips to supermarkets.
 

Brief course of five rings
By the mid-90s of the last century, Europe, and with it by inertia and half the world, captured the real boom of golf class cars. This was partly consciously or unconsciously provoked by the media - for several years in a row, the titles of the car went to just such urban machines. Then someone said that the main thing is the ratio of price and function, and it went. In general, having heard and read, people carried their blood to the car dealerships. And if Volkswagen had something to change the money, then Audi with its smallest, but by no means a miniature A4 model (slightly detached Audi 80) remained, as if softer, without a piece of the pie. And then there are direct competitors in the person of Mercedes-Benz with the release of A-class are in a hurry. In general, inholstadt has outlined an unhealthy flight trend past the market. On the other hand, the recipe, as they say, was written on the very first page of a table book: quite a delicious PQ34 platform, on the basis of which are created VW Golf IV, VW Bora, VW New Beetle, Seat Leon, Seat Toledo, Skoda Octavia. Moreover, the experience in the release of the compact Audi 50 of 1974 (the car was created on the A1 platform, united with Volkswagen Scirocco I and Golf I). It was small. As a result, the car turned out not bad. As for the name, since it was traditionally not accepted to spend time inventing names in Audi, the youngest representative of the line was called the sonorous index A3. The same German logic corresponds to the factory name of the TYP 8L model. So in 1996, the history of our second subject began. But it was a time of gray everyday life, plugging marketing holes and experiments with 20-valve 4-cylinder engines. Seven long, but fertile years passed, and in 2003 a completely new A3 TYP 8P model appeared. The model, which finally brought to the world of compact Audi such an important component as a controversial, but bright style. And after the facilift of 2008, the car completely began to play with all the faces of a spectacular body. And not surprising - once it should have happened. Indeed, before the appearance of the Italian designer, Walter de Silva, the world automobile community was almost sure: the chief artist in Ingolstadt sits a specially trained person with a compass in his hands and carefully examines pieces of toilet soap (remember the first -generation of the design of Peter Schreyer or Audi A2 His pen).
 
Audi 50 1974. The first compact hatchback from Ingolstadt was actually a slightly retouched first -generation VW Golf.
 
These engines are created on the same basis. But if 1.4 TSI on Scirocco (at the top) is equipped with double boost and develops the maximum power of 160 hp, then in the A3 (below) version of one turbocharger and 125 hp.
 
Dmitry Lyakhovenko
The head of the test group of the autopilot magazine
Driving experience 13 years
Personal transport Jeep Wrangler YJ
VW Scirocco 1.4 TSI ( * * *)
I have only one question: who thought of the term sports note to interpret how hard, noisy and as incorrect? After all, it turns out that at a speed of 120 km/h the music can be turned off - it is not heard behind the roar of the wheels emanating from ... roof. And one more thing: it always seemed to me that sports seats should be comfortable, anatomical, and not a sort of scroll bed, from which after half an hour the back began to whine. And the panoramic hatch, opening three centimeters up and no longer? .. And the 7 -speed dsg, confused in its two clutches in automatic mode and with an inverted indication of the inclined transmission in manual mode (on the instrument panel, the upper gear is on the left, the lowest - on the right , but you need to turn on the highest gear with the right, steering petal, and the lower - left) ... And when I decided to adjust the mirrors ... No, you better not know how many points on the Richter scale I swept this world with gratitude to the ergonomists who have in whom Probably in the hands of five elbows. But ... how incredibly beautiful he is! Not at all embarrassed, I admit: I am delighted with the appearance of Scirocco. And not only appearance. It is also delighted with an engine that can give a magical sense of even confident acceleration in the volume of 1,400 cubes. I bow to the creator of the very concept of the new Scirocco. Take my low bow. It is a pity that the techno, attracting the standard hatchback of the golf class by the ears of the standard platform to their vision of a compact sports car, all killed, violating the balance of shape and content. After all, in the end, a masterpiece could turn out, and not another small, but very beautiful rabid stool at the price of a huge Chevrolet Trailblazer.
Audi A3 TFSI ( * * * * *)
Thinking about comparing with the appliance, I gave out such a slightly strange definition: in both cars - Audi and Volkswagen - the creators wanted to add peppercorn. But by chance, all the burning chili poured into Scirocco, and the A3 remained ... Bulgarian pepper. So! Who said Bulgarian pepper is tasteless? I do not support your opinion. I really like the soft juicy taste of this product. It is much more pleasant to ride A3, and it is much more interesting to use. With all this, the car is completely devoid of that strong enforcement of the unobvious sensations donated to me by Scirocco. Yes, Audi has something to scold. For example, ergonomics of the pedal node. Why, tell me, to move the entire knot to the right, leaving 15 centimeters on the left? Techno again? And why perform a torpedo and the upholstery of the doors to which I do not even touch, from soft plastic, otherwise the only place that constantly touches the knee is made of hard plastic? Well, like that’s all, scolded for order. And for the rest - handling, dynamics, pleasant materials, a sense of care for the owner literally in every little thing, including amazingly comfortable seats and unobtrusive tips about the correct choice of transmission - I will praise the car. In general, I am in Audi A3, in addition to the price, everything suits. Great choice. Moreover, this is the first Audi model, which I really liked the correct balance of qualities and the absolute integrity of the image.

Unity and struggle
Now let's get back today. As you already understood, cars presented in the framework of our consumer test are ideologically vary. Despite the almost identical set of assemblies, the VW Scirocco has to interpret the platform in the key is sports, and for the Audi A3, a quick note is easily replaced by comfort and calm unobtrusiveness. It so happened historically. However, in both cases, the key word is the innovation of the PQ35 platform. Here are completely independent suspensions, and unique body rigidity, and a serious study of constructive passive safety. But the most important trump cards VAG in recent years are, undoubtedly, power units. Let's start with the engines. The EA111 series, the ancestor for both engines installed under the hoods of both A3 and Scirocco, has been produced since 1970. It was on their basis that Volkswagen built the first DOHC, they screwed up boots, carburetors, mechanical and electronic injection control systems, it seems, all types and stripes. Well, the last public reincarnation of the EA111 engine occurred in 2005 at the Frankfurt Auto Show, when visitors were shown its latest version under the name 1.4 TSI Twincharged. The combination of a turbocharger, actively helping the engine in the upper speed range, with a mechanical volumetric supercumener Eaton V, operating from the bottom, slightly sprinkled with sparkles in the form of a distributed direct injection system, which is called a bomb. And recognition did not force itself to wait: the motor almost automatically received the International Engine of the Year award. And how could it be possible to respond to the fact that in such a modest working volume, the Germans managed to fit as much as 160 hp. (In some variations - up to 178 hp) and 240 Nm of torque! Which, in fact, we see under the hood of our test scirocco. But A3 has a slightly different heart. In 2007, VAG presented a slightly simplified version of this engine - 1.4 TFSI. It no longer uses a mechanical supercharger, but a turbine with variable geometry and intercooler with water cooling allowed to remove quite decent 125 hp from the same working volume. Power and 200 Nm of torque. All these reciprocating turbines with a fairly wide spectrum of checkpoints are aggregated-from 6-speed mechanical transmission (in our case, on Audi A3) to the latest version of the 7-speed semi-automatic gearbox DSG (at Scirocco). If this checkpoint is under the hood of Audi, then the name changes to S-Tronic. True, keep in mind that only the old 6-speed version of DSG is available in the option of configuing with the 2.0 TSI engine.
 
In the Audi A3 salon, ergonomics were studied with emphasis on small details, finishing materials and sound insulation. In general, if not for some miscalculations, then the workplace of the Audi driver could be called almost reference to the golf class.
 
Alexey Isaev
Technical expert of the autopilot magazine
Driving experience of 28 years
Personal transport Volvo 460
VW Scirocco 1.4 TSI ( * * * * *)
This car left an ambiguous impression. On the one hand, a bright appearance and a gray but practical interior. On the other hand, for the lack of blue lighting of the devices, I can well forgive the designer triangle of the door handle, not allowing me to forget that I am in a stylish scirocco, and not in ordinary Golf. It was convenient for me to drive it quite easily, although, as often happens with me, 30-40 mm of longitudinal adjustment of the steering wheel was not enough for happiness. Surprisingly, I was also able to sit down in the back seat myself quite comfortable. I will not talk about dynamics, I believe that the capabilities of the machine significantly exceed the needs of ordinary driving. Of the shortcomings, I note the fussy twitching of the DSG box with a decrease in speed in sports mode. Of course, I liked the exact steering, small rolls and the lack of excessive insufficient rotation. But the structural noise going from the wheels throughout the cabin through a tough suspension in the longitudinal direction seems to be behind the facet of civil sports, especially against the background of excellent sound insulation of the motor compartment. In general, the harmony of the sound of the motor and other noise, which gives the feeling of a sports car, appears only after 140 km/h, reaching a pleasant level by 170. That is, from my point of view, this is a typical autobasuric car, which was brought on nurging and a little suitable for the elderly law -abiding voltesover .
Audi A3 TFSI ( * * * * *)
Oddly enough, this car, despite a significantly more poor package and only a 125-horsepower engine, I liked it more. Of course, due to the lack of adjustment of the angle of tilt of the cushion of the seat and the already mentioned insufficient range of longitudinal adjustment, it was not possible to get a good job, and the place was even less at the back than in Scirocco. The suspension, equally energy -intensive and with high angular stiffness, was significantly better filtered road noises, providing good acoustic comfort during urban driving, and this affected the accuracy of control. The reaction time has increased slightly, but this is noticeable only with full -time comparison. The maximum lateral accelerations that the Audi A3 is capable of are unlikely to be requested during normal driving. A weaker of the compressor, the engine, naturally, provides worst acceleration, but quite sufficient, so as not to feel flawed in the stream without even twisting the engine. Compare the mechanical box and DSG non-river, so I note only a very large adhesion course and the smeared moment of its inclusion. I do not like this, but with urban driving, such a clutch drive setting is more comfortable. The transmitted numbers of the six-speed box are well selected, with intense passage of the transmission, they easily cling to one another, and the elastic engine allows you to go in the city stream in the sixth gear, accelerating if necessary without switching down. The car seemed to me more universal and balanced, however, it is not very convenient to travel to the country in a three -door, especially when you take into account the small volume of the trunk.

LIVING SPACE
The consumer qualities of both one-platform cars are, in general, standard, but taking into account directions. So, for example, Volkswagen Scirocco was created to fascinate with appearance and excite the blood with speed. And since the laws of the genre must somehow be observed, hence the landing formula 2+2 (de facto) and the loading height of the luggage compartment, sacrificed to design thought, which was embodied in an unreasonable horizontal rear optics. But around the driver a fairly rich and spectacular environment is created. In the options for completion, there is almost the entire list of options available on higher -class cars. Unless the ventilation of the seats in the lists was not found. Of interesting additions, it is worth paying attention to the possibility of installing a panoramic roof (more precisely, a large hatch), and you should definitely order a system of assistance in parking. For the visibility of back (again according to the laws of the genre) is limited by the narrow glass and sports headrests of the second row seats. But the Audi A3 ideology is completely different. It somewhat reminiscent of the motto of Apple: It Just Works (translated from English - it just works). The whole model of perception of both appearance and interior is built on close attention to trifles that help diversify the use of the car and emphasize its belonging to a far from cheap brand. Particular attention is paid to the materials of the decoration and noise-insulation-for golf class machines, you must agree, this is a rarity. But what happens in the end? Unlike SCIROCCO sports hardness, the same suspension on AUDI is tuned to a comfortable ride, but without loss of sharpness and clarity of reactions to control actions. As a result, the transmission of noise from the suspension and engine is reduced to a sufficient minimum, which, in turn, provides acoustic comfort at the level of significantly more expensive cars. As for the options, their list of A3 is a little shorter than that of Scirocco, but is quite enough for you to need additional consultations when choosing.
 
Sports seats, elaborate door handles and red lighting panels are tuned in a sports way. The main thing is not to use all this daily. And then the SCIROCCO interior from the uncomfortable turns into an interesting one.
 
Andrey Fatebin
Deputy editor -in -chief of autopilot magazine
Driving experience of 12 years
Personal transport Ssangyong Musso Sports
VW Scirocco 1.4 TSI ( * * * * *)
Eh, I would be a slender brunette macho and about fifteen years younger ... Maybe then the hot wind Scirocco would have taken possession of my soul, conquered with heat and swiftness. But I’m not even slim, not a brunette, not a macho and, although I love a quick ride, I am not at all ready to give up comfort for speed. And what kind of comfort is, if each entrance and exit from the car is accompanied by the need to drag his head somewhere inside the chest? SCIROCCO not only does the roof are low, but the upper edge of the door does not reach its 10-12 centimeters. Well, I crawled out with grunting behind the wheel, settled in an armchair with developed lateral support. A good chair, I won’t say anything, comfortable ... But, so that my head does not stick into the ceiling, I had to lower this chair to the extreme lower position. Hands, of course, rose up in a gesture dear, do not leave. I had to lower the steering wheel - and he immediately blocked the devices. And everything would be fine, but the mutual location of my head, salon mirror and rear window turned out to be such that in the mirror, no matter how you adjust, you can see only a piece of asphalt behind the machine, to all other joys crossed out by arcs of the head restraints of the rear seats. On the go, I liked the car: both the dynamics is at the level and the handling is excellent. There were no complaints about the DSG box either - the car definitely goes behind the pedal, and there is practically no turboyam. But the noise in the cabin struck. It is no longer possible to talk in an undertone at speeds at speeds ... In general, I pay tribute to the Volkswagen designers who tried very hard to create an affordable car of your dreams. But, alas, this is not my car and not my dream.
Audi A3 TFSI ( * * * * *)
My favorite car class is medium -sized SUVs. Nevertheless, I reacted with interest to the opportunity to try on a car built on the same platform as the founding classic VW Golf. So, the first impressions ... The salon is strict, but not ascetic. The trunk is roomy. The motor is very lively at high speeds and tracted at small ones. It turns out complete understanding? Alas. The main source of negativity was the pedal node. There are a lot of spaces in the legs of the driver A3. But on the left is an unusually wide platform, and the pedals are shifted to the right and bored so that, by pressing the brake, I constantly clung to the clutch pedal. But that's not all. The brake and gas pedals are located with a large difference in height, and in order to press the brake, the foot must be raised up. On the highway, this does not interfere too much, but as soon as I got into a serious cork, after about ten minutes my shin was cramped! There are complaints to the gearbox. Firstly, I have not happened to drive a front-wheel drive car for a long time, in which the rear gear is turned on by the movement of the lever to the left and forward. I understand the technical background of such a solution, but from the point of view of the user it is illogical. Well, and secondly, I did not really like the selectivity of the inclusion of the programs. In general, if I bought Audi A3 for myself, I preferred a car with a DSG robotic box - she has one less pedal.
Audi A3 is a car for life, and VW Scirocco is more likely for the soul. True, not for my
Brief technical characteristics (manufacturer data)
Volkswagen Scirocco
Body type 3-door hatchback
Number of seats 4
TSI TwinchaRged, DOHC L4 engine, gasoline with a turbocharger and mechanical supercumberry EATON
Working volume, l 1.4
Max. Power, L.S. on rpm 160 by 5800
Torque, NM for rpm 240 by 1500-4500
Automatic seven-speed transmission DSG S-Tronic with electronic control
Front drive
Acceleration to 100 km/h, from 8.0
Maximum speed, km/h 218
Fuel consumption (mixed cycle), l per 100 km 6.3
Price 1 005 638 rub.

Audi A3
Body type 3-door hatchback
Number of seats 5
TFSI engine, Dohc L4 gasoline with a turbocharger of variable geometry
Working volume, l 1.4
Max. Power, L.S. on rpm 125 for 5000
Torque, NM on rpm 200 for 1500-4000
The transmission is mechanical six -speed
Front drive
Acceleration to 100 km/h, from 9.6
Maximum speed, km/h 203
Fuel consumption (mixed cycle), l per 100 km 6.5
Price 985 492 rub.

Text: Dmitry Lyakhovenko
Photo: Alexander Davidyuk
Alexey Vasiliev
 

 

Source: "Autopilot"