The piercing headlight beams illuminate the way ahead well, dispelling the darkness created by sub-standard and uneven tunnel lighting, and before I knew it, I blasted out of the hole in the mountain, triple-digit speeds and the A3 planted as ever, as I braked after the long right-hander for a truck which seemed to be all over the place. Let’s not forget the supportive seats and gentle seat-belts keeping both you and your peace of mind in place. Unlike some cars, they aren’t troubled with finding their space. They are given their places and good ones: easy to locate, pull on and buckle up without any discomfort to your neck or upper body. There are airbags, but with the smart ABS and stability control, you tend to stay out of trouble. I just wish those wing mirrors were a bit larger and less tapered, though.
So, yes, how do I sum up the A3 benzin with its whistling turbo? Acceleration. Check. Handling? Check. Comfort? Check. Braking? Check, check and double check, with ventilated slots. Now, fuel efficiency. Yes, it has 180 horses and revs wild and free, but it does return a very credible 10.5 km/l in the city and 16 km/l on the highway. Check?
The A3 40 TFSI is a dynamically-superior being. There isn’t anything in the segment yet to challenge it, unless you want something missing a boot. Mercedes have the AMG CLA at the extreme end of the spectrum where Audi are yet to bring in the RS3. The BMW 2 Series (or M235i, for that matter), yet-to-arrive all-new Volvo S40 are nowhere in sight, while the Mercedes-Benz CLA200 has just arrived. At Rs 31.39 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune) the A3 is a fantastic choice if you want a svelte petrol car that’s fun to drive, comfortable to be in and rather easy on the pocket. It’s there for those who want it, and there’s nothing negative to say, really.
