If I had to cavil, then it would be about the A3 Cabriolet not having electrically adjustable seats; a feature that many of the customers would expect as standard. Anyway, I was happy with the old-school manually adjustable seats that are comfortable and snug, and provide excellent lateral support. However, the rear seats — yes, there are a pair of seats at the back — are best reserved for your shopping bags. The boot space has been reduced considerably since the fabric roof and the mechanism that operates it are stored in it. Nevertheless, there is just enough usable volume for a nice weekend getaway to the beach. The A3 Cabriolet scores high in terms of looks, features, comfort and quality.
Once you get inside and drive it, you will be blown away by its superiority, just as we were. Underscoring this superiority is the TFSI engine, the same unit that powers the A3 40 TFSI saloon. This 1,430-kilo beauty packs in a 1,798-cc, four-pot, turbocharged motor which drives the front wheels and is good enough for 180 PS and 250 Nm of torque. Its brilliance lies in its silky smooth nature. Refinement, and smooth and linear acceleration are also among the salient attributes of this motor. However, the aural drama is somewhat missing as the exhaust pipes only play a soothing mid-frequency symphony when you work your right foot. At idle and low speed your ears will only hear a sedate hum.
The power and torque delivery are so smooth and linear that sometimes you wonder if it is really powered by a turbo motor. There is hardly any noticeable lag. And thanks to the wide torque band, which starts at 1,250 RPM and goes all the way up to 5,000 revs, you get excellent bottom and mid-range. This provides great driveability, making the A3 Cabriolet quite effortless to drive and fuel-efficient too. We got 15.5 km/l on the highway and 10 km/l in the city, enough for a 180-PS car.
Talking about the ease of driving, the A3 Cabriolet comes with the same seven-speed S-tronic automatic gearbox as in the saloon. It is a technological marvel. The ratios of this auto ’box are perfectly matched to the engine and the twin-clutch set-up is the highlight of this technical wonder. It lets you watch the RPM needle go up and down while being utterly smooth and seamless; moving from one cog to another without any jerks or delay. Actually, smooth and seamless are the only adjectives that best describe this automatic gearbox.
