Review of the new Audi A3 Cabriolet

If you want something a little more premium than a family hatchback based cabriolet, then Audi's A3 Cabrio provides it. Quality and technology are stand-out attributes. It's a car you'll feel good about owning.

There's a lot to like about Audi's product philosophy. The company is rarely the first to dive into a particular market sector, instead preferring to sit back, take notes and then launch a thoroughly well developed vehicle that, more often than not, aces the opposition.

Audi tends to ignore engineering gimmicks, preferring instead solid, no-nonsense technology that works. Take convertible roofs. In an age where car manufacturers are falling over each other to bring misshapen folding hard top cars to market, Audi hasn't bothered. Like the A5 Cabriolet and the TT Roadster, this A3 has a fabric top and has proved to be an effective player in the compact cabriolet market.

Audi makes much of the A3 Cabriolet's lower centre of gravity compared to folding hard top cars. This is key because fitting a lot of electric motors, rigid panels and strengthening high in the body, as many folding metal hard-top models do, has all sorts of repercussions for weight distribution. Keep the roof light and compact, as Audi has done, and the suspension isn't given quite such a poser when confronted with a corner.

A first look over the A3 Cabriolet suggests it's one of the more focused drop tops. The brakes feature big ventilated discs up front, a specially tuned stability control system has been developed for the car and slick six speed manual gearboxes are standard across the board. As an option, buyers of the 2.0-litre-engined cars can also go for the revolutionary twin-clutch S tronic gearbox with shift paddles mounted behind the steering wheel and a mode that replicates a conventional automatic 'box.

Straightforward conversions of compact hatchbacks rarely make elegant drop tops, though the A3 Cabriolet tries hard, looking smart with the roof down. Roof up however, it has a compact profile that can't escape the car's fundamental short and squat footprint, even if it is 24mm longer than the A3 three-door hatch on which it's based. Still, Audi has done a good job packaging the car, the hood's compact dimensions meaning that there's enough space for four adults inside.

"If you need for than two seats and can't decide between a mainstream family hatchback-based convertible or a bigger one with a prestige badge, then this car can't be ignored.."

The hood itself can be specified in semi or fully automatic versions, the latter of which includes additional acoustic insulation and raises in just nine seconds at speeds of up to about 20mph. In contrast, if you go for one of those metal folding roof-style models, that whole process will occupy around 25 seconds and rob you of loads more bootspace. A heated glass rear window is standard and the fully automatic hood can be operated via the key fob. Other highlights include the optional R8-style daytime running LEDs in the headlamp pod.

The windscreen is set at the same angle as the hatchback model, which is a welcome relief after the steeply canted screen that designers fit to hard top convertibles in order to try to shorten the roof length. These not only reflect the dash top badly but often cause dangerous blind spots, not something the A3 Cabriolet suffers from.

The front seats give plenty of adjustment, while providing a good deal of leg, shoulder and (when the roof is up) head room. Get into the back though and you'll find things slightly compromised by a very upright back rest. The boot offers 260-litres of luggage space, extendable to 674-litre when the rear seat backs are folded.

You'll probably pay between £20,000 and £30,000 for your A3 Cabriolet, a similar budget to that needed for this car's closest competitors, BMW's 1 Series Convertible and Volkswagen's Eos. In fact, it's not to far above what you'd pay for a mainstream drop-top like a Ford Focus CC or a Vauxhall Astra TwinTop. Bear in mind though, that if you opt for one of the pricier versions, you'll be into spending the kind of money that could have netted you a larger convertible like Saab's 9-3.

So to the engines. All are direct injection powerplants with turbochargers to plump up power and torque. There are two diesels, the first a 104bhp 1.9-litre TDI unit and the second a 138bhp 2.0-litre TDI engine. The petrol engines open with the 1.2-litre 105bhp TFSI unit, sitting below the 1.8-litre TFSI unit, good for 158bhp, with the flagship of the line up being the 197bhp 2.0-litre TFSI.

The standard model comes with the semi-automatic roof with electric windows all round. Go for the Sport and you'll get the fully automatic acoustic roof, 17-inch aluminium wheels, front fog lights and sports seats and suspension. Place an order for the S line variant and there's a sports pack and body styling included.

As with any in-demand Audi model, expect residuals to be rock solid, for the first three years at the very least. The engines used are all very modern powerplants with a reputation for offering a decent compromise between performance, fuel economy and carbon dioxide emissions. Even the range-topping 2.0-litre TFSI unit sups 95RON at a rate of just 7.6 litres per 100km, which in old money is 37.4mpg. That's a very good return for a car which can get to 60mph in 7 seconds flat and run onto a top speed of 144mph. Of course, if you really want to slash fuel bills, go for one of the two diesel models. Even the more powerful of the two oil burners will return 53.6mpg, yet can crack the sprint to 60mph in just 9.6 seconds. Emissions already undercut the future Euro5 standards.

The main reason people buy convertible cars is because they want to look great and any car buff can reel off a string of very successful convertible models that looked fantastic but were actually utter dogs to drive and own. The A3 Cabriolet turns that established logic on its head, plus it's one of the very best four seater compact cabriolets to drive. If you need for than two seats and can't decide between a mainstream family hatchback-based convertible or a bigger one with a prestige badge, then this car can't be ignored. You could find it to be just about right.

TOP 5 A3 DEALS

The results below show the top A3 deals on buyacar

Audi A3 1.6 TDI Sport 5dr Diesel Sportback
Price £19,424 Read A3 Reviews	Save £1,916
Audi A3 1.6 TDI Sport 3dr S Tronic Diesel Hatchback
Price £19,152 Read A3 Reviews	Save £1,883
Audi A3 1.6 3dr Hatchback
Price £15,231 Read A3 Reviews	Save £1,379
Audi A3 1.6 TDI S Line 5dr Diesel Sportback
Price £20,834 Read A3 Reviews	Save £2,091
Audi A3 1.6 TDI S Line 3dr Diesel Hatchback
Price £19,246 Read A3 Reviews	Save £1,894
VIEW MORE DISCOUNT A3 DEALS