Developing a new car is always a matter of compromise. The investment required to engineer a whole new car often means that costs need to be shared and new engines phased in over a period of months and, in many cases, years. The latest Audi A3 is a case in point. Many companies under the Volkswagen Group umbrella will share the chassis and some mouth watering new engines have been unveiled. The 1.6-litre that powers the entry-level versions is not one of them, but will British buyers mind?

The 102bhp engine isn't a bad powerplant per se; it's just that it has been overshadowed by the column inches given to the 2.0-litre FSI petrol engine, the 2.0-litre 140bhp TDi unit and, more recently, the 115bhp 1.6-litre FSI. Stack it up against less prestigious rivals and the bald statistics make sobering reading. The Range opens at £15,515 for the base 3-door model, with the SE and Sport variants tacking a hefty £2,000 onto that asking price. Things have changed a good deal since the early days when base A3 versions were about as well equipped as a Bulgarian thrift store and these days even the entry-level 1.6-litre version comes with a respectable complement of kit.

Of course, finding items like manual windows in what purports to be a premium hatch would really dent an owner's cool and the entry-level 1.6-litre A3 comes with electric front windows, electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors, 16-inch alloy wheels and a Thatcham category 1 alarm and immobiliser operated by a remote key fob. Having said that, the two features that most buyers look for when getting into a new car, namely air conditioning and a CD stereo, are inexcusably absent. Still, Audi haven't skimped on safety gear, the entry-level car getting the same ESP stability control, anti lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, ASR traction control, EDL electronic differential lock and twin front and side airbags as its more expensive SE and Sport siblings.

Choose to trade up to SE specification and you can expect to find climate controlled air conditioning, a CD stereo, cruise control, Vavona wood decorative inlays, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and seven-spoke alloy wheels. The identically priced Sport version runs on 17-inch five-spoke alloy wheels and sports suspension, ditches the lumber on the fascia in favour of gloss finished inlays and adds aluminium sill strips, front sports seats, front fog lamps and a three rather than four-spoke leather trimmed steering wheel. Given that the cost to add the air conditioning and CD stereo from Audi's options list is already £1,300, it's likely only the irredeemably badge conscious will bother with the entry-level version.

"Things have changed a good deal since the early days when base A3 versions were about as well equipped as a Bulgarian thrift store"

Performance from the 1.6-litre engine is respectable, notching the sprint to 60mph off in 11.7 seconds and running on to 115mph. What's a little more surprising, given the A3's sophisticated image, is the aural accompaniment. Although it's only packing a mere 102bhp, blip the throttle and the throaty induction tones will lead you to believe there's at least fifty more horsepower up front. Opt for the 1.6-litre FSI powerplant and 0-60mph acceleration is boosted to 10.9s. The 40mpg economy average on the standard model is within a gnat's of the more powerful 2.0-litre FSI's figure but the 1.6 FSI unit manages to return nearly 43mpg. The emissions figure of 168g/km on the standard car is significantly inferior to the 1.6 FSI's 156g/km. All told, the engine is probably the least impressive feature of the A3 1.6.

Longer, wider and lower than its predecessor, the current A3 is a car that will doubtless punt the A3 back into pole position as the item of choice for the discerning young professional. The most obvious change is the increase in wheelbase. The styling is largely evolutionary, remaining obviously an A3 with the Audi trademark 'single frame' grille, only looking a little stretched. The additional 65mm in wheelbase has rectified one of the old A3's faults, namely that rear seat accommodation was a bit pinched. The extra 30mm of width also helps a little with shoulder room. If you need more room, there's also a Sportback 5-door version with another 68mm of wheelbase in addition.

The three-door versions were offered first, with these five-door Sportback cars following on. That mirrors the evolution of the old A3 Range and, like the old A3, this version rides on Golf underpinnings. Not just any old Golf though. The A3 was the first car to use the 2004 model Golf chassis, a vehicle platform that allows for far more customisation than before. In a way, it's the Volkswagen Group's tacit admission that certain Audi/SEAT/Skoda/VW models of the past were a little too similar to justify their vastly divergent prices. The MkV Golf platform allows more far more components to be chopped and changed, making for more variation and more choice for customers.

The cabin has been restyled to offer a little more design flair, Audi realising that high quality alone isn't enough to lure buyers into showrooms. There has to be some style on display too. The fascia struts ape the interior design of the TT, as do the round air vents and chrome-rimmed dials. It's still not what you'd call revolutionary, but it's beautifully executed.

Although the entry-level version exists to give Audi a presence in the market at a £15,515 price point, most buyers won't countenance equipment levels below what the SE and Sport trims boast. Therefore, the effective opening price of the car for most buyers will be in excess of £17,500. Given that this will buy 197bhp of SEAT Leon, how can the 102bhp Audi A3 1.6 possibly justify its existence? Quite easily in fact. There will always be customers who want Audi A3s, who recognise that the four rings are a guarantor of cast-iron residuals and who now want a current rather than previous generation chassis. Despite it's modest power, the A3 1.6 is still a genuinely covetable depreciation-proofed bauble.

TOP 5 A3 DEALS

The results below show the top A3 deals on buyacar

	Audi A3 1.6 Special Edition 3dr Spec edn Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £216	Saving £1,105	Price £13,895
	Audi A3 1.6 Special Edition 5dr Spec edn Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £217	Saving £1,155	Price £14,345
	Audi A3 1.6 3dr Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £233	Saving £1,150	Price £14,395
	Audi A3 1.6 5dr Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £234	Saving £1,200	Price £14,845
	Audi A3 1.6 Special Edition 5dr Tip Auto Spec edn Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £1,295	Price £15,605

typical 10.36% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000