Test drive: New Audi A3

[kingrob]

If it's related to the entire package, fair enough.

I just find that people equate the engine size directly with the price and then want to complain about it.

Like people look at the VW Polo GTI and see it's a 1.4 @ R280 000 and say how crazy it is, while in fact it's a very well built very high specification car for the money.


Personally I like the idea of higher spec costing the bucks and not massive engines (which doesn't make sense in and of itself since engines share largely the same components. A 1600 doesn't cost more to make than a 1400 for instance.). Which is why I think Lexus are to some degree Audi are on to something finally figuring out that people with lots of money still want small cars.

I agree with what you are saying, but sometimes I just wonder how many kms can you squeeze out of a 1.4 engine that is pushed so hard - supercharger, turbo charger.....how long will those small engines last?

 

[HapticSimian]

I agree with what you are saying, but sometimes I just wonder how many kms can you squeeze out of a 1.4 engine that is pushed so hard - supercharger, turbo charger.....how long will those small engines last?

Bet this guy felt the same when he found out his next car wasn't going to have a 12.7l straight-eight under the hood.

 

[Bona Botse]

The one I drove was the 1.4 TFSi manual. Compared to my current 2.0 TDi DSG, performance is actually quite good, obviously it doesn't have the sheer grunt of the TDi.

Isn't the 1.4 faster than your diesel?

That's the thing I don't get either. If you don't have R300K to blow in cash you're obviously not super wealthy so you should at least get something for that kind of money that's fun to drive and looks good, makes you feel good, or at least, attracts some attention. An A3, Golf, BMW etc. just doesn't do that.
Hell, with R300K you can buy an AWESOME older classic, have it restored, buy spare parts and have lots of cash left over to cover any extra expenses in fuel, tyres or whatever.

Anyway, most cars these days are ZZzzzzZZZzzzZZZ
I find Jap cars to be the most exciting these days, they at least still try something different now and then instead of just constantly adding upgrades and features to boring designs.

Fun to drive, looks good, makes you feel good - those all sound like subjective qualities so maybe they buy those cars because that's how they feel?

My car is being repaired at the dealership so I was given an A1 1.4TFSi as a loan car. I cringed initially but I ended up being very humbled and now I'm considering getting rid of my car and buying the A1. It's such an awesome little car.

 

[SauRoNZA]

I agree with what you are saying, but sometimes I just wonder how many kms can you squeeze out of a 1.4 engine that is pushed so hard - supercharger, turbo charger.....how long will those small engines last?

Yeah that remains to be seen in about five years how well these engines hold up and what the overall costs of ownership are like.

But then again Turbo-tech has changed a hell of a lot over the years and contrary to what most people think can also be repaired don't always need to be replaced.

 

[Paul_S]

Are people still stuck on Capacity equalling value?

It hasn't been about the size of the motor for a great many years, the amount of power/torque you are getting out of a modern 1.4TFSI easily beats what most 2.0 NA motors could do only a few years ago AND offers brilliant fuel economy at the same time.

90kW from a 1.4 turbo isn't much considering that the 1.6 Hyundai i20 engine puts out 91kW without a turbo charger.
All the complexity and expense for a bit more low down torque and slightly better fuel consumption?
I'm not convinced it's worth it.

I agree with the sentiment of most of the posters: South African's are flipping nuts paying so much for so little when it comes to cars.
I have bought one new vehicle in my lifetime (R200K Certato) and it will be the last new vehicle I ever purchase judging on the ever escalating vehicle prices.
It's reaching the point where the choice is between a new vehicle or another property and from a financial perspective it's a no brainer.

 

[SauRoNZA]

My car is being repaired at the dealership so I was given an A1 1.4TFSi as a loan car. I cringed initially but I ended up being very humbled and now I'm considering getting rid of my car and buying the A1. It's such an awesome little car.

See that's exactly what I'm talking about.

People have a perception of these things but very little hands-on experience but when they actually get behind the wheel it's a whole different story.

Even an NA 1.4 these days is quite a surprise in some cars.


I have a Golf 5 GTi and was absolutely astounded when a friend of mine took me for a spin in his Polo GTi a few months ago and I would probably take that car over my own any day if it wasn't for the fact that it's pretty small.

 

[SauRoNZA]

90kW from a 1.4 turbo isn't much considering that the 1.6 Hyundai i20 engine puts out 91kW without a turbo charger.
All the complexity and expense for a bit more low down torque and slightly better fuel consumption?
I'm not convinced it's worth it.

I'm not too trusting of those figures from Hyundai. Having also driven one and I can agree that it certainly doesn't feel like it's pushing 91kw. Sure it could be the gearbox or just the way the power is delivered but still.

That being said I agree with you in this package it maybe doesn't seem all that special, but then you realise they also manage to get 132kw out of the same motor with some changes in other cars.

I agree with the sentiment of most of the posters: South African's are flipping nuts paying so much for so little when it comes to cars.
I have bought one new vehicle in my lifetime (R200K Certato) and it will be the last new vehicle I ever purchase judging on the ever escalating vehicle prices.
It's reaching the point where the choice is between a new vehicle or another property and from a financial perspective it's a no brainer.

In that regard I completely agree. Anyone forking out house-like prices for cars is a little bit nuts...especially buying them new.

Only thing I'll always buy new are motorcycles and that's more of a safety thing than anything else.

 

[syntax]

I agree with what you are saying, but sometimes I just wonder how many kms can you squeeze out of a 1.4 engine that is pushed so hard - supercharger, turbo charger.....how long will those small engines last?

Thats my worry as well. It is a great car, but I am still wary of the turbo / super charge thing.
My wife got a demo 118i (new shape), leather, automatic etc for just under 300k. This comes with a maintenance plan and extra's that the polo doesnt.
I know its not the same kind of car, but the new 1 series cars have some decent power.

I still find both of them (GTI and the 1 series) expensive, but if i had to choose, i wouldnt get the polo gti

 

[dj_jyno]

90kW from a 1.4 turbo isn't much considering that the 1.6 Hyundai i20 engine puts out 91kW without a turbo charger.
All the complexity and expense for a bit more low down torque and slightly better fuel consumption?

I feel it's worth it. Does Hyundai get 200 Nm from their 1.6, considering that figure is valid through almost the entire rev range (1400 - 4000 rpm)? A bit... 28% is a rather significant amount.

 

[grim]

I feel it's worth it. Does Hyundai get 200 Nm from their 1.6, considering that figure is valid through almost the entire rev range (1400 - 4000 rpm)? A bit... 28% is a rather significant amount.

Yep and you have very little power loss on a turbo engine compared to a N/A engine up here in Gauteng.

 

[werewolf2]

Driven a A1 1.4 tsfi as a rental. Good suspension but substantial turbo lag

 

[grim]

Driven a A1 1.4 tsfi as a rental. Good suspension but substantial turbo lag

I've got a Golf 1.4 TSI and there is minimal turbo lag, so either there was something wrong with the car or you were driving it wrong.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Driven a A1 1.4 tsfi as a rental. Good suspension but substantial turbo lag

I think Turbo Lag is something people make up for themselves because they've heard about it on the internet and actually have no idea what it actually is.

Modern Turbo cars have very little if any lag at all, especially on these little motors with little Turbo's.


Turbo lag is something that happens to cars that have massive turbos fitted to them to have massive power gains, not little engines with little turbos that just add a bit of extra "wooosh".


Also with the TFSI motors that have both a supercharger and turbo fitted lag is impossible...it's the reason the supercharger is there in the first place so that there is no transition of power when going from NA to Turbo driven as the Supercharger is boosting from idle.


I think most people confuse turbo lag, with how a turbo car is actually expected to operate. You should have a dramatic increase in power from 3000-3500 rpm because that's when the turbo starts spooling.

If you are referring to the lack of power below that rev range as "turbo lag" then you've got the whole concept wrong.

 

[Rouxenator]

I'm no VAG fan but the 1.4 TSI is an excellent powerplant. The one with both super and turbo chargers that is. The performance is exceptional for a 1.4, however they do have a TSI that has no supercharger.

 

[Brawler]

I'd like to hear from someone who has had a 1.4TSI engine for a few years. When did they first come out? 2009?

I wonder how the engine will fair after motorplan.

 

[Rouxenator]

They definately won't last. The one I played with belonged to my friend, but he traded in that Tiguan for the 2.0 TDI only after a few months cause he also figured it won't last.

 

[satanboy]

I took it for a test drive too. It is only for girls.

 

[Messugga]

I'd like to hear from someone who has had a 1.4TSI engine for a few years. When did they first come out? 2009?

I wonder how the engine will fair after motorplan.

People have been having reliability issues with the version that's fitted into the Polo GTI with the turbo going. This might just come down to people abusing the turbo's and not letting them cool down slowly after a hard drive.

 

[grim]

I'd like to hear from someone who has had a 1.4TSI engine for a few years. When did they first come out? 2009?

I wonder how the engine will fair after motorplan.

I have the turbo only 1.4TSI, it's just over 30 000kM's now and it's been brilliant. The diverter valve on the turbo did get stuck but VW replaced it under warranty. One of my mate's has the supercharged/turbo charged one with nearly 75 000kM's on it and he's only had to have a switch replaced which was also done under warranty.

 

[kripstoe]

People have been having reliability issues with the version that's fitted into the Polo GTI with the turbo going. This might just come down to people abusing the turbo's and not letting them cool down slowly after a hard drive.

How many people do you know of?