Advantages: Looks great on both the inside and the outside, feeling of safety when driving
Disadvantages: Cost of petrol, tyres etc, noise from engine, space

...I bought an Audi A3 1.6SE 3 door after saving for years. I was soooo excited when it came on a big lorry from Audi. The delivery man was very well dressed and gave me a demonstration of the vehicle and informed me what all the gadgets and buttons did on the inside. We even had a tour of the engine (I'm a girl, an engine is an engine - sorry!!!). I couldnt' have been more impressed. So, after the hours demonstration, and my brain whirring round my little head, i took off into the sunset to drive my 'dream' car. I LOVED it. I couldn't get enough. My husband loved driving it too. The interior was neat, looks good, silver where silver is needed - not too much so it doesn't look tacky. The air conditioning is easy to use and works very efficently. There is a cup holder for your can/water/tea. The glove compartment is big enough... Read review

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Advantages: Build Quality, Comfort, Handling, Residual Value
Disadvantages: Little lacking in Power for motorway driving.

...OK, it's been a long time since I've been on here to write up a review, but since I use Ciao a lot for finding out other peoples opinions I felt it only right to share mine. Particularly when it comes to you shelling out your hard earned reddies on something as expensive as a car. I'm not one for wrtting long lists of what the car has and hasn't got - if you want to find that out there are plenty of websites offering spec levels etc. What I will give you is my honest opinion of how I've found the car since we've owned it over the last year. If you read my previous reviews you'll see that we used to own a Seat Leon (we bought it instead of the Audi A3 at the time cos I'm from Yorkshire and tight) which at the time was basically the same car, using same, engine gearbox and even interior dash etc. Well this time I decided to go... Read review

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Advantages: Super looks, great build quality
Disadvantages: Audi service..AVIOD

...Audi is a german company. I could leave it there, but audi currently i believe lead the german luxury car market, the A3's competitors are the VW Golf and the BMW 1 series, this mercedes currently not offering a sporty hatchback. The golf firstly won't give you the same luxury that the A3 will which justifies it being £6000 cheaper, and the 1 series will give you the luxury at a slightly most expensive price and without the sporty looks of the A3. The A3 in fact runs over the other two in the looks department, with audi's signature large grill, it looks like a beast and is one, the S-line will offer you even better sporty look with nicer trim without having to fork out for the S3. The S-line is basically an option that gives in an enhanced sporty look almost as good as the S3 and the S-line option is available in the 5-door option... Read review

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Advantages: A 5-door premium "mini-estate"
Disadvantages: Cost. It's really just a Golf, buy you pay for the badge...

..., especially as we opted for the rear parking radar. It beeps once when you put it in reverse, and if you're close to something behind, keeps beeping. The beeps get closer and closer together as you approach the other car, or tree, or wall, or whatever, and go continuous when it really is time to go no further. Very useful. 83mm longer than the "normal" 3 door A3 (itself 65mm longer in the wheelbase than its predecessor), the Sportback offers loads of space both in the front and back (I'm over 6 foot and have no problems sitting comfortably). The boot is a good size and shape with the seats in place (370 litres), and although the rear seats don't fold totally flat, the load area with them down is a exxellent size (1,120 litres). At the front, the Sportback has Audi's new love-it-or-hate-it large chrome radiator grille - I actually quite like... Read review

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Advantages: Great comfort, economical, great value for money, excellent road runner
Disadvantages: Not as punchy as a Golf GTI 2.0

...the Golf, this car has a 6 Disc CD Autochanger and I would recommend this over the ordinary CD player as when you are driving along, you can automatically change CD's over without all the hassle. It had climate control which was extremely useful in the summer with my hayfever, it made it excellent. Also the car was a good performer on long road trips, it was comfortable in the front or in the back. My Audi was 3drs with also a 6 speed gearstick which amazed anyone who hadn't come accross this before in a car. It ran on unleaded fuel and was manual. I did notice that as soon as I brought the car, all other Audi A3's on the road were the TDI option rather than the FSI which I can only presume people went for because that diesel was cheaper to run rather than unleaded. If it wasnt for having to change my car, I would still be driving my Audi... Read review

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Advantages: Reknowned build quality and reliability, sporty handling.
Disadvantages: It's the wife's not mine.

...The hunt for the Audi A3 we now own began after we decided the escalating petrol prices were no longer for us. Running a 2.6 V6 tends to get expensive at todays prices. The only replacement to my wifes exceptionally well behaved V6 Vectra had to be an Audi A3. Something small and fun for the adults to drive, but also well behaved, safe and with an air of prestige about it for when the kids are on board. We picked up an 98 (R), one owner, 90k mile with FSH example which could only be described as near immaculate. In stunning silver with 15" 6 spoke light alloy wheels. To drive the car feels as tight as I imagine it did when new, and handles exceptionally well thanks to Audi's many years experience in the rally field. Although the car does hold the promise of "sport" at best it is a warm hatch as opposed a hot hatch producing 125... Read review

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Advantages: Stunningly good looking, well sought after - easy to sell on, definitely get more then you paid for if you've done the research
Disadvantages: Audi servicing and parts pricey, steep insurance, overall maintenance expensive

...First and foremost, do your research, I bought my car in October 2003 from a second hand dealer advertised in the newspaper for £8695, whilst on my search saw the same car advertised over the Internet for £8400, finally managed to negotiate a price of £8200 once informing the dealer of my ability to take the car of his hands that same day and also informing him I was a serious buyer who had done my research! Alas, a year later an identical car was on private sale priced at £6000 slightly higher mileage but none the less the owner was ready to take £5,500 - research, research and... The Audi A3 1.6 Sport is a stunner, although could be a smoother drive such as his rival the 1.8, although the difference in cost does not justify the 1.8 making the 1.6 a favourite. Moreover the 1.6 handles the road exceptionally well ensuring... Read review

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Advantages: Loads of space, brill sound system!
Disadvantages: i dont know of any!!

...on the ground (dont know what the point of this is, but it looks great!) The same opens when you open the boot. On our Audi we have pepperpot 17" alloys, they look great too! I must say, there is nothing i dont like about this car!... Read review

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Advantages: Stunning looks for a hatchback, superior build quality.
Disadvantages: Expensive to buy and maintain. High Insurance

...It is actually my Mum who owns the car. I have had my fair share of driving it though. The whole car is really easy on the eye. Interior build qulity is fantastic. Hard seats, and with the sport option, you get sports seats, leather gearnob and steering wheel, Electric sunroof, 15 inch alloys and diagnostic computer. Also it comes with lowered suspension. My mum does not do that many miles in it, which is just as well, as servicing is really rather expensive. We have had a couple of initial problems, ranging from problems with the immobiliser and the "lights on" reminder beeper. Both had to have new circuit boards put in. Audi were very apologetic and gave us a curtesy car and had sorted it in a short space of time. The 1.6 16V engine is pretty punchy and has a nice smooth torque range all through the rev range. Basically it pulls well... Read review

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Advantages: Peppy, fun and practical.
Disadvantages: stock tires, weird armrest/handbrake ergonomics, rear window buffeting

...I bought my A3 about 4 weeks after they were released in the US. I've now got almost 20,000 miles on it and have enjoyed every mile. I have a 60 mile daily commute, which is a good combination of open and mountainous freeway driving. The A3 is amazing uphill. The new Audi 4-cyl 2.0 Turbo combined with the 6 speed DSG doesn't even stutter when traveling up the 2 mile 3% grade I drive daily. I've got to watch myself to keep myself from doing 90 mph up it. I cannot imagine what the new S-line version will be like with the larger V6 engine and quattro. For those of you that don't know what DSG is, it stands for Dual Shift Gearbox. DSG is basically a semi-automatic transmission that uses two clutches instead of one - which the end result is faster and smoother shifting. The DSG model included paddle shifting controls on the steering wheel... Read review

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