Some of the nicest cars to drive, I find, are the entry level models. “Why?” I hear you asking. Well, often they are the cars built for practicality, function and reliability. Audi’s A3 1.6 is all of these, with a touch of class and refinement.

The clean exterior lines are appealing and unobtrusive. The panel fit and finish is the best the world has to offer, while the exterior colours come in a nice range of funky tones. The practical benefits of a sports hatchback and classic Audi refinement are at their best in the compact Audi A3 1.6.

The small Audi’s chassis is taut and forgiving, and I love the way the bumps in the road are soaked up with ease. The A3 is one of the most efficient and aerodynamic hatchbacks on the road, with low drag, low wind noise and impressive stability even in high crosswinds – a welcome added string to its bow. These sought after features make the car very relaxing to drive, and the cabin is extremely quiet at motorway speeds. The cabin area is relatively roomy, and the hatchback design makes the boot space one of the largest in its class. There is almost 800 ml between the inside of the boot lid and the rear seats. This is a handy space for carrying the shopping, and the kids, with the rear seats up. Of course, you can fold the rear seats away so that the luggage area becomes colossal – such is the beauty of a hatchback design. The 800 ml length suddenly becomes well over 1500 ml. Inspired by the Audi S3 and TT models, the gorgeous Germanic interior offers a host of stylish design features, an updated instrument cluster and new inlays and upholsteries – all of which are very tastefully colour coordinated and beautiful to the touch.

The Audi A3 1.6 is a safe little car. Inside the cabin, you not only find the seating comfortable, but the little A3 is packed with a number of the world’s best safety features. In the event of a side impact, side airbags will activate to prevent occupant injury. The head-level airbag covers the entire front and rear side-window including the A-post area. Also at the point of impact, intelligent impact sensors – including an innovative ‘up-front’ sensor – will detect the severity and nature of the impact and trigger the appropriate occupant protection systems. The dynamic safety features are spearheaded with the A3’s ESP (Electronic Stability Control). This sophisticated technology provides an intelligent, swift response to any changes in the cars directional velocity. The system is capable of braking individual wheels and simultaneously adjusting the engine management settings to ensure safe braking whatever the weather conditions. The braking system combines short braking distances, sensitive control and optimum cooling for consistent performance. Antilock braking and EBD provide extra peace of mind in the event of an emergency stop.

With an exceptionally smooth four cylinder engine that pulls very willingly, the 75 kW output deals very manfully with demanding conditions. You can enjoy the quick shifting five -speed manual gearbox or the very smooth six speed automatic gearbox. Both options apply engine power to the front wheels allowing the driver to experience frugal running costs and bullet-proof reliability.

The efficient and robust 1.6 litre engine. The interior comfort. The class-leading technology. All of which makes the little Audi A3 1.6 very desirable indeed.

The current model series includes the:

• Audi A3 1.6 Attraction
• Audi A3 1.6 Attraction S/B

For any more information on the Audi A3 1.6, or for that matter any other new car, you can contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Audi dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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