Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2012 Audi A3 is a four-door hatchback offered in two trims: Premium and Premium Plus.

Standard equipment on the Premium includes 17-inch alloy wheels, foglights, cruise control, dual-zone automatic climate control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, leather upholstery and a 10-speaker sound system with CD player, satellite radio and an auxiliary audio jack. The Bluetooth Value package adds an eight-way power driver seat (includes four-way lumbar adjustment), a multifunction steering wheel and Bluetooth.

The Premium Plus comes standard with the Bluetooth Value package and adds different wheels, xenon headlights, LED running lights, steering wheel shift paddles (with automatic transmission) and aluminum interior trim. The Audi Navigation System Plus package adds a navigation system, a dash-mounted Audi Multi Media Interface (MMI) and the choice of either a six-CD changer or an iPod interface. The Convenience package adds automatic headlights, automatic wipers, rear parking sensors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and a Bose premium sound system.

Optional on both cars is the Cold Weather package, which adds heated front seats, heated mirrors and heated windshield washer nozzles. Also available are a panoramic sunroof, rear side airbags and a Sport package that includes 18-inch wheels, summer tires, a sport-tuned suspension and sport seats. The Titanium Sport package (available on the Premium Plus) adds special exterior and interior trim to the Sport package.

Powertrains and Performance

The 2012 Audi A3 is available with either a gasoline (2.0T) or a diesel (TDI) engine. The A3 2.0T is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline four-cylinder that makes 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard, as is a six-speed manual transmission, but a six-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission (known as S tronic) is available. With all-wheel drive, S tronic is standard.

In performance testing, an A3 2.0T with the six-speed manual went from zero to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds -- a reasonably quick time among similarly powered entry-level luxury cars. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 21 mpg city/30 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined with the manual, and 22/28/24 with S tronic. Adding all-wheel drive drops mileage by only 1 mpg in the city.

The A3 TDI features a 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel four-cylinder that produces 140 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. S tronic is standard, but all-wheel drive is not offered. Audi estimates a 0-60 time of 8.9 seconds, which is on the slow side, but fuel economy is exceptional, with estimates of 30/42/34.

Safety

The 2012 Audi A3 comes standard with front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, whiplash-reducing front headrests, antilock brakes and stability control. Rear-seat side airbags are optional.

In Edmunds brake testing, an A3 2.0T with the Sport package came to a stop from 60 mph in a very short 107 feet. In crash testing conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the A3 received the best rating of "Good" in the frontal-offset, side and roof strength tests.

Interior Design and Special Features

Just as with other Audi interiors, the A3's cabin adopts an understated and classy design language. For the most part, materials are high quality, with metallic vent surrounds and knobs lending a decidedly upscale feel. There are a few more hard plastic elements than you'll find in other Audi models, however, but they are well textured to blend in seamlessly.

It's likely that the navigation system will be a popular option for buyers, but operation may present some minor challenges. The screen, while large and clear, is not controlled by touch. Rather, it makes use of Audi's MMI controller. This wouldn't be a problem if the controller was situated on the center console, but instead it's located inconveniently on the dash.

Where passenger space is concerned, there are some issues to make note of. The driver seat may not have enough forward travel for shorter folks, while the rear seat is cramped for taller ones. Cargo capacity is more favorable, as the 20 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats can easily accommodate large suitcases and golf bags with ease. A rear-seat center pass-through allows for longer items while still carrying passengers. The seats fold down, but not flat, expanding capacity to 39 cubes.

Driving Impressions

The 2012 Audi A3's 2.0-liter gasoline engine provides ample power and is well-matched to either transmission choice. The A3 TDI feels quite energetic around town thanks to its ample torque, but it runs out of steam when charging up a highway on-ramp because of its lack of horsepower. The trade-off is exceptional fuel economy, however, which seems worth it for us.

As with many Audis, the A3's suspension tuning is on the firm side to enhance performance, yet there's still enough compliance to soak up most road imperfections. Whether commuting in heavy traffic or cruising down the highway, the A3's cabin remains pleasantly refined and quiet.