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...and what a fun little car!
Yesterday I had the opportunity to take an Audi A3 out for a test drive while waiting for service to be completed on my girlfriend's A4 (Audi Exchange, Highland Park, IL - suburb of Chicago). It was a "Brilliant Red" A3 with 6-speed manual, black cloth, 17" 5-spoke alloys, dual zone climate control, fairly "base" model with no sunroof, etc. Its sticker was in the high $24K range, I want to say around $24,750.
I have to say, that 200hp 6-speed manual transmission is really impressive in such a small car! It's a great motor. The car felt very stable and balanced pushing it through a few curved on- and off-ramps. The visibility all around was excellent, and it felt like there weren't any blind spots. The dual zone climate control system was very intuitive and I loved how it was laid out. There was a nice-sized cubby hole under the stereo, and overall the layout was very utilitarian and functional. The hatch and flip-down seats gave an impressive amount of cargo space.
I would have had a hard time resisting trading in my 9-5 right then and there, if this A3 had the "Open Sky" sunroof, which looks very nice in the promotional material they gave me.
My main gripe is that it is not offered with Quattro right now, and there is no available 2-door version. As expected, there is not much leg room in the back seat - but plenty for the driver and front-seat passenger. The center armrest needs to be put all the way down in order to shift comfortably into 6th gear. Finally, the Sport Package requires leather trim, which was kind of a bummer to me (I like cloth).
Overall, I don't really think you can find a better commuter/city car for the price. It has the feel of quality and stability that you would expect from Audi's bigger models, but a price and size more palatable for younger city folks. I will definitely consider this car as an option whenever I decide to give up my 9-5. Though the 9-5 is a great car, it is too big a car for someone living in downtown Chicago - like me - where parking and general space come at a premium.
posted by 67.167.196...
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