Audi A3 Cabriolet 1.8 TFSI Sport S tronic 2dr Car Review - March 2012

For an open top, the A3 has good stability and offers great handling and sharp responsiveness, with a refined engine.

The roof is fabric, rather than metal and the wind noise suffers as a result of this decision, although Sport models get a thicker roof and this keeps the noise down. With the roof down, the cabin is sheltered with not too much buffeting.

The engine is 1798cc and uses unleaded petrol with a fuel tank capacity of 55 litres. There is an automatic seven-speed gearbox, whilst provides smooth acceleration.

The 1.8 TFSI Sport S Tronic has a 158bhp engine delivering 184lb-ft of torque at 1500-4200rpm and reaches 0-62mph in 8.0 seconds with a top speed of 135mph.

The interior of the A3 is plush and elegant, although some of the features look a little cheaper than the rest of the cabin.

The roof comes down in a swift nine seconds and can be operated at speeds of up to 19mph. The Sport models have a fully automated roof mechanism, but standard models are only semi-automated with the driver having to release the roof manually.

The 1.8 TFSI Sport S Tronic comes with power steering, stability control, climate control, 19 inch alloy wheels, stereo, and MP3 connectivity as standard, with optional extras including metallic paint for £510, cruise control for £220, rear parking sensors for £305, leather seats for £1040, Bluetooth for £250 and satellite navigation for £655.

The A3 received great feedback for reliability from the 2011 JD Power Survey.

The A3 comes with stability control, electronic brake force distribution, with twin front and side airbags as standard, although without the hatchback’s full-length curtain airbag. The immobiliser and alarm add to security, but the Audi’s fabric hood is never going to be as much as a deterrent as the metal folding roof.

The rear seats are a little tight, but the cabriolet still easily seats four. The boot is fairly sizeable at 260 litres with the roof up or down and the rear seats fold down to extend the boot size to 674 litres.

The A3 1.8 TFSI Sport S Tronic model costs £27,460 and has a combined economy of 42.8mpg and CO2 emissions rate of 154g/km.

Running costs are good and emissions are fairly low for the A3, which makes it an affordable sports car. This version is fairly cheap, although there is not a great deal of power or speed in the 1.8, so if it is a truly sporty cabriolet you are after, then this is not the right model. However, running costs are cheaper in other models and the equipment list still leaves a little to be desired.

The resale values on the A3 cabriolets are great, so it is a worthwhile investment, whilst Audi promise good service and reliability.