Audi A3 Sportback 1.4 TFSI 5dr Car Review - February 2012

The 1.4 petrol engine gives the car a good power boost of 123 bhp at 5000 rpm with torque figures of 148 lb-ft at 1500-4000 rpm. The car delivers lower mileage to that of the 1.2 petrol engine, achieving just 48.7 mpg. However, the engine performance is higher than that of the 1.2 reaching a top speed of 126 mph and accelerating from 0-62 mph in 9.6 seconds.

The Sportback has good body control and strong grip on the road but this is impaired by the car’s light steering and resistant gears which do not allow for comfortable control of the car.

The car’s front seats are comfortable, fully adjustable and supportive. Noise from the wind and the road while driving are audible but not excessive.

The dashboard is not systematically arranged, making it a little difficult for some drivers to clearly understand the function of instruments and tell some of the buttons apart at a glance.

The Audi A3 Sportback 1.4 TFSI looks very stylish for a medium family car with an attractive exterior and well crafted and comfortable cabin. The car comes fitted with the same standard driving technology as the 1.2 TFSI including air conditioning, stability control, alloy wheels, electric door mirrors, electric front windows, an advanced stereo system and an alarm and immobiliser to deter theft.

Fitted with five seats, Spoprtsback models provide ample front and rear seating as compared to the regular A1 and A3 models. This makes journeys comfortable for children and adult passengers and is a clear benefit over other models. The Sportsback range is also equipped with a large boot size when the seats are in place, making it ideal for long travel purposes such as holidays.

Essential for family cars, the Sportback 1.4 TFSI comes equipped with a top of the range safety kit with a five out of five NCAP rating. It consists of standard twin front, side and curtain airbags along with electronic stability control and electronic brake force distribution. Additionally, all A3 models come fitted with deadlocks, central locking and a theft alarm.

The car also comes with a three year warranty with 60,000 miles. In addition to its price, the car has high running costs as it comes under road tax band E and incurs a high insurance premium under insurance bracket 19. The high running costs reflect the weak fuel economy and poor green credentials of the car which has a significant carbon footprint of 134 g/km.

The Sportback 1.4 TFSI is priced at £18,845 - almost £1,000 dearer than the 1.2 version. The car delivers good performance levels in an attractive body work and has a well-crafted and reliable engine which gives years of trouble-free service. While the car lacks exclusive driving technology, it is a safe and proficient car for first time buyers and families looking for long term ownership.

The car can be used comfortably for day to day tasks from school runs and grocery shopping to long road trips and holidays. It continues to pay for itself as it enjoys good dealer services as well as Audi’s excellent quality and reliability record. The combination of the car’s popularity, performance and the Audi brand gives it excellent resale values and limit depreciation.

Yet, whilst the 1.4 engine gives better performance it also incurs higher running costs. Its poor mileage translates to regular trips to the petrol station which cause high fuel charges to be experienced in addition to the high road tax and insurance premiums.

For families, it makes more sense to get the standard 1.2 TFSI which delivers better fuel efficiency and lower running costs without a significant drop in performance.