2012 Audi A3

The 2012 Audi A3 is a fine entry-level luxury choice with the added benefit of increased utility. Just be careful with the pricey options. The 2012 Audi A3 remains essentially unchanged.

The Audi A3 comes with one of two engines: Audi’s (and parent company Volkswagen’s) familiar and sprightly 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 or a 2.0-liter TDI turbodiesel. The TDI isn’t nearly as quick, but it compensates with an EPA-estimated 42 mpg on the highway and 34 mpg in combined driving. One downside, however, is that Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system is not available with the TDI — something to consider if you live in an area prone to inclement weather or if road-holding prowess is a priority.

These days, small luxury wagons and hatchbacks are few and far between. The most notable competitors to the A3 are the Acura TSX Sport Wagon and the Lexus CT 200h. The TSX is more family-friendly thanks to its roomier rear seat, while the Lexus, being a hybrid, is the most fuel-efficient of the group. Savvy shoppers who don’t require a luxury nameplate should check out the Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen, as it shares much of the A3′s mechanicals and offers a lot more cargo capacity. But overall, the 2012 Audi A3 is a solid choice that should please plenty of people most of the time.

2012 Audi A3 2.0T Premium Station Wagon

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.

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.

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.

The Audi 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. 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.

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.