Audi, Executive saloon, Motoring

A3 an excellent blend of luxury and practicality

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Audi A3 Saloon 150 TSI Sportline

By Bill McCarthy

Marketing history proves that premium status can be bought or engineered. A well-known lager trading itself as reassuringly expensive, weaponised high pricing to signal quality, while Audi’s iconic “Vorsprung durch Technik” delivered a message of technical innovation.

Both cemented luxury reputations, showing consumers will pay more for emotional prestige or German engineering. While the lager ad then fell away, the Audi motto is still strong in the world of touchscreens, EVs and AI.

The A3 stands out as an aspirational premium brand that, while expensive, does not cost a fortune, unless you pack in the pricey extras. This compact saloon offers the iconic four-ring badging, premium quality, practicality and excellent fuel economy. A newer version is imminent, but this model retains strong appeal for those seeking understated luxury and fine engineering.

Exterior styling

It is a smart, sleek vehicle sporting the signature four rings and trapezoidal LED headlights flanking a wider, slimmer grille. Finished in optional Ascari Blue metallic, the colour highlights sharp creases and muscular haunches. It also features 18-inch ‘5-twin-spoke’ alloy wheels. S line specification adds aluminium window trims, body-coloured mirrors, while privacy glass adds sophistication.

Interior quality and technology

The sport seats are wrapped in Twin Leather with an embossed ‘S’ logo, finished in black with grey stitching. They come heated with 4-way lumbar support as standard, alongside aluminium trim, illuminated ‘S’ door sills, a black cloth headliner, and ambient lighting.

In place of the old Virtual Cockpit is a touchscreen and a digital display for the driver. If you go for the Technology Pack at £1,395, it throws in a bigger 10.1-inch navigation screen, Audi Connect for three years, plus wireless charging with a handy illuminated phone box.

The SONOS 3D system is top-notch and comes as standard, and you can grab extra apps through the onboard store. Better still, ‘Functions on Demand’ means you can add new features later on, even after you’ve driven it home.

Practicality

Interior space is generous with good legroom, though rear seats are slightly cramped. Boot space is adequate for daily needs, offering 425 litres, and the split-folding rear seats extend capacity when required. The Storage Pack (£180) adds useful cubbies, while rear USB charging ports keep passengers connected.

On the road performance

On the road, the fun begins. The 1.5-litre mild hybrid four-cylinder TFSI may read modestly on paper, but with 150 PS and 250 Nm of torque through the slick seven-speed S tronic gearbox, it punches above its weight. The 0–62 mph sprint takes 8.1 seconds – not scorching, but enough to keep things interesting as it slips seamlessly through the cogs.

In Sport mode, throttle response sharpens, the standard sports suspension firms, and the engine emits a gratifying snarl. That suspension is firm enough and claimed to be compliant enough to avoid jarring – though in practice it does jar, so standard mode is more comfortable for everyday driving. Sport mode proved essential, however, carving through the twisting lanes of the Derbyshire Peaks.

The car feels agile and composed, dispatching hairpins with ease. Steering is sharp, well-weighted and precise, allowing exact placement corner after corner. Grip is on hand when needed most. On the motorway, it’s a refined cruiser, though tyre noise is noticeable. Overtaking is simple, with 250 Nm of torque delivering instant response. The powertrain offers effortless flexibility around town and on open roads.

Safety is comprehensively covered as standard with full airbags, adaptive cruise control, Audi pre sense front, traffic sign recognition, hill-hold assist, lane departure warning with emergency assist, and intersection assist. Park Assist with parking aid Plus and a rear view camera make manoeuvring effortless.

Economy and emissions

Economy is excellent. WLTP combined fuel consumption is 52.5 mpg, with CO2 emissions of just 122 g/km. With some aggressive driving, I didn’t reach that figure, with around 47mpg showing. The 50-litre fuel tank provides generous range, making this a practical choice for commuting and longer journeys.

Verdict

The A3 Saloon offers a typical Audi blend of style, quality, performance and efficiency. The petrol engine is smooth and refined, the interior is generally top notch, and the saloon body style offers a traditional alternative to the sportback. At £38,130 (including options), it represents strong value, and with decent levels of standard equipment and attractive extras packs, this A3 proves that good things really can come in small packages.

Factfile

  • Audi A3 Saloon 150 TSI Sportline
  • Price: £38,130 (as tested) 
  • Engine: 1,498cc turbo petrol, 150PS, driving front wheels via a 7-speed S tronic automatic transmission 
  • Max Speed: 144 mph 
  • 0-62 mph: 8.1 seconds 
  • Combined MPG: 52.5 
  • CO2 Emissions: 122 g/km 
  • Insurance group: 23 (est) 
  • Warranty: 3 years/60,000 miles 
Motoring, Performance, Saloon, Skoda

Škoda vRS performance meets practicality

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I drove my first Octavia vRS more than twenty years ago. That was the 1.8-litre turbo with 180hp and a manual gearbox, and it was a proper shock – a family hatchback that went like a hot hatch but didn’t punish you for it. The latest one version is quicker, cleverer, and more expensive, but the basic formula hasn’t changed: serious performance, proper space, and a price that undercuts most of its rivals.

It looks the part, with black gloss accents replace chrome, the front bumper features large air intakes, and the signature vRS badging appears discreetly on the grille and tailgate.

Price and power

Now at £40,660. That’s a sizeable jump from the previous model I tested, which came in just under £34,000. You get a lot for the extra outlay, though. The 2.0 TSI engine now produces 265PS, sent through a seven-speed DSG gearbox that shifts crisply. It’ll hit 62mph in 6.4 seconds and run out of steam at 155mph, which is more than enough for UK roads.

On the road

What matters more is how it drives. I took it on some proper roads through the twisty stuff through the Derbyshire Peaks – and it proved as surefooted as a mountain goat. The grip is exceptional. You can push hard through corners that tighten unexpectedly, and the car just holds its line. The steering weighs up nicely without going heavy, and the suspension – lowered by 15mm over the standard car – keeps body roll in check. The growl of the twin exhausts adds a satisfying backdrop.

Clever differential

On paper, a front‑wheel‑drive car with nearly 270hp sounds like a handful – tugging at the wheel and spinning its tyres. In practice, the electronic differential shifts power between the front wheels smoothly – you just feel the car grip and power out of bends without any steering kickback. Rear‑drive purists will say it’s not the same, but the majority would barely notice the difference.

Practicality

The boot is vast – 600 litres with the seats up, 1,555 litres with them folded. I shifted several heavy rubble bags and a dismantled flatpack on a tip run, and the car barely noticed. The load lip is low, the opening is wide, and you can option the virtual pedal for hands-free opening. It’s genuinely useful in a way that hot hatchbacks often aren’t. In addition, the  Skoda clever extras – like the ice scraper in the fuel filler flap, the umbrella under the passenger seat, and the ticket holder on the A-pillar – remind you this is a car built by people who actually think about everyday use.

Cabin and controls

Inside, the cabin is understated and well built with comfortable, sporty branded seats.The 13-inch infotainment screen dominates the dash, but Skoda hasn’t gone for single-screen bells and whistles. You still get proper rotary dials for the climate control, physical buttons for the heated seats and drive modes, and a decent volume knob. After spending time in cars where every function is buried in touchscreen menus and sub-menus, it’s a relief. The screen is clear, allowing smartphone access, apps, infotainment and navigation where required.

Fuel economy

Fuel economy is better than you’d expect. I saw 45mpg on a motorway run, above the official WLTP combined figure of around 40.8mpg. It’s not a car you’d buy for economy, but it’s nice to be able to save the pounds at the petrol pumps.

Safety and family kit

Safety kit is comprehensive: blind spot monitoring, lane assist, predictive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, autonomous emergency braking, and the usual airbag complement. ISOFIX points are fitted to the outer rear seats and front passenger seat, which matters if you’re ferrying children around.

Verdict

The Octavia vRS is fast, practical, well equipped, and returns better economy than its performance deserves. For some it lacks the prestige of a German rival or the drama of rear-drive, but it does everything so competently that you start to question what you’d actually gain by spending more. Day in, day out, it simply delivers. Twenty years on, that’s still what makes it a fine car.

Factfile

  • Škoda Octavia vRS
  • Price: £40,660 (as tested)
  • Mechanical: 265PS, 1984cc, four-cylinder petrol engine driving front wheels via 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox
  • Max speed: 155 mph
  • 0-62mph: 6.4secs
  • Combined mpg: 40.4 – 40.9mpg (WLTP)
  • CO₂ emissions: 155 – 160g/km 
  • Warranty: 3 years / 60,000 miles (standard manufacturer’s warranty)

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