Category Archives: Executive saloon

Motoring, Audi, Executive saloon

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 
BYD, Electric/hybrid, Estate/Sport Tourer, Executive saloon, Motoring

Is BYD helping shape the future of PHEV?

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SEAL 6 DM-i Saloon and Touring

By Bill McCarthy

Stepping on the accelerator – or perhaps charging up the battery – in the UK, Chinese car maker BYD’s models are arriving thick and fast. The brand is rapidly expanding its line-up and has now introduced the SEAL 6 DM-i, a plug-in hybrid designed to offer the best of both worlds.

It provides electric driving for daily commutes and leisure with a claimed range of around 65 miles, backed by a 1.5-litre petrol engine for longer journeys.

Plug-in hybrids and full hybrids are ideal for those attracted to the idea of an EV but not ready to fully commit, often due to range anxiety.

The advantage of this plug-in is its 65-mile electric-only range, which allows drivers to avoid congestion and clean air charges, with low emissions making it cheaper to run. The petrol engine can then kick in to recharge the battery while on the move.

The car is available in two body styles: a sleek saloon and a still stylish, but more practical Touring model, which marks BYD’s first estate car in Europe. Trim levels include Boost and Comfort.

Both models offer an upmarket, stylish design that belies their price, starting at £33,990 for the Saloon and £34,990 for the Touring. Considering the standard equipment, this seems to represent a good buy for the money.

Interior and comfort

The cabin is a comfortable, tech-filled space with a minimalist setup common to modern EVs. Key features include:

  • A large, rotating tablet-style infotainment screen that controls major functions like connectivity, infotainment, and satellite navigation. Both accessible via Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.
  • Leather seats and plenty of USB ports.
  • A genuinely roomy interior, particularly in the rear, ensuring comfort even for larger adults on longer journeys.
Boot capacity

The estate offers excellent, if not class-leading, boot space. It provides 560 litres with the rear seats up, expanding to a maximum of 1,460 litres with them folded. The saloon remains practical for its segment, with a useful 450 litres of cargo space.

Safety and driver assistance

Standard features include multiple airbags, electronic stability control, and a robust body structure.

It also incorporates advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), typically featuring adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, autonomous emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring to enhance driver confidence.

Powertrain and performance

BYD’s “Super Hybrid” system operates primarily on battery power. On longer journeys, the petrol engine acts mainly as a generator to recharge the battery, promising a claimed total range of over 900 miles.

When more power is needed, the system can combine the power from both the engine and the electric motor for maximum performance.

Like other hybrids, it also uses regenerative braking to capture energy and recharge the battery while slowing down. 

However, it is wise to be sceptical of this maximum range figure, which is likely achieved under ideal conditions.

Real-world factors like driving style, cold weather, high speeds, and hilly terrain will reduce that number. While 900 miles seems fanciful in practice, other BYD models have proven highly economical, and the Seal appears set to follow suit.

On the road

The test drive involved urban driving through busy towns as well as longer stretches on country roads and fast dual carriageways. Both cars felt refined and comfortable, with the leather seats providing good support. It’s not the quickest EV off the mark, but achieving 60mph in around 8.5 seconds provides enough pace for most needs.

Handling proved decent, though the ride felt a little firm. There was some wind noise around the door mirrors and road noise from the tyres on poorer road surfaces, though this largely disappeared on better roads. En route, the models’ design and branding attracted considerable attention, a sign that BYD has quickly established a growing recognition in the country.

Every model comes with a six-year or 93,750 mile warranty. The vehicle supports AC charging from 15-100% in three or 2.7 hours (depending on the model), and a DC fast charge from 30-80% takes just 23 minutes. A 3.3kW Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) function is also standard.

Verdict

A technologically advanced PHEV, the SEAL 6 appears to offer a substantial electric range for a practical transition from combustion engines, in either saloon or estate form. Its real-world efficiency and long-term reliability in the UK are yet to be proven. But it looks good, feels premium and is keenly priced.