Audi A3 Cabriolet Car Review

HerCar Rating:   Model Reviewed: Audi A3 Cabriolet 2.0 litre TFSI, S-tronic $57,505* Other models priced from: 1.8 litre $49,900* HerCar 3 word summary: Classy, comfortable, cool.

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HerCar Review

The Audi A3 cabriolet is quite the head turner. A little bit rock-star, a little bit glamour-puss, the A3 cabriolet delivers something a little bit special.  A stylish four-seater convertible with room to move, the A3 cabriolet is a seriously appealing car.  The A3s mechanical folding soft top is fast, moving from soft top to convertible in under 10 seconds. You can also do this on the go - travelling up to 30km/h - which is great for inner city driving and unexpected down pours! The A3 Cabriolet conjures up all the excitement and emotion that comes with great, comfortable top down motoring. Its allure is hard to resist.

Driver Comfort & Visibility

As you sink into the soft, contoured leather seats of the A3 Cabriolet, you instantly feel welcomed by its cosy cabin.  The driver is in control, with cruise control, paddle shifts and audio controls all at hand on the leather multi-function steering wheel. Electric controls for windows and mirrors are on the driver's door panel. The stylish black console also houses dual climate control and a stereo system that delivers crystal clear sound through its eight speakers. The Audi audio interface is also fairly simple to master.

The A3 Cabriolet handles with great zip and feels incredibly nimble to manouver. The 2.0 litre turbo engine moves the car with the greatest of ease. In sport mode, using the paddles, gear shifts are rapid and smooth, and power is constant. It's a very easy and enjoyable drive.

Due to the folding soft top and its large cloth panels, the A3's rear visibility is very poor. And even with the roof down, I still found it hard to gauge the rear boundaries of the car. The rear parking sensors fitted to our test vehicle were essential.

Safety

The A3 includes airbags for driver and front passenger, head and thorax side airbags at the front and head restraints for all four occupants. Audi's electronic stabilisation program is also standard across the range.

Comfort

All four passengers can travel comfortably in the A3 Cabriolet. With just two seats in the back, rear seat space is quite good.  And with the roof up, head room is still more than adequate.  Top down, the A3 cabin maintains composure - rigidity, handling, wind control and overall comfort is good. Unlike like some convertibles, there's no wind tunnel playing havoc with your hair. An optional wind break can also be easily fitted when there are no rear seat passengers. The dual zone climate control more than adequately heats or cools the cabin when the top is down.

Storage

The A3 cabriolet lacks storage. In car storage is very light, while the boot is small and awkward to access/load. The boot lid itself is also a physical effort to close.  Back seats fold forward via a lever located in the boot which is handy, and there are several anchors and bag hooks in the boot. Unlike a folding hard top, the A3s soft top retracts without compromising boot space - thankfully! Audi claims to have the largest luggage area in its class, with usable boot space at 260 litres, increasing to 674 litres with the rear seats folded down. I'd suggest you test out access to this usable space. I found it really annoying that there's no boot release button inside the cabin; you have to use the key.

Kids' Comfort

With the roof up, the lack of visibility may make kids feel a little couped up in the back seats - despite there being ample room. A release lever on the top of the front seats easily slides seats forward to provide easy access to the rear seats. With the top down, back seat passengers should be very happy. They'll be comfortable and fairly well protected from the elements. There's close to no storage in the back seats; however, there is a small storage hole in the left passenger's side and an even smaller hole in the back of the centre console.Back seat passenegrs have no air vents, no window controls, no back of seat pockets and no drink holders. Try to focus them on the ambience and general fun of top down motoring!

Green Factor

The A3 cabriolet rates fairly well in the green stakes, with a combined fuel consumption of 7.6 litres per 100kms and a Greenhouse rating of 6.5/10.

Overall View

The A3 cabriolet is quite a crowd pleaser. I think the combination of great handling, a stylish and well appointed cabin and Audi brand credibility means the A3 Cabriolet sets a hot pace in this segment, and most competitors will be sprinting to keep up.

With many manufacturers opting for folding hard tops these days, Audi took a punt in fitting its soft top. It makes for a lighter body and apparently a cheaper price point - although you can pick up a Volkswagen EOS TDI with a folding hard top for a similar price.  

Note: The 1.8TFSI version of this car recently won Drive Car of the Year - Best Convertible, beating rivals such as the Volkswagen EOS and BMWs new 1 series.

Test Drive Tips

Test out the luggage space to ensure it's large enough for your needs.

Load up with passengers to ensure it is spacious enough for your family/friends.

If you're considering buying this car you might also like to test drive the Volkswagen EOS or Holden Astra Twintop.

Features of model Reviewed

* Excludes on road costs

# All new vehicles sold in Australia (up to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass) are tested to determine the level of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions (Greenhouse rating), which are displayed on the fuel consumption label attached to the windscreen of the car. The Green Vehicle Guide rating combines the Greenhouse Rating and Air Pollution Rating and awards a star. 5 stars is the best rating. This information is provided by GreenVehicleGuide.

Information is correct at the time of the review.  Please check with your local Audi dealer for the most recent information.

Reviewed By: Nadine Armstrong