Upscale car brands lavish tech on their vehicles, but now so do many mainstream automakers, so it's gotten more difficult to stand out. Audi has been at the forefront of connected car innovations, which its German competitors and others have copied. For example, Audi was the first to include Google Maps (and later Google Earth) in the car, as well as handwriting recognition with its MMI touch center console controller. This innovation continues with the all-new 2015 Audi A3 sedan ($29,900 base price; $42,600 as tested), which replaces the well-regarded but slow-selling A3 wagon.
Pricing and Design
With its evolutionary design tweaks, ground-breaking technological leaps, and confidence-inspiring Quattro all-wheel-drive, Audi has been slowly siphoning off market share from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. But now that Audi's German rivals have entry-level offerings—the BMW 2 Series and the Mercedes-Benz CLA—the traditional third-place Teutonic luxury brand needed a car to compete in the category, which all three automakers view as a crucial gateway to hook younger buyers they hope will scale up the model line as their incomes increase.
Hence the all-new A3, which starts at $29,900 for the base Premium trim and steps up to $32,800 for the Premium plus and $38,700 for the Prestige. The model I tested stickered at $42,600 plus destination charges; it's common in this category to come in at a low base-price figure and then stack the sticker with extras, like the $2,600 MMI Navigation Plus package in this case.
Audi is much more conservative when it comes to exterior styling than BMW and Mercedes-Benz. And while the A3's severely raked C pillar and available full-LED head- and taillights (which are exclusive to the segment) adhere to Audi's distinct design DNA, its understated exterior lines likely won't turn heads compared to competitors like the sleek CLA. It's still easy on the eyes, though.
The interior is equally discreet, and luxurious without appearing lavish. Our test car had tasteful dark-brown leather interior that whispered board room rather than screaming bling. The interior is comfortable and well laid out, even though it feels a bit more cramped width-wise than competitors like the BMW 1-Series and Mercedes-Benz CLA. And backseat passengers are likely to complain about lack of legroom, although the A3 has more headroom that the CLA due to the latter's raked rear roof design.
Connectivity, Navigation, and InterfaceThe A3 has several new tech features that haven't made it to even Audi's top-of-the-line A8. It's the first Audi with 4G LTE wireless connectivity via AT&T, for example, while Facebook and Twitter apps are new additions and for now exclusive to the A3's Audi connect system.
Hence the all-new A3, which starts at $29,900 for the base Premium trim and steps up to $32,800 for the Premium plus and $38,700 for the Prestige. The model I tested stickered at $42,600 plus destination charges; it's common in this category to come in at a low base-price figure and then stack the sticker with extras, like the $2,600 MMI Navigation Plus package in this case.
Audi is much more conservative when it comes to exterior styling than BMW and Mercedes-Benz. And while the A3's severely raked C pillar and available full-LED head- and taillights (which are exclusive to the segment) adhere to Audi's distinct design DNA, its understated exterior lines likely won't turn heads compared to competitors like the sleek CLA. It's still easy on the eyes, though.
The interior is equally discreet, and luxurious without appearing lavish. Our test car had tasteful dark-brown leather interior that whispered board room rather than screaming bling. The interior is comfortable and well laid out, even though it feels a bit more cramped width-wise than competitors like the BMW 1-Series and Mercedes-Benz CLA. And backseat passengers are likely to complain about lack of legroom, although the A3 has more headroom that the CLA due to the latter's raked rear roof design.
Connectivity, Navigation, and InterfaceThe A3 has several new tech features that haven't made it to even Audi's top-of-the-line A8. It's the first Audi with 4G LTE wireless connectivity via AT&T, for example, while Facebook and Twitter apps are new additions and for now exclusive to the A3's Audi connect system.
Hence the all-new A3, which starts at $29,900 for the base Premium trim and steps up to $32,800 for the Premium plus and $38,700 for the Prestige. The model I tested stickered at $42,600 plus destination charges; it's common in this category to come in at a low base-price figure and then stack the sticker with extras, like the $2,600 MMI Navigation Plus package in this case.
Audi is much more conservative when it comes to exterior styling than BMW and Mercedes-Benz. And while the A3's severely raked C pillar and available full-LED head- and taillights (which are exclusive to the segment) adhere to Audi's distinct design DNA, its understated exterior lines likely won't turn heads compared to competitors like the sleek CLA. It's still easy on the eyes, though.
The interior is equally discreet, and luxurious without appearing lavish. Our test car had tasteful dark-brown leather interior that whispered board room rather than screaming bling. The interior is comfortable and well laid out, even though it feels a bit more cramped width-wise than competitors like the BMW 1-Series and Mercedes-Benz CLA. And backseat passengers are likely to complain about lack of legroom, although the A3 has more headroom that the CLA due to the latter's raked rear roof design.
Connectivity, Navigation, and InterfaceThe A3 has several new tech features that haven't made it to even Audi's top-of-the-line A8. It's the first Audi with 4G LTE wireless connectivity via AT&T, for example, while Facebook and Twitter apps are new additions and for now exclusive to the A3's Audi connect system.
One of the A3's coolest new tech features is called Picture Destination and allows the navigation system to find a route using the geographical coordinates included with a digital photo instead of a physical address. For example, if someone texts or emails you a photo of, say, their meal at a restaurant that includes geo coordinates, Picture Destination can route you there using the information. Or, with Google Maps, a driver can snap a photo of a location while in Street View mode and the system will get the geo coordinates from the pic. But the process, though cool, can take as long as inputting an address.
These features are accessed through the MMI controller, which has also undergone a revision. MMI still employs a rotary dial surrounded by four buttons, one at each corner of the dial that corresponded to icons on an in-dash screen. But Audi has added two toggle switches in front of the controller to select navigation, phone, radio, and media. These make is much easier for drivers to select the functions they want without looking down.
Display and Audio
Instead of an in-dash display, the A3 I tested uses a 1-inch-thick, 7-inch-diagonal screen that lifts up out of the center of the dash. (The A3 without navigation has the same setup, but with a 5.3-inch screen.) And since the screen is not permanently fixed it doesn't always stick out like a sore thumb, like in the A3's competitor, the Mercedes-Benz CLA.
Instead of an in-dash display, the A3 I tested uses a 1-inch-thick, 7-inch-diagonal screen that lifts up out of the center of the dash. (The A3 without navigation has the same setup, but with a 5.3-inch screen.) And since the screen is not permanently fixed it doesn't always stick out like a sore thumb, like in the A3's competitor, the Mercedes-Benz CLA.
One of the A3's major tech advances is almost hidden and could help Audi get even further ahead of the competition down the road. An Nvidia Tegra 2 processor that provides faster speeds and sharper graphics is mounted on a modular board. So when subsequent A3 models are introduced, an updated chip can be easily added, as opposed to having to wait three to four years for the next production cycle.
Also available for the A3—and not usually found in vehicles in this segment—is a Bang & Olufsen audio system with 705 watts of amplification that powers 14 speakers crammed into the car. The A3 can also be optioned with an advanced technology package that includes driver assist systems such as active lane assist and adaptive cruise control with stop and go.
Media and Phone Support
Despite all of its advanced gadgets, the A3 also lacks some very basic tech that's taken for granted on most vehicles. For example, Audi (and parent company Volkswagen) are the lone holdouts in using a proprietary iPod plug instead of a standard USB port. Plus, the plug uses a 30-pin connector, so you're out of luck if you have a recent iPhone with a Lightning connector or other USB-based device, although you can order (and pay for) an adapter. You could also be out of power outlets if two people want to charge a device, since the A3 has only one 12-volt outlet in the front of the vehicle—at the bottom of the center stack—and one in the rear.
Despite all of its advanced gadgets, the A3 also lacks some very basic tech that's taken for granted on most vehicles. For example, Audi (and parent company Volkswagen) are the lone holdouts in using a proprietary iPod plug instead of a standard USB port. Plus, the plug uses a 30-pin connector, so you're out of luck if you have a recent iPhone with a Lightning connector or other USB-based device, although you can order (and pay for) an adapter. You could also be out of power outlets if two people want to charge a device, since the A3 has only one 12-volt outlet in the front of the vehicle—at the bottom of the center stack—and one in the rear.
Even if you are able to connect your portable device and have ample power, you don't really get much of a chance to use it—or its data plan—beyond listening to music or making calls via Bluetooth. Most of the A3's connected features are dependent on having the AT&T data plan that's part of the Audi connect system and costs $99 for a six-month/5GB-total package or $499 for a 30-month/30GB-total package after a free six-month trial.
Instead of leveraging a smartphone to connect to the cloud, as with some systems, features such as Internet radio and Picture navigation are communicated via Audi Connect, and through the A3's onboard Wi-Fi connection that's part of the AT&T data plan. This means that if you allow your 4G subscription to lapse, you lose these features.
Performance and ConclusionsIf you can overlook these tech shortcomings and care more about on-the-road performance than staying connected, the A3 is a solid contender in the increasingly competitive entry-level luxury category. Two turbocharged engine options, a 170-horsepower 1.8 TFSI and 220-horsepower 2.0 TFSI, are available. The 1.8 provided surprising oomph, while the 2.0 offered ample power whether we were accelerating onto a crowded freeway or carving a canyon road. Both engines transmit power to a standard 6-speed S tronic transmission.
The optional Audi drive select system lets drivers adjust throttle response, shift points, and steering effort using four settings: Auto, Dynamic, Comfort, and Individual. The suspension, which uses MacPherson struts in front and a multi-link architecture in the rear, smoothly balances compliance and stiffness and handled potholed highways and curvy back roads with equal aplomb.
The new 2015 Audi A3 is an example of how automakers are adding their best technology to lower-cost vehicles, sometimes instead of introducing it first on a flagship and letting it trickle down through the model line. This makes sense on the A3 since it's aimed at tech-savvy younger buyers. And the car's bells and whistles beat BMW and Mercedes-Benz offerings in the segment in terms of innovation—and also in operation, since the MMI controller is more advanced and easier to use than BMW's similar iDrive and Mercedes' COMAND system.
And with A3 variants including a Cabriolet, a performance-oriented S3, and a plug-in hybrid A3 E-tron on the way, Audi will soon have an arsenal of vehicles in the entry-level category. If the success of the Mercedes-Benz CLA launched last year is any indication, buyers in the segment are hungry for these type of vehicles. And with the A3, Audi could help eat up even more luxury market share.
No comments:
Post a Comment