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Audi A3 Cabriolet 1.4 TFSI S-tronic Ambiente Plus (A) Review

08 Dec 2014|18,383 views

The A3 Cabriolet brings along open-top motoring with all the elegance and style of larger Audis.

Thanks to a new design that erases the old hatch-like profile, it now comes with a silhouette that mimics its bigger brother, the A5 Cabriolet

Exterior

While some rival drop-tops have slightly awkward, bulbous lines when the roof is closed, the A3 Cabriolet has attractive flowing lines whether the top is up or down. These lines are longer and stronger than before, with sharper edges and more attitude, enhancing the harmonious design of the A3 Cabriolet.

The car follows Audi's usual single-frame grille and widespread head lights theme in front, which hunker it towards the road while the bold air intakes and bumper design emphasise its road presence.

17-inch wheels are standard on the Ambiente Plus, but 19-inchers can be fitted thanks to larger wheel housings

At the same time, the generous rear overhang helps to balance the front and rear while aluminium highlights around the windscreen frame and along the edge of the bodywork lead your eyes along the length of the car.

The interior design is largely similar to the A3 Sedan and Sportback except for this conveniently located switch in the centre console to open and close the roof

Unlike many other drop-tops, the rear seats are actually useful. Although these seats may be reserved more for children or smaller adults, they're not just there for illustration purposes and the seats are comfortable with reasonable lumbar support.

More importantly, ingress and egress to the rear is not difficult, even for clumsy people such as this humble writer.

What is challenging though, is looking through the rear when the top is up. We found the rear window to be small, and an even smaller rear view mirror doesn't help either.

There is 320 litres of boot space with the hood closed and 275 litres when the car drops its top

But that's just a small gripe considering the fact that the car's smart exterior design is matched by a wonderfully elegant, minimalistic cabin that looks and feels like it belongs on a more expensive car.

As with the A3 Sedan and Sportback, the materials used inside the cabin are brimming with quality, while the assembly is top-notch and all the various switches work with neat precision.

Although the 1.4-litre engine is shared with many other cars in the Volkswagen Group, this particular one has been tuned to produce 125bhp and 200Nm of torque

Alas, the A3 Cabriolet is not a sports car. But then again, the slight lack of a sporting nature is quite easily forgotten when cruising along the highway with the top down, which can be stowed in less than 18 seconds, up to 50km/h.

A big question over drop-tops is always how much the body flexes and rattles, but under hard driving, the A3 Cabriolet feels taut with no scuttle shake (where the windscreen vibrates and wobbles as the body moves), has bags of grip and the ability to stay firmly planted.

As well as impressive handling, the A3 drop-top soaks up the biggest of bumps and lumps, helped by the standard 17-inch wheels and a suspension that is tuned for comfort.

Gear cogs are done seamlessly with Audi's seven-speed S-tronic gearbox

Conclusion

With the A3 Cabriolet's impressive chassis rigidity, willing performance and appealing styling, Audi has got the formula right for a successful cabriolet.

Audi's A3 range has been a consistently high performer and the A3 Cabriolet is no exception. It will no doubt find lots of friends in Audi's showroom.

That's because it knows its audience, and better yet, knows how to give them what they want - without much compromise.

Compromise has been the unwritten rule for those desiring top-down driving. That said, a cabriolet is a car you want to be seen in, a lifestyle choice, an outward projection of how you want to be perceived and these are part and parcel of a cabriolet's appeal.

Introduced at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Audi A3 Cabriolet completes the all new Audi A3 lineup and gives sun-seekers another premium small-car option.

Interestingly, the new A3 Cabriolet that you see here is based on the platform of the A3 Sedan rather than the Sportback as in the previous model and we think Audi has pulled a masterstroke for that.

Exterior

While some rival drop-tops have slightly awkward, bulbous lines when the roof is closed, the A3 Cabriolet has attractive flowing lines whether the top is up or down. These lines are longer and stronger than before, with sharper edges and more attitude, enhancing the harmonious design of the A3 Cabriolet.

The car follows Audi's usual single-frame grille and widespread head lights theme in front, which hunker it towards the road while the bold air intakes and bumper design emphasise its road presence.

At the same time, the generous rear overhang helps to balance the front and rear while aluminium highlights around the windscreen frame and along the edge of the bodywork lead your eyes along the length of the car.

Interior

Standing at 4,421mm x 1,793mm x 1,409mm (L x W x H), the new A3 Cabriolet is 183mm longer, 28mm wider but 15mm shorter in height compared to its predecessor. These changes, especially the wider body and the large wheel housings, allow the car to exude more sportiness and provide more cabin space.

There is also more boot space than before - 60 litres to be exact - and a wider opening to make loading and unloading much easier.

Unlike many other drop-tops, the rear seats are actually useful. Although these seats may be reserved more for children or smaller adults, they're not just there for illustration purposes and the seats are comfortable with reasonable lumbar support.

More importantly, ingress and egress to the rear is not difficult, even for clumsy people such as this humble writer.

What is challenging though, is looking through the rear when the top is up. We found the rear window to be small, and an even smaller rear view mirror doesn't help either.

But that's just a small gripe considering the fact that the car's smart exterior design is matched by a wonderfully elegant, minimalistic cabin that looks and feels like it belongs on a more expensive car.

As with the A3 Sedan and Sportback, the materials used inside the cabin are brimming with quality, while the assembly is top-notch and all the various switches work with neat precision.

The Drive

The A3 Convertible is lighter than its predecessor, thanks to the use of various lightweight materials, which makes it one agile performer.

For potting around town or undertaking highway travels, the 1.4-litre TFSI engine is no shrinking violet and is adept in all areas. Working harmoniously with the responsive seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch transmission, power is delivered smoothly and quietly when driven sensibly.

Alas, the A3 Cabriolet is not a sports car. But then again, the slight lack of a sporting nature is quite easily forgotten when cruising along the highway with the top down, which can be stowed in less than 18 seconds, up to 50km/h.

A big question over drop-tops is always how much the body flexes and rattles, but under hard driving, the A3 Cabriolet feels taut with no scuttle shake (where the windscreen vibrates and wobbles as the body moves), has bags of grip and the ability to stay firmly planted.

As well as impressive handling, the A3 drop-top soaks up the biggest of bumps and lumps, helped by the standard 17-inch wheels and a suspension that is tuned for comfort.

Conclusion

With the A3 Cabriolet's impressive chassis rigidity, willing performance and appealing styling, Audi has got the formula right for a successful cabriolet.

Audi's A3 range has been a consistently high performer and the A3 Cabriolet is no exception. It will no doubt find lots of friends in Audi's showroom.

That's because it knows its audience, and better yet, knows how to give them what they want - without much compromise.