Audi’s A3 Sedan gets a Cat A-friendly 1.0-litre engine, but could its chances in Singapore be hampered by high COE prices?

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SINGAPORE

How much would you pay for a car in with a Category A Certificate of Entitlement (COE)? Well, with premiums hovering at around S$90,000 or so of late, all bets are out the window, and it’s no surprise to see Cat A-eligible cars breaching the S$200,000 mark in this environment.

That’s what it will cost you to drive away in a brand new Audi A3 1.0 Sedan, which now has a Cat A-friendly engine that produces 110hp, as opposed to the bigger 150hp 1.5-litre unit which breaches the category’s 130hp power cap. Be that as it may, it doesn’t necessarily translate into a much cheaper proposition for car buyers in Singapore, for the A3 1.0 Sedan will still cost you a rather princely S$203,809 at today’s COE prices.

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That could be a bit hard to swallow for Singaporeans looking for an affordable entry point into luxury motoring, especially given that the last generation A3 also had a Cat A variant, and proved to be a bona fide hit for Audi here. But those were the days where COE prices were at much saner levels, so it’s not really fair to compare between eras.

Nevertheless, if you could stomach forking out over 200 grand for a Cat A Audi, you’ll find that the A3 1.0 Sedan actually makes for pretty good value, relatively speaking. In fact, it may even be a better proposition than its hugely popular predecessor, perhaps almost justifying its higher asking price.

For one, on the outside at least, there are no indications whatsoever that you’re driving the ‘lesser’ variant over the 1.5, with not a single ‘1.0’ badge anywhere in sight. That’s probably a deliberate attempt by Audi to omit any such badging, knowing how conscious Singaporeans are about these things. That stands in contrast with the A3’s main rival, the BMW 216i Gran Coupe, which has its Cat A status indicated right there in its name.

It’s much the same story inside too, with few signs that point towards the car’s lower rank on the premium class totem pole. The general design and layout is much the same as the larger-engined car, with the same digital driver display (or Audi Virtual Cockpit) and 10.1-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity available here as well. 

The only omissions from the more expensive model is the lack of onboard navigation, which you can spec as an option as part of the Audi Connect service with remote phone app functionality. Other available options include an S Line package with sports seats and aluminium interior trimmings, among other goodies, or an alternative interior design package with wood and aluminium trim and ambient lighting.

Truth be told, those are things that are more nice to have rather than absolute necessities, and even if you go without, you are unlikely to suffer any hardship. More importantly, the interior remains suitably luxe as ever, with a clean-cut and ergonomic design, and no clear evidence of cost cutting anywhere. And the sedan body style means you naturally get a bigger boot over the Sportback variant (425 litres versus 380 litres).

The other key question that Singaporeans will want to know about the A3 1.0 Sedan is, of course, “got power or not?” If you’ve read our review of the 1.0 Sportback, you’ll find your answer there. It’s not spectacularly fast, as you’d expect, but it’s actually not too bad, and the powertrain is mostly smooth and capable enough to get you around Singapore’s urban environs. It’s also remarkably refined and quiet, especially while cruising on the highway, and if you’re not pushing it you’ll probably remain blissfully unaware of the car’s engine capacity and output.

The more surprising thing about the A3 is how lovely it is to drive. The 2 Series Gran Coupe remains the benchmark for driving entertainment in this segment, but it speaks volumes about Audi’s engineering efforts that the A3 Sedan is able to run its rival quite close in the handling stakes. The car grips well, with the sort of solidity and fluidity that imbues confidence, and while the rear suspension is a torsion beam setup instead of the multi-link item of the 1.5-litre model, ride quality is relatively well-sorted, with the car only becoming truly unsettled over large bumps in the road.

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Crucially, the most important benefit of the smaller engine is of course efficiency. The 1.0-litre unit is able to return an official fuel consumption figure of 4.3L/100km, which is a smidgen better than the Sportback, perhaps due to the more slippery sedan shape. On average, 6.0L/100km is very much achievable with just regular driving, while you can get close to the official figure with a bit of careful highway cruising, thanks to the mild hybrid system.

It could prove to be the ultimate benefit of opting for the 1.0 model, given the lofty asking price of the car, not all of which is Audi’s fault. But view on its own merits, the A3 1.0 Sedan has plenty going for it. True, 200 grand for a Cat A car might be a tough ask for some, but if you look at what you’re getting with the A3 1.0 Sedan, it might just be a price worth paying.

(Writer’s Note: We realise that this review is several months late, but it does get pretty hectic at CarBuyer HQ sometimes, and things do slip through the cracks occasionally. Our humble apologies)

Audi A3 1.0 Sedan

Drivetrain type	Petrol-electric mild hybrid
Engine	999cc, inline 3, turbocharged
Power	110hp at 5500rpm
Torque	200Nm at 2000-3000rpm
Gearbox	7-speed dual-clutch
Electric Motor	12hp/50Nm
Battery	Lithium Ion, unknown kWh
System Power	Not stated
System Torque	Not stated
0-100km/h	10.6 seconds
Top Speed	210km/h
VES Banding	B / S$0
Fuel Efficiency	4.3L/100km
Agent	Premium Automobiles
Price	S$203,809 with COE
Availability	Now
Verdict:	High COE prices notwithstanding, 1.0-litre version of A3 Sedan proves to be an excellent all-round package

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