Audi A3 : Official Review What you'll like:
• Clean & timeless design. Styling similar to its bigger brothers
• Premium quality, inside out. Excellent interior fit, finish & feel
• Competent engines: Torquey fuel-efficient diesel & fast petrol
• Quick dual-clutch transmission with smooth shift quality
• Rich dynamics, strong grip levels and solid stability
• 5 star safety & kit (6 airbags, ESC, ABS, ASR, all disc brakes)
• Equipment: Bi-xenon headlamps, MMI system with 7" screen, sat-nav, dual-zone climate control etc.
What you won't:
• Compact size. Length is comparable to the VW Vento!
• Uncomfortable rear seat. Headroom (
especially) & legroom are in short supply
• Long-term reliability concerns over the DSG automatic
• Electric power steering lacks the feel & feedback you'd expect in a driver's car
•
Premium plus variants are priced dangerously close to the A4, 3-Series & C-Class
• The larger Jetta & Octavia are cheaper. A3 has a lot in common with the Skoda
• Paddle shifters, smartkey entry & go and memory seats are conspicuous by their absence
Market Response: Off to a strong start (1000 units within 3 months of launch).
Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class : Official Review What you'll like:
• Aggressive styling. Stands out from the other crossovers in this segment
• A
proper Mercedes on the inside. Top-notch interior quality
• Potent petrol engine with 181 BHP on tap. Good driveability & performance
• 7-speed automatic transmission is extremely smooth. Paddle shifters too
• Car-like dynamics, awesome brakes & 183 mm of ground clearance for rough roads
• Well-kitted: 18" rims, panoramic sunroof, bi-xenon headlamps, memory seats, Harman Kardon ICE etc.
• 5 star NCAP safety rating. 7 airbags, ESP, ABS,
attention assist & more
What you won't:
• Expensive for a small crossover. On-road price crosses 40 lakhs!
• Mediocre diesel engine. 40 - 50 horses lesser than the Audi Q3 & BMW X1
• A 4-seater at best. Rear space comparable to B2-segment hatchbacks. Also, poor under-thigh support
• FWD only. No AWD on offer like the Q3
• Ride quality has a firm edge to it. Compliant, yet far from plush
• Transmission isn't as quick to shift as a dual-clutch ought to be
• Spare tyre significantly reduces the usable luggage space
Market Response: Just launched. Too early to gauge.