With more details emerging of the VW Golf Mk6 (or should that be 5.5?) what case can be made for purchasing its cousin, the recently face-lifted Audi A3 Sportback, for example in 1.4TFSI SE form?
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I would need to sit in them both before making an informed decision.
I know I prefer my Sportback SE over the Golf V GTi I have been in, but I didn't like the Sportback S line interior.
You also need to price the Golf to match a Sportback SE spec for a cost comparison - the Golf may need lots of extras which will bump up the price and a similar spec to the Audi may not be possible.
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Thank you daveyjp. I was hoping to stir up a bit more discussion here.
For once in my life expense is not quite the primary consideration and I'd be happy to pay a modest premium but just exactly what does an Audi A3 offer over an (approximately) mechanically-equivalent Golf? Better paint/ plastics/ upholstery? Better motivated assembly workers yielding superior build quality (remember a second A3 assembly line has opened in a former VW factory in Brussels)? Or is it all down to image and marketing hype?
Come on Audi-philes, just why should I choose Audi rather than VW?
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Put it this way if you like, I drove an Audi A3 for 3 years. I also regularly drive Mk5 Golf's (company loan car for trips). Each time you get in the Golf it feels smooth, competent and a good value Eurobox. Every time I got in the Audi it felt smooth, competent and special. The Audi "feels" classier inside. Right up to the day I sold the A3 56000 miles later (from new) it still felt tight and special. Only a couple of issues cropped up in its life (Aircon compressor failure - mft recall and Dual Mass Flywheel - mft recall). Both these issues also affects Golf's built in the same time period.
The difference in quality is not huge and we're about to be descended on by three and a half million people telling you that soft touch plastics don't make any major difference, a Mondeo will cost you less and carry more etc etc etc. The difference is that you (I) go out to a Mondeo, get in and drive. I get to the destination and get out. In the Audi I got in and just smiled because it's a genuinely nice place to be. Certainly the BMW team will tell you that their car is a better drive (it is and that last 10% of BMW performance is all but inaccessible in the Audi) but for the other 90% of the time the Audi is a nicer place to spend time.
To top it off the Audi in my view offers:
- Better interior
- Nicer exterior
- More supportive seats (Sport/S-Line models)
- Quieter
- "Special" feel
- Better residuals
- Better spec (but higher price)
In general to spec a Golf with the same engine to the same level as the A3 will bring prices within £500 of the other. In particular though if you go with leather seats, the A3 has a nicer grade of leather.
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Mechanically the Golf MKV and MKVI are idendical. They use the same chassis and major mechanicals are shared across the group. The main aim of the MKVI is to make them more profit than the MKV which was slow to build and made no profit for years.
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This one depends on the models you're comparing.
The Golf GTI and the diesel GT have sport trim which brings their price up to Audi A3 levels: with not much in it cost-wise I'd go along with the comments above and have an A3.
I have a Golf estate 2.0 TDI: you can have it in SE trim with this engine, unlike the hatchbacks (I have no idea why). There is no A3 estate and the nearest equivalent is the A4 Avant with the same engine - about £5,000 more expensive. The extra 'feelgood factor' isn't worth that much.
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We have just bought a new shape A3 1.4TFSI, Having chosen it over the Mark 5 golf.
We ended up with what Audi call a long spec, i.e a standard spec car with a lot of extras added on to it. When push came to shove the Golf was only about 800 pounds cheaper than the Audi, but didn't feel as special as the Audi. Although it has to be said it had more kit.
Overall I would say the Audi is worth a small premium over the golf, and we are very happy with our new car. One possible consideration however might be the px on your old car if you have one. VW offered us 800 pounds less than audi did, which made a difference.
One last point, the 1.4 TFSI engine is absolutely excellent, although you'll have to watch out for lead times. We originally ordered a diesel a3, but were then told it would be a 6 month wait for it, This was also going to be the case for the 1.4 tfsi. Luckily we got a stock car which suited us.
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The full review of the MkVI Golf is now up on the Telegraph
www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/main.jhtml?xml=/motor...l
Comments?
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I have recently tried an A3 Sportback 2.0 TDI SE with 17 inch wheels.
The road noise is very marked and disappointing. Much noisier than the W registration 75000 mile 1.9TDI I currently drive (16 inch wheels).
I have asked for a drive in a car on 16 inch wheels but am told by salesmen that they effectively don't exist.
I will try the Golf when I can. Does anybody have any knowledge of the A3 Sportback on the smaller wheels?
Mike
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Thanks everyone for some interesting comments, especially Mike's (bss2mc) experience of road noise. I must say I'm still a bit bemused about the Audi's "feelgood factor" which seems a trifle nebulous. It's the comparison between the Golf Mk6 and the lower members of the Audi A3 range which interests me.
Reviews of the Golf Mk6 have appeared in most of the usual places and compared with the Mk5 they say there have been the following improvements :-
- an increase in body stiffness
- better quality interior
- newly designed door seals
- new engine mounts
- quiet tyres
- extra sound proofing
- thicker glass with a sound-deadening plastic film sandwiched within.
It adds up to a "major leap forward in refinement" apparently. Then there's :-
- knee airbag for driver
- a more advanced ESP system
- new head restraint system / new rearseat belt detection sensors.
I always knew the Audi interior was supposed to be superior quality but could it be missing out on the rest?
Time to seek bigger discounts on Audis perhaps?
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New or used? If used he's talking salesman rubbish. All SEs came with 16 inch wheels as standard up until at least last year - I opted for a free ugrade to 17s on mine which was new last July.
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Correct me if I am wrong though where at the 1.4 TFSi is available in 168bhp form in the A3 and Golf Mk V I think I read that it is 148bhp in the Golf Mk VI, perhaps this was a misprint, perhaps the more powerful version will come later or perhaps it is detuned for lower CO2?
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1.4 comes in 122hp turbo, 140hp turbo, 170 supercharged/turbo
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Sure that is the same in the Mk VI?
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Not sure what difference this makes on the Golf, but the sportback is a little longer than the 3 door A3 - about 50mm IIRC. If Golf does not have the same then the Sportback may offer more rear room. May or may not be a consideration to you - it was to me.
I also drive Golfs on hire, and have to say that my Sportback does feel a nicer place to be - small things like the same stereo as Golf, but plastic knobs replaced with meatlic ones. Small things but do add to the "feel".
Incidently I have the "Special Eddition" model (Base + a/c) on 16" and have not noticed that road noise is an issue
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