If you’re not already used to the acronym ‘MQB’. Volkswagen’s ultra-flexible, lightweight, part aluminium, part high strength steel modular platform is rolling out across all VW’s mainstream brands. It’s light, it’s strong and as easy to turn into a large saloon as a small hatchback.
For Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and Seat it brings unprecedented economies of scale. It will save them vast amounts of money over the lifetime of the platform as its engineering costs are amortised over so much time and so many other products.
For you, the quality hatchback prospector, compared to the old Audi A3, MQB removes 80kg from the weight of the structure, improves crash safety and liberates more interior space.
Over it, Audi has draped a shape so utterly familiar you can park a new Audi A3 next to the old and not only struggle to tell one from the other but, once your eyes have picked out the myriad differences, still not be entirely sure which is the new car. The 2016 facelift certainly makes that process slightly easier - although only when you look from the front - as the bonnet has sharper crease lines and the headlights have gained an unfortunate looking extension.
The three-door A3 engine line-up is a mix of turbocharged petrols and diesel engines. The range kicks off with a 114bhp, three-cylinder, 1.0-litre petrol, and is topped with a 2.0 TFSI unit pushing out 197bhp, partnered with Audi's four-wheel drive quattro system. The 1.4 TFSI engine has been dropped in favour of a higher capacity 1.5 with lower internal friction and the ability to switch off when you are on the throttle, all to help improve efficiency but not at the expense of performance.
