Cheap and cheerful: Audi A3 1.0 is a perfectly sensible gateway into premium car ownership

‘Cheap and cheerful‘ is a fairly straightforward saying, but a concept that is really hard to execute. Human beings instinctively like frills, and a frill-less experience isn't exactly what you'd call 'cheerful'.

When you own and operate a premium European automaker, chances are that you'd want your products to still maintain a modicum of creature comforts and luxuries, regardless of the price tag that you are charging the end consumer.

And Audi has managed just that with the A3 1.0 litre, and we'd actually argue that these cars are even more fun to drive than their 1.5 litre cousins.

There's no change to the cabin experience, and there also isn't a discernible way to tell the cars apart from the outside.

And that's sort of the point. The changes to these cars are purely mechanical, with the preservation of the aesthetics a priority so the Audi experience is not compromised.

The genius of the 1.0 litre engine is that whilst there is less peak power, there is still sufficient grunt in parts of the powerband that you'd constantly find yourself in. It is also surprisingly refined despite the lower power output.

Audi also opted to replace the complicated multi-link suspension with a less advanced torsion beam setup. This further reduces production cost, so the end product can be priced at a lower rate.

The more archaic suspension does translate into less grip, but it adds oodles of character and injects plenty of fun into the driving experience.

So then, with an A3 1.0, you still get the full-fat Audi experience, but with greater fuel economy and a more playful car — what's not to like?

Audi A3 1.0 Sedan specifications

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This article was first published in Motorist.