Julian Kirk reports back on our long-term Audi A3.

PRICE: £38,105 BiK: 31% CO2 EMISSIONS: 130g/km MPG: 49.6mpg ON FLEET: 38.5mpg

Report 2:

A month or so living with our A3 leads me to believe it is the sweetspot in the range thanks to its combination of style, performance and affordability.

For a start, its ‘S3-lite’ looks really appeal in Black Edition trim – the black styling accents and the graphite grey wheels make it look like the full house S3, but at a more affordable level.

And while its 148hp 1.5-litre engine can’t compete with the all-singing S3’s turbocharged 328hp 2.0-litre, it has enough get up and go for everyday use. (And it’s nearly £10,000 cheaper at the front end).

Of course, the plug-in hybrid A3 is probably the best route to go down for a cost-conscious driver, but for a user-chooser who wants looks and performance at an affordable level, our Black Edition A3 is a decent compromise.

Talking of compromises, potential buyers need to be aware that the great looking 19-inch alloy wheels and low profile tyres do generate plenty of road noise, so this model probably isn’t the best choice if your driving involves a lot of motorway work.

Other quibbles? A piece of plastic trim surrounding the gear selector has worked loose (very un-Audi like) and there is a sporadic engine warning light relating to an emission control function. I’m not sure if it really is a fault in the emissions system, or simply a problem in the dashboard because it will show up for a journey and then disappear for weeks. However, I’ll be getting it booked in at my local dealer for a check.

Report 1:

Away from the headline-grabbing hype generated by the e-tron electric model range, Audi’s stalwart A3 family has recently received a thorough refresh. A perennial favourite company car of middle management, the revised A3 brings fresh styling outside and an uprated cabin featuring a new infotainment system as well as the addition of new driver assistance features.

Available in Sportback and saloon guises, the A3 range soldiers on with a choice of TFSI petrol and TDI diesels; a plug-in hybrid will join the line up later this year.

Our test car is a range-topping Sportback Black Edition which, as the name suggests, features black front grille, window surrounds, air inlets and door mirrors. Under the bonnet is a 1.5-litre TFSI petrol delivering 150bhp through a seven-speed S Tronic automatic gearbox. Initial impressions are good – the engine is peppy and eager to rev while the gearbox shifts cleanly and quickly. Out on the road, the diminutive 1.5-litre engine never feels wanting and cruises well on the motorway; the only downside is the tyre roar from the low-profile tyres on chunky 19-inch alloys.

On paper, the A3 also delivers – claimed fuel economy is nearly 50mpg (it’s too early to provide a figure from my driving yet) while CO2 emissions of 130g/km spell a monthly Benefit-in-Kind tax bill of £185 for a base rate taxpayer.

Options on our car are limited – the fetching Navarra blue metallic paint is £595 and the Technology Pack (£1,495) brings a reversing camera, a head-up display, adaptive cruise assist and a Sonos premium audio system. Strangely, there’s no keyless entry fitted as standard or as part of this pack.

After a few hundred miles, the A3 already feels like a car I’m going to enjoy living with – practical, good looking, quick and easy on the wallet.