New Audi A3 vs VW Golf
Discussion
Hi All,
This is my first post. Although I've lurked for a while.
Need a new car. Narrowed it down between:
2020 Audi A3 Sportback 35 TFSI Sport
2020 VW Golf TSI 150 Style
I will of course test drive post Lockdown (whenever that is!) but in the meantime I'd appreciate thoughts on either or both of these.
Much appreciated.
This is my first post. Although I've lurked for a while.
Need a new car. Narrowed it down between:
2020 Audi A3 Sportback 35 TFSI Sport
2020 VW Golf TSI 150 Style
I will of course test drive post Lockdown (whenever that is!) but in the meantime I'd appreciate thoughts on either or both of these.
Much appreciated.
Personally I prefer the golf. The Audi has the premium badge and a nicer interior but in a way the golf is the classier car in that it is (for want of a better word), classless. The A3 will be identically competent but has that whiff of try hard to it. Just my $0.02, both will be good cars. I presume the golf will be a bit cheaper too.
I've recently ordered an A3 in 1.5 Sport flavour (with a lot of options).
This is possibly serendipity because I ordered a Golf Style about 12 months ago, but it was cancelled by the dealer in the first wave of the pandemic and I ended up in a used A3. This will be my fifth A3 - I've had four used ones before and it's safe to say I like the model - but I have had three Golfs as well.
Both the A3 Sport and Golf Style are good mid-range cars and the 1.5 TFSI is a very decent engine. The things I'd add to the posts above is that the A3 comes with leather (part man-made) interior, some less obvious spec upgrades and more upgrade options if that's your thing. In my case, it is my thing, and so I've gone with £6k of options on top of the Sport spec because I'm confident it'll be a car I keep.
I ticked over a big birthday threshold last year and so I was thinking about a new motor. With that milestone and my car history you'd think I should look at an S3 or similar - but I've been really happy with my current, modest 1.4 TFSI Sport and it fits our family needs well. I'm also not fond of darkened windows, black trim, polished alloys etc that you get on S-Line and S3 models... I guess this is what middle age means.
So, I was looking to make a really classy (under)statement with this spec. Unfortunately the UK options are quite limited compared to other markets and it seems that's not going to change, so within those constraints the spec I've gone for is:
- Sport trim
- 1.5 TFSI with S-Tronic 'box
- Audi Exclusive colour
- 17" multi-spoke alloys
- LED matrix headlamps
- Steel grey leather interior; i.e. the lighter colour
- Comfort & Sound pack (B&O sound, heated seats, rear camera, parking assist)
- Flat bottom steering wheel
- Storage & luggage pack
- Model and engine spec de-badge
Some of that is available on the Golf Style, but not enough for me. I am basically trying to miniaturise the concept of an Audi A6/7 into something more suitable for city living - there aren't that many other cars I wanted that are compact and high spec.
I got a pretty healthy discount from my local dealer - more than was offered by brokers and enough to keep it from creeping into Golf GTI territory - so I'm happy it's still going to be a mid-price A3. I'm told delivery will be October.
This is possibly serendipity because I ordered a Golf Style about 12 months ago, but it was cancelled by the dealer in the first wave of the pandemic and I ended up in a used A3. This will be my fifth A3 - I've had four used ones before and it's safe to say I like the model - but I have had three Golfs as well.
Both the A3 Sport and Golf Style are good mid-range cars and the 1.5 TFSI is a very decent engine. The things I'd add to the posts above is that the A3 comes with leather (part man-made) interior, some less obvious spec upgrades and more upgrade options if that's your thing. In my case, it is my thing, and so I've gone with £6k of options on top of the Sport spec because I'm confident it'll be a car I keep.
I ticked over a big birthday threshold last year and so I was thinking about a new motor. With that milestone and my car history you'd think I should look at an S3 or similar - but I've been really happy with my current, modest 1.4 TFSI Sport and it fits our family needs well. I'm also not fond of darkened windows, black trim, polished alloys etc that you get on S-Line and S3 models... I guess this is what middle age means.
So, I was looking to make a really classy (under)statement with this spec. Unfortunately the UK options are quite limited compared to other markets and it seems that's not going to change, so within those constraints the spec I've gone for is:
- Sport trim
- 1.5 TFSI with S-Tronic 'box
- Audi Exclusive colour
- 17" multi-spoke alloys
- LED matrix headlamps
- Steel grey leather interior; i.e. the lighter colour
- Comfort & Sound pack (B&O sound, heated seats, rear camera, parking assist)
- Flat bottom steering wheel
- Storage & luggage pack
- Model and engine spec de-badge
Some of that is available on the Golf Style, but not enough for me. I am basically trying to miniaturise the concept of an Audi A6/7 into something more suitable for city living - there aren't that many other cars I wanted that are compact and high spec.
I got a pretty healthy discount from my local dealer - more than was offered by brokers and enough to keep it from creeping into Golf GTI territory - so I'm happy it's still going to be a mid-price A3. I'm told delivery will be October.
Raj5150 said:
Thanks Cardinal and others for their comments. I’d be really interested in which Audi dealer you used. I hope that it’s not breaking any forum rules in sharing that information.
Also you mentioned October for delivery? That seems a long time. Is that because you have spec’d yours out with lots of extras?
Thanks again.
Also you mentioned October for delivery? That seems a long time. Is that because you have spec’d yours out with lots of extras?
Thanks again.
Hi Raj - your profile doesn't allow for direct messages, so suffice to say that price was from the largest Audi dealer in a city that rhymes with "pistol".
I got 12% off list. The price was seemingly based on me being a returning customer, NHS (ID was required) and taking PCP. We openly discussed methods for my settling this quickly. I suspect that the options give more room for price manoeuvre, plus add another 6 weeks or so onto the wait.
I got 12% off list. The price was seemingly based on me being a returning customer, NHS (ID was required) and taking PCP. We openly discussed methods for my settling this quickly. I suspect that the options give more room for price manoeuvre, plus add another 6 weeks or so onto the wait.
Jag_NE said:
Personally I prefer the golf. The Audi has the premium badge and a nicer interior but in a way the golf is the classier car in that it is (for want of a better word), classless. The A3 will be identically competent but has that whiff of try hard to it. Just my $0.02, both will be good cars. I presume the golf will be a bit cheaper too.
Interesting, I've always thought of VW as the more premium Badge. That aside and as others have said, it's the same car.
We have a 70. plate VW Golf LIFE TSI 130.
The front suspension sounds awful over a rough road. I honestly thought it was broken. Went back to VW to be checked, but apparently nothing wrong with it.
It's a nice place to sit, CarPlay etc is great. The interior has various rattles already. Not good on a 5 month old car.
My father's Mk6 Golf feels better built.
Am relieved it's on a 2 year lease. I'd be gutted if I'd actually bought it.
The front suspension sounds awful over a rough road. I honestly thought it was broken. Went back to VW to be checked, but apparently nothing wrong with it.
It's a nice place to sit, CarPlay etc is great. The interior has various rattles already. Not good on a 5 month old car.
My father's Mk6 Golf feels better built.
Am relieved it's on a 2 year lease. I'd be gutted if I'd actually bought it.
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