2017 Audi A3 Facelift

Audi has unveiled the mid-life facelift of the A3 8V overnight with subtle changes to the front lights, front and rear bumper and wheels.

The minor cosmetic updates three years into the product-life cycle are traditional for Audi as they look to keep the A3 in line with the new Audi A4. Whilst the cosmetic upgraded are cause for minor interest, it’s the addition of an all new entry-level three cylinder 1.0L TFSI engine to the A3 range that has generated the most curiosity.

The most fuel efficient Audi A3 ever, the 1.0L TFSI, undercuts the current entry level A3, the 1.4L four-cylinder TFSI, for price and improves efficiency on combined cycle to 4.7L/100km (down from 4.9L/100km) whilst only giving away 7kw (85kw vs. 92kw) and a few tenths in the 0-100km/h sprint (9.3sec vs. 9.7sec).

Perhaps most importantly the new 1.0L 3-cylinder TFSI further laments Audi’s efforts to reduce the displacement of engines without sacrificing too much in the performance department. The seeming lack of power in the 1.0TFSI engine is sufficiently compensated by the 7-speed automatic gearbox that helps the car find optimal power and torque when negotiating its way out of tricky situations.

Audi Australia are yet to confirm whether or not the 1.0L TFSI will make it to Australia, however, we would suggest, given the overcrowded roads in Australia’s big cities and the demand for more fuel efficient offerings from manufactures, the new entry level 1.0L would be a wise addition to the Australia’s A3 range