A3 1.8T Review - Impressed

[A4Ultrasport]

For the last week, I've had a 1.8T A3 as a loaner car while my B7 S4 was in for service. It was fairly basic, but did have nav and the 18 inch wheels. Overall, I was much more impressed with the car than I was expecting. I've already driven the S3, so I wasn't expecting much out of the 1.8T, but it actually felt punchy. Even though it's a little weak on hp, it's a torquey little engine with the close ratio 6 spd dsg gearbox. Happily spins its wheels through most of first gear if you're not careful. I thought I would hate an Audi without quattro, but I actually enjoyed how light the car is without awd. On a couple of longer highway trips, I was able to average 36-39 mpg, which is significantly higher than what it's rated at (33 mpg). I've always thought it's weird the 2.0T with quattro and 1.8T are rated the same, so I'm curious if people with the 2.0T are getting similarly high numbers, or if maybe the 1.8T is just underrated. Anyways, it's an impressive little car, I really enjoyed it. Think it's solid as a car near $30k.

[gamegenie]

For the last week, I've had a 1.8T A3 as a loaner car while my B7 S4 was in for service. It was fairly basic, but did have nav and the 18 inch wheels. Overall, I was much more impressed with the car than I was expecting. I've already driven the S3, so I wasn't expecting much out of the 1.8T, but it actually felt punchy. Even though it's a little weak on hp, it's a torquey little engine with the close ratio 6 spd dsg gearbox. Happily spins its wheels through most of first gear if you're not careful. I thought I would hate an Audi without quattro, but I actually enjoyed how light the car is without awd. On a couple of longer highway trips, I was able to average 36-39 mpg, which is significantly higher than what it's rated at (33 mpg). I've always thought it's weird the 2.0T with quattro and 1.8T are rated the same, so I'm curious if people with the 2.0T are getting similarly high numbers, or if maybe the 1.8T is just underrated. Anyways, it's an impressive little car, I really enjoyed it. Think it's solid as a car near $30k.

Their engines are different. The A3 1.8T like the A3 TDI uses a 16-valve DOHC, the A3 2.0T uses a 16-valve DHOC with valvelift system.

[SFV A4]

I too drove a 1.8 for a while. It indeed was punchy and it did spin the front wheels from a stop. I felt it had plenty of power, especially for the every-day average driver. The official 0-60 number is quite respectable.
As far as it getting the same or worse mpg's than the bigger engine, this has been a new thing happening lately with many cars. Sometimes the efficiency of how an engine actually runs cancels out the larger displacement disadvantage and yields higher mpg's. This could be the case for the 2.0 vs the 1.8.
And one last small thing while on topic. I am beginning to like the 1.8's clustered tailipipes more than the 2.0's spread-apart setup. This is only because the tips are too small on all, and having them seperated makes them look even smaller. At least when clustered together, it gives the illusion of "more pipe."

[Hspecialist]

What you reported was exactly why I bought one! It is fun powering thru corners in the FWD! I was so impressed with the A3 too.

Brian in Bakersfield...

[grnfool]

The GF has one and I like how the car goes neutral when you push it thru a turn. It's a fun car

[SFV A4]

C & D just did a short review on the 1.8. They liked it a lot. It even got 7 mpg's better than the 2.0, despite the EPA's numbers suggesting the 2.0 gets the better mileage. If C&D 's findings are accurate, it makes much more sense since mostly all smaller engines tend to get better numbers than the larger ones.

[gamegenie]

The engine in the 2.0T isn't simply a larger engine than the 1.8, it has a valvelift system that the 1.8 lacks.

[Hspecialist]

I average mid 30's and have achieved 41mpg once commuting my 80 miles each way a day. And that's going thru the mountains! It's normal for me to see 35, 36, 37mpg hwy. Also, only costs $40 91 octane California prices to fill up my tank, a good $25-$30 less than my B6.

[SFV A4]

It would be worth investigating further, as to why Audi rates these two engines so closely in mpg's. So far it sounds like real world numbers are far apart, with the 1.8T leading.

[AUDITOPGUN]

I have the 2.0 and by brother just bought the 1.8 and I love the torque on the 1.8 is nimble fun car. The 2.0 is just amazing for me in the corners. Both great cars! Congrats to all A3 owners.

[mroberte]

I have the 2.0T and looked at the 1.8T too last week, but ultimately loved the awd (esp in the corners). I drive about 80miles a day for my commute and if I drive 70-75mph I can get roughly 33-34MPG. If I reset the trip computer on the highway, it will go about 35-36MPG.

However i've only filled up once, but that fill up only gave me 27.82 mpg and 384 miles on the tank. When I fill up it says 400miles to the tank, but not really sure i'd ever get that.