High-tech driving safety
The steering is tuned just right for a small, nimble luxury car, a bit light for my tastes, but easy to place accurately on the road, firming up as you reach highway speeds for assured highway driving, and the perforated leather grips and contoured shape of the wheel a joy to hold. This A3 is also equipped with steering assist, which can be a little disconcerting at first if you feel it tugging against you if you steer too much into a corner, begin a lane change without signaling, or risk a blind spot collision. Once you realize it is there to help, you get used to signaling your lane changes early, and steer with a light grip into gradual turns, and to watch feel it maintaining the centre of the lane.
  2015 Audi A3. Click image to enlarge |
Combined with adaptive cruise control and blind spot detection, the commute into work is a more relaxing event, the cruise maintain an even gap and optimum top speed when possible, a security blanket for moments of inattention when speeds can change drastically on short notice. It isn’t a substitute for attention, but it is a great safety net, and the Audi system also maintains a comfortable gap and slows up at gradual pace when approaching significantly slower traffic, which was not our experience in the Acura MDX. Don’t like the steering assistance? A button on the end of the turn signal stalk deactivates it.
Ride and Handling
Furthering the confident commute is a ride well suited to the suburban and urban landscape. It is just comfortable enough with this sport-tuned S-Line fixed suspension (front MacPherson struts with lower wishbones and rear multilink independent) to get by on poorly maintained roads, though you wouldn’t call it soft. I imagine base suspension would increase the comfort quotient, though I wouldn’t trade it for the poise this compact exhibits in turns. It doesn’t pretend to be a sports car, and there is the S3 to take the tune further, but the minimal body roll is progressive and well controlled.
   2015 Audi A3 to Quebec City. Click image to enlarge |
On the other hand, there is no mistaking this version of Quattro AWD with that found in last summer’s S4 with its rear sport differential. There is a moment of hesitation before the hydraulic clutch slings torque to the rear wheels and pushes the nose back on line. And I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but knocking the transmission into Sport seems to keep the AWD in a more performance-oriented mood and less understeer-y, though that is still its default mode.
