@kaymanclark when the tank is full, it's 14.6 gallons. we drove 548 miles @ 38.8 mpg = 14.12 gallons used. The remainder in the tank was just under half a gallon. It wasn't mentioned in the video, but this car had one of the more accurate fuel gauges we've used. Most US fuel gauges stay on "F" for at least 40-50 miles, and then drop off sharply once the needle is below 1/2. This one was consistent throughout.
@mrjost55 we measured, we had half a gallon left at the end. I know they aren't that fun to watch, which is why we cut an 8 hour drive down to 4 minutes....
@c0nv1ct1337 we measured once we filled up, and we had about half a gallon still left in the tank. but we couldn't know that at the time, and there's no reason to run the car bone dry since we had already made it to our goal.
I can't comment on the rest of the review, but the bit about "HP vs Torque" and passing at 80 mph is terrible. HP and Torque are directly related by RPM. It's a mathematical relationship. I have a 90 HP VW Golf. Passing at 80 MPH means no downshifting, just pedal to the floor. The Audi is quite a bit sportier than my Golf so I can't imagine that VW de-tuned it for the highway. For some reason Americans have a complete irrational fear of diesel engines. When I was in Germany I regularly took the rentals I had to 125 MPH and had no problem. The one time I sprung for the Benz diesel it would do 125 MPH -> 140 MPH in less time than it took my Chrysler 300 rental from the states to figure out what gear it wanted to be in.
Audis without quattro are actually pretty common in germany. For price reasons and obviously fuel economy reasons. btw: I'm regulary doing ~1050km-1150km with one tank in my '06 A4 2.0TDI 140HP...
@Mstanglx50 An A3 TDI with a 2-stage tune (performance/economy) and a big fuel cell could easily do the whole country with only one fuel stop.... combine that with how easy it is to drive this thing long distances, and youve got a great cannonball car...however, we are doing the bullrun this july in a 2011 shelby GT500....
I had a 2011 A3 TDI, and traded it after 9 months. Repeated problems, and poor workmanship on the interior (rattles, etc) just finally got the best of me. But the mileage... yes, the mileage was flat out amazing. I got over 35mpg in San Francisco city driving, and 50mpg on freeways.
@Stuka87 no, that's the whole point. They include features that make the car work better in cold climates, but don't make AWD available with the diesel.
@robertof84 our test car has the 6-speed dual clutch unit (basically an auto). Unfortunately you don't get the paddle shifters unless you get the sport package, which our car didn't have.
@LittleBigB actually it was Mobil, surprisingly, and it was the most expensive diesel I've seen in california. strange since it's literally sitting on the grounds of the biggest Mobil refinery in that area.
@Raige24 there are quite a few kits for the pre-2009 Audi/VW TDI cars. The newer cars don't have much in the way of tuning options yet, besides mild software upgrades. Most of them will make about 190hp and 290 lb/ft of torque.
@sspope the bigger engine doesn't have the "clean diesel" emissions setup that's required for it to pass US inspections... The diesel V6's sold in the US require urea injection in order to pass emissions here, it's like $32 a gallon to refill it. The Audi's 2.0TDI engine doesn't require that system, whereas I suspect the bigger version would.
My post refers to US gallons. About 59 to be more precise or 4 litters per 100km. Plus if we consider that modern diesel engines have DPF/FAP which is a diesel particulate filter make them even more green than a Prius. Besides they are cheaper to run.
@EatmyDust1311 It's an audio equipment thing, not the car. we normally use the wireless microphones all the time, but for this trip, we used the built-in microphone on the smaller camera because we were shooting with "A" camera at the same time. It creates more ambient noise in the cabin. Although you do get some wind and tire noise, the engine is virtually silent at highway speeds. Overall It's a quiet car.
@Stuka87 right. a cold weather kit on a diesel is a nice thing to have, but my argument is that people who live in cold climates won't buy a FWD Audi, so why bother?
Great Video Matt. I bought my GTI after watching your review and could not be happier with it. My wife wants a Jetta, and we really have no experience with TDI, and the pro's and con's of owning a diesel, so thank you! Hope your sponsors are taking care of you, because these real world, performance car guy reviews hold a lot more impact with me than something from car&driver or R&T. Thanks for doing them.
@randomted "cold weather" package comes with heated seats and mirrors, and a cabin space heater. Basically the diesel is so efficient, it takes longer to warm up and provide heat to the cabin, so they have an electronic heater come on immediately. I don't understand why they bother, since no one would live in a cold climate and buy a 2wd Audi.
@brannyK051 the base level seats are just ok. The sport seats are great. This is one of the biggest problems with the A3. When you get the good options, like the sport package, the price climbs quickly.
***** Dude I think there is something Wrong & Corrupt with U.S car industry If I buy a diesel in Europe and the car was getting only 520 miles I would be returning the car as Defective we have the Audi A3 140hp & 170hp Diesel even a Jaguar V6 diesel gets 900 miles per tank in Europe
Martijn Kösters The US has lower quality fuel i think, and also lower standard than EU has. My 2006 BMW 325i averages 40-43 mpg (6,7 litres/100km) and gets about 550-600 miles out of a 16 gallon tank on 55-60 mph roads, depending on how i drive it then.
Power is measured by KW ,HP , torque we have the same Audi A3, A4, A6 All capable of reaching at least 900 miles per tank with 140 hp , 260 hp diesels capable of rereaching 150 mph
@monkeyman8644 you mean better than Contours? I would strongly disagree, having used both. The GoPro is cool if you need an all-weather camera and you aren't running 5 of them at once. The contour has a wider lens, a better mounting system, the same resolution, and an easier on-off sequence for shooting quickly on the fly. Plus, it's more aerodynamically shaped, so you get less vibration from the wind.
@sspope my guess is the "clean diesel" engines available in the US are choked a bit by emissions stuff.
11 лет назад+3
I have a A3 sportback tdi sline, with 140bhp on tap. I have no problem passing anything. The car takes off even in 6th gear, The ride is firm on 18" but it handles so well on corners and as I hate body roll it is no problem. Car is not a Quattro but have not seen the need for one as well rarely get any snow here.
@mertvak That's exactly my point. Why buy the Audi, which doesn't come with AWD, when you can get the Golf TDI fully loaded for less money. The Audi comes with the cold weather package and a neat cabin space heater to warm up the car before the engine does, but no one who lives in a cold climate and would need a heater like that would ever buy a non-quattro Audi.
@erikpassat I may live in California now, but I grew up in NY, where all Audi's were AWD. If you wanted an non-Quattro car, you had to factory order it. I worked at an Audi dealership for a summer, and never once drove one. More importantly, our show isn't just for people who live in California.
@tranman930 there is almost no type of testing left that Top Gear hasn't done on some level. You could say that any video that's based on distance and fuel economy could be a copy of a top gear test of distance and fuel economy. It's also been a method of testing for a zillion other outlets as well. Having said that, I've never actually seen the TG segment where Clarkson drove an Audi.
@johntheman2006 there are many diesel and gas cars in Europe that will get better mileage than most cars available in the US. In this country, driving at highway speeds, 40 mpg is pretty damn good.
no. we don't do things because top gear does them. almost every media outlet has, at one point or another, done a long-distance fuel economy test. Top Gear wasn't the first, and they certainly won't be the last.
Newer vehicles virtually no difference in milage, but in my older truck I had to turn the A/C off when going up hills. It kills the power that much, although its gutless to begin with.
@paulobeckerrb26dett no, not really. and modern AC's are pretty efficient, and don't drag on the engine that much unless it's like 100+ degrees outside.
There's another variant you missed: the Jetta wagon (called the Golf wagon outside the US), which is available as a TDI, but it has even more cargo room Almost 85% of Jetta wagons sold in the US are TDI models! Probably what I would get if I ever bought a VW
@onTOPtheROCK It has a sporty feel, but it's a different type of engine that has to be driven differently in order to perform. The GTI engine loves to be revved out to redline, while the TDI engine makes most of its power between 2k and 4k rpm. You have to change your driving style a bit. The GTI is definitely faster, but if you're driving long distances, the economy benefits of the TDI will pay off.
Best I have gotten before the gas light came on was 550 miles on my 2012 A3 TDI and got 45 MPG. I still had another 60 miles on the trip computer but I fill up as soon as the light comes on. My running average is 37 MPG and I can get pretty aggressive driving at times but the worst MPG I have gotten is 31 MPG. Great mix of MPG and sporty ride.
@rayj778 maybe for some people it isn't. Personally, I think the excellent Quattro system is what separates an Audi from a loaded up VW, which has basically the same build quality.
@candamo That's definitely why they did it, but my argument is that having Quattro would really differentiate the A3 TDI, from the Golf TDI. As is, the car isn't good enough to justify the price difference from the Golf.
@tonicroatia there isn't one in southern california, but only about 0.5% of the people who watch the show live in california. many of them live in places where it snows, and you wouldn't even consider buying a non-Quattro Audi.
@teamracing6 it's really, really bad for a common-rail diesel engine to run it dry, and there's a very good chance if you do, it won't start up again by just filling up the tank.
Nice work, Matt! After having put both through the paces, I'm in the same boat. While the A3 TDI is one of our fuel-efficient faves, I tend to favor the Golf TDI. With some luck, we'll have a D-I-Y GTD at SEMA.
Just finished 400 miles in a 2005 Passat diesel TDI wagon. 90% freeway - average MPG 38.5. I'm happy. 2005 was the last TDI passat imported to USA. Bought this one used with 78,000 miles for $14,000. Great road car.
yeah, that surprised me too... I have an A3 and honestly don't think passes would be a problem at even 100-120! I suppose "scary" is relative and does depend on the location/level of traffic.
@OverratedTodler I was going 70-75 mph the whole way, uphill. I'm sure, on a flat surface and a light foot, any of the VW/Audi TDI cars can get in the high 40's.
the interior of this A3 reminds me of my 2002 jetta. i know they are the same company, but still, i thought they would have made this audi a bit more up scale.
@tinleo333 well who knows how they have been maintained? Any well maintained engine, diesel, gas, or whatever, should run just as well after 5 years as it does brand new, and if it's smoking, then it's broken.
I think the range dropped about the point where they mentioned they would pick up the pace on the freeway. getting range out of the car is more an exercise in patience than anything else. The range difference between going 57 or 70 is actually significant. If they kept going at 60 MPH throughout the trip they would have made it with fuel to spare. I don't have a diesel car, but a gas one (a SAAB 2 liter with the low pressure turbo), and going on the freeway to seaside this summer I did a similar test. Filled car up with gas before going and just kept driving in the first lane at 60. The range kept increasing constantly, showing around 1150 kms at one point. When I increased speed to just 65, the range went down about 200 kms. So, if you plan on getting the most out of a tank, keeping to 60 is a good tip. Even if you slow down, another tip is to just shift up at 1500 or 1800 RPM to build momentum and also use the terrain to your advantage (take the car out of gear after cresting a hill to just let it roll on inertia. Happy motoring!
If you coast in gear, the ecu should send no fuel to the engine. If you coast in neutral, the engine will need fuel to run. You can gain some more mileage from that, plus your synchros will last longer
@StigTube06 The Audi got nearly 40 mpg, and would have gotten over 40 mpg easily without the giant hills, driving totally normally, with the cruise set on 75 mph. You can't get mileage that good at those speeds in a Boxster.
I regularly have 700 miles out of my 2010 1.6tdi filling up as the light came on urban and and motorway without tarting about with going slow and pumping up the tyres
Great show!! Please continue the standardized laps at Adams MP, the comparisons are very useful, and when there are more cars on that list, it will be really helpful in putting all the times into context.
Awesome video, beautiful nature. That mountain footage was truly epic!! As for the car, Golf TDI over A3 any day. It even looks better. I just don't know why you don't get more powerful TDI engines in US. For example there is a 170 hp version of this 2-litre which gets the same fuel economy.
You are lucku because you got the ones that didn't give you problems. I know many VW and Audi owners who want to get rid of their cars bceause of the problems they are experiencing. :)
I have an 07 GTI and when it only had a chip/downpipe/intake I was able to drive from Monterey to Oceanside (roughly 425miles) Via the Hwy1, 101 and then the 405, 5 on one tank of gas. I think its a great long distance car! Now I have a ko4 turbo on the car and it does the 300 mile trip to Vegas on just under a half tank. Awesome!
@ken30802 I never saw that episode. And as I've said before, Top Gear wasn't remotely the first, and certainly won't be the last media outlet do do a fuel vs. distance challenge.
@noshunnumber1 we haven't had any problems filling up European diesels at any ULSD station so far.... As long as it's at any brand-name station, it should be fine, right?
@erikpassat audi's strongest selling point is its Quattro system. In America, when you think Audi, you immediatly think "all wheel drive." I'm not saying you need to have an AWD car if you live somewhere that snows, I drove my Mini for 3 NY winters and it was fine, but if you live somewhere cold, why would you buy a car from a company that's famous for its AWD system, and not want that on your car? it makes no sense.
What! No mention of all of the great stuff out there for tuning diesels? That car with a bit of work could be a real tire burner and still get great mileage!
I do 700 miles on a 55 litre tank with a 2005 Focus 1.6 Tdci regularly and don't even have to try - mostly on Czech B roads with traffic which makes it even better. Anyway, a lot of cars here in Europe can do that or better.
@TheSmokingTire Darker cars tend to get hotter inside, demanding more compressor time from the AC unit. Not sure if the test conditions were hot enough for it to make any difference though.
i was deffinatly thrown off by the Periphery playing in the second part of the video. huge fan that someone in the smoking tire crew has good taste in music.
I wish I could get a week of seat time in one of the TDI models with the DSG transmission. I'd love to test and review it going back and forth from NYC to the Pocono Mountains. Driving ranging from tight narrow twisty mountain roads, long stretches of highway, one lane farm roads, and city driving as well.
@TheSmokingTire - Matt, no worries...it wouldn't let you run it bone dry. The ECU will see that the car is struggling to maintain rail pressure and will shut the engine down before that point.
My dad bought an Audi A6 2.0 TDI without AWD. Probably because cars are so expensive in Norway. The car costed from 90-100 thousand $, even without the optional built-in GPS-system from Audi. The prices in Norway are just crazy
If BMW ever decides to bring the 320d to our shores, Audi wouldn't sell another A3 TDI. And for a little more than a loaded Audi, you can buy a CPO 335d, which is a true performer and gets 30+ MPG. Audi's getting better but they're not there yet. Although, Audi diesels did CRUSH Le Mans, finishing 1,2,3. Thanks for another great video Matt.
![Blox Fruits Dragon Rework Update [Full Stream]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EqDAp8udhm0/mqdefault.jpg)
@kaymanclark when the tank is full, it's 14.6 gallons. we drove 548 miles @ 38.8 mpg = 14.12 gallons used. The remainder in the tank was just under half a gallon. It wasn't mentioned in the video, but this car had one of the more accurate fuel gauges we've used. Most US fuel gauges stay on "F" for at least 40-50 miles, and then drop off sharply once the needle is below 1/2. This one was consistent throughout.
@mrjost55 we measured, we had half a gallon left at the end.
I know they aren't that fun to watch, which is why we cut an 8 hour drive down to 4 minutes....
@tinleo333 you clearly haven't driven a german "clean diesel" here in the US. They don't smoke, and have cleaner emissions than most gasoline cars.
👀😁
@noshunnumber1 you're right, the trunk is bigger by 5 cu. ft. , but the interior seat/headroom/legroom demensions are virtually identical.
@c0nv1ct1337 we measured once we filled up, and we had about half a gallon still left in the tank. but we couldn't know that at the time, and there's no reason to run the car bone dry since we had already made it to our goal.
@FrameByFrameStudios our test car only had 2,500 miles on it. good to know it will improve over time.
I can't comment on the rest of the review, but the bit about "HP vs Torque" and passing at 80 mph is terrible. HP and Torque are directly related by RPM. It's a mathematical relationship.
I have a 90 HP VW Golf. Passing at 80 MPH means no downshifting, just pedal to the floor. The Audi is quite a bit sportier than my Golf so I can't imagine that VW de-tuned it for the highway.
For some reason Americans have a complete irrational fear of diesel engines. When I was in Germany I regularly took the rentals I had to 125 MPH and had no problem. The one time I sprung for the Benz diesel it would do 125 MPH -> 140 MPH in less time than it took my Chrysler 300 rental from the states to figure out what gear it wanted to be in.
Not all of us have that fear of diesels
@powermaxchannel we go back and forth between 2 interior cameras, and the newer one has a wider lens on it than the older one.
Audis without quattro are actually pretty common in germany. For price reasons and obviously fuel economy reasons.
btw: I'm regulary doing ~1050km-1150km with one tank in my '06 A4 2.0TDI 140HP...
what??
@Mstanglx50 An A3 TDI with a 2-stage tune (performance/economy) and a big fuel cell could easily do the whole country with only one fuel stop.... combine that with how easy it is to drive this thing long distances, and youve got a great cannonball car...however, we are doing the bullrun this july in a 2011 shelby GT500....
I had a 2011 A3 TDI, and traded it after 9 months. Repeated problems, and poor workmanship on the interior (rattles, etc) just finally got the best of me. But the mileage... yes, the mileage was flat out amazing. I got over 35mpg in San Francisco city driving, and 50mpg on freeways.
@Stuka87 no, that's the whole point. They include features that make the car work better in cold climates, but don't make AWD available with the diesel.
@robertof84 our test car has the 6-speed dual clutch unit (basically an auto). Unfortunately you don't get the paddle shifters unless you get the sport package, which our car didn't have.
@LittleBigB actually it was Mobil, surprisingly, and it was the most expensive diesel I've seen in california. strange since it's literally sitting on the grounds of the biggest Mobil refinery in that area.
@Raige24 there are quite a few kits for the pre-2009 Audi/VW TDI cars. The newer cars don't have much in the way of tuning options yet, besides mild software upgrades. Most of them will make about 190hp and 290 lb/ft of torque.
@sspope the bigger engine doesn't have the "clean diesel" emissions setup that's required for it to pass US inspections...
The diesel V6's sold in the US require urea injection in order to pass emissions here, it's like $32 a gallon to refill it. The Audi's 2.0TDI engine doesn't require that system, whereas I suspect the bigger version would.
My post refers to US gallons. About 59 to be more precise or 4 litters per 100km. Plus if we consider that modern diesel engines have DPF/FAP which is a diesel particulate filter make them even more green than a Prius. Besides they are cheaper to run.
KIYOOU or free on biodiesel
@EatmyDust1311 It's an audio equipment thing, not the car. we normally use the wireless microphones all the time, but for this trip, we used the built-in microphone on the smaller camera because we were shooting with "A" camera at the same time. It creates more ambient noise in the cabin. Although you do get some wind and tire noise, the engine is virtually silent at highway speeds. Overall It's a quiet car.
@Stuka87 right. a cold weather kit on a diesel is a nice thing to have, but my argument is that people who live in cold climates won't buy a FWD Audi, so why bother?
Great Video Matt. I bought my GTI after watching your review and could not be happier with it. My wife wants a Jetta, and we really have no experience with TDI, and the pro's and con's of owning a diesel, so thank you!
Hope your sponsors are taking care of you, because these real world, performance car guy reviews hold a lot more impact with me than something from car&driver or R&T. Thanks for doing them.
@highflyer4 yes, but I would die of boredom before we got there.
@randomted "cold weather" package comes with heated seats and mirrors, and a cabin space heater. Basically the diesel is so efficient, it takes longer to warm up and provide heat to the cabin, so they have an electronic heater come on immediately. I don't understand why they bother, since no one would live in a cold climate and buy a 2wd Audi.
@tboneus no, they don't have rims on them. and they only break your car if you hit them.
@brannyK051 the base level seats are just ok. The sport seats are great. This is one of the biggest problems with the A3. When you get the good options, like the sport package, the price climbs quickly.
520 mile range? I can distinctively remember getting 1300km (800 miles) on the range predicition in an EU spec A3
***** Dude I think there is something Wrong & Corrupt with U.S car industry If I buy a diesel in Europe and the car was getting only 520 miles I would be returning the car as Defective we have the Audi A3 140hp & 170hp Diesel even a Jaguar V6 diesel gets 900 miles per tank in Europe
*****
Euro-sepc 2.0TDI of 2010 without any modifications
Martijn Kösters The US has lower quality fuel i think, and also lower standard than EU has. My 2006 BMW 325i averages 40-43 mpg (6,7 litres/100km) and gets about 550-600 miles out of a 16 gallon tank on 55-60 mph roads, depending on how i drive it then.
Power is measured by KW ,HP , torque we have the same Audi A3, A4, A6 All capable of reaching at least 900 miles per tank with 140 hp , 260 hp diesels capable of rereaching 150 mph
SuperNiceguy60 In couple of shots dudes were driving 75mph. It cuts pretty heavily into mileage (1-1,5l/100km extra) vs driving 60mph.
@Runawaydu driving without taking fuel economy into consideration at all, we averaged 35.2 mpg @ 82.3 mph.
@365daytonafan the 335d is, and the X5D is, but that's all we get here. I drove the 123d hatch and it was great... too bad we can't get it here.
@XenoRacing the engine and the car are rather quiet, we used a different microphone this time and it picked up much more ambient noise.
@obd we just got re-approved for BMW press cars under the TST name. So expect more BMW reviews in the future.
i've tried 54mpg on a trip from San Diego to LA on the newer a3 tdi
@monkeyman8644 you mean better than Contours? I would strongly disagree, having used both. The GoPro is cool if you need an all-weather camera and you aren't running 5 of them at once. The contour has a wider lens, a better mounting system, the same resolution, and an easier on-off sequence for shooting quickly on the fly. Plus, it's more aerodynamically shaped, so you get less vibration from the wind.
This show is getting so much better!
@sspope my guess is the "clean diesel" engines available in the US are choked a bit by emissions stuff.
I have a A3 sportback tdi sline, with 140bhp on tap. I have no problem passing anything. The car takes off even in 6th gear, The ride is firm on 18" but it handles so well on corners and as I hate body roll it is no problem. Car is not a Quattro but have not seen the need for one as well rarely get any snow here.
@lbart2005 it only really drops off over 80 mph. And we are a bit spoiled by fast cars.
@mertvak That's exactly my point. Why buy the Audi, which doesn't come with AWD, when you can get the Golf TDI fully loaded for less money. The Audi comes with the cold weather package and a neat cabin space heater to warm up the car before the engine does, but no one who lives in a cold climate and would need a heater like that would ever buy a non-quattro Audi.
@erikpassat I may live in California now, but I grew up in NY, where all Audi's were AWD. If you wanted an non-Quattro car, you had to factory order it. I worked at an Audi dealership for a summer, and never once drove one.
More importantly, our show isn't just for people who live in California.
Just seen that fast forward through Beaumont Banning area around 4:00. Do nice to see what home was like before I moved and things changed 🥺
Another good vid Matt. I agree with you about the Golf though, I'd rather pay the money for that fully loaded then a trim audi diesel.
@tranman930 there is almost no type of testing left that Top Gear hasn't done on some level. You could say that any video that's based on distance and fuel economy could be a copy of a top gear test of distance and fuel economy. It's also been a method of testing for a zillion other outlets as well. Having said that, I've never actually seen the TG segment where Clarkson drove an Audi.
@johntheman2006 there are many diesel and gas cars in Europe that will get better mileage than most cars available in the US. In this country, driving at highway speeds, 40 mpg is pretty damn good.
no. we don't do things because top gear does them. almost every media outlet has, at one point or another, done a long-distance fuel economy test. Top Gear wasn't the first, and they certainly won't be the last.
Newer vehicles virtually no difference in milage, but in my older truck I had to turn the A/C off when going up hills. It kills the power that much, although its gutless to begin with.
@paulobeckerrb26dett no, not really. and modern AC's are pretty efficient, and don't drag on the engine that much unless it's like 100+ degrees outside.
There's another variant you missed: the Jetta wagon (called the Golf wagon outside the US), which is available as a TDI, but it has even more cargo room
Almost 85% of Jetta wagons sold in the US are TDI models!
Probably what I would get if I ever bought a VW
@onTOPtheROCK It has a sporty feel, but it's a different type of engine that has to be driven differently in order to perform. The GTI engine loves to be revved out to redline, while the TDI engine makes most of its power between 2k and 4k rpm. You have to change your driving style a bit. The GTI is definitely faster, but if you're driving long distances, the economy benefits of the TDI will pay off.
Best I have gotten before the gas light came on was 550 miles on my 2012 A3 TDI and got 45 MPG. I still had another 60 miles on the trip computer but I fill up as soon as the light comes on. My running average is 37 MPG and I can get pretty aggressive driving at times but the worst MPG I have gotten is 31 MPG. Great mix of MPG and sporty ride.
Totally agree with the no Quattro thing. With the low end power it could of been a great rallycross car.
Matt, your car reviews are the best out there... Period.
Thanks!
@rayj778 maybe for some people it isn't. Personally, I think the excellent Quattro system is what separates an Audi from a loaded up VW, which has basically the same build quality.
@candamo That's definitely why they did it, but my argument is that having Quattro would really differentiate the A3 TDI, from the Golf TDI. As is, the car isn't good enough to justify the price difference from the Golf.
@tonicroatia there isn't one in southern california, but only about 0.5% of the people who watch the show live in california. many of them live in places where it snows, and you wouldn't even consider buying a non-Quattro Audi.
@teamracing6 it's really, really bad for a common-rail diesel engine to run it dry, and there's a very good chance if you do, it won't start up again by just filling up the tank.
Nice work, Matt! After having put both through the paces, I'm in the same boat. While the A3 TDI is one of our fuel-efficient faves, I tend to favor the Golf TDI. With some luck, we'll have a D-I-Y GTD at SEMA.
@Veyronp87 yes, that's why.
Just finished 400 miles in a 2005 Passat diesel TDI wagon. 90% freeway - average MPG 38.5. I'm happy. 2005 was the last TDI passat imported to USA. Bought this one used with 78,000 miles for $14,000. Great road car.
yeah, that surprised me too... I have an A3 and honestly don't think passes would be a problem at even 100-120! I suppose "scary" is relative and does depend on the location/level of traffic.
@OverratedTodler I was going 70-75 mph the whole way, uphill. I'm sure, on a flat surface and a light foot, any of the VW/Audi TDI cars can get in the high 40's.
I appreciate how you include the lap times at the end.
the interior of this A3 reminds me of my 2002 jetta. i know they are the same company, but still, i thought they would have made this audi a bit more up scale.
@tinleo333 well who knows how they have been maintained? Any well maintained engine, diesel, gas, or whatever, should run just as well after 5 years as it does brand new, and if it's smoking, then it's broken.
I think the range dropped about the point where they mentioned they would pick up the pace on the freeway. getting range out of the car is more an exercise in patience than anything else. The range difference between going 57 or 70 is actually significant. If they kept going at 60 MPH throughout the trip they would have made it with fuel to spare. I don't have a diesel car, but a gas one (a SAAB 2 liter with the low pressure turbo), and going on the freeway to seaside this summer I did a similar test. Filled car up with gas before going and just kept driving in the first lane at 60. The range kept increasing constantly, showing around 1150 kms at one point. When I increased speed to just 65, the range went down about 200 kms.
So, if you plan on getting the most out of a tank, keeping to 60 is a good tip. Even if you slow down, another tip is to just shift up at 1500 or 1800 RPM to build momentum and also use the terrain to your advantage (take the car out of gear after cresting a hill to just let it roll on inertia. Happy motoring!
If you coast in gear, the ecu should send no fuel to the engine. If you coast in neutral, the engine will need fuel to run. You can gain some more mileage from that, plus your synchros will last longer
@StigTube06 The Audi got nearly 40 mpg, and would have gotten over 40 mpg easily without the giant hills, driving totally normally, with the cruise set on 75 mph. You can't get mileage that good at those speeds in a Boxster.
TheSmokingTire fuck mpg speed is where its at
I regularly have 700 miles out of my 2010 1.6tdi filling up as the light came on urban and and motorway without tarting about with going slow and pumping up the tyres
Nice
Great show!!
Please continue the standardized laps at Adams MP, the comparisons are very useful, and when there are more cars on that list, it will be really helpful in putting all the times into context.
@AlternativeUses the euro engine you're speaking of won't pass emissions in the US.
Once again you deliver a great review!
Great review Matt, very informative. Would you say its better to have the 170bhp A3 with quattro for a good balance on performance and economy?
How much is fuel consumption for a3 170 hp quattro.
Dude, Audi is not Quattro only
Awesome video, beautiful nature. That mountain footage was truly epic!!
As for the car, Golf TDI over A3 any day. It even looks better. I just don't know why you don't get more powerful TDI engines in US. For example there is a 170 hp version of this 2-litre which gets the same fuel economy.
Nice review as usual, Matt, keep it up!!! The A3 is a great car but yeah, I don't understand why AWD is left out of this car.
You are lucku because you got the ones that didn't give you problems. I know many VW and Audi owners who want to get rid of their cars bceause of the problems they are experiencing. :)
I have an 07 GTI and when it only had a chip/downpipe/intake I was able to drive from Monterey to Oceanside (roughly 425miles) Via the Hwy1, 101 and then the 405, 5 on one tank of gas. I think its a great long distance car! Now I have a ko4 turbo on the car and it does the 300 mile trip to Vegas on just under a half tank. Awesome!
@maniacoffroader sorry, I don't take the time to learn the names of towns where 387 of its 400 residents cook meth.
@ken30802 I never saw that episode. And as I've said before, Top Gear wasn't remotely the first, and certainly won't be the last media outlet do do a fuel vs. distance challenge.
@johntheman2006 - Don't forget both our gallons and octanes are different, you can't compare directly!
@noshunnumber1 we haven't had any problems filling up European diesels at any ULSD station so far.... As long as it's at any brand-name station, it should be fine, right?
@raydenx most cars in the US run fine on 87 octane gas, and it's cheaper.
@Stuka87 great example. You live somewhere where it snows. Would you ever buy a non-Quattro Audi for that climate?
@erikpassat audi's strongest selling point is its Quattro system. In America, when you think Audi, you immediatly think "all wheel drive." I'm not saying you need to have an AWD car if you live somewhere that snows, I drove my Mini for 3 NY winters and it was fine, but if you live somewhere cold, why would you buy a car from a company that's famous for its AWD system, and not want that on your car? it makes no sense.
i definitely hear some Periphery in the background.
Matt Farah, you are my new favorite person
What! No mention of all of the great stuff out there for tuning diesels? That car with a bit of work could be a real tire burner and still get great mileage!
@tranman930 There was. He drove 800 miles or so one one tank of diesel. If TG is being truthful, anyway.
@JPacheco91 we're in America. 90% of our audience is in America. Why would we test cars that aren't sold here?
Nice! So Matt if you enterned a Cannonbll Run event just like the one from the 70's. What would be your ideal car to use in the cross country run?
Glad to see you're using Bulb's music in your video. He is the lead guitarist for my favorite djent metal band Periphery.
I do 700 miles on a 55 litre tank with a 2005 Focus 1.6 Tdci regularly and don't even have to try - mostly on Czech B roads with traffic which makes it even better. Anyway, a lot of cars here in Europe can do that or better.
@TheSmokingTire Darker cars tend to get hotter inside, demanding more compressor time from the AC unit. Not sure if the test conditions were hot enough for it to make any difference though.
Nice review Matt, this is no Top Gear wannabe or something else, this is Matt Farah's review, and it was good
the 1.9 can do 650-700 miles on a full tank which is about 55 litres
i was deffinatly thrown off by the Periphery playing in the second part of the video. huge fan that someone in the smoking tire crew has good taste in music.
I wish I could get a week of seat time in one of the TDI models with the DSG transmission. I'd love to test and review it going back and forth from NYC to the Pocono Mountains. Driving ranging from tight narrow twisty mountain roads, long stretches of highway, one lane farm roads, and city driving as well.
@raydenx - Octane is measured differently between the US and Europe.
That view deserves a like!
@TheSmokingTire - Matt, no worries...it wouldn't let you run it bone dry. The ECU will see that the car is struggling to maintain rail pressure and will shut the engine down before that point.
@mellowdalyricist actually, it was a gift, and it has my own name embroidered on the back of it. fucking pimp.
Hey do you think you could get your hands on a Jetta TDI Cup Edition? I'd be interested to see your take on that car's OEM performance improvements.
My dad bought an Audi A6 2.0 TDI without AWD. Probably because cars are so expensive in Norway. The car costed from 90-100 thousand $, even without the optional built-in GPS-system from Audi. The prices in Norway are just crazy
If BMW ever decides to bring the 320d to our shores, Audi wouldn't sell another A3 TDI. And for a little more than a loaded Audi, you can buy a CPO 335d, which is a true performer and gets 30+ MPG. Audi's getting better but they're not there yet. Although, Audi diesels did CRUSH Le Mans, finishing 1,2,3.
Thanks for another great video Matt.