2016 Audi A3

The convertible models feature similar taut styling, forming a neat package that looks a little more sporty and perhaps less pedestrian than the sedan. A nicely finished tonneau covers the soft top when it is stowed and is encircled by attractive aluminum-look trim, just like on the larger A5 convertible.

In Sportback guise, the A3 looks its most European, with a nicely canted hatch and attractive wraparound lighting in the rear. The look is very similar to that of Audi's Q3 compact crossover, although it's leaner and closer to the ground, with a pleasing squatness to it.

The interior strikes out in a new direction for Audi, a return to the spare, wood-free cabins of the Eighties. The cluttered cabins of the recent past have been broomed. The A3 now has a tightly composed instrument panel with a wide sweep of horizontal lines and a minimum of interruption. The big round vents give it some relief, and the non-touch-screen flips up from the dash, tucking out of sight when it's not needed.

Some of the interior details are obvious compromises. The metallic trim around the climate vents shine too brightly in direct sun. On the other hand, the cabin can be overly stark, especially in base form.

Zero-to-60 mph times range from 6 to 7 seconds, but in the real world, the difference seems small. Both are responsive at low engine speeds, with the smaller turbo-4 sounding a bit more raspy. Turbo lag is just about absent.

The best mileage, however, will come from the e-tron plug-in hybrid. It uses a highly efficient 1.4-liter turbo inline-4 that puts out 150 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque and is paired with a hybridized transmission-Audi takes the dual-clutch automatic and adds a 102-hp electric motor between it and the engine to aid the engine as well as provide all-electric driving. It can travel for up to 16 miles on electricity from its 8.8 kwh battery pack. A charge port hides in the grille behind one of the Audi logo's rings.

The A3 has a front strut suspension a torsion-beam rear, which frees up more trunk space due to its compact arrangement. Audi's electric steering has excellent weight and build-up off center. Feedback isn't vivid, but you can place the A3 in its lane with precision. Its brakes have an easy-to-modulate, precise feel.

The A3's all-wheel-drive system differs from the one in bigger Audis. It's a Haldex system that can send most of its power to the front, but can shift power to the rear quickly when the car's sensors predict traction loss.

Audi offers Drive Select on the A3. It lets drivers fine-tune steering effort and throttle feel and shift patterns through comfort, auto, sport, and individual modes.

The top A3 is the S3. It sports a 296-hp turbo-4 and standard all-wheel drive. It knocks off 0-60 mph runs in 4.8 seconds, just 0.2 seconds slower than the CLA 45 AMG, which doles out almost 60 hp more.

The S3 isn't a pretender: The athletic sport sedan can keep pace with vaunted Audi performance models of the past. The busy turbochargers swell to power in a way that's slightly addictive, and not altogether expected. Day-in, day-out drives are genuinely interesting the S3.

A diesel version of the A3 was sold in the U.S. until 2015, when Audi admitted that those cars polluted beyond legal limits. Audi hasn't said when those cars might return to the U.S.

The A3 hits a minimum for refinement at its price point, but doesn't go further. Road noise makes itself known, and the engine can thrum coarsely if you're lugging it at urban speeds.

The front seats are adequate. They lack the support and firmness of more expensive Audis, not a surprise. The biggest issue is the short bottom cushions on all seats, and the placement of a hard console edge against the driver's knee. Only the driver gets a power seat, and ventilated chairs are not an option.

In back, the A4 provides decent space so long as the front passengers can give up a little leg room. Head room is tight for passengers taller than 5' 10'.

The Advanced Technology add-on package adds active lane control as well as adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go.

Option packages are few and basic. Premier cars add 18-inch wheels and keyless entry. Prestige cars get sporty trim, a 705-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system, Audi Connect in-car data, and LED headlights. A Sport Package adds Drive Select, sport front seats, and shift paddles.

Audi puts its most capable infotainment system in the A3. The system's excellent interface and connectivity are reason enough to consider this small sedan instead of some of the leading rivals.

Start the engine and a high-contrast, full-color 7.0-inch screen rises up from the dash. The screen is one of the thinnest in the industry-and no doubt rather delicate-looking-but you don’t ever touch it. Instead, you can make inputs with a combination of twists and presses, via a controller and series of buttons on the center console; or you can cut right to the chase with individual voice commands for some things. On top of the rotary MMI controller there’s also a capacitive touchpad that allows you to trace with your fingertip one letter at a time to input addresses or contacts-a highly effective method that gets it right the vast majority of the time.

Other new features for this version of MMI include read-aloud Facebook and Twitter alerts, direct access to RSS news feeds, and 'tuning' for more than 7,000 internet radio stations. That's in addition to online traffic information for the navigation system, which includes Google Earth and Google Street View displays, and even a feature that will show you a street view of your destination.

That's all made possible through a super-fast on-board AT&T 4G LTE connection. It requires a subscription, and the rates do include some surprisingly low data caps, but the system can also act as a wireless router for personal devices and could provide a connection fast enough for a laptop-based video conference in a pinch.

That system is optional, however, and a more limited MMI system is standard. And it underscores a point: that while price may very well be among the top reasons for considering the A3 in the first place, if you want some of the key features in this car you'd better be prepared to pay a lot more.

The 1.8T Cabriolet is rated at 24/35/28 mpg. Go with the quattro all-wheel-drive 2.0T model, and the ratings drop slightly to 23/32/26 mpg.

In an early drive experience covering two different A3 2.0T sedans, over nearly 200 miles of rapid driving along hilly, curvy two-lane roads, we saw trip-computer-indicated averages on both cars of about 26 and 27 mpg. This gives us confidence that most people will be able to achieve these cars' 27-mpg EPA combined rating.

Ratings for the e-tron plug-in hybrid Sportback model are set at 83 MPGe, or 35 mpg in gasoline-powered mode. Opt for the 'ultra' package, which is smaller wheels and lower rolling-resistance tires, and the EPA rating jumps slightly to 86 MPGe, 39 mpg combined. The e-tron ultra can travel on 17 miles on electricity alone, according to the agency.

In 2015, Audi pulled from sale its turbodiesel A3 after the company announced those cars cheated emissions tests. The automaker hasn't said when it would bring back those cars to the U.S.