First Drive: Audi A3 Cabriolet 1.5 TFSI

Its appeal has been further boosted by the fact it is now available with the VW Group’s new turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine. Since its introduction in the Golf towards the end of last year this unit has gone on to power a wide range of cars that also includes Skoda’s Octavia and Karoq, and Seat’s Ibiza and Arona, where it has impressed for its blend of performance, refinement and fuel economy, helped by its ability to run on only two of its four cylinders when conditions allow. 

While elsewhere this engine is available with either 130PS or 150PS, Audi has opted to only offer the A3 with the higher of the two outputs. Thus equipped and in Cabriolet form, you’ll pay from £29,685 in Sport specification, or £31,835 as an S Line (as tested). That’s before options too; add an S-Tronic dual-clutch automatic gearbox and a Technology Pack with the Virtual Cockpit digital display and you’ll be edging your way north of £35,000 before you can say ‘when will it ever stop raining?’. 

On the one hand that sounds like a lot of money for an A3 without an S or RS badge on its rump. However, by the standards of small four-seater soft-tops, there’s not a lot to rival the Audi’s combination of performance, practicality and premium badge.

Of course, there are those who don’t ‘get’ convertibles. Who view the dynamic compromises of losing the roof too great, or who simply don’t like being exposed to the elements. New engine or not, the A3 Cabriolet is not about to convert them. However, if you are one of a great many people who can indeed see the appeal of being able to open the roof and make the most of what little sunshine the UK has to offer then there is a great deal to recommend.

First and foremost, the base car is seriously good. As with all A3s, the Cabriolet sits on the VW Group’s MQB architecture and thus drives with a high level of sophistication. Of course, there is a penalty to pay in terms of a bit of wobble through the windscreen frame over bumpy surfaces compared with an A3 hatchback, but rarely is this also felt through the steering column (another common cabriolet vice). Indeed, the front wheels actually turn in with welcome precision and there’s a reassuring weight to the steering. Grip is plentiful too, and as long as you specify the softer ‘Dynamic’ suspension the ride is perfectly acceptable.

The engine meanwhile exhibits the same blend of sophistication and performance seen in the Golf, Karoq et al, and is particularly impressive for its incredibly quiet nature at idle and low revs. Its torque band is almost diesel-like too, giving the maximum 250NM from 1,500rpm to 3,500rpm, which combined with the seven-speed automatic gearbox makes the A3 feel effortless – if not outright quick – to drive. 

On the downside, there’s little to be gained from revving past 5,000rpm, but chances are you’re not coming to the A3 Cabriolet expecting it to offer sports car-rivalling performance anyway. Rather, the appeal of an A3 Cabriolet lies in its ability to (just about) fit four adults and a sensible amount of luggage despite its small footprint, and to transport all of this with decent refinement whether the fabric roof is up or down.

The result, whether buying outright or using what thanks to strong residual values are some very tempting finance deals, is a relatively rational way of making what might otherwise be regarded as an inherently irrational purchase. All we need now is some sunshine.

The Numbers

Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder

Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic, front-wheel drive

PS/Nm: 150/250

0-62mph: 8.9sec

Top speed: 137mph

Price from: £29,685