Audi offers a sporty spin on city driving with the A3 Sportback and S3 Sportback

Living in the city makes you hyper-aware of the car you drive. Navigating narrow streets, apartment parking, shared spaces and the odd surprise means you value something nimble and nippy. The close-quarters nature of urban driving also lends added appreciation for the open road when you get the chance. All of the above are on the cards for my Audi test drive, as well as a jam-packed schedule, and I’ll be doing it all in the new Audi A3 Sportback and S3 Sportback, both of which have just enjoyed a makeover, with an enhanced inside and out.

Auckland’s waking up as I drive the elegant A3 to Ponsonby for an early yoga class at boutique exercise studio Sala, and early morning is a great time to experiment with the ambient lighting – you can design your own colour profile. With the sound system off for now, the silence gives me a chance to pay attention to the car. I’m immediately drawn to the sporty steering wheel. It’s an abbreviated circle that’s satisfying in hand, I notice, as I parallel park – easily, even in the neighbourhood’s narrow streets, due to the A3’s size (and its parking assistance). Also sporty is the curvaceous S-line exterior, which I eye up as I lock the A3.

Class over and floating out of Sala, it’s time to get back in the A3. Entry is keyless, and I toss my stuff in the spacious boot – the A3 is a five-door hatch – slide into the (heated) front seat and head to Florets in Grey Lynn to have a coffee and do some writing.

Back behind the wheel, it’s time to try the sound system. Syncing my iPhone takes only a couple of button taps (the interface incorporates MMI or the My Audi app technology for a personalised driving experience and individualised display options). I queue up a long podcast about digital innovation in media, since I have the time to focus. I’m heading out to Piha for a walk with a friend, which also means plenty of open road en route to test the A3.

Zooming out west, from the North Western Motorway to those windy Waitākere roads, the A3 handles it all thanks to its S tronic seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. On the motorway I can take it up to 100km/h and the A3 is a breeze to drive, and navigate, thanks to the easy-to-use GPS. (I always need the help of a map when going further afield) making all the twists and turns of West Auckland stress free, meaning I can enjoy the handling and view rather than worry about where I’m going.

On the return journey, I make a quick stop in Titirangi at Te Uru Contemporary Gallery – there’s something I want to see for a story – before heading back to the city. Enjoying driving on the motorway so much, I skip my usual turn-off and keep going, before doubling back to drop off a roll of film on Newton Road. Handily the Audi office is around the corner and it’s time to swap cars, so I pick up the S3 Sportback for the afternoon.

This is the A3 Sportback’s performance-based sibling, and while they have similar Audi DNA and sleek European styling, design details and technology is next level. The S3 Sportback is perfect for those who like their cars with a sportier look and a bit more punch.

It’s waiting for me, gleaming in the sun with its Ascari Blue finish. There’s a variety of paint colours available for this model, including that trendy shade of grey. Another option, if it’s your thing, is to have the brake callipers painted a dashing red. It’s a sexy car with a big grill and, I admire sliding into the driver’s seat, a particularly sporty quality to the Nappa-leather seat upholstered with rhombus patterned quilting. There are also the L-shaped inlays and racy multi-spoke wheels.

Beyond appearances, how sporty is she? First I take the S3 to the Auckland Domain, navigating the curving inclines of the park’s roads as I scout potential locations for a shoot. In typical Auckland fashion, beaming sun has turned to rain. No matter, the automatic sensor starts the wipers (thinking for me) and the S3’s high-calibre tyres handle the wet, winding roads with aplomb, gripping the tarmac.

Next I jump on the motorway and head east – I need to see how this car feels at 100km/h. Getting up to speed is no problem; accelerating the S3 is swift and powerful (it goes from zero to 100 km/h in only 4.7 seconds) and breaking feels even swifter – even in the wet.

Another handling attribute is Audi’s signature quattro technology (that famous all -wheel drive technology first introduced in 1980) that also facilitates superior safety. It feels so smooth, and it’s perfect for the changeable conditions on the road today.

Speaking of which, it’s time to nip home to my apartment building. I send a few emails, and start writing up this story while still fresh in my mind, before freshening up and getting dressed for the evening. Date in tow, I drive uptown for an exhibition on Karangahape Road, squeezing into a park and thankful again that the S3 isn’t a huge vehicle. With an appetite well and truly worked up after a day of driving – which always makes me hungry – it’s time for dinner, which is downtown at Britomart restaurant Mr Morris.

Sated by their beautiful food and a brief post-meal walk around the precinct, we wander back to where we’ve parked the car, settling into the sporty cockpit as the city glitters in dark. Deciding to end the night with some music – one really has to test the S3’s Sonos 3D premium sound system speakers and subwoofer – I turn the volume up and hit the road to go home.

With two cars in one day, which did I prefer? I hate to pick favourites, but the S3 won me over with that extra power and sporty design details.

For more information or to book a test drive visit Audi.co.nz