PFTTHHHH that moronic comment above me, the one saying "AC HAS NO EFFECT ON FUEL CONSUMPTION" is a fucking moron, AC in my old Honda reduced fuel economy by 3 MPG or 2 ltrs/100 km, A HUGE difference, and in my current pickup, its HORRIBLE... thumbs up if you know this and agree so idiots like Berus7777 dont miss inform people..
Blue motion polo is the diesel to get in the UK, that thing does about 75 miles to the gallon. Blue motion for the work week and little sports car for the weekend.
Diesels are about mpg nothing more, well mpg and the fact that the engine will go on forever.
I suppose americans have not really needed to bother with diesels because your fuel is so cheap. When you start paying $15 a gallon though they become very important.
@BuRninsh He does drive stick, all the time. He was given this car to test. Plus in a lot of newer cars, auto trans. can get better mileage than a manual. Manuals are just more fun. So how about you cool it and stop watching our American car shows, eh?
fyi calling me a retard without making any grammatical errors would make you look a lot smarter...you used the word general out of context and should be replaced with OBVIOUSLY..secondly you did not call me a retard you called me an acronym that is spelled out as retard..whatever that is of course..and thirdly, I drive a automatic 10' acura tsx and epa clearly states that my auto gets better mpg than my stick...YOU FUCKING RETARD
@BuRninsh of course you would've been right if today was August 4, 1990....a generic 6 speed will never out mpg a 6, 7, or 8 gear automatic..hell even my acura 5 speed auto out mpgs the 6 speed manual counterpart ..fucking retard
I am not quite sure but i would assume that the reason why the golf is cheaper than the a3 despite having similar parts and setup is maybe because the golf is assembled in mexico whereas the audi is imported from overseas??and then the obvious reason of it being the luxury division of vw??
great video but the test lap was a joke. Get a manual gearbox and see how you're going to handle the turns with one hand while shifting with the other.
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.
why do yanks only get like 91 octane? Here in the Union of Europe, we get 95 then 98. And if you step over to Germany you can get 102... Is the diesel you guys put in the V-Power diesel? Maybe it was more expensive over the road because it was better diesel, and that would give better economy...
I have a white 2011 A3 TDI S-line and have had it for about 8 months. Sadly, I must say that the car has had one problem after another. It has a bad, jerky DSG transmission, the glass roof rattles constantly, door seals are coming unglued, various electrical problems, and, all in all, just not a good level of fit and finish for the $40,000 price. I would NOT buy an A3 again.
Matt, how come you're getting such poor economy from a Diesel? I'm from the UK and my dad's Mercedes E class 220 Diesel averages over 50 MPG. I know for a fact an A3 2 Litre Diesel over here does around 60 MPG at least, with some models touching 80 MPG. I know you were driving an auto without AWD but you should be getting better than that- even with a heavy right foot!
Average 39mpg? Things really are different in america to europe.. in europe a car with combined economy of 39mpg is hardly considered efficient at all..
@dunti21 That does account for some of the differences but even the 170hp version of the A3 in europe will get 55mpg on the motorway... Which is insignificant compared to the fact that fuel in the USA is much much cheaper than in the UK, so overall. In the USA, this car is probably cheaper to fuel.
I dont know why americans somehow think that all Audis should have 4WD??? Like 90% of Audis sold in europe are FWD. Why? Because its absolutely pointless to have 4WD on a car with less than 200hp, it just adds weight, slows the car down and ruins fuel economy.
VW is coast lower then Audi cuz a much respectable brand. like buy a live's jeans for 50$ and prada for 100$ that why the difference in price ) I did't get it, why u didn't get it )
suh-weet mileage!! :D i dont really care about going as fast as schumaker on highways.... and i aint a rally driver... this one is surely good for me ;D
@puremaplesyrup22 well.. to me, they arent... in terms of mileage, they definitely arent... idk bout the luxury or quality build.. but Audi seems more reputable in quality... id love to see a shootout between an impreza and this particular A3 :P now that u have mentioned impreza, they seem to be a good match to test out... adding the VW Golf TDi would spice up everything ;-)
shame you didn't carry on driving to see what the true range was, I bet there was still a fair bit of diesel left in it. Secondly, agree with the guy below re your 'explanation' of torque/horsepower and how the former 'gets you off the line' and the latter 'passing power' - what a load of crap, embarrassing really.
Sure you get this car with AWD. And why would you need AWD when you live in CA? No snow, and the car itself is not suitable for driving in difficult terrain.
I really thought the smoking tire was a great place to come for an honest, funny, real world car review. But I stopped this video after hearing the most preposterous explanation of torque and horsepower. Torque is what pushes you off the line from a stoplight AND torque is what you feel pushing you in the seat when you pass a car on the freeway. Torque is the only thing you can feel and it is the only force doing work. Horsepower is the rate at which something does work; textbook definition.
@kammypaki4lyf Oh, it does NOT. Please. For one thing, there's the episode of Myth Busters which PROVED that using the A/C doesn't really have a noticeable effect on fuel consumption. The thing is, you've rolled around all these years baking in your car and now you can't accept the fact that it wasn't necessary. Let it go man, stop torturing yourself, and use that AC! I've tested it myself - it doesn't make a difference. USE THE AC AND ENJOY IT.
@Berus7777 Really?.... because they said the opposite.....they did a test of windows down vs AC.And windows down was 15% more efficient than AC. They did this test with all the windows down, all the way. I usually just keep the passenger side windows cracked and only 1/4 of the way down. AC need power, it gets it from the engine. Engine gets it from the fuel.
Maybe if American's bought these "economy" engines you wouldn't be producing 25% of the world's Co2 despite only having 4% of the world's population. For some reason you all seem to want to drive 4 litre pick-ups that do about 10mpg. Pathetic.
Oh, and the presenter is a goon. He doesn't even know the real difference between HP and Torque!!
@donuldvan Fuel is cheaper in America than in Europe. If we can afford to buy and run a larger vehicle, we will. Also, remember that there are more cars per person in america than in many other countries. More people, buying multiple cars, with less-efficient engines = large C02 emissions. BTW, pickups have engines that are as large as 6 liters b/c they produce substantial torque for towing. Ultimately, the comparably low price of gas explains why Americans' car emissions are so high.
In the car terms and the easiest way to describe the feel of the two variables, he does. In a scientific term, no that wasn't right but this isn't physics class either.
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.
FWD models are less common than they used to be, but with a TDI it's very common. The reason is, the people who buy a TDI want maximum fuel economy, which quattro would have reduced significantly.
Also, the reason your passing power is low is not due to low HP numbers. It is the gearing of the vehicle and the narrow peak torque band of this car. The torque drops off early so that revving higher or accelerating makes little difference.
I have the 2.0T P+, before I bought it I test drove the GTI as well. Mind you I bought my A3 in Germany since I was stationed there and got to test both on the Autobahn. The GTI is a nice car, but once you sit in the Audi, you would just rather stay in it. I'm sure that someone younger would want the GTI for the street cred, but for me, I'll take the Audi's handling, luxury, and QUALITY interior over the GTI any day.
Despite this US A3 claiming the same performance stats as the EU counterpart, (140hp/236lbft) the economy is no where near what a European A3 would achieve. I can only imagine it's fuel related and that the Diesel they have in the US isn't of the same quality, meaning Audi had to compromise efficiency to reach these performance figures. Also "passes at 80 can be scary"? wtf drive an A3 in europe dude, it pushes you back in your seat at 80! Or, just get it mapped, they push upwards of 180hp after
i love the way you guys in the usa are so new to this diesel lark, and as for fwd audi's, i think 95% of audis over the pond are FWD. i see ya point but the diesels are all about MPG. and at our fuel prices god we need MPG lol. you want to test the new golf diesel they get 84mpg, why oh why buy a bl##dy prius if you get that from a 1.6 golf. at least they give you a little style lol
Why would Audi need to be all wheel drive? :P Its an american prejudice i guess. I've seen probably 10000 Audi's in my life time in my country and all over the europe. They're all over the place. But maybe 5% of them had quattro all wheel drive. You just dont need AWD on a car that weighs 1300 kg's and has 140hp. It wont make any difference except in snowy weather. The suspension is just so balanced in those small hatchbacks that it totally eliminates understeer, so you dont need 4WD.
@derbigpr500 Oh just to be clear. The reason i think 4WD would be useless here is because there are 2 reasons you want AWD in this car. 1. The off-the line grip: you dont need it here, 140 hp wont make any problems when getting of the line, even on wet. 2. Better handling in the corners: FWD audi is naturally balanced to understeer when on limit, but so are the quattro versions, so you also wont notice the difference in this 140hp version. Quattro is only needed for 2.0 TFSI and above.
@TheSmokingTire Is a TDI really worth it? How much more does it cost to maintain a TDI over a gasser? Does it make up for the extra cost up front? I heard TDI oil changes run $100-$200 where as a gasser oil change is $20-$30
@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.
don't u have to bleed out the entire system to get it going again? if thats the case then that would have been a pain in the ass on the shoulder of a highway.
I had heard that running out of fuel was bad for a diesel before, but c'mon man, this was for the greater good! LOL!
But seriously, what were you going to do if you ran dry while cruising down the freeway at 70mph? You obviously planned on running out, so why not just keep going until you actually did? I am sure you, or someone with you, was skilled enough to get the car running again.
I like the show and your taste in cars, but you dropped the ball on this one.
@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.
In my humble opinion this is a pretty poor mimic of Jeremy Clarkson's London-Edinburgh-London in an A8 on Top Gear a few years back. At least he set the bar high enough to challenge both the car and the driver. This run to the Grand Canyon was no real challenge for either . . . just set the cruise, AC and go. Clarkson at least made it interesting by adapting his driving skills to optimize fuel economy and surprising himself into the bargain. Come on Farah, you could have done so much more!
@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.
@ken30802 - im tired of people comparing everything garage419/ thesmokingtire/ and matt farah do against TopGear, if you want condescending big budget british television, watch TopGear ... if you want an average-ish american dude playing in some fairly fantastic cars while comparing average american market cars and having fun and relating to us in an American friendly way and a show THATS FREE ... well then subscribe, support and maybe farah could host the american topgear sometime
best way to get good mpg is go the fastest speed you can with the lowest rpms, its usually around 50 or 55 (but thats too slow for a highway) in an auto right when the tranny switches gears and draft behind trucks or cars
Didn't see the mileage on the car, but i know the 2.0TDI's really return better numbers after you put about 10k or so on them. Just something to note.
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.
@propchef What are you comparing? Apples to Oranges? If BMW decides to bring 320d, Audi could respond with A4 2.0 TDI, in fact I'm wondering why they aren't seeling the 3.0 TDI version yet.
More or less all the Audi's here in Spain are front wheel drive and TDI, the Quattro model is to expensive. You should see the A2 model (since 2001), its the uglyest car audi ever made and of course front wheel drive... and the A1 is comming!
I drive Citroen C4 Cupe 1.6 HDI diesel 92 HP it'sless expensive than a golf base model and it can drive over 600 miles driving in mountain roads.
@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.
@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.
what's the deal w/ the enya playing in the background during the begining??
that aside, i think audi should have but in the 170HP tdi engine from the euro golf gtd and euro tdi tt to differentiate it from the much cheaper american golf tdi and jetta tdi. its been rumored that the audi 2.0 tdi engine has much better highway mpg than the EPA rates it for and this video confirms it.
if someone gave me the a3 tdi id be happy but for my money id take a a3 2.0t or a loaded golf tdi
@TheSmokingTire It's the same engine with a bigger turbo on it and there are V6 diesel engines sold in US, one of which is BMW 335d or Mercedes V6 powered SUVs which produce much more emissions per miler/kilometre so I don't quite get it.
@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.
this makes no sense.... 31k for that... when you could have a 305hp mustang V6 which yes is about 10-12mpg on the highway worse. But its only 22-25k (or a bit more loaded...) and the loaded A3 38k? it would take 500k miles to make up the difference in money on mileage. Thanks but no. ill have the mustang or something else...
Matt I have been watching all your videos and have noticed a slight change on recent videos, you need to go back to your old lens as the new one makes you look on the fat side. its the lens... right???
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.
I drive an 04 golf tdi pd. I have a hard time understanding the complaints about highway passing. I have never experienced an issue with highway acceleration. Maybe i expect less but i've never felt in danger with it.
seeing as the audi has the same TDI engine as the Golf are these similar times you can expect from the Golf. also how was the "Sporty" feel of it. Really i have been trying to figure out if i want to go with the Golf TDi or the GTI. and if i can still get that "sporty" feel with an economical Golf TDI i am willing to shell out the cash over the GTI
@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.
i prefer an A3 over a prius it have better qhality and driving plesure but the prius is52mpg in the city is just the most fuel efficient car in america prius yeaaaaaaaa
@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.
the cheapest a3 i can could in my city cost 32,000$ the cheapest prius cost 24,000$ and does 20miles per gallon more the the a3 in the city prius is the way to go
You should duplicate this test with a 2011 V6 Mustang if you have the opportunity and give a non biased third party option as to if it will go over 500 miles on a single tank of fuel or not.... see how close you come to the numbers Ford runs on their test.
Good episode this week. I think you are doing a good job with the more economy cars, which in my opinion really shows your skills.
On a different note, do those tires on the track have rims in them? Either way they seem quite dangerous spaced like that on the track. Could really eat your bumper. Why not use an AutoX style cone for that chicane? It would accomplish the same thing with much lower risk of smashing your front end.
Nice piece. Here in the UK front drive Audi Diesels are common place, I used to run an A3 very similar to the one you tested and can recall it would average 40 (imperial) mpg however hard you drove it. If you really want performance with econcomy you need to look at BMW though. 123d coupe 200bhp and 40+ mpg and the mighty 335d 280bhp is possibly every car you would ever need. Are these available in the US?
Two thing. What is a twin clutch? And is it true that diesel engines do not need spark plugs because the diesel fuel ignites when put under pressure. Does the twin clutch just have 2 clutch plates, or is it just a more effective way of changing gears?
I like how Mythbusters is like a formal reference for casual science.
mikel1982 1 month ago
PFTTHHHH that moronic comment above me, the one saying "AC HAS NO EFFECT ON FUEL CONSUMPTION" is a fucking moron, AC in my old Honda reduced fuel economy by 3 MPG or 2 ltrs/100 km, A HUGE difference, and in my current pickup, its HORRIBLE... thumbs up if you know this and agree so idiots like Berus7777 dont miss inform people..
cb7pwn 2 months ago
I get 550 miles out of my A3 TDI's tank (combined driving) and mine has modifications so it runs at 210bhp... hes not driving it right!
dubnutter 3 months ago
1.5 seconds off of the golf GTI which has 70 more HP and a slightly shorter wheelbase not bad at all for an economy diesel
randombloke10 4 months ago in playlist More videos from TheSmokingTire
Blue motion polo is the diesel to get in the UK, that thing does about 75 miles to the gallon. Blue motion for the work week and little sports car for the weekend.
Diesels are about mpg nothing more, well mpg and the fact that the engine will go on forever.
I suppose americans have not really needed to bother with diesels because your fuel is so cheap. When you start paying $15 a gallon though they become very important.
eurosceptic1 4 months ago
7:37 LoL, A4 TDI
weipeiwu2000 4 months ago
top gear got 800milles whit an audi a8 tdi....
picatore125 5 months ago
Comment removed
dnaniell 5 months ago
Try driving stick lazy ass Americans and you will get better fuel economy.
BuRninsh 7 months ago
@BuRninsh He does drive stick, all the time. He was given this car to test. Plus in a lot of newer cars, auto trans. can get better mileage than a manual. Manuals are just more fun. So how about you cool it and stop watching our American car shows, eh?
mjmont92 7 months ago
@BuRninsh
you dumbshit you generally lose mpg drivin stick
RugbyReligionAl 6 months ago
@RugbyReligionAl Generally you are R.E.T..A.R.D
BuRninsh 6 months ago
@BuRninsh
fyi calling me a retard without making any grammatical errors would make you look a lot smarter...you used the word general out of context and should be replaced with OBVIOUSLY..secondly you did not call me a retard you called me an acronym that is spelled out as retard..whatever that is of course..and thirdly, I drive a automatic 10' acura tsx and epa clearly states that my auto gets better mpg than my stick...YOU FUCKING RETARD
RugbyReligionAl 6 months ago
@BuRninsh of course you would've been right if today was August 4, 1990....a generic 6 speed will never out mpg a 6, 7, or 8 gear automatic..hell even my acura 5 speed auto out mpgs the 6 speed manual counterpart ..fucking retard
RugbyReligionAl 6 months ago
@RugbyReligionAl Maybe learn to drive manual properly ass-hole
BuRninsh 6 months ago
I am not quite sure but i would assume that the reason why the golf is cheaper than the a3 despite having similar parts and setup is maybe because the golf is assembled in mexico whereas the audi is imported from overseas??and then the obvious reason of it being the luxury division of vw??
jmjboi 7 months ago
great video but the test lap was a joke. Get a manual gearbox and see how you're going to handle the turns with one hand while shifting with the other.
lazzieboi714 8 months ago
Nice job guys! Helps a lot with my decision. Great video.
scapman81 8 months ago
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.
rcpmac 9 months ago
why do yanks only get like 91 octane? Here in the Union of Europe, we get 95 then 98. And if you step over to Germany you can get 102... Is the diesel you guys put in the V-Power diesel? Maybe it was more expensive over the road because it was better diesel, and that would give better economy...
dunti21 9 months ago
I have a white 2011 A3 TDI S-line and have had it for about 8 months. Sadly, I must say that the car has had one problem after another. It has a bad, jerky DSG transmission, the glass roof rattles constantly, door seals are coming unglued, various electrical problems, and, all in all, just not a good level of fit and finish for the $40,000 price. I would NOT buy an A3 again.
Berus7777 9 months ago
Matt, how come you're getting such poor economy from a Diesel? I'm from the UK and my dad's Mercedes E class 220 Diesel averages over 50 MPG. I know for a fact an A3 2 Litre Diesel over here does around 60 MPG at least, with some models touching 80 MPG. I know you were driving an auto without AWD but you should be getting better than that- even with a heavy right foot!
.
stw667 9 months ago
@stw667
imperial gallon is about 20% larger than the U.S. gallon.
rcpmac 9 months ago
Why is AWD so essential when your in california where i'd say 99% of the time its sunny, driving on tarmac... ?
I also find it strange that in a european/uk Audi 39mpg would be considered awful... cars over here have been getting 60mpg+ for a long time
adamc260 9 months ago
@adamc260 a metric gallon is different to an imperial one, so 40mpg us is like 60+ in europe
gilljames10 9 months ago
7:32 it's and Audi A3 not an A4.
etiennedeutsch 9 months ago
ummmm many audis dont have 4 wheel drive, acutally most of them... not every audi is quattro... ur an idiot
l0scoc0s89 9 months ago
Do you think that it's a myth that when the trip computer says 0 miles left, there is still probably a gallon of fuel left?
sheephurrdurr 10 months ago
its 236 lb-ft of torque not 236 lbs...duh
m1356guy 10 months ago
Average 39mpg? Things really are different in america to europe.. in europe a car with combined economy of 39mpg is hardly considered efficient at all..
mooseling1 10 months ago
@mooseling1 UK and US miles per gallon are different. 1 mpg US = 1.2 mpg UK.
dunti21 9 months ago
@dunti21 That does account for some of the differences but even the 170hp version of the A3 in europe will get 55mpg on the motorway... Which is insignificant compared to the fact that fuel in the USA is much much cheaper than in the UK, so overall. In the USA, this car is probably cheaper to fuel.
mooseling1 9 months ago
I dont know why americans somehow think that all Audis should have 4WD??? Like 90% of Audis sold in europe are FWD. Why? Because its absolutely pointless to have 4WD on a car with less than 200hp, it just adds weight, slows the car down and ruins fuel economy.
derbigpr500 10 months ago
38mpg is shit
FuckTheLawNiggas 11 months ago
VW is coast lower then Audi cuz a much respectable brand. like buy a live's jeans for 50$ and prada for 100$ that why the difference in price ) I did't get it, why u didn't get it )
nice video anyway
Capricorn1232 11 months ago
@Capricorn1232 VW owns Audi.
sheephurrdurr 10 months ago
suh-weet mileage!! :D i dont really care about going as fast as schumaker on highways.... and i aint a rally driver... this one is surely good for me ;D
DKRaFiQ 11 months ago
Are the Audi A3's pretty much a Subaru Impreza.?
puremaplesyrup22 1 year ago
@puremaplesyrup22 well.. to me, they arent... in terms of mileage, they definitely arent... idk bout the luxury or quality build.. but Audi seems more reputable in quality... id love to see a shootout between an impreza and this particular A3 :P now that u have mentioned impreza, they seem to be a good match to test out... adding the VW Golf TDi would spice up everything ;-)
DKRaFiQ 11 months ago
here in europe you can get a3 sportback 2.0 TDI(i belive the same) with 170hp and quattro, did you know that?
posro1988 1 year ago
@posro1988 yes we know but this is an american review for america.funny that
scotsmaninusa 1 year ago
fuck all these twats complaining.it's a car review and a bloody good one at that.
scotsmaninusa 1 year ago
u know the base model Audi A4 also u can get without all wheel drive
deion712 1 year ago
shame you didn't carry on driving to see what the true range was, I bet there was still a fair bit of diesel left in it. Secondly, agree with the guy below re your 'explanation' of torque/horsepower and how the former 'gets you off the line' and the latter 'passing power' - what a load of crap, embarrassing really.
treebarkjacket 1 year ago
Sure you get this car with AWD. And why would you need AWD when you live in CA? No snow, and the car itself is not suitable for driving in difficult terrain.
220g 1 year ago
@220g listen to the review.it's a diesel and it doesn't come in AWD.front wheel drive only.gas powered is quattro
scotsmaninusa 1 year ago
@scotsmaninusa no it doesn't in America, but in Europe you can. I'm getting one actually.
220g 1 year ago
@220g luckily this isn't a european review then.all cars in Europe come with diesel,USA is far behind in those stakes.
scotsmaninusa 1 year ago
I like how you mentioned the Mythbusters' test lol
enxinas 1 year ago
Smoking Tire can you please test the american sports car such as saleen and supercar SSC aero......
rajgd009 1 year ago
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.
KasperMedia 1 year ago
top gear used cruise controll, and when they took it off they got better mpg.
gurvir44 1 year ago
I really thought the smoking tire was a great place to come for an honest, funny, real world car review. But I stopped this video after hearing the most preposterous explanation of torque and horsepower. Torque is what pushes you off the line from a stoplight AND torque is what you feel pushing you in the seat when you pass a car on the freeway. Torque is the only thing you can feel and it is the only force doing work. Horsepower is the rate at which something does work; textbook definition.
I
ellomirza 1 year ago 11
@ellomirza So when does horsepower come into play when accelerating?
rforracing 1 year ago
in the uk fuel is 95-99 octane
lamborgboy 1 year ago
you are so right about the Golf man,so much less money to buy it& run it that make the A3 a useless car...
fabiochrist 1 year ago
Is there a reason why they don't make an all wheel drive A3 with a turbo diesel engine?
Vanrocco66 1 year ago
Funny. MotoMan did almost the exact same thing 5 months ago with a Q7 TDI. Way to be original guys!
Bodemon69 1 year ago
i definitely hear some Periphery in the background.
Matt Farah, you are my new favorite person
rtfk101 1 year ago
Is this pretty quick? never had a diesel or a big engine, but might get one of these.
kyle286 1 year ago
Air Con Kills fuel..!!!
kammypaki4lyf 1 year ago
@kammypaki4lyf Oh, it does NOT. Please. For one thing, there's the episode of Myth Busters which PROVED that using the A/C doesn't really have a noticeable effect on fuel consumption. The thing is, you've rolled around all these years baking in your car and now you can't accept the fact that it wasn't necessary. Let it go man, stop torturing yourself, and use that AC! I've tested it myself - it doesn't make a difference. USE THE AC AND ENJOY IT.
Berus7777 1 year ago 7
@Berus7777 Really?.... because they said the opposite.....they did a test of windows down vs AC.And windows down was 15% more efficient than AC. They did this test with all the windows down, all the way. I usually just keep the passenger side windows cracked and only 1/4 of the way down. AC need power, it gets it from the engine. Engine gets it from the fuel.
hsgmsj 2 months ago
@Berus7777 i am soooo glad i didnt give a shit on fuel economy until now. i mean i did give a shit, but not when it came to the a/c
AxLstyle 3 weeks ago
What kind of diesel can is that at 5:56? I've been trying to find one of that shape that's plastic, not metal.
DjEndurancE 1 year ago
I can do 120 kilometers of good driving once my fuel light comes on in my 07 accent. More if i let it....
Lambo6fo 1 year ago
Maybe if American's bought these "economy" engines you wouldn't be producing 25% of the world's Co2 despite only having 4% of the world's population. For some reason you all seem to want to drive 4 litre pick-ups that do about 10mpg. Pathetic.
Oh, and the presenter is a goon. He doesn't even know the real difference between HP and Torque!!
donuldvan 1 year ago
@donuldvan Fuel is cheaper in America than in Europe. If we can afford to buy and run a larger vehicle, we will. Also, remember that there are more cars per person in america than in many other countries. More people, buying multiple cars, with less-efficient engines = large C02 emissions. BTW, pickups have engines that are as large as 6 liters b/c they produce substantial torque for towing. Ultimately, the comparably low price of gas explains why Americans' car emissions are so high.
marshknute 1 year ago
In the car terms and the easiest way to describe the feel of the two variables, he does. In a scientific term, no that wasn't right but this isn't physics class either.
Reaper87xx 1 year ago
91. In a brand spanking new Audi? I drive a 1995 VW Passat and fill it up with 95 octane :O. Which by the way is recommended by VW.
peterhejlejensen 1 year ago
Which has the best comfort/interior? The A3 or the Golf?
ColdFire097 1 year ago
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.
godwhomismike 1 year ago
@godwhomismike I'd also get to see how it compares in fuel mileage, handling, and sport of my turbocharged 2009 Subaru Forester XT.
godwhomismike 1 year ago
what is the song at 4:55
jasongrim 1 year ago
This is gonna be my first car!
halflife91 1 year ago
Audi should make an A4 or A6 with this TDI engine. I would buy one!
VivaLaBamEpisodes 1 year ago
FWD models are less common than they used to be, but with a TDI it's very common. The reason is, the people who buy a TDI want maximum fuel economy, which quattro would have reduced significantly.
Also, the reason your passing power is low is not due to low HP numbers. It is the gearing of the vehicle and the narrow peak torque band of this car. The torque drops off early so that revving higher or accelerating makes little difference.
TheJoePepper 1 year ago
I have the 2.0T P+, before I bought it I test drove the GTI as well. Mind you I bought my A3 in Germany since I was stationed there and got to test both on the Autobahn. The GTI is a nice car, but once you sit in the Audi, you would just rather stay in it. I'm sure that someone younger would want the GTI for the street cred, but for me, I'll take the Audi's handling, luxury, and QUALITY interior over the GTI any day.
SGTShooter79 1 year ago
Despite this US A3 claiming the same performance stats as the EU counterpart, (140hp/236lbft) the economy is no where near what a European A3 would achieve. I can only imagine it's fuel related and that the Diesel they have in the US isn't of the same quality, meaning Audi had to compromise efficiency to reach these performance figures. Also "passes at 80 can be scary"? wtf drive an A3 in europe dude, it pushes you back in your seat at 80! Or, just get it mapped, they push upwards of 180hp after
jamoy666 1 year ago
you look like a completely different person with a tan man.
imcdowel 1 year ago
What the song 2:38?
knifipu 1 year ago
i love the way you guys in the usa are so new to this diesel lark, and as for fwd audi's, i think 95% of audis over the pond are FWD. i see ya point but the diesels are all about MPG. and at our fuel prices god we need MPG lol. you want to test the new golf diesel they get 84mpg, why oh why buy a bl##dy prius if you get that from a 1.6 golf. at least they give you a little style lol
lotusboyuk 1 year ago
@lotusboyuk not true at all..
g496r500t 1 year ago
MYTHBUSTERS FTW!
TheMitchMonster 1 year ago
Why would Audi need to be all wheel drive? :P Its an american prejudice i guess. I've seen probably 10000 Audi's in my life time in my country and all over the europe. They're all over the place. But maybe 5% of them had quattro all wheel drive. You just dont need AWD on a car that weighs 1300 kg's and has 140hp. It wont make any difference except in snowy weather. The suspension is just so balanced in those small hatchbacks that it totally eliminates understeer, so you dont need 4WD.
derbigpr500 1 year ago
@derbigpr500 Oh just to be clear. The reason i think 4WD would be useless here is because there are 2 reasons you want AWD in this car. 1. The off-the line grip: you dont need it here, 140 hp wont make any problems when getting of the line, even on wet. 2. Better handling in the corners: FWD audi is naturally balanced to understeer when on limit, but so are the quattro versions, so you also wont notice the difference in this 140hp version. Quattro is only needed for 2.0 TFSI and above.
derbigpr500 1 year ago
Regardless of what anyone else states, good job Matt. Can you do the same test with a gas powered engine?
maguzzy 1 year ago
I appreciate how you include the lap times at the end.
democorleone 1 year ago
Smoking tire please test cars that arent sold normaly in America.
JPacheco91 1 year ago
@JPacheco91 Like renault clios, alfa romeus mito, etc
JPacheco91 1 year ago
@JPacheco91 we're in America. 90% of our audience is in America. Why would we test cars that aren't sold here?
TheSmokingTire 1 year ago 50
@TheSmokingTire Is a TDI really worth it? How much more does it cost to maintain a TDI over a gasser? Does it make up for the extra cost up front? I heard TDI oil changes run $100-$200 where as a gasser oil change is $20-$30
VivaLaBamEpisodes 1 year ago
@TheSmokingTire How do you think about the fuel economy of a 2.0T petrol version of A3?
MrTONYTONYM 4 months ago
@JPacheco91 what sense is that?
virgoice 1 year ago
Would an M5 be a good long distance car? Oh, great show as always
Corveette 1 year ago
wouldnt you get better mileage if you were going 60?
highflyer4 1 year ago 8
@highflyer4 yes, but I would die of boredom before we got there.
TheSmokingTire 1 year ago 30
@TheSmokingTire You must bow down before the king of milage: Jeremy Clarkson!
Inzolity 9 months ago
What watch is that you're wearing?
I agree with you, I'd go with the golf over this. No AWD Audi is crazy.
Forgoten214 1 year ago
wait A3! i thought that's the A4 damm Audi design.
MrCooltoni 1 year ago
So, how far will it go? Since you had cans of fuel with you, why didn't you keep driving until the tank ran dry? Wasn't that the point?
teamracing6 1 year ago
@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.
TheSmokingTire 1 year ago
@TheSmokingTire
don't u have to bleed out the entire system to get it going again? if thats the case then that would have been a pain in the ass on the shoulder of a highway.
Veyronp87 1 year ago
@Veyronp87 yes, that's why.
TheSmokingTire 1 year ago
@TheSmokingTire
I had heard that running out of fuel was bad for a diesel before, but c'mon man, this was for the greater good! LOL!
But seriously, what were you going to do if you ran dry while cruising down the freeway at 70mph? You obviously planned on running out, so why not just keep going until you actually did? I am sure you, or someone with you, was skilled enough to get the car running again.
I like the show and your taste in cars, but you dropped the ball on this one.
teamracing6 1 year ago
@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.
ChrisOstberg 1 year ago
In my humble opinion this is a pretty poor mimic of Jeremy Clarkson's London-Edinburgh-London in an A8 on Top Gear a few years back. At least he set the bar high enough to challenge both the car and the driver. This run to the Grand Canyon was no real challenge for either . . . just set the cruise, AC and go. Clarkson at least made it interesting by adapting his driving skills to optimize fuel economy and surprising himself into the bargain. Come on Farah, you could have done so much more!
ken30802 1 year ago
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EatmyDust1311 1 year ago
@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.
TheSmokingTire 1 year ago 13
@ken30802 - im tired of people comparing everything garage419/ thesmokingtire/ and matt farah do against TopGear, if you want condescending big budget british television, watch TopGear ... if you want an average-ish american dude playing in some fairly fantastic cars while comparing average american market cars and having fun and relating to us in an American friendly way and a show THATS FREE ... well then subscribe, support and maybe farah could host the american topgear sometime
drjesus616 1 year ago
hey matt there is reviewer on motortrend hes looks just like you and says hes the real matt farah
Bladesting 1 year ago
@Bladesting i don't work for motor trend, so that person is lying.
TheSmokingTire 1 year ago
Why buy hybrids when you can get awesome Diesel cars
BlackTransAmdude 1 year ago 3
damn here we have diesel for 2.90
best way to get good mpg is go the fastest speed you can with the lowest rpms, its usually around 50 or 55 (but thats too slow for a highway) in an auto right when the tranny switches gears and draft behind trucks or cars
TheMainMan318 1 year ago
Matt, your car reviews are the best out there... Period.
Thanks!
cata893 1 year ago
Didn't see the mileage on the car, but i know the 2.0TDI's really return better numbers after you put about 10k or so on them. Just something to note.
FrameByFrameStudios 1 year ago
@FrameByFrameStudios our test car only had 2,500 miles on it. good to know it will improve over time.
TheSmokingTire 1 year ago
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.
propchef 1 year ago
@propchef What are you comparing? Apples to Oranges? If BMW decides to bring 320d, Audi could respond with A4 2.0 TDI, in fact I'm wondering why they aren't seeling the 3.0 TDI version yet.
sspope 1 year ago
More or less all the Audi's here in Spain are front wheel drive and TDI, the Quattro model is to expensive. You should see the A2 model (since 2001), its the uglyest car audi ever made and of course front wheel drive... and the A1 is comming!
I drive Citroen C4 Cupe 1.6 HDI diesel 92 HP it'sless expensive than a golf base model and it can drive over 600 miles driving in mountain roads.
gfksnow 1 year ago
I wonder if you had tried a lighter colored car if the mileage would've been higher.
paulobeckerrb26dett 1 year ago
@paulobeckerrb26dett what would the color of the car make a difference?
TheSmokingTire 1 year ago
@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.
paulobeckerrb26dett 1 year ago
@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.
TheSmokingTire 1 year ago
what's the deal w/ the enya playing in the background during the begining??
that aside, i think audi should have but in the 170HP tdi engine from the euro golf gtd and euro tdi tt to differentiate it from the much cheaper american golf tdi and jetta tdi. its been rumored that the audi 2.0 tdi engine has much better highway mpg than the EPA rates it for and this video confirms it.
if someone gave me the a3 tdi id be happy but for my money id take a a3 2.0t or a loaded golf tdi
AlternativeUses 1 year ago
@AlternativeUses the euro engine you're speaking of won't pass emissions in the US.
TheSmokingTire 1 year ago 2
@TheSmokingTire It's the same engine with a bigger turbo on it and there are V6 diesel engines sold in US, one of which is BMW 335d or Mercedes V6 powered SUVs which produce much more emissions per miler/kilometre so I don't quite get it.
sspope 1 year ago
@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.
TheSmokingTire 1 year ago
Comment removed
alexxgopro 1 year ago
this makes no sense.... 31k for that... when you could have a 305hp mustang V6 which yes is about 10-12mpg on the highway worse. But its only 22-25k (or a bit more loaded...) and the loaded A3 38k? it would take 500k miles to make up the difference in money on mileage. Thanks but no. ill have the mustang or something else...
DaBluedude100 1 year ago
Premium fuel in US = Normal fuel in EU? Why do gas stations offer so low octane fuels?
raydenx 1 year ago
@raydenx most cars in the US run fine on 87 octane gas, and it's cheaper.
TheSmokingTire 1 year ago
@raydenx - Octane is measured differently between the US and Europe.
ChrisOstberg 1 year ago
Comment removed
powermaxchannel 1 year ago
Matt I have been watching all your videos and have noticed a slight change on recent videos, you need to go back to your old lens as the new one makes you look on the fat side. its the lens... right???
powermaxchannel 1 year ago
@powermaxchannel we go back and forth between 2 interior cameras, and the newer one has a wider lens on it than the older one.
TheSmokingTire 1 year ago
@365daytonafan BMW 335d used to be available not sure now but for shore the 123d is not available the x5 d is also available
fordtrkman16 1 year ago
I usually get around 45 and 50 in the tdi jetta
fordtrkman16 1 year ago
I have a jetta tdi and we get almost 600 miles to a tank and it's fast
fordtrkman16 1 year ago
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.
godspeed4099 1 year ago
will you do a review on the bmw 335d ?
BMFandu 1 year ago
I drive an 04 golf tdi pd. I have a hard time understanding the complaints about highway passing. I have never experienced an issue with highway acceleration. Maybe i expect less but i've never felt in danger with it.
lbart2005 1 year ago
@lbart2005 it only really drops off over 80 mph. And we are a bit spoiled by fast cars.
TheSmokingTire 1 year ago
@TheSmokingTire Understandable
lbart2005 1 year ago
Solid episode!
Swissair32 1 year ago
I think it's safe to say that audi is paving the way for fuel economy after seeing this and Clarkson go 800 mile on one tank of gas.
TVRFan11 1 year ago
seeing as the audi has the same TDI engine as the Golf are these similar times you can expect from the Golf. also how was the "Sporty" feel of it. Really i have been trying to figure out if i want to go with the Golf TDi or the GTI. and if i can still get that "sporty" feel with an economical Golf TDI i am willing to shell out the cash over the GTI
onTOPtheROCK 1 year ago
@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.
TheSmokingTire 1 year ago
@onTOPtheROCK you may try the golf GTD 150 bhp
alexxgopro 1 year ago
@alexxgopro trust me, i would love to... if it were only offered in the states...
onTOPtheROCK 1 year ago
i prefer an A3 over a prius it have better qhality and driving plesure but the prius is52mpg in the city is just the most fuel efficient car in america prius yeaaaaaaaa
tinleo333 1 year ago
thats why mercedes,bmw,and VW are starting to make hybrid cars diesel = smoke
tinleo333 1 year ago
@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.
TheSmokingTire 1 year ago
@TheSmokingTire they say the same thing about the 5 years old jettas now after 5 to 10 years they start to smoke and smell.
tinleo333 1 year ago
@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.
TheSmokingTire 1 year ago
the cheapest a3 i can could in my city cost 32,000$ the cheapest prius cost 24,000$ and does 20miles per gallon more the the a3 in the city prius is the way to go
tinleo333 1 year ago
Hey matt you said Vidal wrong the I is long.
maniacoffroader 1 year ago
@maniacoffroader sorry, I don't take the time to learn the names of towns where 387 of its 400 residents cook meth.
TheSmokingTire 1 year ago 11
@TheSmokingTire
Unfortunately thats probably true. You should go to Parker in October and do a show on off-road racing.
maniacoffroader 1 year ago
You should duplicate this test with a 2011 V6 Mustang if you have the opportunity and give a non biased third party option as to if it will go over 500 miles on a single tank of fuel or not.... see how close you come to the numbers Ford runs on their test.
bigretardhalo 1 year ago
Good episode this week. I think you are doing a good job with the more economy cars, which in my opinion really shows your skills.
On a different note, do those tires on the track have rims in them? Either way they seem quite dangerous spaced like that on the track. Could really eat your bumper. Why not use an AutoX style cone for that chicane? It would accomplish the same thing with much lower risk of smashing your front end.
tboneus 1 year ago
@tboneus no, they don't have rims on them. and they only break your car if you hit them.
TheSmokingTire 1 year ago
Nice piece. Here in the UK front drive Audi Diesels are common place, I used to run an A3 very similar to the one you tested and can recall it would average 40 (imperial) mpg however hard you drove it. If you really want performance with econcomy you need to look at BMW though. 123d coupe 200bhp and 40+ mpg and the mighty 335d 280bhp is possibly every car you would ever need. Are these available in the US?
365daytonafan 1 year ago
@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.
TheSmokingTire 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
All the VW dealer i went has mark up on TDI from sticker price which stoping me to get one. i will prefer an Audi
yijuin 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
All the VW dealer i went has mark up on TDI from sticker price which stoping me to get one. i will prefer an Audi
yijuin 1 year ago
All the VW dealer i went has mark up on TDI from sticker price which stoping me to get one. i will prefer an Audi
yijuin 1 year ago
not a bad car, but only if you must have the audi over the vw
notthehulk442 1 year ago
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Smatchimo 1 year ago
Two thing. What is a twin clutch? And is it true that diesel engines do not need spark plugs because the diesel fuel ignites when put under pressure. Does the twin clutch just have 2 clutch plates, or is it just a more effective way of changing gears?
q123477 1 year ago