A3 Sportback for a young family?

[a900ss]

Guys,

I'd welcome your opinion on a car I might be 'forced' to take. (Company car).

I am a family man with a 3 year old and a 3 month old. Currently have a large estate car for carrying all the gear that comes with children. However I may have to take a different car from the pool, an A3 Sportback Sport Quattro 170 Tdi (2009) and I'm a bit concerned about how this little car will get on. As it's the quattro it has a smaller boot than the regular sportback and would like your thoughts as to how you get on if you have a young family. I am resigned to getting a roofbox.

I'm sure it will be a great car when I'm on my own just.... my family head is on....

PS - I'm a 40,000 mile a year driver, how firm is the suspension?

[tlionhart]

As no-one has offered you a reply i'll try and give you an almost accurate one. (not a man of the house yet!)

You basically have a typical family wife and 2 children. Room wise inside the car is fine. The boot...depends how often and what the car will be used for. The boot is deep and a fairly long. The sportback from my point of view would be most suited for a family of your size and or 1 child. (had experience of that, i own a hatchback and was a complete pain!!)

Im presuming from your question, your going to be going on a lot of family outings where your going to require more than just the room for a buggy. A couple where i live have a 55plate sportback and it must be serving them well as they got it from new and they still have it! To be honest, you really are best of going down to the dealership and checking both the a3 s/back and A4 saloon. The boot on the A4 is bigger. Also available as an option on the car is the 'through load' system. Which may help to add a bit more on to the boot, providing your happy for items to go from the boot into the cabin. (only example i can think of is fishing rods.) I'd say the sportback is designed for the average family. If both the sportback and a4 saloon are still too small (giving the idea you leave all your work gear in the boot) then the A4 avant might well be for you.

As for the suspension, it depends on the trim level your going for. SE/SPORT offer a firm soft suspension where as the sline is a lot harder. (car is lowered by 10mm) I have an sline and buying the lumber support really made a difference. But the ride is still hard and can be felt when hitting down on pot holes / big road humps. But i find the steering more smooth and enjoyable to drive over the sport version. Again, go out and test drive both a sport and Sline version.

If you need more advice on practicality then contact a member called 'onemanparty'. He owns a S3 sportback and should be able to give you more advice.

[onemanparty]

I am a family man with a 3 year old and a 3 month old. Currently have a large estate car for carrying all the gear that comes with children. However I may have to take a different car from the pool, an A3 Sportback Sport Quattro 170 Tdi (2009) and I'm a bit concerned about how this little car will get on. As it's the quattro it has a smaller boot than the regular sportback and would like your thoughts as to how you get on if you have a young family. I am resigned to getting a roofbox.

PS - I'm a 40,000 mile a year driver, how firm is the suspension?

Hi I also have a 3 year old and a 3 month old but have no problems with the space in my S3 Sportback. Yes its not an A4 but it does the job.

On the Suspension its firm just watch out for those pot holes and bad road surfaces !!