Compare two cars

Compare any two cars and get our Virtual Adviser™ opinion

Car #1
Make
Model
Variant
Engine
Car #2
Make
Model
Variant
Engine

compare selected cars
2016. - 2019.
C - Small family car
hatchback, 3 door
front
Badges
Production
Vehicle class
Body style
Wheel drive
Safety
2016. - 2020.
C - Small family car
hatchback, 3 door
front

Marketing

Dimensons & Outlines

4258 mm
1790 mm
1492 mm
380 liters
1270 liters
50 liters
Length
Width
Height
Boot (min)
Boot (max)
Fuel tank
4241 mm
1777 mm
1424 mm
365 liters
1100 liters
50 liters
2016 Volkswagen Golf
2016 Audi A3

Engine

Volkswagen
1.6 TDI CEKA
Diesel
4 - Inline, 4 valves per cylinder
Turbo
1598 cc
115 hp
250 Nm
Engine
Fuel
Configuration
Aspiration
Displacement
Power
Torque
Volkswagen
1.6 TDI
Diesel
4 - Inline, 4 valves per cylinder
Turbo
1598 cc
110 hp
250 Nm

Performance (manual gearbox)

manual gearbox - 5 gears
1226 kg
10.2 s
198 km/h
4.6 l/100km
3.8 l/100km
4.1 l/100km
106 g/km
Gearbox type
Vehicle weight
Acc. 0-100
Top speed
Cons. (urban)
Cons. (highway)
Cons. (average)
CO2 emissions
manual gearbox - 6 gears
1235 kg
10.5 s
200 km/h
4.6 l/100km
3.5 l/100km
3.9 l/100km
104 g/km

Performance (automatic gearbox)

dual clutch - 7 gears
1246 kg
10.5 s
198 km/h
4.1 l/100km
3.8 l/100km
3.9 l/100km
102 g/km
Gearbox type
Vehicle weight
Acc. 0-100
Top speed
Cons. (urban)
Cons. (highway)
Cons. (average)
CO2 emissions
dual clutch - 7 gears
1255 kg
10.5 s
200 km/h
4.3 l/100km
3.5 l/100km
3.8 l/100km
99 g/km

Expenses

10900 EUR
Price from
14500 EUR

Virtual Adviser's™ opinion

Overview

Well, these are two pretty similar cars we have here! It's only details that could potentially make the difference. Considering they both belong to the small family car segment and utilize the same 3-door hatchback body style and the front wheel drive system, it all comes up to the specific diesel engine choice they offer. Both the engines are Volkswagen-engineered . The first one has a 4-cylinder, 16-valves 115hp unit, while the other one gets its power and torque from a 4-cylinder, 16-valves 110hp one.

Safety

A starting point here would be to take a look at the results from European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) tests which were performed on both of the cars, with the same number of safety stars gained in the process. That aside, let's consider some other aspects which affect safety. Both vehicles belong to the small family car segment, which is generally classifying them somewhere in the middle safety-wise, but that fact doesn't break the tie between the two cars. On the other hand, taking kerb weight as an important factor into account, Audi A3 offers a marginal difference of 1% more metal.

Reliability

Reliability is not the best thing to consider on the make level, but it is worth mentioning that Volkswagen does have a slight advantage, at least on all of the models level. These are the official statistics, while our visitors describe reliability of Volkswagen, as well as Audi, with the same average rating of 4.2 out of 5. Independent research findings rank Golf as average reliability-wise, and A3 is more or less at the same level.That apart, owners of different cars powered by the same engine as Golf rank it on average as 4.7, while the one under the competitor's bonnet gets 4.3 out of 5.

Performance & Fuel economy

Volkswagen is a bit more agile, reaching 100km/h in 0.3 seconds less than its competitor. Still, it lacks the power to win the top speed competition, topping at 198 kilometers per hour, 2km/h less than the other car. When it comes to fuel economy things look pretty much the same for both cars, averaging around 4 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (71 mpg), in combined cycle.


Verdict

Volkswagen appears just a bit more reliable, although the difference is truly marginal. The most important thing when deciding between any two vehicles should always be safety, both passive and active. In my opinion, everything taken into account, Audi A3 offers slightly better overall protection and takes the lead. From there things take a different direction, with Volkswagen offering somewhat better performance, just enough to call it quicker. It does come at a cost though, and that's the fuel consumption... No mistake, whatever you decide here, but I'd still go for the Audi. In any case that's my personal view, built upon all the data available to me. What should decide here though is the way you feel about the two vehicles, and I hope you'll find my guidelines useful in the process. Also, you could use the oportunity to find out which car, everything taken into account, would be the perfect choice for you in the eyes of the virtual adviser, among more than 12.000 different ones in our database.

Check a car by its VIN number

Follow us

AutoManiac Instagram

AutoManiac Facebook

AutoManiac database currently covers:

47worldwide automotive brands
1.531different vehicle models
2.233engines
13.778specific cars