Now we come to the drive and this is where Audi products typically tend to excel.

My tester, the smaller 2.0T version of the A3, might not pack the punch of the larger 3.2 version, but it certainly was no slouch. With its 200hp DOHC

2007 Audi A3 2.0T S line (Photo: Kevin Corrigan, Auto123.com)

Turbo-Charged engine, it has more than enough zip for most drivers' requirements and the six speed manual box was slick and very easy to become acclimatized to. In fact, performance figures are again, right in the ball park of the GTI.

I'm a great lover of Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system, but alas the A3 2.0T is only available in front-wheel-drive form. You have to step up into the 3.2 version to get the Quattro system and then you lose the fun of the stick shift. Still, even with just the front wheels driving it, the A3 grips the road extremely well.

The A3 might not feel quite as nimble on the road as the GTI, but when it comes to performance, it's a quick machine. Obviously, the extra two doors give it a certain weight disadvantage but, in many ways, I prefer it to the VW product as it feels, how shall I put it? "Slightly more mature". Then again, maybe that's my age showing!

2007 Audi A3 2.0T S line (Photo: Kevin Corrigan, Auto123.com)

The suspension is pure Audi, and anyone who has owned a German vehicle will understand exactly what I mean by that. It is firm but friendly, and it soaks up the bumps whilst still leaving you with a real feeling for the road.

The steering, the brakes and just about everything on the car have the typical feel of German engineering, and it makes the Audi A3 s-line a wonderful car to drive.

Naturally, being Audi, there are a whole host of additional options available, although personally, I'd be more than happy with just the base model and...maybe the s-line package. This keeps the price down to well under $40k and to me, that's a bargain for what you get.

As I have said, it's hard not to link this vehicle, in some ways, to the VW GTI, but when I truly weigh it up, I think that it's maybe a compliment to it. The Audi A3, when dressed with the s-line package, has similar cool looks

2007 Audi A3 2.0T S line (Photo: Kevin Corrigan, Auto123.com)

to the GTI, yet with 2 more doors for convenience. In my mind, it might just be the next logical step in hot hatch ownership.

That to me is a smart idea, as owners needs change and they require more doors and space. They can now move from the VW product and into the Audi. Like they say "it's best to keep it in the family"!