Road Test: Audi A3 2.0 TDI Sport 4dr

An Audi A3 saloon - not exactly the most radical niche-buster that the Germans have ever come up with. Oh sure, it's 11mm wider than the hatch, 9mm lower and the bonnet creases are different - and, apparently, every single body panel is different to its regular 5dr counterpart. But really, who are Audi trying to kid? It's an A3 Sportback with a slightly longer bottom.

Still, the business case stacks up, so it's tricky to argue with Audi. It's building the saloon for the Chinese and the American markets anyway, so they might as well offer it here, and get another model into the line-up as a bonus. For the record, this is the 47th.

It becomes even more convincing when you drive it. Available with the usual smattering of Audi engines, we've tested the 2.0-litre diesel with 148bhp and 236lb ft. It's refined, punchy and brilliantly effortless, and ideally suited to the reppy image of saloons.

The ride and handling are exactly the same as in the hatch. For the most part, the A3 is fine, but it's also a bit too firm, so we'd delete the sports suspension, a no-cost alteration on both trim levels.

Other than that, there's really nothing to criticise - it's not even ugly, unlike some other hatch conversions. Sometimes, Audi, conventional works.