Faults:

A small rattle from the split folding rear seat - fixed in 20 minutes under warranty.

General Comments:

Fantastic looks with 17" wheels, the bright trims around the window, and the xenon and LED lighting.

The S-tronic transmission has disappointed me; it is a bit rougher in traffic than what I would have expected; I even read the reviews of similar dual clutch cars, but it still caught me off guard. I specially don't like that it doesn't really use 1st gear, only for maybe 1-2 seconds before shifting into second; this makes the car feel sluggish. There is also a lot of clutch slip in 2nd when yielding and turning left, for example.

Compared with my previous A3, which had a manual transmission, this one consumes about 20% more fuel with the same engine.

Otherwise there is no fault with the car. It is extremely comfortable and well built. The materials are top notch, it runs quietly and with the stoic German character you would expect.

Give it a manual transmission and this is the best premium small car out there.