There's something about the latest version of the Audi A3 that lifts it out of the ordinariness of its predecessor. Especially in the 3-door which is as yet the only version available.

There's a subtle classiness about the shape, especially in side view, which was never evident in the old car.

It has a very strong profile, a high waistline pulling back from a fairly massive sculpt over the front wheel. The 'glasshouse' above the slab side of metal is lean and forceful. And there's a nice match to the whole look from any of the sets of wheels that are available, depending on specification.

The front is strong in execution too, and the detail of the style elements has an elegant cohesion that looks very businesslike when approaching in the rear view mirror.

In its home country, and indeed on any motorway in Europe, it will make a definite statement in the overtaking lane.

From the back, the clean horizontal lines are reflected in the narrow lines of the twin reversing light segments of the tidy lighting clusters.

Inside, there's a mixture of elegant simplicity and techno finish that has always been one of the keynote themes in Audis. The dashboard and instruments area is an almost intriguing mixture of angles and curves. The rather retro circular airvents are alu-trimmed, as are the door handles and the handle to open the glovebox (which has a reflecting dummy copy at the other side of the box). I'm not enamoured of the purely gimmick extension bars that link the centre stack and the between-seats console - they look tacked on and tacky and have no function.

But the stubby gearshifter between them is a classic of its type, and has a short throw right through the gate that quickly becomes a joy to use.

The instruments are also an example to all in simple and clear design, with the only caveat being one I've said before, that the red figures at night are not the most suitable for anyone with eyes beyond the age of 40 or so. We all get long-sighted as we get older, and the red end of the spectrum is where we are first affected.

A thought on the seating. It is designed to be supportive sideways, backways and bumwise. But in my time with the car, I found that the front bit of the seat under my thighs was never truly comfortable. Not problematically uncomfortable, either. But something didn't work for me.

What did work, was the overall driving experience. What I was tempted to say, and did but with reservations, was that this is probably the most satisfying 3-door C-segment car on the market in driving terms.

The engine may be the smallest for the Audi, but on the Golf platform where the car is based it represents something up the scale.

It is also, with a 102bhp output, a perky and practical engine. The 0-100 km/h figure of 11.9 secs is on paper not especially brilliant. But paper figures don't always translate well to driving feel.

The steering gearing seems to be just right, and with a very well-thought-out suspension system, this is a car to take on good back roads where there's a chance to have some enjoyable driving without exceeding the speed limits.

It is a car where one feels that there's not an ounce of unneeded flab, as is also indicated by the lack of overhang at either end of the vehicle. The result is an even, responsive ride.

The review car was the 1.6 Attraction, the base level car, with a set of extras that added around €4,300 to the standard price of €25,950.

And I suppose in those figures lies the biggest gripe. The price, which at base gives you a Golf-sized car for the cost of a Passat. And then charging an extra €155 for an outside temperature gauge is simply insulting. Also in that extras list were the leather-covered steering wheel, climate control, electronic stability programme, front fog lights and automatic lights sensor.

At the price of this car on the road, you could have a top-of-the-range Golf with 150bhp TDi engine.

So you want to be enamoured of the Audi brand to spend what they look for at this level. No matter how satisfying the drive.