2010 Audi A3 TDI

The sport package. And those sexy LED daytime running lights. That's why you buy an Audi A3 over a run-of-the-mill compact sedan or hatchback. Balance is why you buy an A3 TDI diesel over a hybrid.

Balance, of course, can refer to things other than limited weight distribution and handling. In this case, we're talking about the tradeoff between performance and fuel economy. As fuel economy requirements continue to tighten, this balance becomes all the more important. Sure, you could get even better fuel economy with a hybrid, but it won't have the same pizzazz as the A3 TDI. Skeptical? Don't be. Audi says that diesel models account for half of all A3 sales.

If you're familiar with the A3 at all, you probably know it is Audi's entry-level car and available as a hatchback only. We're often asked if it's worth the price considering its size, which is small by American standards. To determine this, we had Audi send us a 2010 A3 TDI equipped with the packages that make the difference.