The Demo Site

This diesel A3 is mighty fine, and it's heading our way.

Even though many of them are now working on hybrids, European automakers' response to gasoline-electric vehicles—long championed by Japanese companies—has been to first scoff and then to point to their robust lineups of fuel-efficient diesel powertrains. Of course, diesels represent about 50 percent of the market in Europe, but they have never been offered widely in America. Fluctuating fuel prices are slowly beginning to change that, and although Euro diesels recently launched in the States have been installed in sedans and SUVs, small oil burners make sense, too. After all, if a premium sedan with the economy of a compact is impressive, let's see what happens when you drop a diesel into a compact.

Mmm . . . Compression Ignition

The ritzy A3 compact hatchback, based on the VW Golf/Rabbit but with a much more upscale look and interior, has long been available with diesel engines in Europe. Now Ingolstadt is pondering offering such a combo in the U.S., too. The vanguard: two A3 TDIs that served as part of the Audi Mileage Marathon, a long haul from New York to Los Angeles that gave scribes a chance to examine diesel economy in real-world conditions on American roads. (The U.S.-bound Q7 3.0 TDI was the featured vehicle of the event.)

Keep Reading: 2009 Audi A3 2.0 TDI - First Drive Review