Hot hatches: Honda Civic vs Volkswagen vs Audi A3 Sportback

Family hatches with small petrol engines give an alternative to diesel

Sales of diesel cars are falling. There are worries that the whole diesel market could go up in a cloud of black, noxious smoke. True, there are new diesels on sale that already comply with emission regulations not due to come in until 2020, but a lot of people are looking at the latest range of small turbocharged petrol engines. And why wouldn’t you?

A 1.0-litre engine that can propel you briskly and quietly along and yet return a claimed 55mpg? Yes please. But which one should you go for? All three cars here have a version of such an engine, so let’s see which one delivers the best performance in the real world.

The newest car here is the latest Honda Civic, now in its tenth generation. It’s also the car with the most horsepower and it has the lowest gearing. Game over it seems. But actually it ends up being the slowest, due to power-to-weight ratios, with both the other two able to pull away from it regardless of whether you try to ride the midrange torque or simply rev it out.

All three have decent and slick-shifting six-speed manual gearboxes, with the Honda the easiest to use to get away with low revs. The Civic handles well too, with decent compliance, but the fun is a touch limited by the unfeeling and lightly weighted steering. The Golf handles, well, like a Golf, so it’s stable, steady, composed and even steers well too.

All of that applies to the Audi A3 but it edges ahead with just a bit more of everything from grip to body control. The ride is firmer than the other two as a consequence, but it’s never harsh. Equally, it’s not as composed as the Golf, which has the most compliant ride of the trio, and the quietest too.

In the cabins it’s a win for the German cars. The Honda seems well screwed together and has a cavernous boot, but the quality of some of the interior doesn’t feel that wonderful and the rear passengers are more cramped than in the other two.

The Golf feels delightfully solid and composed in the cabin, although the odd detail, like the cheap-feeling air con controls, do let it down a bit. That’s not a charge you could level at the Audi A3. It feels like an executive saloon far pricier than the actual price tag. Audi really does have this nailed.

The Audi also has the best infotainment system, with a high-placed screen and a rotary controller between the seats ensuring safe and instant command. The Golf too has a smart, fast-acting system through its 8in touchscreen. It’s set a bit low but is otherwise excellent. And then there’s the Honda system. How did that happen? It’s slow, hard to read in bright light, low res, frustrating – really, it’s the worst by a considerable and head-scratching margin.

The Honda may not be the most expensive to buy privately but it is predicted to lose the biggest percentage of value and will also use the most fuel. The Golf will be the cheapest to buy and the cheapest to run, although there’s little to separate the three if you go for PCP finance.

However, Honda does throw in privacy glass, a reversing camera, AEB, lane keep assist and traffic sign recognition and more. The VW Golf gets the automatic emergency braking (AEB) but that’s an option on the Audi A3.

So, overall, has a small petrol engine proven itself the equal or more of the ubiquitous diesel engine? We’d say yes. You get a smoother, quieter experience, with similar fuel bills to a diesel, but without the worry about emissions or future legislation. Private or company car, the same holds true.

Which means all three of these could be on your shortlist if you’re looking for a smallish hatchback with some style. Yet, we’d rate the Honda Civic as the bottom of the bunch, in part due to that woefully poor infotainment system. The car is a big step up from its predecessor, and it’s very well equipped including with safety kit, but it just doesn’t cut it in this company.

The Audi A3 has got used to winning these sorts of tests, even if by a narrow margin, but this time it’s a different result. The latest Golf manages to edge it, thanks in part to a real price difference opening up between the two German marques. Which means the Audi A3 has to be content with second place, even though it has the classiest cabin with the best infotainment. The VW Golf is back.

Volkswagen Golf 1.0 TSI 110 SE Navigation (5 stars)

Engine size 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol
List price £20,260
Target price £18,800
Power 108bhp @ 5000-5500rpm
Torque 148Ib ft @ 2000-3500rpm
​0-60mph 10.0sec
Top speed 122mph
Fuel economy 58.9mpg
CO2 emissions 109g/km

Audi A3 Sportback 1.0 TFSI Sport (4 stars)

Engine size 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol
List price £22,135
Target price £20,111
Power 114bhp @ 5000-5500rpm
Torque 148Ib ft @ 2000-3500rpm
​0-60mph 9.9sec
Top speed 128mph
Fuel economy 60.1mpg
CO2 emissions 107g/km

Honda Civic 1.0 VTEC Turbo SR (4 stars)

Engine size 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol
List price £20,340
Target price £19,659
Power 127bhp @ 5500rpm
Torque 148Ib ft @ 2250rpm
​0-60mph 10.7sec
Top speed 126mph
Fuel economy 55.4mpg
CO2 emissions 117g/km

Graham Scott is a writer for WhatCar.