It can be a risky business, adding a boot to a hatchback. The end result can, more often than not, look a lot like what it is: An afterthought

Audi’s A3 saloon, however, which shares it’s underpinnings with the five-door Sportback, is not among that unfortunate number.

Viewed from any angle and its proportions are just right. The styling, much like other models from the Audi stable, is unfussy but effective and handsome. From a distance it would be quite easy to mistake an A3 for the larger A4, which is no bad thing.

The Sport model I was driving sits 15mm lower than the Sportback, and you can’t help but notice how low slung the car is as you slide into it. Most of the time I was able to make getting in and out of the A3 look anything but effortless, probably a combination of the onset of middle age and all its associated ills and the necessarily small front doors. However, the extra effort is worth it because behind the wheel is a delightful place to be. The heated seats (£260), in Milano grey leather, are firm and supportive and provide plenty of adjustment to make finding the perfect driving position easy.

The dashboard is neat and tidy because Audi have managed to keep it relatively free of switchgear, although what there is feels substantial and beautifully damped. The fit and finish is first class inside and out and the materials throughout the cabin are sumptuous and tactile, providing an inviting ambiance.

Audi’s multimedia interface (MMI) infotainment system, complete with a large LCD screen that rises out of the dashboard, provides access to the excellent sat nav. The top of Audi’s familiar control dial is touch sensitive, allowing you to program the sat nav using the superb handwriting recognition software. It’s a much more satisfactory system than using the jog wheel to select letters from an on-screen circular interface.

There’s a secondary information screen mounted between the speedometer and rev counter. It can be used to display the current music track, supplemental driving instructions or a compass, among other things, and makes intelligent use of the limited space available.

My A3 was fitted with the 1.4 TFSI petrol engine with stop/start and cylinder on demand (there are also a 1.8 TFSI and 1.6 and 2.0 turbo diesels available) which produces 138bhp. It will hit 62mph in a respectable 8.4 seconds and, where legal, finally run out steam (not literally, of course) at 134mph. Fuel consumption is 60.1mpg combined and CO2 is 109g/km which means shelling out just £20 a year in road tax.

Real world performance would suggest that the quoted figures are within touching distance. The A3 Saloon is a willing performer when pressed hard and, though the electromechanical steering can leave you a little detached from the road, it is nicely weighted, particularly about centre, and there is plenty of grip to be exploited should you want to put it to the test. Downshifts can be a little jarring when you’re trying to squeeze out a little extra performance but that all changes when using the paddle shifts on the steering wheel (which I'd probably only recommend to people with smaller hands) or the gearshift.

There are four driving modes to choose from, Comfort, Efficiency, Dynamic and Individual. Dynamic, for example, adds a little more weight to the steering and sharpens up the throttle response for, well, a more dynamic drive. Comfort provides exactly what it says on the tin and Efficiency, well, let's just leave that for the less adventurous.

The ride is firm, but not uncomfortably so. Sports suspension is fitted as standard but the Comfort suspension is a no cost option. Personally, I found the compromise between ride and handling on my test car to be spot on and, even on longer drives across country, I still arrived at my destination feeling refreshed.

Fuel consumption is helped with automatic stop/start, which cuts the engine when you're stationary with your foot on the brake, then restarts it when you lift your foot off. You can, with a delicate right foot, keep the engine turning over while still pressing on the brake, which is handy because, at times, the system can make it a little slow pulling away.

The engine’s real party trick, however, is Audi's cylinder on demand (CoD) which shuts down two cylinders under light loads, firing them up again when needed. The transition from one mode to the other is seamless, and a real example of vorsprung durch technik (Yes, I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to say that).

What I found quite remarkable was how quiet the cabin was. Wind and road noise was negligible, even at motorway speeds. That’s quite an achievement in a car this size and Audi deserve a metaphorical pat on the back.

One thing I did miss – and I must admit to being a little surprised that it’s only available as an option – is cruise control. It’s just one of the things that you don’t appreciate until you’re forced to live without it, even for just a week. It’s yours when you select the Comfort package for £605, but that also includes automatic headlights and windscreen wipers, rear parking sensors and an auto-dimming rear view mirror. That’s one option pack that’s going straight on my shopping list.

I should point out that not only have Audi added a boot without spoiling the A3s’ look, it’s a rather generous 425 cubic litres which, in my estimation, is about 46% of an upright piano*. The boot opening, as is so often the case, is relatively narrow, which places a very real limit on the size of individual items it can carry. With the rear seats folded flat, capacity increases to an impressive 880 cubic litres, or nearly a whole piano.

The A3 Saloon’s only real rival is Mercedes’ CLA, and the A3 drives better, looks better and has a classier interior. It’s also more practical and cheaper to run and buy.

The choice then, is much simpler than which small executive car to buy, it’s a case of which Audi A3.

*An upright piano is about 917.5 cubic litres.

Click here for more information about Audi's range of cars.

A3 Saloon 1.4 TFSI CoD Sport S tronic

PRICE FROM: £23,660

PRICE AS TESTED (INC. OPTIONS): £30,090

Engine: 1.4 TFSI with stop/start and Cylinder on Demand

Maximum Power: 140PS

Transmission: 7-speed S tronic dual clutch transmission

Acceleration: 0-62mph 8.4 secs

Maximum Speed: 134mph

Urban: 47.9mpg

Extra urban: 68.9mpg

Combined: 60.1mpg

Carbon dioxide emissions: 109g/km