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Audi A3: Anything But Your Typical Wagon

Audi A3 Audi delayed releasing the A3, which they to this day avoid describing as a wagon, for 10 years here in the US afraid of disdain for hatchback wagons in the States. It debuted in 2006. And for once the marketing of a vehicle stays true to the reality that the Audi A3 "is the first four-door car with the sportiness of the TT Coupe".

It's reasonably priced too starting at $26K. And for the money, you get a refined interior and with sporty suspension and great maneuverability. And in reality, the design is low-slung and camouflages any bulky wagon qualities you might expect. The bonus is you get the practicality of wagon, although it's a bit small in back, without any concessions that would dull the A3's slick performance. Be wary of option packages that can drive the reasonable starting price up though.

It's hard finding competitors that deliver this caliber of luxury and performance without costing more. One option is the Volkswagen Passat Wagon which also has more cargo space. It's a touch less luxurious though. Another alternative is the Subaru Outback Sport which has leather seats and AWD.

Top-rated Values for 2007

Top Rated Cars A recent article identified a short list of vehicles that offer the most value this year. By evaluating multiple sources and results such as value ratings, customer service satisfaction, reliability history, depreciation rates and consumer perception of brands, Forbes has arrived at a list of the "Most Value-Packed Cars".

Because a lot of higher-end models with customized services made the list, the BuyingAdvice Team suspects that customer ratings on the sales experience may have been given too much weight when determining some of this year's best values. But, the list has a lot of useful information for the value-inclined. Here are some of the highlights:

Mini Cooper Pros: Strong reliability, personalized sales approach, 6 yrs of value awards
Acura TSX Pros: Near-Luxury sedan for about $29K, reliability, high resale value
Lincoln MKX Pros: Brand new model, top safety pick, versatile crossover, exceptional sales process
Lexus IS Pros: A sports sedan with nice features and price, outstanding reliability
Saturn Aura Pros: No haggle experience, attractive ride, strong ongoing service
BMW 3-Series Coupe Pros: Low depreciation rate, practical qualities plus a notable ride, low price for BMW
Honda Civic Pros: Reliable, safe and fuel efficient, high resale value
Audi A3 Pros: Lowest priced Audi, versatile hatchback, efficient fuel use for the power

It's worth noting that BMW, Lexus and Honda had the most number of models that made the highest value list. To read the full article and rankings, go to Forbes.

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