# A3 Sportback as a family car?



## Son (Aug 10, 2000)

I know I'm way ahead of myself being a single guy here, but I buy cars with the intention of keeping them for a long time.
So, my question is: Is anyone using an A3 Sportback to haul baby carriage and other baby stuff in the back? The cargo volume is bigger than that of the MkVI but if that means anything, I don't know.


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## NY_Avant (Jan 10, 2009)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (Son of a B...5er!)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Son of a B...5er!* »_I know I'm way ahead of myself being a single guy here, but I buy cars with the intention of keeping them for a long time.
So, my question is: Is anyone using an A3 Sportback to haul baby carriage and other baby stuff in the back? The cargo volume is bigger than that of the MkVI but if that means anything, I don't know. 








I saw one recently with 2 baby seats in the back, so my guess is yes, if you were American you would need at least a Q7 to haul one baby around


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## grubble (Oct 28, 2007)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (NY_Avant)*


_Quote, originally posted by *NY_Avant* »_I saw one recently with 2 baby seats in the back, so my guess is yes, if you were American you would need at least a Q7 to haul one baby around

LOL...sooooooo true. I see mothers in their GMC Suburbans and Ford Expeditions with an infant in the back, while they are holding onto their cellphones yacking away and oblivious to all traffic except what is directly in front of them.


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## BDI (Nov 7, 2002)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (Son of a B...5er!)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Son of a B...5er!* »_I know I'm way ahead of myself being a single guy here, but I buy cars with the intention of keeping them for a long time.
So, my question is: Is anyone using an A3 Sportback to haul baby carriage and other baby stuff in the back? The cargo volume is bigger than that of the MkVI but if that means anything, I don't know. 









IMO the size of the car is fine. I have a babyseat in the back along with baby stuff in the "trunk". I think it's perfect for a family of 3. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## Tcardio (Mar 19, 2009)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (Son of a B...5er!)*

21,000 posts! Damn! IMO it's the A3 or the Q7 for the family. I don't like the Avants(sorry FB). TDI in quattro with APR chip(expected March 2010) is great on the wallet but you will need to wait for the A3 TDI quattro. Q7 TDI is great. I get around 590 miles per tank and diesel is cheaper than regular where I live.


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## Son (Aug 10, 2000)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (BDI)*


_Quote, originally posted by *BDI* »_
IMO the size of the car is fine. I have a babyseat in the back along with baby stuff in the "trunk". I think it's perfect for a family of 3. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 

And you even have all the Haldex stuff in the back which raises the trunk floor.
Here's the car I've been eyeing at:
http://www.nettiauto.com/audi/a3/2908495
A couple of grand cheaper than a new MkVI Golf deal with all the necessities would be and this A3 has xenons, sport seats and stiffer suspension plus 20 liters more cargo space than the Golf. It's not new, but not far, either. My SEAT was totaled and I don't really know what to do, i.e. to buy e.g. a used MkIV Variant with the cash I have or take a loan and buy that A3 or Golf MkVI or even MkVI Variant to drive until the wheels fall off.


_Modified by Son of a B...5er! at 8:22 PM 12-19-2009_


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## VWAddict (Jun 12, 1999)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (Son of a B...5er!)*

In Finland, I think you might enjoy the Haldex, too! (I sold my Volvo to a Finn who visits Florida every winter, and he was telling me all about the driving tests over there...)
I have a family of three with one andit's perfect.
Keith


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## JustMike (Jun 10, 2002)

We have an 09 Quattro, the space in the trunk is smaller due the rear drivetrain, than the GTI/Golf, and you would need to find a stroller that fits both directions in the hatch... when we had our Mk3 Golf we didn't check that and the first stroller wouldn't fit front to back, just side to side??? With the A3 our kids are in booster seats 40-80lbs and just fit... If you are planning to use a baby seat/carrier witha base cartridge be sure it fits w/o hitting the front seats...


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## vwlippy (Jul 17, 2001)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (tcardio)*


_Quote, originally posted by *tcardio* »_21,000 posts! Damn!

Well, he has been a member since 2000, but still... wow!


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## drew138 (Dec 3, 2006)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (Son of a B...5er!)*

baby seat and a booster seat in mine. no problems. can haul a big stroller in the back. not making any big runs to the market with a full car, but the a3 is just fine.


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## SilverSquirrel (Jul 24, 2006)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (drew138)*

My one year old loves the open sky sunroof. 
Just make sure you dont get one of those super huge baby seats while they face backwards.
We use the britax roundabout, and top of the back stays below the front headrest.










_Modified by SilverSquirrel at 12:24 PM 12-19-2009_


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## Son (Aug 10, 2000)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (SilverSquirrel)*

I'm just wondering if this type of strollers can fit in the back without taking the wheels off. And if any bags can fit after the strollers are in.








LOL @ the single me thinking this kind of stuff.







Oh well, if I do get a car that expensive and new now, I'll keep it for at least 6 years from now, so who knows how many kids I'll have by then.


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## krazyboi (May 19, 2004)

*FV-QR*


_Quote, originally posted by *Son of a B...5er!* »_
LOL @ the single me thinking this kind of stuff.







Oh well, if I do get a car that expensive and new now, I'll keep it for at least 6 years from now, so who knows how many kids I'll have by then. 


Not really, that's just sensible planning IMO. I got the A3 mainly b/c of the cargo area for transporting things (bikes, groceries, body bags, etc). When I started dating my current wife (about a month after I got the car), I realized this car would be great as a family car.
Cheers


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## warren_s (Apr 26, 2009)

Personally I think the Q5 would be a fair bit more practical for babies & toddlers than the A3, especially when it comes time to move some bigger things around. 
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/0...-cost/


_Modified by warren_s at 8:00 PM 12-19-2009_


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## Tcardio (Mar 19, 2009)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (VWAddict)*


_Quote, originally posted by *VWAddict* »_ I sold my Volvo 
Keith

Just another example of a smart Audi A3 owner!!!!!!


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## aeitingon (Mar 21, 2005)

My kid and his car seat fit great in my A3. Big strollers (quinny, etc.) do not fit without removing the wheels - best to go with a MacLaren or some such thing...


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## thethirdjq (Apr 7, 2009)

I hope it is a good baby hauler. I got my first on the way.
I do know its going to be quick baby hauler. I don't plan to sell mine anytime soon and I wanted to add more cargo hauling capacity to my a3 so i got a yakima roof rack and cargo basket. easy peezy.
I think the A3 is great like that. Its small and quick like a TT but with 4 doors and a trunk.


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## eurotuned00 (Jul 16, 2007)

*Re: (thethirdjq)*

kids love the open sky
i has a 2 year old in a recaro car seat and it fits good with space
and i can fit a jogging stroller in the hatch (tight squeeze)


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## mista808 (Apr 30, 2000)

*Re: (eurotuned00)*

my girlfriends brother in law has a B6 A4 avant, and its very cramped for him with a 3yr old, and 4 month old... i can only imagine with an a3... theres probably enough room in the rear for a stroller and a bag. maybe wife and 1 baby... wouldnt hurt to have a roof rack system and a box on top...


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## tiptronic (Apr 18, 1999)

*Re: (thethirdjq)*


_Quote, originally posted by *thethirdjq* »_I hope it is a good baby hauler. I got my first on the way.
I think the A3 is great like that. Its small and quick like a TT but with 4 doors and a trunk.

Exactly!








e


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## SD_A3 (Sep 18, 2006)

I have new baby 8 months now and I feel the car is too small. Been trying to get rid of it for a larger A4 Avant or something slightly larger but having a hard time selling due to economy and people wanting Quattro. I have to use a rear facing seat and it won't fit in the middle of the rear seat which is the safest place for it because both front seats would have to be pushed all the way up and I won't be able to drive. It sits behind the passenger seat which is slid almost all the way forward which is uncomfortable for anyone taller than 5'5 up front. Also the rear door is so short that I cannot put my son in his seat through the door since there's not enough room and all the good carseats have side protection bolsters. I need to go in the opposite side and slide him into his seat since there is slightly more head room on the inside compared to the door. In my own experience I would disagree with the others and say it is not very practical unless your kids don't need to be in rear facing carseats and are able to climb into their own seats.


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## dmorrow (Jun 9, 2000)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (Son of a B...5er!)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Son of a B...5er!* »_I know I'm way ahead of myself being a single guy here, but I buy cars with the intention of keeping them for a long time.
So, my question is: Is anyone using an A3 Sportback to haul baby carriage and other baby stuff in the back? The cargo volume is bigger than that of the MkVI but if that means anything, I don't know. 









If you like the car you should get it. Being single, you may not get married for a number of years, then you may not have kids for a number of years, then you may find out that the car is too small as the kid gets a little older, then you may have to get rid of a seven year old car. This is really long term planning for a single guy.








Also, don't tell any dates you bought the car because you thought it would be good for the kids, it will really freak them out.


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## KCMTNBIKER (Jun 23, 2002)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (Son of a B...5er!)*

I fit a front facing car seat and two booster seats in the back of mine no problem (3 boys ages 7, 5, & 1.5). However, once you put a stroller in the back, not much room for anything else. Any trips other than around town, we take the wife's minivan. 


_Modified by KCMTNBIKER at 11:34 AM 12-21-2009_


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## Xymox (Jul 1, 1999)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (KCMTNBIKER)*

I have two friends with MINI Coopers, both of whom have a child. If they can make it work in a MINI Cooper, I'm sure you can too.


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## MaWeiTao (Sep 1, 2009)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (Son of a B...5er!)*

I've had a rear-facing baby seat and now have a forward-facing child seat in my car. Both fit just fine. With the baby seat you may need to have the passenger seat set a little bit forward, so it might be tight for taller people, but in general it's not a problem at all. In the rear you can still squeeze in two passengers along with the seat but it's going to be tight.
As for the stroller, it is dependent on the stroller's design and how it collapses. The one I have fits in the back pretty well despite being somewhat bulky.
I think the A3 is a perfectly suitable family car. It's true that too many Americans feel the irrational need to drive around in an over-sized SUV. That said, without question there is something to be said for the safety a larger vehicle provides. But then you can always get a larger sedan instead of an unnecessarily bloated SUV.


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## Son (Aug 10, 2000)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (MaWeiTao)*

Thanks all. Reading your comments, I think it could be fine even with one kid, if you just select your baby gear carefully.
My biggest doubt about this specific car, though, is its uni black color now. I saw a freshly washed uni black MkVI wagon today and it looked pretty terrible up close. And it was new, so it didn't have any scratches yet. The worst possible color!


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## grrrrr_8 (May 2, 2008)

A3 is great as a family car. I have a 11month old son and I have a recaro car seat for him. Space is ok but I suggest get a smaller car seat.


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## krazyboi (May 19, 2004)

*FV-QR*


_Quote, originally posted by *MaWeiTao* »_ With the baby seat you may need to have the passenger seat set a little bit forward, so it might be tight for taller people, but in general it's not a problem at all.


Who comes first, your child or passenger? I choose my child


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## MisterJJ (Jul 28, 2005)

*Re: FV-QR (krazyboi)*


_Quote, originally posted by *krazyboi* »_
Who comes first, your child or passenger? I choose my child









Yeah, just wait 'till they're a teenager.


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## mig978 (Aug 19, 2008)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (Son of a B...5er!)*

We are a family of 3 and the Audi A3 suits us Very well, i have a 9 months old now and
we got the Uppa Baby Vista stroller because it folds very easy and very compact with the seat on it. Fits very well in my A3 trunk, we also got the Graco Adapter for the snug ride infant seat that just snaps on it. (Now i have the Britax Marathon car seat).
Uppa baby is an American Company which makes a very light and versatile stroller comparable to upper end stroller like the bugaboo, you wife will appreciate the very light weight of the stroller when she load/unload it from the car.
http://www.uppababy.com/products/product.php?id=79
For Long trips I got the the Yakima Rack from Yakima (US Company) with the Skybox Pro 16 Titanium Cargo Box which fits very well with my Titanium Package, the car looks really good with the box on it and got a lot of nice comments from strangers. The box can accommodate a lot of cargo and the noise is minimal with the rack fairing.

http://www.yakima.com/racks/ca....aspx
We also got the SVAN high chair which also fits very well in the trunk with the stroller (Without the trunk cargo cover).
http://www.svanusa.com/svanchair.cfm

I am also planning on getting the Westfalia Trailer Hitch for a small trailer for the need to haul some lumber or landscaping materials:
http://www.eurohitches.com/ind...96f8f
See the hitch here:
http://forums.motivemag.com/zerothread?id=4450409
It is amazing when you buy the right products how much you can carry with an A3 without ever using the back seats for the child's safety. People are always amazed on how much i can fit in a car that seems so small from the exterior, gotta love an hatchback...



_Modified by mig978 at 8:39 AM 12/22/2009_


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## LWNY (Jul 30, 2008)

*FV-QR*

Why not bolt the baby seat to the floor of the trunk? Easy access to the baby and it will still be a rear facing.


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## Son (Aug 10, 2000)

*Re: FV-QR (LWNY)*

Problem solved, the A3 in question is sold.


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## SilverSquirrel (Jul 24, 2006)

*Re: FV-QR (LWNY)*









The main reason I sold my Coupe quattro, and bought an A3, was because we had a baby, and couldnt deal with a rear facing car seat in the back of a 2 door. I really miss that car. It didnt have the HP of the the 3.2, but it sure did handle better, and had a better quattro system. 
I wanted to bolt the baby seat in under the rear hatch, but the wife wouldnt let me. So, now I drive an A3. Its all for the kid.


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## dzasta (Sep 20, 2007)

*Re: FV-QR (SilverSquirrel)*

I have a 7 months old baby and the A3 was the primary car we used with the kid for most of the 7 months. My wife has since upgraded her coupe to a more baby friendly car and now we use that most of the time. As long as you take the time to test fit wutever baby gear your going to get you should be fine. Family of 3 should be no problem with the A3 but any more than that we're getting a Q7.


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## VW_rob (Dec 18, 2006)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (mig978)*

mig978 - can you post a pick of your A3 with the Skybox 16 on it? I am looking at Thule and Yakima Boxes and the length of many of them freaks me out. This one is longet than the roof of the car, so I just can't imagine how it loks - though I imagine that it looks great.
Any issues with opening the hatch?


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## eltonsi (Mar 17, 2005)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (NY_Avant)*


_Quote, originally posted by *NY_Avant* »_I saw one recently with 2 baby seats in the back, so my guess is yes, if you were American you would need at least a Q7 to haul one baby around

I'm Canadian and I need a Q7 to haul my baby. 
Seriously though, can an A3 be a family car? Yes. Is it the most ideal family car? No. As someone mentioned, you can use a Mini, 911, Evora, G37C... as a family car, but it would require some compromise. I have a Bugaboo, one of the bigger strollers. I can barely fit the stroller in, but that leaves me with no space in the trunk. Throw in a diaper bag, one of those baby chairs for eating plus your baby seat, you don't have much room for anything else. Essentially, the A3 becomes an Elise once you put all the baby stuff on.
On the other hand, with the Q, it has room to spare even if I have to drive my in laws. Much more convenient basically. I can throw in the stroller without folding, dump the bags plus some groceries, and I still have a couple seats left.


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## Nuke-em (Oct 2, 2006)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (mig978)*


_Quote, originally posted by *mig978* »_
http://www.uppababy.com/products/product.php?id=79
_Modified by mig978 at 8:39 AM 12/22/2009_

$700.00 for a frickin' stroller!?!?!?! Whatever happened to the good old $20 umbrella stroller? My parents shoved my little ass in there and I was just fine. Plus you could fit the stroller and groceries in the back of a 1982 4000 without a problem.
At what point did parents become insane?








Matt


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## eltonsi (Mar 17, 2005)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (Nuke-em)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Nuke-em* »_
$700.00 for a frickin' stroller!?!?!?! Whatever happened to the good old $20 umbrella stroller? My parents shoved my little ass in there and I was just fine. Plus you could fit the stroller and groceries in the back of a 1982 4000 without a problem.
At what point did parents become insane?








Matt

Same can be said about our cars. We can all drive a 1982 Civic to work, and they might be just as reliable.


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## Nuke-em (Oct 2, 2006)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (eltonsi)*


_Quote, originally posted by *eltonsi* »_
Same can be said about our cars. We can all drive a 1982 Civic to work, and they might be just as reliable.









I'm trying to think of a logical counter argument to your point, but I can't.








I still think it's stupid though. Kids these days are spoiled and need to toughen up.








Matt


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## eltonsi (Mar 17, 2005)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (Nuke-em)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Nuke-em* »_
I'm trying to think of a logical counter argument to your point, but I can't.








I still think it's stupid though. Kids these days are spoiled and need to toughen up.








Matt

I can bet you anything that 99% of our parents said the same thing.


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## SilverSquirrel (Jul 24, 2006)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (eltonsi)*


_Quote, originally posted by *eltonsi* »_
Same can be said about our cars. We can all drive a 1982 Civic to work, and they might be just as reliable.










more reliable.


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## tbvvw (Jun 19, 2002)

I'm married w/ 3 kids, ages 2-10. The A3 works just fine for the 5 of us for basic trips, even a weekend to the mountains, etc. However, we've had an Oddy then Pilot in the garage for the past 10 yrs for Home Depot runs, week at the beach, longer road trips, etc. 
I love my A3 (bought it new Sept 2005) but I wouldn't choose one as a primary _family_ car.



_Modified by tbvvw at 10:37 AM 1-13-2010_


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## LWNY (Jul 30, 2008)

*FV-QR*

I use to have a 1976 Scirocco and we had no problem driving around with 7 or 8 people in the car, including 2 guys who were over 6 1/2 ft. It didn't feel cramped at all, of course, I was in the driver's seat. Of course, we couldn't go too far because we kept getting stopped by cops.


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## MaWeiTao (Sep 1, 2009)

*Re: A3 Sportback as a family car? (eltonsi)*


_Quote, originally posted by *eltonsi* »_I can bet you anything that 99% of our parents said the same thing.

Probably... But I think a lot of people nowadays have more disposable income than their parents did, or spend more carelessly. I hear parents constantly saying their kids are spoiled and despite being totally responsible for that they do nothing to change. And a lot of people go and buy high-end, arguably over-priced items, not because they're inherently better, but because it's fashionable.


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