A3 interior is inferior to the GTI in both design and materials imo. It's also smaller, due to door panel design, and dash, and the aforementioned headroom. I crossed them off the list, and I'm 6'6". Also the A3 is decontented for the badge, non standard options that a base GTI has. Dumb.
Only decent A3, IMO, is the 2.0T DSG AWD cars from 09+, and they're dumb because auto.
Of course a sedan won't be set up the same way as a GTI/A3, but the reality is they can be made to handle very well, with the same basic mods required to make the GTI/A3 not suck as much.
The only trait that is redeeming about these cars is the lift off oversteer. I know if you Jeremy Clarkson one, you can get the ass out, but come on...nobody is doing that.
Also the 09-11 VAG cars have non defeatable ESP :dumb: