I MUST confess to some surprise at the success of Audi's A3 model when you consider that so many rivals do roughly the same for so much less.
The cheapest 1.6-litre three-door version is about £3,000 more expensive than the equivalent Honda Civic or Ford Focus and about £2,000 more than the Volkswagen Golf.
Even a BMW 1 Series costs less than the equivalent A3, yet the Audi still manages to attract as many as 20,000 buyers a year.
The reason appears to be that so many people are prepared to pay for what they consider to be the ultimate quality car in its class.
Perhaps a fair proportion of them have downsized and are not going to compromise the qualities to which they have become accustomed.
Pound for pound it may be that the Audi represents the best quality for the money, but it is a very costly compact nonetheless.
In its favour is the greatest single factor in determining whole-life running costs, in the form of the dreaded depreciation.
The Audi may cost more initially, but after three years it will be worth virtually 60 per cent of its original price in comparison to about 45 per cent for the Ford.
The biggest competition for the Audi is not cheaper rivals, but those that come closest to matching it, which puts the new BMW 1 Series at the top of the pile.
The Audi's two main advantages are the fact that there is a three-door option and the sheer breadth of the range.
There are half a dozen engines to choose from, with a mix of petrol and diesel plus four wheel drive and fancy gearboxes.
Every model in the range comes with curtain air bags, traction control and alloy wheels, although for the money they should all have air conditioning too.
Marginally more roomy than the previous generation of A3 hatchback models they replaced, the current crop are realistically still just two-plus-two models with an even lower centre of gravity.
The driving position is lower, and with a 240bhp, 3.2-litre, V6 quattro version in the line-up, it is not hard to see where this model's aspirations lie.
Despite political correctness, speed cameras on every corner and the scourge of congestion charging, the joy of driving for pleasure remains a reality for millions of motorists. The A3 capitalises upon this, with the sort of deliberately low-slung, purposeful stance that fights the BMW head on.
Now available in three-door and five-door Sportback guises, prices start at £15,510 for the 1.6-litre petrol-powered model. This is not quite as lethargic as it may sound, with 100bhp on tap for a 0-60mph time of 12 seconds, and a 115mph top speed.
Economy averages out at 39mpg, which is about the same for the 148bhp two-litre version despite its 0-60mph acceleration time of just over nine seconds and a significantly higher top speed of 130mph.
However, for real economy lovers there's a pair of cracking oil-burners, comprising a two-litre turbodiesel generating 138bhp in addition to the more mundane 103bhp 1.9-litre model.
There are also six-speed transmissions with a choice of manual and Tiptronic.
Although the external dimensions of the current car changed little, the wheels are spread out further to all four corners, front and back, which means more room inside.
Hardly dramatic, with six and a half centimetres of extra leg room, but every little helps in the case of cramped coupe-style sports-orientated hatchbacks.
As far as a fair appraisal of the product goes, the only criticism is the hefty price tag, but then Audi would argue that you get what you pay for.
BMW and Volkswagen would say the same, so my advice would be to give them all a fair chance before taking the plunge.
FAST FACTS
Audi A3 1.6 3dr
Price: £15,510
Mechanical: 102bhp, 1,595cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 5spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 116mph
0-62mph: 11.9 secs
Combined mpg: 39.2
Insurance group: 9
CO2 emissions: 170g/km
BiK rating: 20%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles; 12yrs anti-rust; 3yrs paint