Petrol-engined cars don’t get too much of a look in on fleet choice lists these days, but sometimes a model reminds you that petrol is not always the poorer relation.

This occurred to me at an Audi driving day recently where I drove the new A3 1.6 TDI diesel back-to-back with the 1.4 TFSI petrol.

While the new 1.6 TDI is a good combination, it felt leaden and unresponsive next to the petrol 1.4.

With 125bhp the 1.4 TFSI feels much sparkier than the 105bhp 1.6 TDI, and also exclipses the power output of the BMW 116i (122bhp).

But while it is better to drive, the 1.4 TFSI loses out to its diesel brother in terms of fuel economy and CO2 emissions.

The 1.4 TFSI returns a claimed 49.6mpg on the combined cycle and emits 132g/km, while the 1.6 TDI returns 68.9mpg and emits 109g/km.

But the petrol is cheaper. At £16,705 for a standard three-door hatchback model, the 1.4 undercuts the diesel by nearly £700.

And according to the excellent Parker’s petrol vs diesel calculator it will take 22,058 miles for the diesel to break even and recoup its extra front-end price.

After that, the diesel’s extra economy and lower emissions bring benefits – benefit-in-kind tax for a 20% taxpayer in the A3 1.6 TDI is £452 per anum, some £50 cheaper than the petrol 1.4, while over four years and 80,000 miles the diesel is cheaper to run (25.98ppm vs 28.42ppm).

But for a company car driver who will be covering low mileage and who wants a premium brand vehicle at an attractive front-end price (remember, the cheapest Ford Focus now costs £17,895), then the A3 1.4 TFSI is a good choice, and is certainly a hidden gem in the A3 line up.

 Verdict

Sprightly to drive and with decent economy and emissions figures, the A3 1.4 TFSI is a good choice for low-mileage drivers.

Audi brand image and residual value keeps costs down, too.