An Old Vanguard Gets Ready For a New War. In 1996, the first Audi A3 essentially established the premium compact segment, but that distinction really only carried significance in Europe. Gradually, and especially in its two most recent generations, its corporate sibling, the Volkswagen Golf, has become something of a true premium hatch without the badge, leaving more and more people to wonder if there was a point to splurging for the costlier Audi. Then the new Mini Cooper came along to effectively steal the thunder in the new century's compact premium market.
Autoblog, 2013 Audi A3
