U.S. News Rankings & Reviews (Enlarge photo)

The A3 has sports car-like performance in the body of a sleek hatchback, but it is an expensive vehicle compared to other entry-level luxury cars.

The 2009 Audi A3 is a strong combination of performance, luxury and safety. In previous years it has been one of our top-ranked upscale small cars and hatchbacks for offering quality and sportiness that small-car shoppers can rarely find elsewhere. It also receives respectable gas mileage for its class.

But as in previous years, the 2009 model has some shortcomings.  According to our analysis, the A3's hatchback profile doesn't translate to abundant hatchback utility -- those... // U.S. News Rankings & Reviews

New Car Net (Enlarge photo)

When a hatchback is converted to a convertible, rather than being engineered as a soft-top from the ground up, it can cause problems. It can look like a pig's dinner, for a start. And, since an open car needs strengthening to compensate for the lack of a roof, it can be heavier, hence thirstier and more unwieldy to drive.

But Audi, in turning its competent little hatchback into the A3 Cabriolet, has dealt with these problems as efficiently as you'd expect from the German premium manufacturer. Take the roof-opening mechanism. If you buy a model with the fully (rather than semi) automatic roof, dropping your top will be a smooth, silent and swift experience. Amazingly swift, in fact. It takes just nine seconds for the top to open and, when the rain starts, just 11 seconds to sweep back... // New Car Net