We accepted the invite to be part of 2025’s edition of the Audi Fuel Efficiency Challenge. But knowing that Audi’s new A3 would to do the job with ease, we took things a bit further
IPOH – There was a mineral pool at the Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat, up in Ipoh, with my name on it, but first, I had to get there. A short while ago, I was among a team of four, competing in 2025’s Audi Fuel Efficiency Challenge.
While fuel efficiency challenges have proven that quite a number of modern day cars are fully capable of crossing borders, and then going the distance on one tank and back; the proof in the pudding for the Audi challenge is more about finding out how well their cars actually fare, when subject to even more extreme tests. Perhaps to some, we might be splitting hairs, but from where I am from, many of us live for such a challenge.
Audi’s car for this year, would be their facelifted Audi A3. While I did a first drive review of the car (in a different life) last year, with the chance to put it through its paces along wet Bavarian B-roads, this drive would be based on a formula of total distance driven, over fuel spent, and against the friendly rivalry of equally competitive drivers from a second team – all who have very similar driving skill sets.
While I am familiar with the Audi’s format of fuel efficiency challenges – having previously participated in two separate events (once again in another two different lives), this one hits home a little stronger. This is because when Audi first introduced this fourth-generation car, back in 2021, I was in very serious consideration of purchasing the sedan. Then, its 1.5-litre Mild-Hybrid powertrain produced a healthy 150hp, and 250Nm, whcih meant that it was Category B COE car. However, reality caught up, and I settled for something less pricy (but still, I kept it within the family). I digress…
The Nitty Gritty of This Year’s Audi Fuel Efficiency Challenge
For this edition of the Audi Fuel Efficiency Challenge, both teams of four, were provided with two cars – the facelifted Audi A3 and all-new Audi A5. Our goal was to hypermile the A3 to Ipoh on the first day, and then on the next day, drive it into the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur – all this, while keeping things light-footed. As for the A5, it was for a photo competition, where we had to submit a pair of photos of the fastback.
Our team, which consisted of two fellow Automotive Journalists – Aiden and Zhixuan, and Content Creator, Xin, the Geargirl, all have in one way or another done prior hypermiling challenges; therefore while this would not be a walk in the park, we all knew the drill.
After discussions, both Aiden and Zhixuan would do the heavy lifting, by taking-on the longer leg of the journey, from Singapore to Ipoh, while both Xin and I would then drive the A3 from Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur during the second leg of the challenge. But as this would be a plain hypermiling challenge, we were planning to take things quite a bit further.
The Quest for Chasing Better Fuel Numbers Begins
So it began. At the crack of dawn of the next day, we re-pressured the A3’s tyres, and the tanks were topped-up and sealed by our organisers. And then we were off toward the Second Link.
In an attempt to keep our plan to lighten the A3 from our competition, our team reconnected at the first Petronas fuel station across the border. Here, we began offloading the non-essentials into the waiting A5, which included the A3’s boot board, the rear headrests, and we even went as far is the cigarette lighter. With power-sapping air-conditioning to be turned-off during the drive, both Aiden and Zhixuen would make do with a USB fan, mounted on the dashboard.
“With ambient colours illuminating rain soaked tarmac, we took flight.
A lone fastback pulls away from the flock, gaining distance as it points northward.
In its wake, a world rouses from clockwork slumber, as a new dawn peels away at the darkness that was once night.”
As Xin and I took off in the A5 into the morning twilight, the duo in the A3 would then to plod along to a more convenient location, where they could execute the second half of the A3’s hypermiling enhancements.
A roll of masking tape later, the A3’s frontal panel gaps were sealed, and in an effort to further reduce drag, the rear rims neatly taped-off. In-short, this was a curbside aerokit.
Even with a detour into the capital to avoid a massive jam, we found out from the now sweaty pair over lunch in Ipoh, that they had managed an average of 24.7km/h. Healthy numbers brought about from a now sweaty pair.
As for the car, I would say that both Xin and I would be embarking on a journey which was to be “full-of-flavour”.
Both teams retired for the night at the beautiful Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat.
Now it’s Our Turn
A soak in a mineral hot tub, and a good dinner the night before did wonders for me, as both the Geargirl and I were going to drive the Ipoh – KL route. With some touching-up of the street-side aerokit, followed by a wipe-down of the interior; which by now had spawned its very own thriving ecosystem, we set-off on our part of the hypermiling quest.
Xin would drive during the first leg of the journey, where the regions mild-sweeping curves upon hilly topography, made for easy coaxing the A3 to speed. As the 1.5-cylinder turbocharged-four is equipped with 48-volt mild-hybrid technology, the electrification meant that crucial systems were kept on, while the engine could “sleep” whenever we were presented an opportunity to lift-off the throttle. I’m happy that the dual-clutch 7-speed transmission also disengages during this period, which means that without any of the transmission’s resistance, we could truly take advantage of some of the area’s long sweeping downhill slopes. At one point, Xin even managed to take the A3 from 70km/h to 110km/h over a stretch – all this just on sheer downhill momentum alone.
Taking over the wheel, my primary role was to drive the A3 from the highway into KL, where we would park the car at St. Regis, before meeting the rest for lunch. By then Xin had clocked-up an impressive 33.7km/l.
I had My Work Cut Out for Me
We were busy doing our sums by now, and realised that that we actually were behind schedule, since our focus had been on extending our “FC” numbers. Our organisers had set the parametres of a hefty time penalty, if we were going to be late for our lunch. So with the clock to beat, and knowing that we would be in the middle of peak lunchtime traffic in KL, I had my work cut out for me.
To complicate things, we had heard from the grapevine that our rivals actually did better than our team during the first half of the challenge, this was despite us tacking-on our roadside aero aids.
I pull the District Green Metallic Audi A3 Sedan back onto the highway. With a tab on keeping acceleration gentle, I coaxed the sedan to 70km/h. As there was no way to know, I could only hope that the Cylinder Deactivation was working its magic, keeping only two of the Audi’s four cylinders firing.
Soon, I begin cursing under my breath at every kickdown, as I attempted to cajole car over every knoll along Malaysia’s mildly-meandering North-South. For now, the drive was a delicate balance of anticipating the terrain after each crest, deciding when to go against intuition to lift-off while travelling downhill, and instead giving the throttle a squeeze, just so that I can prime the A3 with enough momentum to coast and clear the next crest. Each time I got the Audi to coast, while with the engine in “Sleep Mode”, was a small win.
By the time we were at the outskirts of KL, we estimated that the temperature inside the cabin was bordering 40 degrees celsius. I cleared a crest in the road, just as traffic around us began to build. Lifting-off, the engine at this point refused to “sleep”, therefore we seized the opportunity to have the air-conditioning turned on for the first time since leaving Ipoh. Three minutes was all that was needed to significantly cool the cabin down; but it meant that our economy was beginning to take a mild hit.
As the traffic turned into a crawl, I made use of a little trick I learnt from driving some of the brand group’s other MQB-Evo platform cars, which shared the same powertrain. As the A3 kept pace with crawling traffic, I depressed the brake pedal slightly, but not enough for the pads to bite. Doing this ensured that A3’s engine continued to sleep, as I took advantage of the car’s residual momentum. Letting go of the brake pedal at this point would rouse the engine from its slumber.
At its worst, the A3’s fuel economy in KL, went as low as 29.8km/l. However, as gaps began to appear within traffic, and with the help of some downhill sections, the A3’s economy rolled back into its 30s.
Finally at our end point at St. Regis, I parked the small sedan with 30.2km/l on the display; which I thought was not too shoddy. We would not know of our results till the next day, when we were back in Singapore, where we would have dinner with Audi’s Managing Director Martin Bayer.
So… Did We Win 2025’s Edition of the Audi Fuel Efficiency Challenge?
Yes we did. But just by the thinnest layer of kaya over toast, spread by the stingiest of penny-pinching misers. The difference in the average between us and the competition was a mere 27.645km/l versus 26.689km/l; which was 0.956km/l. Like I mentioned earlier on, we were splitting hairs here.
While we squeezed as much as we could out of the Audi A3’s advanced 1.5-litre MHEV powertrain, we did it in the spirit of competing in this fuel challenge. While the new A3’s performance is excellent, we wouldn’t advise you to do the same with your vehicle. But we want you to know that a bit of planning, and understanding your vehicle can go a long way.
2025 Audi A3 Mild Hybrid 1.5 TFSI S tronic
| Drivetrain | Petrol-electric mild hybrid |
| Layout | 1,498cc, inline 4 |
| Power / torque | 114hp / 220Nm |
| Transmission | 7-Speed Dual-Clutch |
| Efficiency | 16.1km/l |
| Fuel Capacity | 45 Litres |
| 0-100km/h | 9.9 seconds |
| Top Speed | 201km/h |
| VES Band | B |
| Dealer | Audi Singapore |
| Price | S$216,999 with COE and VES |
