The moose test is notorious for throwing vehicles under the bus, inducing two-wheeled antics, tire blowouts, and more often than not, a few cone fatalities. It obviously puts contestants in a worst-case scenario, simulating an emergency where the driver has to swerve around a suddenly appearing object. Km77’s latest video showcases how the new Audi A3 Sportback fares in the crucible of wildlife avoidance.
Unsurprisingly, the first test at 46 miles per hour (75 kilometers per hour) – with no knowledge of how the car behaves – didn’t go so great. Initial turn-in looked pretty solid, but the German automobile struggled when it came to the second direction change. With a maximum speed of 44 mph (72 kph) without knocking down any cones, the A3’s Electronic Stability Control appeared to be earning its keep – it’s important to note that even if a car does destroy cones, this is more a test of vehicle dynamics.
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We’d be remiss not to mention that this understeer is expected from road vehicles; while some drivers may like a very crisp front end on the race track, understeer is a hell of a lot safer on the road. It’s also important to know that the latter is a lot more common in racing than you’d think.
There was a slight role reversal in the slalom where the Audi proved to be very agile. While it’s hard to see the speed for this exercise, the results were much stronger than the moose test; sure, you could argue that the front-axle still misbehaved on turn-in, but the rear of the car never struggled to rotate.
Although these types of situations are affected a lot by the tire and the driver, the A3 Sportback looks to be a resounding success. It’s not surprising that a vehicle of this form-factor produced these results, but we have seen stronger performances.