But James or Lauren they know how to network and because they know that the art of the angry smile enables them to move swiftly through the corporate ranks. And they do indeed move swiftly. The angry smile hides a split personality but James or Lauren have a taste for the finer things in life and will smile through boring corporate meetings and listen dead-end jokes by senior executives.

That’s where the Audi A3 enters the scene because James or Lauren haven’t got the spending power to get that £1,000 smoking jacket or pair of Louboutins quite yet their wage is better no than the median wage for people of their age and rank. However, James or Lauren do at least have a better spending power than most people. James or Lauren typically require a car and the car they usually go for is the is Audi A3.

For James or Lauren the Audi A3 is trendy-cool, it’s now in its third generation, a significant update was ushered in for 2016 but as always with the Audi design language it’s all about evolution. Therefore changes to the exterior and interior are as subtle as the stars in the night sky moving. To the trained eye these changes are typically Audi.

Despite being categorised as a small compact car the A3 is and isn’t small. The first half, where James or Lauren will spend most of their time reading their text messages while driving and drinking a Frappuccino, is quite spacious for a car designated as being compact, you’ll find more space than in the A3’s rival, the Mini Hatch.

Like all Audis the interior is superbly well made, James or Lauren will appreciate the almost crafted appeal to the fit and finish. The interior design is subtle to the point of being sombre but this is actually cool and calculated design. The fittings and switch gear feel sturdy, yes Audi likes to take care of it’s Jr Executive buying market.

The A3 range is available in four body styles, the Hatch starts at £21k and is available in four trim levels. The top spec S Line model starts at £25k and as with all Audi’s the top of the range performance model is distinguished by the capital letter S.

But we don’t have the 310bhp S3 on test, it’s a more humble affair, the mid-range A3 SE Technik. Standard equipment is more or less standard such as the standard 16-inch alloys. The test car had a retractable 7-inch colour screen but this is typically an optional extra for this trim and spec. The main difference between the entry level S model is that you get Parking Sensors.

James or Lauren will appreciate that LED daytime running lights are standard throughout the range and really give the A3 a purposeful on-road presence. At the end of the day standard spec on the A3 in SE Technik trim is OK but expect James or Lauren to have to cough up more if they want a few more luxuries they don’t really need.

The new A3 is built on a lighter platform the front section has been particularly revised and this where a majority of the weight shedding has been focused. Dynamic suspension is standard throughout the range, go up to the highest trim level and you get Sport suspension and Quattro all-wheel-drive.

Riding on standard suspension the A3 was unexpectedly good to drive. The handling was sharp and direct, the A3 is a car you can confidently glide into a corner. The fun bit isn’t necessarily how fast you can pitch the nose into a corner but its how well the car tracks and rides mid-corner and on exit.

And the A3 tracks and rides without too much trouble, like all Audis it has a tenacious amount of grip and unlike Audis of old understeer is but a distant memory.

The 1.6-litre TDi engine has also been refined, usually lower capacity diesel engines are a little bit gruff and a little bit noisy. And that’s how the 1.6-TDi engine comes across but only when it’s neck is being rung. To Be fair the traditional diesel noise is mostly audible at idle and low revs. But as you speed up to cruising speed that diesel gruffness dissipates. And if you must know…. its 52mpg on a combined cycle.

The chassis and engine appear to be a good match, with 110bhp the 1.6-litre TDi delivered all of its 250Nm of torque effectively, it’s not fast but James or Lauren don’t do fast because they were always at the business meeting yesterday not tomorrow. Meaning the Junior Executive will be able to arrive at that business meeting in McDonald’s fresh and relaxed and leave smelling of fried chips.

More so if James or Lauren wanted to text while driving then they could opt for the 6-speed dual clutch transmission over the 6-speed manual. The standard 6-speed manual on the test car is merely good to the point of being functional to engage.

On the plus side James or Lauren have plenty of engine options and while the 1.6-litre TDi offers next-to-nothing running costs the 2.0-litre TDi offers more horsepower. Or perhaps a choice of petrol engines ranging from the 1.0-litre TFSi or 1.4-litre TFSi may be more suited to lifestyle of the Junior executive.

On a practical side James or Lauren may well consider buying a larger car as the rear half of the A3 hatch is a bit of a squeeze for passengers and where will the Junior Executive put all those for sale signs to tempt people into buying high-interest mortgage loans.

However, if the Junior Executive has a lazy weekend he or she can just about squeeze a weeks shopping into the rear, naturally, there is more space when the seats are folded flat. But that weekend trip to Cornwall with the surfboard and dog will have some compromises. Just tie the dog onto the roof and leave the surfboard at home. Problem solved.

All told the A3 is a nice bit of kit but it does come at a premium however compared to the Mini Hatch it feels more sophisticated and less like a toy to own and use as a daily driver. And that’s what appeals to A3 buyers, the A3 may not necessarily conjure up excitement but as an all-rounder in its category it’s always a serious contender for the hearts and minds of the James or Laurens who prefer the discretion the A3 offers over other rivals, such as the BMW in-your-face 1 Series.