Audi A3 Review (2012-2019)

What is the Audi A3?

The Audi A3 has long stood at the top of the to-buy list for anyone after a family car with a premium edge to it, and for good reason. It’s a great all-rounder that mixes style and a very high quality interior with practicality and a decent driving experience with a particular focus on comfort. This third-generation model spans eight years of production, but Audi has kept it fresh with subtle updates every few years, and it’s still a car that we can highly recommend. It’s also available in a variety of different body styles, trims and with a range of engines, which means that there’s an A3 for almost everyone.

How practical is it?

Choices in this version of the A3 – codenamed 8V – range from a three-door hatchback and five-door “Sportback” through to a saloon and a cabriolet, although not all body styles have been sold throughout its entire lifetime, with the three-door model being phased out towards the end of its run.

If you go for the five-door hatchback, called the Sportback, you get a slightly bigger boot (380 litres – 25 litres more than in the three-door model. and more space for rear-seat passengers due to a longer wheelbase. The boot will easily accommodate a buggy and weekly shop, and it’s much easier to get in and out of the back seats than in the three-door model.

Strictly speaking the saloon model offers the most space with 425 litres, owing to its extra length, but the hatchbacks are ultimately more flexible.

What's it like to drive?

While the Ford Focus is ultimately a more engaging car to drive, you’d be surprised how close the third-generation A3 gets, especially considering the slightly uninspiring reputation of its predecessors. Engines are punchy, handling is crisp and taut, and while the ride is a touch on the firm side, it’ll still be comfortable enough for most people, especially if you go for the SE model with its plumper tyres (S-Lines get big wheels and slimmer tyres, which spoil the ride quality somewhat).

If you want a bit more vim in your driving experience, you could look at the S3 models, which boast more power and sharper handling. Or if you want a proper hot hatch (or hot saloon), then check out the RS3 models, which have serious performance credentials.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

Standard models come with several choices of trim, although all are at least reasonably specced when it comes to equipment, reflecting the premium image of Audi. At launch, the range kicked off with the SE, which had the basics covered – air conditioning, electric windows, a CD player, Bluetooth connectivity, a digital radio and a colour screen, controlled using a central joystick between the seats all came as standard.

Upgrading to the Sport model brought dual-zone climate control, sports suspension, sports seats, and larger alloy wheels, while the S-Line gained Xenon headlights, even bigger alloy wheels, part-leather upholstery, and a more aggressive bodykit. At the top of the range, the S3 had leather upholstery and heated front seats.

Audi A3 running costs

Generally speaking, diesel models get the best fuel economy, and if you’re doing longer journeys then they’re the ones to focus on. A3 diesels come in either 1.6-litre or 2.0-litre form. While the smaller engines use slightly less fuel, we think the extra performance and improved refinement of the 2.0 litres, particularly the 150PS model, is worth the upgrade. It’ll likely be more desirable when you come to sell it on as well.

There were several versions of the 1.6 engine available over the life of the A3, and the most efficient was the 1.6 TDI Ultra, which had an official fuel economy figure of 83.1mpg. The 2.0-litre TDI’s official figure is between 67 and 69mpg, depending on which version you go for. Quattro models, with all-wheel drive, will be less fuel efficient than front-wheel drive A3s.

The range of petrol engines has evolved over the life of this generation of A3, with 1.0-, 1.2-, 1.4-, 1.5- and 2.0-litre versions available at various times. We’re big fans of the small 1.0-litre TFSI, which maximises fuel economy while still providing enough everyday power. It has an official fuel economy of more than 60mpg and outperforms some of the larger units in both performance and efficiency. The 2.0-litre TFSI also delivers decent fuel economy for its size and power, with an official figure close to 50mpg, but perhaps the happy medium is the 1.4 TFSI, or the 1.5 TFSI that replaced it in 2018. Both of these have good fuel economy – close to 60mpg – and impressive performance, and used examples can often be very close in price to the 1.0-litre models. It’s important to remember that official fuel economy stats are based on lab tests, and you’ll do well to get close to these figures in real life.

The more powerful S3 and RS3 models sacrifice efficiency for performance, and you’ll be lucky to hit 40mpg and 30mpg respectively.

The plug-in hybrid e-tron can, theoretically, give you incredibly good fuel consumption (the official figure is 166mpg), but that will depend on how you use it. If you can plug in the car to charge the battery and cover mainly short journeys, you can do most of your driving on pure electric power, which will be much cheaper than using the petrol engine. But if you’re doing longer journeys or don’t keep the battery topped up, the fuel economy will drop considerably.

You will need to service your A3 depending on how you drive it, with intervals of up to two years and 19,000 miles with a Longlife service. Diesels need a new timing belt every five years or 75,000 miles, at a cost of approximately £500. The mk3 Audi A3 is one of the affected models in the VW emissions scandal so it is best to check Audi’s website to see if any remedial work has been done to a car you are thinking of buying.

Audi offers interest-free finance on servicing work done at its dealer network, for jobs between £60 and £5,000. Audis over three years old can be serviced for a fixed price at Audi service centres. Exact prices vary depending on model, and can be found on Audi’s website, but as a guide, a non-e-tron A3 with an engine smaller than 2.0 litres can get an interim service for £180.

Insurance costs are likely to be slightly higher than less premium cars of similar size, but the prestige of the Audi badge will drive up resale values.

Audi A3 reliability

While the big German premium brands make some lovely cars, they don’t always have great reputations for reliability, and Audi is no exception. It regularly sits towards the bottom of independent reliability studies, although so too do rivals BMW and Mercedes-Benz. That said, the A3 tends to do relatively well in model-specific surveys, as opposed to whole-brand studies. New Audis get a standard three-year, 60,000-mile warranty, which pales in comparison to some volume brands, but is fairly common for the premium end of the market.

If you’re buying a used A3, make sure any necessary recall work has been carried out. Cars made between 30 June 2014 and 15 November 2014 need to have a revised passenger airbag module fitted. Cars made between 20 May 2018 and 2 September 2018 need the entire backrest to the rear seats refitted, and the camshaft adjuster needed replacing on cars built between January and September 2014. In addition, a small number of cars made in August 2017 had faulty hub carriers that needed replacing. Check with an Audi dealer or in the paperwork that this has been done if applicable.

Diesel particulate filters (DPFs) can get clogged if the car hasn’t been on a long drive; if there's a warning light on the dash make sure the problem has been sorted before you buy the car. In some cases, the DPF will not regenerate because it is too clogged up and the repair and replacement bill can be more than £1,500. The pop-up infotainment screen can creak too, requiring anything from lubrication to replacement to fix.

Cars fitted with the 1.4-litre engine can suffer with rattling under acceleration and all A3s can suffer leaking water pumps, resulting in loss of coolant. Check for puddles of coolant under the car when it’s been sat still.

Some cabriolet owners have reported quite a bit of wind buffeting at motorway speeds, but this can be tackled with an aftermarket wind deflector.