Audi A3 Mk4 Review (2020-present)

What is the Audi A3?

Being the best of the best is always impressive, but the shine is taken off a little when part of the reason for your dominance is because the competition isn’t really up to snuff. Yes, you could be like Usain Bolt and wipe the floor with all-comers each and every time, but surely, your achievement is a little more satisfying when you’ve got an absolutely outstanding rival that really tests you, keeping you on your toes. A Cristiano Ronaldo to your Leonel Messi. A Raphael Nadal to your Roger Federer.

The third-generation Audi A3 was definitely the Bolt of the bunch. It was a truly fabulous car, and when compared with flawed rivals such as the BMW 1 Series and the Mercedes A-Class, it well and truly trounced them every single time, even towards the end of its life.

That end inevitably came, however, and the Mk3 A3 has was replaced by the fourth-generation version in 2020. For the reasons explained, this car has some extremely big boots to fill, and its task is made even harder by the fact that the latest rivals from BMW and Mercedes have really got their collective acts together, being absolutely brilliant in a number of areas. The Audi hasn't stood still, though, as a mild facelift in 2024 added styling tweaks inside and out, along with some extra tech.

So can the latest A3 maintain Audi’s place at the top of the pile? Well, if it can, it’ll be an achievement as impressive as any Olympic gold medal, Ballon D’Or or Grand Slam title.

How practical is it?

There’s no three-door version of the A3, so you can only get it as a five-door hatchback for now. But that means access to the rear is decent enough, if a little compromised compared with a Volkswagen Golf due to the A3’s sloping roofline.

There’s plenty enough space inside for the A3 to rival if not better the BMW 1 Series, however, and while the A3 might not quite be the most spacious family hatchback around, it’s certainly the roomiest to wear a premium badge.

At 380 litres with the rear seats in place and 1,200 litres when they're folded down, the boot is large and well shaped, and the seats split and fold in 60/40 format. When they’re lowered, they sit flush with the boot floor, too, which makes it easy to slide in large, bulky objects.

What's it like to drive?

Encouragingly, the latest A3 is still a fabulous car to drive. The ride has a slightly firm edge, so you do feel plenty of the surface beneath you, but bumps and ruts never seem to upset or unsettle the car, no matter how big they are, so life stays comfortable. That said, higher-spec versions come on a lowered sports suspension, which is likely to feel firmer still, but because we haven’t tried it yet, we can’t tell you if it takes things too far.

This firmness does pay dividends in the way the car handles, too. Ok, it doesn’t quite feel pointy or as agile as a 1 Series, but strong grip, tight body control and responsive steering mean it still feels very nimble indeed, and it’s a sight more comfortable than the BMW, too.

The turbocharged engines impress with their refinement, performance and efficiency, meanwhile, and standard luxury and safety equipment is in plentiful supply. There’s some appealing technology on board, too.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

Being at the posher, pricier end of the family hatchback market, the A3 would be expected to come rammed with luxury kit in order to justify the price and, to be fair, it doesn’t do at all badly on that score. Importantly, all versions come with pretty much the same infotainment system as standard, which includes the 10.1-inch touchscreen, the 10.25-inch ‘Virtual Cockpit’ digital instrument panel, and functionality that includes satnav, DAB radio, Bluetooth, voice control, four charging ports (including two USB-C ports in the rear) and Apple Carplay/Android Auto. Entry-level Teknik cars also come with manual air-conditioning, cruise control, automatic lights and wipers, remote locking, rear parking sensors and 16-inch alloy wheels. Standard safety kit includes automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and six airbags.

You’ll find that every step up the trim structure adds an extra inch to the size of the alloys you get, along with various aesthetic upgrades inside and out. Sport cars also come with leather upholstery, two-zone climate control and 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats (they’re split 60/40 in the Teknik, which is less versatile), while S line trim adds sports suspension, sports seats and extra LED lighting. Edition 1 cars add bespoke upholstery, powered and heated front seats and a bigger 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit display. Vorsprung cars add adaptive cruise control and a head-up display.

Audi A3 running costs

Compare list prices with the equivalent versions of the BMW 1 Series and Mercedes A-Class, and they’re pretty similar, but if you’re splitting hairs, the Audi does cost a fraction more than the other two. All three are likely to shed their value at a similar slow rate, too, so used prices will remain high for some time to come. And also, it’ll come as no surprise that all three of these cars will be considerably more expensive than similarly sized hatchbacks from less prestigious brands.

Broadly speaking, the A3’s official fuel economy figures are a match for those of rivals, so although it might be a tad more expensive to buy, the Audi shouldn’t cost any more to run.both the diesel return upwards of 60 mpg, with the the 30 TDI getting closer to 66 mpg, while the figures for the two petrol engines sit just either side of the 50 mpg mark, although it’s worth noting that the 35 TFSI is marginally more efficient when paired with the twin-clutch gearbox rather than the manual.

Again, servicing costs will be on a par with those of BMW and Mercedes, and more than those of more mainstream manufacturers, but Audi does offer fixed-price servicing plans, plus the option to spread the cost of servicing and repairs by paying in installments, helping you to plan your finances.

At the time of writing, insurance groupings for the A3 sat between 20 and 29, but that’ll inevitably change as more engine choices are introduced. The vast majority of A3s will also be subject to an annual VED bill of £150 per year. There are some exceptions, though. The plug-hybrids will qualify for a £10 discount on that rate (whoop-de-do), while any car that cost more than £40,000 when brand new will face an additional £325 surcharge between years two and six of the car’s life. Currently, no A3 costs quite that much, but it is possible to take it over that threshold with optional extras.

Audi A3 reliability

The A3 uses the same platform, engines and other parts as a wide range of different models spread across the Volkswagen Group’s various brands. You’d think that all these bits and pieces would be tried and tested as a result, but the 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey might suggest otherwise.

Of the 29 cars included in the family cars category, the A3 was the least reliable of the lot. And joining the A3 in the bottom three? The Volkswagen Golf and Skoda Octavia, two more models that use those very same bits and pieces.

In the two years covered by the survey, a whopping 59% of owners’ A3s went wrong in some way, with the infotainment system and non-engine electrics being the biggest sources of trouble. The necessary repairs were slow as well, with 70% of those cars being stuck in the workshop for a week or more.

As a brand, Audi placed 26th out of the 32 in the manufacturer standings of the same study, putting it behind both of its big rivals, BMW finishing 12th and Mercedes placing 24th.

Audi’s warranty package isn’t particularly great, either: its three-year, 60,000-mile cover is the bare minimum you should expect on a new car, and several manufacturers do much, much better.