Audi A3 variants
Total price
Monthly payment
Figures are based on a 10% deposit
Is the Audi A3 just a posh Golf?

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Finance representative example (PCP)

Total cash price £21,099. Borrowing £18,989 with a £2,110 deposit at a representative APR of 10.9%.

48 monthly payments
£283.38
Fixed interest rate
10.9%
Total amount payable
£27,763.08
Cost of credit
£6,664.08
Optional final payment
£12,051.00
Purchase fee
£10.00
Annual mileage limit
6000 miles

Audi A3 buying guide

What used Audi A3 trim levels are there?

The following information is for the 2020-onward Audi A3. There are 3 main trim levels when buying a used A3: Technik, Sport and S Line, plus 2 high-end special editions called Edition 1 and Vorsprung. 

Technik may be the entry-level version, but it still comes packed with tech. You get an all-digital dashboard screen plus a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment display, which includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You also get LED headlights, 16-inch alloy wheels as well as a suite of safety kit including lane-keeping assist and automatic emergency braking.

Step up to Sport and you get all the same kit as Technik, with the addition of 17-inch alloy wheels, two-zone climate control and leather upholstery. There are some sportier front and rear bumpers – but you’d have to park a Sport car next to a Technik one to really tell them apart.

Finally there’s S Line – these models get yet bigger 19-inch alloy wheels, LED tail lights with those eye-catching ‘sweeping’ indicators, tinted rear windows and some ‘S’ badges inside.

Over the years there have been two high-end trim levels for the A3: Edition 1 and Vorsprung. Edition 1 cars added some black exterior styling bits, fancier Matrix LED headlights (which block out oncoming cars from your beam to avoid dazzling them), suede-like Alcantara front seats, plus 30-colour interior lighting.

Vorsprung cars take things a stage further, adding a panoramic sunroof, electric-opening boot, plus fine Nappa leather front sports seats. There’s also an upgraded Bang & Olufsen sound system, a wireless charging mat and a head-up display so you can see your speed and local speed limit info in the windscreen.

Audi A3 interior and technology

Step inside the latest Audi A3 and you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re in a £50,000 executive limo, not a £22,000 family hatch. The combination of the digital driver’s display and pin-sharp infotainment screen really makes the latest A3 feel as if it’s a car for the TikTok era. The materials throughout the cabin all feel plush and posh too, and it’s hard not to feel impressed when you’re sitting behind the wheel.

The infotainment system itself (which Audi calls MMI touch) is simple to use, and it’s neatly embedded in the dashboard and not hovering there like a stuck-on iPad. Pick an automatic version of the A3 and you’ll get a small switch to change gears with, leaving you more room for your drinks in the cupholders.

Rear-seat room is pretty good for a hatchback – tall adults will be ok for shorter trips, and kids should be just fine. The saloon version does have a slightly lower roof in the back, and the convertible’s rear seats are quite tight in terms of knee-room, and your back-seat passengers will likely feel claustrophobic on long journeys with the roof up.

Boot space is decent on the A3 Sportback and A3 Saloon, but the convertible’s roof takes up a lot of boot space when it’s folded down.

Audi A1 vs Audi A3 – which is best?

Audi A3 engine range explained

Audi A3 35 TFSI - most popular!

Audi’s engine naming conventions are ambiguous, but TFSI means petrol and TDI means diesel, and as the number goes up and down, so does the power. The 35 TFSI is a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol with 150hp. It’s more than fast enough for daily driving with a 0-62mph time of 8.7 seconds, plus it’s capable of decent fuel economy – you’ll get around 45mpg on a steady run.

Audi A3 30 TFSI

The A3 30 TFSI is another petrol, this time it’s a 110hp 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine. That might sound a bit puny, but its turbocharged torque means it’s actually perfectly powerful enough, even at motorway speeds. It won’t set any acceleration records, taking 10.6 seconds from 0-62mph, but a potential 54mpg isn’t to be sniffed at.

Audi A3 35 TDI

If you do lots of long distances and motorway miles, you might want to consider the 35 TDI. it’s a 2.0-litre diesel engine with 150hp and it’s actually faster accelerating than either of the petrol engines above – it takes 8.3 seconds to 62mph, not that we condone drag-racing your family hatchback. It has lots of low-down shove and can get a sniff over 60mpg if you’re careful with your right foot.

Audi A3 40 TFSI e

The 40 TFSI e is a plug-in hybrid meaning it can travel up to 37 miles on pure electric power, and it’s pretty fast too, thanks to 245hp from its combination of an electric motor and a 1.4-litre petrol engine. It’ll dash from 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds, but it is noticeably more expensive than the regular petrol and diesel A3 line-up.

Your Audi A3 questions answered

You can get the Audi A3 with a range of small diesel and petrol engines, plus there’s a plug-in hybrid version called the A3 Sportback TFSI e. Most engines are available with either a manual or automatic gearbox.

The S3 is a hot-hatch version of the A3. It comes with a 310hp 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine that sends power to all four wheels, rocketing you to 62mph in about 4.8 seconds. There’s an S3 version of both the saloon and hatchback, so you can get an S3 Sportback or S3 Saloon. You can spot an S3 by way of its quad exhaust pipes poking out from the rear bumper.

This is where things get even sillier. The Audi RS 3 gets a cool-sounding 2.5-litre five-cylinder that has 400hp. Thanks again to a four-wheel-drive system, it’ll get from 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds. The latest-generation RS 3 can even drift around corners if you choose the right driving mode. It’s a rocketship, and gets all the poshest options and trinkets from the A3 range… but it’s also incredibly expensive, and drinks fuel as if it’s going out of fashion.

At the time of writing, a brand new Audi A3 starts at around £27,000, but an equivalent nearly new car with low mileage can be yours for around £22,000 from Motorpoint. With a 20% deposit, monthly PCP payments work out at about £250 per month.

The Audi A3 has a long list of high-tech equipment, so you could experience electrical glitches if you’re unlucky. Often, these will be remedied by a dealer-fitted software update. While most A3s should be dependable, consider taking out an extended warranty for total peace of mind.

If you’re after a premium-feeling compact car, the A3 ticks a lot of boxes. Its interior mixes impressive digital tech with plush and tactile materials, making this relatively inexpensive model feel like a top-end Audi. It’s more spacious than its main rivals and there are economical petrol, diesel and hybrid engines.

The VW equivalent to the Audi A3 is the Golf, and the two share most of their underpinnings. The Golf is a little better value than the A3, but the A3 has a slightly more luxurious interior. You can buy a Golf as a hatchback or an estate, while the A3 comes in hatchback and saloon body styles.